NGD: Circa 000-12 Adi/Brazi #137
 

I've been drooling over this guitar since it arrived at Luthier's Collection. I'm a big fan of the 000-12 design because it gives a little more low end and "bigness" than a comparable OM, at least in my experience. In my mind's eye, I imagined this guitar would have more bass depth than my Schoenberg (which is mahogany), more scooped mids, and a little more overall reverb and sustain.

I hesitated at first because the guitar didn't have a cutaway, but I can get away without one for about 90% of what I do. And, as Mike Joyce reminded me, you can always use another guitar for those songs where the non-cutaway 12 fret won't work.

I'm happy to report this guitar really fit EXACTLY into the niche I was hoping it would fill. It is, without a doubt, a show stopping, jaw dropping, I can't-believe-what-I'm-hearing tone fiesta. I've played a lot of great guitars over the years, but this one may take the cake. I'm not sure if the Brazilian is adding that little extra something, but it just gives a little extra shimmer and sustain that pushes it from excellent to other-worldly. John is certainly building some of the very best guitars that can be had, in my opinion.

Compared to my OM, which has a surprising mid hump that's more akin to what I hear in a mahogany guitar (it's Madrose), it definitely has that mid scoop you would usually expect from rosewood. Relatively speaking, in the broad spectrum of guitars out there, it still has strong mids. Just not quite as much as with my Madrose OM. I don't like guitars to be too scooped out, as I think a lot of the real voice of the guitar lives in the mids. The bass is more substantial for sure. The sustain is longer and the guitar generally has more reverb. It sounds like a bigger guitar, but not cavernous. It still has the punch in the mids, upper mids, and highs to keep the voice of the guitar from getting swallowed up.

It would be hard to imagine a tonal improvement to this guitar, which to me exemplifies the very best of that 000-12 Martin platform and the very best of what Adi and Brazilian can do together.

The previous owner kept it in like new condition so it's pretty much a brand new guitar.

A couple more cool tidbits:

1) This guitar was built in the same batch as my OM (#142) in 2016. In fact, it's pictured here in the middle of the shelf in the back, third from the left. This photo is from my OM build thread. OM #142 is getting the box closed up in this photo.

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/Circa_OM-35.jpg

2) Burton LeGeyt, another luthier whose work I admire greatly, made the bridge pins. They're kind of awesome, which is par for the course when it comes to all things Burton.

The Brazilian rosewood is pretty much the straightest stuff that can be had. It truly represents my ideal for what I like to see in Brazilian. Very straight and quartered. I'm not usually a huge disciple of Brazilian, but this guitar may convert me. It is truly very special. Perhaps the subtle "wow" qualities in this guitar are in part a result of truly exceptional Brazilian. It's always hard to know for sure since all of these variables are interwoven.

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_01.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_02.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_03.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_04.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_05.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_06.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_07.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_08.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_09.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_10.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_11.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_12.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_13.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_14.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_15.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_16.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_17.jpg

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...12_Braz_18.jpg

Truly stunning

Congrats...:). Beautiful Instrument....:up:

Very nice guitar!

That's a beauty, really straight BRW. Personally, I think that does add that little magic that seems to take a particular guitar over-the-top...IMO

Needless to say circa guitars are made perfect or as close as humans r capable of. And that brazilian rosewood is top drawer stuff - straight grained and tight. Play it in good health, justonwo!

The definition of a Braz OOO....!!!!!!

Dude. That Braz is UNREAL.

Congrats on the score! Just in time for the holidays!!!!

I can't wait to see the completion of your 000-28 maple too!!!!!

Congrats on the triple Circa! Man that BRW is sick...

Nice one Juston.. No....an exceptionally nice one I think!

Gorgeous!

That Brazilian is extraordinary.

Thanks for sharing the guitar with us.

Too much, Juston !!!

Extraordinary timber, beautiful score !!!

I'm egging you on !!!

(As long as you keep posting all of it here for our general consumption. ;))

Well, that’s just perfection isn’t it.

Wowza!!!
 

Mighty FINE guitar!!! Way to score...

Looks like you have the Jescar Gold color hard frets? If so you will be glad, as you will play the heck out of this one! And I agree completely about the added oomph of a 000 12 fret, vs. a 14. It is very noticeable to me too..

So you will soon have A Maple Circa to compliment your Braz and your Hog?

So cool to have similar instruments in different woods.

Enjoy her in fine health and spirits!

A FAB Christmas to all, and to all many Merry Tunes!!!

Paul

You mean, other people are still making fret wire BESIDES Jescar? If so, I don't see the point! All of my guitars have EVO at this point. I love it and I agree that it makes a difference in longevity. It also doesn't oxidize.

Yes, I'll have a maple Circa 000-12 to go with the Braz Circa 000-12 and mahogany Schoenberg 000-12. I like 000-12s so much that I think it's worth having some different flavors. The mahogany and Brazilian sound very different and pretty much fall in line with the conventional thinking on the influence of those two tone woods.

Juston, if you ever get into single malt whisky, I want to be invited back to your place.

Juston, congratulations on adding another Circa to your herd. This one does look amazing.

I already am and you're invited back. :)

Wow! Just remember, my house will be used for your guitar overflows.

Always, brother. As soon as I run out of space on the bathroom and the kids’ rooms and the pantry and the entryway closet.

I just had to check this out again.

Daayum, boy, you finally got yerself a geetar to go with them fancy Christmas sweaters you fancy!

(Did I just make me a poem? No? Good, cuz I ain't no sissy.)

So awesome! Love my Circa OM, it continues to develop the more I play it. A triple O hog may be my next acquisition.

Can’t recommend that spec highly enough. Very different from your OM but equally awesome.

This guitar has a very different dynamic from my OM. It is more lush and responsive where the OM is more mid-focused and powerful. It has far greater overtone content and sustain than the OM but a lower volume and headroom threshold. The OM will take more or less every ounce of power you can pack into the string, but the 000-12 will start to break up if you really hit it super hard. Seems like more of the string energy is going into sustain and bloom than attack. John says headroom may develop over time, but it’s not a big deal. You REALLY have to lean into it. The previous owner has only 20 hours or so of playing time, so it still has a lot of breaking in to do.

Great summary of the differences between those two sizes, Juston! Congrats on the score!

Thanks for that Juston, great context. Will be interested on how your maple OOO stacks up as well.

I agree it will be interesting. I'm actually surprised at how different the OM and 000-12 are given that they were braced in more or less the same way and the materials aren’t that different. I guess I'm pleasantly surprised because I don't want a bunch of guitars that sound mostly the same.

Over the years, I've done battle many times with my H4n recorder trying to get a decent recording. I've always hoped that one day I would "arrive" with a combination of recording skill and playing skill so that 1) the recording would sound really good and 2) my playing would be of sufficient quality that I could play a song all the way through without mistakes.

Since that day will never arrive, I'm just going to record as best I can with all the warts. So with those caveats, here's a sound sample.

http://jus-tone.com/misc/circa/braz_...he%20Ocean.mp3

Congratulations On Your Circa! Sweet!

Wow, well that was quite a tune you took on there to try and play through with no mistakes. Well done and the guitar sounds great.