2005 John Slobod Circa D-28

If you somehow didn't hear me the first couple of times - I LOVE the instruments that come out of John Slobod's shop in Maine. His rosewood prewar-style dreads nail the tone I like for both flatpicking and rhythm work. As has been true of the previous two guitars to come through here, the woods are top-notch, with the straightest quartersawn cocobolo you'll find and a pretty Adirondack spruce top. Good volume and great tone, with a rumbly bass response that avoids muddiness. This one's been played, but it's in great shape. With just a small finish check above the bridge and some very light swirling, it's in excellent condition. Action is currently set high for bluegrass, but with a full 1/8" of exposed saddle. If you like low action, a change in neck angle might be in order, but noted Indiana repairman Jim Bennett's thought is that this guitar is right where you want it for the crowd that's going to have the most interest, so we elected to wait on making any changes for the time being. Thankfully with John's bolt-on neck design, a neck reset is a quick and inexpensive proposition.