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  #1  
Old 01-06-2022, 12:48 PM
jb83 jb83 is offline
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Default Circa Build

Well, my 40th birthday is in exactly two years, so I just put down a deposit on one of John’s builds in Brazilian and red spruce. John says he’s been sticking pretty well to two years to delivery, so I hope to have one of the best birthday presents a guitar player could ask for. According to John, the Brazilian set I picked has a great classic tap tone and -more importantly- is the right weight. It’s apparently light enough to be dread-sized if I decide to go that route.

Im torn at this point between going with an OM or dread. My current collection consists of a 1945 J-45 and a recently-delivered Arcara D-18 style. My playing is usually a mix of bluegrass flatpicking and fingerstyle. While I know one of his dreads in his new bracing pattern would be plenty responsive for whatever I throw at it, the comfort of the OM body style is calling my name.

Can anyone give some feedback on how you chose your body style when having John build for you? Also, some general feedback on what the overall build process was like with John would be really appreciated. Thanks-I’m extremely excited about this one! I just went through a two year wait for the Arcara, so hopefully this time flys just as fast!
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Old 01-06-2022, 08:19 PM
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I own two of John's guitars, a 00 and an OM. I have spent a lot of time with John at the Swannanoa Gathering. I consider him to be a friend and he is an all around great guy. My OM is cocobolo with a cutaway and a bevel. His bevels are very slight. It has an Italian Spruce top. To me the trademark of John's sound is the treble strings. They are full and meaty and they contribute greatly to the balanced sound of the guitar. My 00 is mahogany/adirondak. They are both outstanding guitars. I have been lucky enough to play and own quite a few very nice guitars. Circa guitars are second to none.
Only you can decide what you want but I would go for an OM over a D any day of the week. My advice is to decide what you want then let him do his job. He builds great guitars and his instincts are dead on. Expect delays and prepare yourself accordingly. If you get uptight about the timeline the guitar will arrive with bad karma.
Once you have the guitar in your hands you will forget how long it took to get it.
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Old 01-06-2022, 08:31 PM
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Congrats…
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Old 01-06-2022, 11:47 PM
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justonwo justonwo is offline
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Congrats on an exciting commission! I own a few Circas and have played a handful of others over the years.

Currently own:
OM-18 (red spruce and mahogany)
OM-30 (red spruce and Madagascar rosewood)
OM-28 (red spruce and Brazilian rosewood)
000-12 (German spruce and German maple)

I used to own a 000-12 with a red spruce top and Brazilian rosewood.

John is passionate about his guitars, detailed-oriented to a level that very few others can match, and remarkably consistent in tone. Playability and setup are top tier. I agree with Teleplucker to pick the general specs but then try not to over-constrain John with too many descriptors of what you’re seeking. Just let him work his magic.

He is accommodating, lovely to work with, and delivers instruments that are, in my opinion, at the top of the heap.

Since you already have two larger guitars, I think an OM or 000-12 would be a sensible choice for variety’s sake. I get the feeling that John’s passion really lies with his smaller instruments, and I’m a firm believer in letting a builder do what they are most passionate about. His OMs, with their taller x-brace, deliver a pretty powerful, balanced punch. They tend to have a balanced sound, with no register particularly emphasized. Same with the 000-12, though mine has a bit more emphasis in the bass than the three OMs. I am told his older OMs, which had a more traditional brace profile, have more girth in the bass and less focus. He’s currently building an OM-42 for me that is rooted in this older style, which is more in line with the vintage Martin aesthetic.

In addition to the OM-42 project, he’s working on a “triple” 0 project for me (0, 00, and 000 12 fret), all with style 30 purfling . . . which he made himself. It’s a little insane to have so many guitars by one builder, no doubt, but such is my love for all things Circa. Including the man himself. A nicer builder you are not likely to find.

He’s a gem. You’re going to have a blast.
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Old 01-07-2022, 03:47 AM
gitarro gitarro is offline
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John Slobod makes a really good vintage or traditional oriented guitar. Now tone may be subjective in terms of preferences, but there is no doubt about one thing - his fit and finish is among the very best in lutherie today. You can expect that there will be literally no visible imperfection of any kind, while obsessive attention would have been paid to the smallest details. Among those things that I never expected was bookmatched bindings where the grain of the bindings appears to mirror those on the other side!
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Old 01-07-2022, 06:18 AM
Kerbie Kerbie is offline
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That's exciting! John's guitars are incredible... well worth the wait.
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Old 01-07-2022, 11:55 AM
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Oh my...congratulations! This should be exciting for you....and for us at AGF as your build begins in the future.
Considering your Dread which is now in hand, it might work for an OM?? My other thought is that over time, many players will choose a smaller size guitar for more comfort in their "later years". While you're still young, if the guitar is going to be with you a very long while, this aspect might be worth considering in addition to what unique tonal qualities you may seek to compliment the Arcara and Vintage Gibson.
My best wishes!
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Old 01-07-2022, 11:58 AM
SuperB23 SuperB23 is offline
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Congrats, I too currently have a guitar on order with John. I have one of his older Dreadnoughts from 2003 that I just love! One of the best vintage style dreads I’ve played!! I’ve only played 3 or 4 of John’s guitars but they have all been incredible!
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Old 01-08-2022, 10:41 AM
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Congrats! One thing to maybe consider is if you're planning on growing old with this guitar, you may end up gravitating towards OMs by the time your 50th birthday (60th?!) happens.
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Old 01-08-2022, 12:42 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jb83 View Post
Well, my 40th birthday is in exactly two years,....
I don't have much to add to this, except enjoy being 38 years old! I'm rolling on into 61 this year and don't have a clue as to what I was doing at 38. Come to think of it, I don't have a clue as to what I did yesterday either.

Tommy
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Old 01-08-2022, 12:46 PM
tommieboy tommieboy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by usb_chord View Post
Congrats! One thing to maybe consider is if you're planning on growing old with this guitar, you may end up gravitating towards OMs by the time your 50th birthday (60th?!) happens.
Yes, that has happened to me. My go to the grave guitar has evolved over the years as has my daily go-to guitar.

Tommy
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Old 01-08-2022, 01:08 PM
FormerFoodie FormerFoodie is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jb83 View Post
Well, my 40th birthday is in exactly two years, so I just put down a deposit on one of John’s builds in Brazilian and red spruce. John says he’s been sticking pretty well to two years to delivery, so I hope to have one of the best birthday presents a guitar player could ask for. According to John, the Brazilian set I picked has a great classic tap tone and -more importantly- is the right weight. It’s apparently light enough to be dread-sized if I decide to go that route.
You are celebrating in style!!! All I got for my 40th was a t-shirt that says something along the lines of "Dragon is old, but fire is still hot..." LOL

Quote:
Im torn at this point between going with an OM or dread. My current collection consists of a 1945 J-45 and a recently-delivered Arcara D-18 style. My playing is usually a mix of bluegrass flatpicking and fingerstyle. While I know one of his dreads in his new bracing pattern would be plenty responsive for whatever I throw at it, the comfort of the OM body style is calling my name.
As I've grown older, comfort has become paramount for me with guitars and I have sold all my dreads. This is so personal, so I'm not certain I can guide you in the best direction.

Quote:
Can anyone give some feedback on how you chose your body style when having John build for you? Also, some general feedback on what the overall build process was like with John would be really appreciated. Thanks-I’m extremely excited about this one! I just went through a two year wait for the Arcara, so hopefully this time flys just as fast!
I knew I wanted either an OM or a 000 Cut. I felt this shape was the perfect balance between comfort and tone. We had a special set of maple (understatement), so he was a little worried about bending for the cut, so we went with an OM. Zero regrets.

The interesting thing about my build with John is a couple of years prior to commissioning the guitar, I had sworn off of commissioning custom builds. There's just too many good deals on used boutique guitars to justify buying something sight unseen/sound unheard. But a unique opportunity came up, and I identified John as being the perfect luthier for what I wanted. I told him to build the guitar as if it would be for him and that I would mainly be driving the cosmetic appointments. Bottom line is that the guitar shattered any expectations I had. It remains my go to guitar and I am absolutely thrilled to have commissioned a guitar with him. So much so that if I wasn't in a cash crunch, I'd commission that 000 cut that I still want!

This is going to be a blast. Two years may seem long, but it will go by fast.

I can't wait to see your build pics down the road!!!
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  #13  
Old 01-08-2022, 01:19 PM
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Deft Tungsman Deft Tungsman is offline
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Congratulations, JB!! Mr. Slobod builds superlative guitars. You are lucky (and wise!) to commission a Circa.

I share the opinion that the OM is a better choice for the long haul as it is very comfortable regardless of playing position. Mine (Adi/Hog) is a fantastic all-rounder. Built with the taller X brace in 2013, it punches well above its weight with a flatpick, but also responds magically to a very delicate touch for fingerstyle.
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