3 2016 OMs (Circa, Merrill, Dudenbostel)
 

First of all, Merry Christmas to everyone.

It has been a slow 2016...
I wasn't very active buying and trying guitars like 2014 and 2015.
Well, I did buy 5 guitars... But mostly its about these 3 OMs.

https://scontent.fmnl4-1.fna.fbcdn.n...71&oe=58F38E04

All are from 2016, and they have the same Adirondack spruce and Brazilian rosewood combination.

I've been fond of bigger guitars previously, but over the years I slowly transitioned to smaller models.

https://scontent.fmnl4-1.fna.fbcdn.n...99&oe=58E82A1C

The first real world class OM I had was a Borges OM-45 Deluxe... also Adi/Braz combo.. It was nice, and very vintage sounding.

I got curious and wanted to try out other builders and I was fortunate to be offered build slots a couple of years ago...

https://scontent.fmnl4-1.fna.fbcdn.n...c5&oe=58EE6EBD

I received the Merrill OM-42 last April...
It almost never happened... Long story lol...
When I received it, I was pleasantly surprised by how open it sounded...
It is everything I hoped for.
Just magical... Great tonal bloom, 3D sound.
The best new OM I have played.

https://scontent.fmnl4-1.fna.fbcdn.n...a1&oe=58E17E06

The Dudenbostel OM arrived last September
I had a hard time choosing between Adi, Carpathian and Englemann.
I told Lynn I did not want a stiff sounding guitar... He recommended Carp and Englemann.. I almost went Englemann, but eventually Adi won.
I almost sold it when a guitar bud told me the Dudenbostel guitars he played were pretty much like a Collings.
I never found a Collings that I truly loved...
But curiosity got the better of me haha...
When it finally arrived, it was tight sounding... But over 2 months it matured beautifully... Loud and none of the harsh edge common in new guitars. It has an old voice. I remember a video comparing a Martin OM A and a real 32' OM... The Dude has the old sound and vibe of the 32'.
Its one of the guitars I surely wont part with.

https://scontent.fmnl4-1.fna.fbcdn.n...68&oe=58D8ABD5

Finally the Circa OM-42
I got this as a used guitar, barely 1 month old.
The most beautiful guitar Ive ever owned... prettier than the Borges OM-45 dlx. Everything about the guitar spells class.
It was a little tight when I received it 3 weeks ago.
Now the notes bloom and sustain beautifully. Its very similar to the Merrill, just more balanced and mellow.
Over a few more weeks or months I think it will be a very special guitar.

:)

The magic of a Merrill is unsurpassed.

https://johnstone2.bandcamp.com/track/pastoral

An "orchestra" of OMs...:up:

The traditional 15", 000 size combined with the power of a long-scale is the "sweet spot" of tonal balance and comfort among acoustic flat top guitars in my opinion.

I would love to see what the back of them looks like.

Kudos

WOW! Now that's what I call a stable! :D

I have no idea how you decide which OM to play, but that is a problem that I would be envious to have.

Thanks for sharing, and happy holidays back at you!

Fs, those are all silly good guitars. Congrats to a fabulous year! It looks like you "had" an Borges OM-45 deluxe. Do all 3 new ones surpass the older broken in Borges? How would you rank the 4? Thanks.

What fun to be able to compare three OM guitars from excellent builders.

If that was a slow 2016 I can't imagine what fast may be like. Awesome trio! Congrats.

That's what I was thinking as well.....congrats.

I will try to take nice pics of the backs w/o reflection....

Over the years, I've learned that we all have different tastes...
A Korean collector visited me last year... and he picked the Borges OM45 Dlx to be the best guitar in my house... at that time I had multiple Somogyis (5 at that time I think), Traugotts, Walkers, Kostals, Matsuda, Brondel, etc...
He says it sounds close to his pre war Martin OM.

At this time it will be very hard for me to pick the best among the 4 world class OMs...
But if you force me... its gotta be either the Merrill or the Dudenbostel.
They are very different, but both stellar...
The Circa being a 2mos old guitar is already great... after a few months my answer may change hahaha.

:)

Fast is like this hahaha
https://scontent.fmnl4-6.fna.fbcdn.n...f8&oe=58F91E7A

https://scontent.fmnl4-6.fna.fbcdn.n...4a&oe=58E8A843

https://scontent.fmnl4-6.fna.fbcdn.n...77&oe=58D953D1

https://scontent.fmnl4-6.fna.fbcdn.n...b0&oe=58D71E81

https://scontent.fmnl4-6.fna.fbcdn.n...29&oe=58DE04E6

https://scontent.fmnl4-6.fna.fbcdn.n...4d&oe=58DAADB1
Couldnt help it sorry:D

Yes its fun, but after some time I'll just keep the one I play most of the times:)

Wow, that's a magnificent looking group of OMs, thanks for sharing!

Like Jimmi, I too would like to know how your Borges sounded by comparison, not so much a ranking as some insight into timbral variation. From what I read above it looks like the Circa is a bit softer and rounder than the others - I guess I'd expect that from the Borges as well but I sure would like to hear from someone who plays them all the time.

I keep finding the softer, rounder trebles associated with a touch less air ... I play a Mcalister OM 28 and I really like the warmth or the rounder trebles, I don't give up clarity to bass smear and the bloom is incredible (both compromises usually made to warmth in non-vintage instruments) but there is a bit less air than in some really great vintage guitars I've played and I have only occasionally come across this sense of air in newer guitars (A Merrill I once owned for instance); when I do find it in a newer guitar it seems like it always comes with much brighter - or maybe faster - treble transients.

I understand that bloom and balance are just incredible from all those builders - thanks again for the pics (and whatever you decide to share of your experiences)

MB

Holy Cow! While I was typing my post you posted the moderns and the Walkers...while I am chiefly familiar with modern takes on vintage Martins and Gibson I can only look on in awe at that collection

Thanks...:up: We look forward to that, particularly with three BRW guitars...:)