Circle Strings A-1 Model 10 String Acoustic Flat Top Guitar (2018), made in Burlington, Vermont, serial # 119, natural lacquer finish, redwood top, walnut back and sides; mahoghany neck with ebony fingerboard, original molded white plastic hard shell case.

Circle Strings of Burlington VT. Have made quite the name for themselves as innovative acoustic builders with different lines of guitar including the Iris and Fairbanks brands coming from their Vermont headquarters. This is a slightly unusual custom-built jumbo 10-string guitar with some interesting and slightly unusual woods and a distinctive character.

The original owner describes it thusly: "This is a 2018 10-string guitar custom built for me by Circle Strings in Burlington, Vermont. It has a sinker redwood top, Bastogne walnut back and sides and ebony bridge and fretboard. It is like a 12-string guitar but the sixth and fifth strings are single, the fourth and third courses are octaves, and second and first courses are unison pairs. It stays in tune better than a 12-string, works great with capos, and still has that 12-string jangle and sparkle but with a clear, punchy bass."

While 9-and 10-string variations of the 12-string formula have been around for a long time, this is an interesting hybrid modern/traditional take on the idea. The narrow-waisted nearly 16" wide body has a bit of a vintage Stella character without being an outright copy. The bracing is a traditional X pattern with two scalloped tone bars, the top has a Martin style belly bridge. The round backed neck is slimmer than most 12-strings and quite comfortable, with a small volute. The "snakehead" headstock is faced in rosewood with a pictorial pearl Circle Strings logo. The trim is discreet with maple outer binding and no fretboard inlay at all.

There is an integral Fishman under-saddle active pickup system with the tone and volume controls under the soundhole rim, battery box on the heelblock wired to an endpin jack for gigging purposes. This guitar has a big but never mushy sound and seems to particularly like open tunings, particularly excelling in the Fahey/Kottke/Basho playing modes. This is a specialty guitar for sure, but a beautiful and intelligently designed and built instrument with a unique character.

Overall length is 41 1/8 in. (104.5 cm.), 15 7/8 in. (40.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).

This guitar has been very well maintained, showing only light handling wear and no visible repair. It has a huge and still maturing sound and is an extremely fine player, ready to go on new adventures in its molded Hiscox road case. Overall Excellent + Condition.