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Mike Byle’s Sifel Creek Guitars has been cooking up splendid guitars for years now, and recently sent us two beauties which he’s had in his shop as show models for a few years now. This 2008 15″ Cutaway has a gorgeous set of Cocobolo Rosewood back and sides that’s married to its Adirondack Spruce top with tasteful Maple bindings and a Venetian Cutaway. Add to that a soundport in the upper bout and a 13-fret neck, and we’re looking at a not-so-run-of-the-mill, deceptively understated fingerstyle machine.

The setup is ideal for players who prefer to bounce from tuning to tuning, and the 13-fret neck warms up the voice without sacrificing access to the upper frets. If warm, present mids, punchy trebles, and sonorous bass notes are your thing, this 15″ Cutaway more than fits the bill. Although this guitar was built in 2008, it’s enjoyed a posh existence in Mike’s shop, and as such is still a brand new guitar (plus a few years of opening up).

John Slobod of Circa Guitars outdoes himself again! This brand new 7/8 Dreadnought was custom built for one of our clients who wanted the full Dreadnought presence and aesthetic but in a slightly easier to play package. To look at this Dread, you’d hardly know it wasn’t regulation size. However, once you actually lay hands on the instrument you’ll feel the difference when you play that first chord. Accordingly, this 7/8 Dread in Madagascar Rosewood and German Spruce is voiced lightly enough for fingerstyle, for when (and if) you tire of the rich roar under a flatpick. John’s attention to detail is profound: right down to the ghost of a sunburst within the outside edge of the Koa rosette. While the bass has an easy richness and clear sustain, it’s the trebles with their breathy overtones that really set this Circa apart from the herd.

A floor-stompin’ good time is what you’ll have whenever you pick up this fun-loving 2005 Martin 000-28EC. Whether it’s blues standards in Standard or some country fingerpickin’ in DADF#AD or Open G, this Eric Clapton has a nicely-opened-up voice and more growl than you can shake a pack of strings at. The frets shine enough to clean your teeth in them, thanks to our repair team, and the playability is fast and comfy. The classic combination of Indian Rosewood and Sitka Spruce strikes again! This time with 28-style appointments and Clapton’s signature inlaid at the 20th fret.

How does Marc Beneteau manage to create a guitar with such pinpoint clarity and startling depth? It’s like peering into a deep pool of water in the middle of winter, listening to this 2016 M model: you can see clear to the bottom, and it’s a long way down. Each string is powerful, and powerfully balanced with the others, rendering the voice complex, but bracingly articulate. If fingerstyle is your game, this Beneteau M in Granadillo and Alaskan Sitka Spruce is a dream come true. The setup works wonders for flatpicking too: in DADGAD, Standard, or elsewhere, the play feel remains silky and effortless.

With a Venetian Cutaway and Ryan-style arm bevel your player comfort is further enhanced, and with the addition of a small soundport in the upper bout you get a sweet extra dose of bass right to your ear. It’s not hard to understand why so many of of Canada’s top guitar virtuosos play Marc’s guitars–there’s a precision, clarity, and depth of tone to his guitars which many luthiers aim for, but only a few achieve. Marc’s the latter for sure.