Instruments
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2012 Circa D-28 Madagascar/Adirondack (Red)
John Slobod, the luthier behind Circa Guitars is one of the top builders in pre war style instruments. Great players from all over the world choose Circa and it isn’t hard to tell why. We recently had a house concert with Steve Baughman where he played his own Circa guitar and it sounded gorgeous. This D-28 in Red Spruce and Madagascar Rosewood is a great representation of the incredibly high bar that John sets in his building, being flawless in tone and build quality. The basses roar and are tempered expertly by the fat singing trebles. This is an exceptional pre war style dread from a builder at the very top of the game!
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.28 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Rosewood - Madagascar 
New Circa D-28 Madagascar/Adirondack SOLD
This fine Circa Dreadnought was custom made for one of our clients, so it isn’t for sale presently, but you can order one of your own to your tastes! Give us a call or message and we’ll be happy to talk to you about how you can get your very own custom instrument made by John Slobod or any of our other fine luthiers.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.38 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Rosewood - Madagascar 
2010 Circa D-42S AAA+ Koa/Adirondack
John Slobod and his Circa Guitars have become a hot commodity in the guitar world. Slews of pro players have purchased Circa guitars including our own Al Petteway, Steve Baughman, Tony McManus, Ed Dodson and many others. These players are the best in the world and they choose guitars for tone, playability, reliability and quality, in that order. John Slobod has all of that in every guitar. This Circa D-42 is a stunner in AAA+ Flamed Koa and Adirondack Red Spruce. Power to spare and clear sweet trebles, this one is perfect for lead or accompaniment. John Slobod is one of the few builders that can truly capture the essence of a pre-war Martin. This guitar is a shining example of his work.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.81 in String Spacing 2.19 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Koa 
Circa OM Flamed Koa/Engelmann
Here’s an exquisite OM from John Slobod at Circa Guitars. The Flamed Koa back and sides on this beauty speak for itself. The voice is big, open and mature. The Engelmann Spruce top pairs nicely with Koa to create a versatile voice suitable for many style. The cutaway is Brazilian Rosewood for an interesting contrast. Excellent playability, excellent tone; an excellent instrument.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.38 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Engelmann, Koa 
Circa 7/8ths Dread Cocobolo/Adirondack Red
John Slobod, builder of Circa Guitars, has made many instruments with Julius Borges and Dana Bourgeois and is one of the modern luthiers building guitars as good or better than the prewar giants. Here is this 7/8th Dread, John has designed a versatile guitar that can handle both flatpicking and fingerstyle duties with ease and is more comfortable to hold. The Cocobolo and Adirondack body put forth a strong voice, at once clear and warm. There is nothing this guitar cannot do. The craftsmanship is impeccable, something else Slobod is known for. These tend to fly out the door, so don’t miss your chance.
SOLD Sale! Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.19 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Rosewood - Cocobolo 
New Circa D-42 Brazilian/Engelmann
John Slobod and his Circa Guitars have become a hot commodity in the guitar world. Slews of pro players have purchased Circa guitars including our own Al Petteway, Steve Baughman, Tony McManus, Ed Dodson and many others. These players are the best in the world and they choose guitars for tone, playability, reliability and quality, in that order. John Slobod has all of that in every guitar. This ravishing D-42 Sunburst is a stunner. The abalone really shines against the deep, dark burst. The top is old Engelmann Spruce and while not a bluegrass cannon, Engelmann gives this box a wonderful warm strumming voice and a richness that will suit singer-songwriters, accompanists and fingerpickers perfectly.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.19 in Woods Spruce - Engelmann, Rosewood - Brazilian 
New Circa OM Beeswing Mahogany/European
Here we have a brand new Circa OM from John Slobod. Our own Al Petteway plays one of John’s guitars and this OM is a KILLER! Beeswing Mahogany and Master Grade European, this is a loud, strong guitar with pure vintage tone. All of us just love it. It is articulate and very strong and super easy to play as well. The Torch on the headstock and John’s impeccable craftsmanship make it a dream.
2003 Claxton EM-C, Brazilian Rosewood/Adirondack Spruce
Our latest Claxton comes in a sharp-dressed suit with a voice to match. This 2003 EM-C is decked out with Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, Adirondack Spruce on top, and a slick rosette of geometric patterns for a feather in its cap. Lightweight and agile, this Claxton has a bell-like quality to the trebles that helps cut right through the mix, and we found the bass and lower mids paired will to flesh out the voice. The setup is glass-smooth and a breeze on the hands; drinks up both flatpicks and fingertips like water on a hot day.
It doesn’t take much to get the Red Spruce top singing, and that’s regardless of if your in standard tuning or more adventurous territory. We get a special feeling when we come across an exceptional set of Brazilian Rosewood, and that’s exactly how we felt when we pulled the one out of the case. It’s got lovely curving grain patterns with black ink lines, but is not so dramatically figured that we’d worry about the wood holding up to the vagaries of time humidity. The neck carve is a touch on the slim side of life to help facilitate that aforementioned glassy playability, and there’s a standard 25.4” scale, 1.75” nut, and 2.25” saddle spacing that’ll feel familiar at first strum.
Does this 2003 Claxton EM-C have any drawbacks? Maybe, but for the life of us we can’t find one.Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, handbuilt, brazilain, emc, em c, cutaway, calton case, flight case
Additional Demo:https://youtu.be/z–NFOgzGsE
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Rosewood - Brazilian 
2012 Claxton EMC, Brazilian Rosewood/Spruce
Here we’ve landed a fantastic example of Ed Claxton’s EMC model from 2012 with dramatically figured Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, Spruce top, Padauk bindings and appointments, and a subtle combination of Snakewood and Brazilian Rosewood for the headstock veneers. Aside from a geometric mosaic rosette, Ed’s aesthetic emphasizes the equality and beauty of the woods themselves. This is an excellent example of a modern fingerstyle guitar that has a clean palette of tones, which is to say you can adapt this guitar for a wide range of styles very easily. Comes wrapped up in a custom Calton flight case for maximum security.
Other keywords: lutherie, fingerpicking, brazilain
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce, Rosewood - Brazilian 
2002 Claxton EM, Brazilian Rosewood/Adirondack Spruce
Here we’ve landed a 2002 Claxton EM model that’s wide awake and setup for just about anything. Brazilian Rosewood back and sides pairs with Adirondack Spruce on top, 25.4″ scale, 1.75″ nut, and 2.25″ saddle string spacing. A pickup was previously installed and has been removed, leaving the input jack at the tail should you want to wire this guitar for a new pickup; Ebony button at the heel to strap into. The neck carve is a gentle C profile with hints of a soft V, and the setup is superb. All wrapped up in a custom Calton flight case.
Other keywords: lutherie, claxton guitars, brazilain, adriondack, 60/114
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Rosewood - Brazilian 
2003 Claxton Malabar, Brazilian Rosewood/Engelmann Spruce
Ed Claxton’s Malabar model strikes a fine balance between Parlor and OM: intimate and colorful dynamic range, plus added power and projection. This particular example is a beauty with Brazilian Rosewood and Engelmann Spruce, 12 fret neck, and a 1 7/8” nut for comfortable lefthand work. The setup is slinky and smooth, holding up well for dropped and altered tunings, and with a sub-four-pounds playing weight it’s so comfy to boot.
The voice is lush and smooth, with an easy blend between bass, mids, and treble. Big chords sound out sweet and envelop you; a perfect instrument for spacious airs. Built in 2003, this Claxton is still in excellent shape, with the added bonus of having opened up for going on two decades.Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, handbuilt, brazilain, wavily, fingerstyle, parlor, small-bodied, calton,
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.875 in String Spacing 2.375 in Woods Spruce - Engelmann, Rosewood - Brazilian 
2013 Claxton Malabar, Brazilian Rosewood/Italian Spruce
Well, well, well: Small sized guitar realizes big box ambitions. This 2013 Claxton Malabar has great depth and resonance, clean and easy trebles, and a well-balanced midrange that ties it all together. Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, Italian Spruce on top, Mahogany neck, Ebony bindings; Ed’s eye for fine wood hasn’t led him astray yet. And a Calton flight case for safe keeping!
The voice is characterized by clarity and sustain, with a full-throated projection that we’d expect from a guitar with a few more square inches across its top. With light gauge strings we were able to tune down to C# and still have enough string tension to play comfortably and intonate properly, and we imagine you could substitute a heavier low E string to go all the way into C tuning territory.
We see heaps of builders who want a full-size voice to come out of their smaller guitars—but the handful who achieve this feat is slim, and Ed Claxton is right there at the top. We can’t recommend this Malabar highly enough.Other keywords: lutherie, luthier, handbuilt, brazilain, gotoh, fingerstyle, parlor, small-bodied, flightcase, 13-fret, 13 fret
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.78 in String Spacing 2.313 in Woods Spruce - Italian, Rosewood - Brazilian 
1998 Claxton EM Indian Rosewood/Sitka Spruce
This baby does it all. In essentially the same shape since its birth in 1998, this Claxton EM can take whatever tuning or genre you throw at it and make something beautiful out of it. The classic combination of Indian Rosewood and Sitka Spruce has rarely sounded so crisp, even, and projective–at Claxton’s SJ-size, this EM has a huge voice, but its lightweight construction makes for a guitar that’s easy on the shoulders to play for extended periods of time.
The string-to-string balance is yep, you guessed it, superb; the bass notes are rich but focused, paired sweetly with the trebles. When we flatpicked tunes, the EM roared, then with nails and fingertips we found the woody tones in the lower-middle register blossomed. After only a moment’s strum you can tell this EM has opened up deliciously since 1998.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.75 in String Spacing 2.18 in Woods xx, Rosewood - Indian 
2007 Claxton EM Brazilian/Italian
This 2007 EM from Ed Claxton tastes like the first time you bit into real New York cheesecake: rich as sin and silk-smooth. With Brazilian Rosewood and Italian Spruce, who’d be surprised? Each and every note intonates wonderfully across the fretboard, and the neck profile is gossamer and fast. If you crave a setup that’s buttery and easy, look no further. The bass response has an impressive fundamental, and notes tend to hang in the air for long seconds.
When we dropped this EM into DADGAD and CGCGAD, the voice remained crisp and focused. While you can put any guitar in C tunings, sure, but only one in a great many sounds just as clear and responds as well as though it were in standard. Honestly, we can’t find any fault with this Claxton–even the case rocks (it’s a Calton).
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.4 in Nut Width 1.78 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods xx, Rosewood - Brazilian 
2011 Claxton EM Brazilian/German
This Claxton EM is a charmer! The Brazillian Rosewood is out of this world pretty and adds a richness and color to the voice that make it perfect for altered tunings and standard alike. The German Spruce top makes sure the lows rumble and the highs soar, it’s a joy to hear and play. It’s a breeze to play, a warm summer breeze that is. And that rosette, what a beautiful thing.
SOLD Read moreScale Length 25.38 in Nut Width 1.81 in String Spacing 2.25 in Woods Spruce - German, Rosewood - Brazilian