[Video in #161] Bashkin OM - Multiscale - Swiss Moon/Panama Rosewood w/Wingert HS

[gitarro]

Thanks for that clarification. I guess that means all of Michael's guitars sound very different now from the one I used to own.

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

Barry, Michael shifted away from his fan fret approach of top bracing (as well as a more heavily dished, thinner top) to a more evolved traditional bracing approach about 4 of 5 years ago. I noted this top change between guitars that I played at Woodstock Invitational in 2013 and those later that I played in 2016 at the Artisan Guitar Show. I personally much prefer his current guitars (my 2018 Bashkin 00-12 is shown below as a reference). The back bracing concept to control the back plate has changed more subtly. He has always to the best of my knowledge combined ladder braces with the rear x-brace. What I see that is new in Justin’s guitar here is the addition of the two black reinforcement strips (ala Ervin).



Remember, Michael is also a certified repairman for traditional guitars (Martin, Collings etc.) and also has regularly attended the Swannanoa Gathering in NC were many traditional guitars are played. I think over the years, he realized that there were things that he preferred sonically in a more traditional guitars.

It is all too common in lutherie for a artisan’s work to significantly evolve over decades at the bench. People all too often think of a luthier’s work as a homogeneous body of work when in reality most reflect an evolutionary journey. It matters what period the guitar comes from.... Overall, Michael’s current work still falls clearly in what I refer to as the “evolved traditionalist” camp, where his earlier work was in the “modernist” camp.

[chippygreen]

Ebony H/S backplate - this will later receive an inlay to match the end graft. I felt having the ebony binding and backplate was important to add visual weight to the headstock.

[colins]

Looking good!

Col

[chippygreen]

Originally Posted by colins

Looking good!

Col

Thanks Col!

[chippygreen]

Labor Day break, which blossomed into detailed conversations around binding. For anyone considering a Bashkin commission, it's pretty incredible that Michael was prepared to mock up 7 different top binding/purfling combinations for me until we found the perfect one. He is patient, thoughtful, and guided my thought process expertly.

It isn't easy to pick out binding when you have a light colored headstock, because something more traditional won't balance the guitar as well. Also, I wanted to use koa and walnut to "pick out" the accent woods in the headstock and rosette, but we also needed to accentuate the body's curvature. After a bit of trial and error, we ended up with the combination below.



Also, Michael finished work on the end graft this week. Some pictures of the inlay process:





I was pleased with the tasty zebra striping on the Koa - he picked a great donor for the binding and oriented the wood strip so it really stands out despite the design being so intentionally understated, letting the wood speak for itself.

[nootis]

I'm really digging the natural colors and thoughtful choices all around. This is turning out to be a really special build.

[justonwo]

That is looking very sharp!

[Deft Tungsman]

Beautiful build, thanks for sharing. That end graft rocks !

[chippygreen]

Thanks everyone for the kind and encouraging comments. Michael is such a professional and is so great to deal with, and his work speaks for itself.

[chippygreen]

A lot of progress this week.

The fan fret neck has been mounted, and the radius of the fingerboard where it meets the rosette finalized.



This perspective shows how the binding came out:



Completed end graft, before finishing:



Fully assembled, front view. This shows the light headstock on body, and helps illustrate why I obsessed so much over details like the fingerboard color, binding and tuner button materials. I think overall the balance is going to work, once the bridge is in place. The use of walnut/koa for the rosette ties the body to the headstock better than I had hoped.



The binding with a little water to bring out the color. Very happy that Michael guided me to use the maple strip to pick out the contrast between the koa and walnut.

[Deft Tungsman]

That full body shot says it all, man. What a harmonious set of colors, materials and shapes! The headstock is so pretty without being over the top and makes the whole guitar very endearing. I'm eager to see the finished product and to read your impressions once the eagle has landed!

[colins]

Looking very, very good! Love those fret markers.

[Diamondave]

Getting Exciting...!!!

[iim7V7IM7]

Based on where Michael is at, it looks like a mid-November delivery Justin. I hope that is everything that you hoped for and them some...

[chippygreen]

Thanks again everyone for the encouragement. As a "first build" I am learning a lot about the process and really enjoying it. I have a few more pics to share for those interested in visualizing the finishing touches.

I decided that the back inlay might detract from the natural woodgrain of the PRW, so it is now to be set into the back of the headstock, which has an ebony backplate.

Michael cut and assembled the strips to make up the design we agreed on:



Purfling strips to accentuate the borders are set in place using an improvised technique inspired by medieval torture devices:



Inlay borders are added:



And the assembled piece is now ready to be inlaid:



Michael routes the inlay cavity:





Then sands it smooth:



The rear headstock inlay in full rear perspective:



And then shown with the end graft and PRW figuring in plane view to give a sense of how they tie together: