Who makes the hottest Rosettes Out there these days?

[Michael Watts]

That would be Michael Bashkin, he scorches them in hot sand.

Seriously though, rosette design is one of the brand identity signifiers in a luthier built guitar and deserves as much care and attention as the other three (Headstock shape, label and bridge design).

While it's great to find inspiration in the work of other builders I would counsel any luthier to trust their own ideas and artistic integrity. If you want to look further into this thought process you can check out this episode of Luthier on Luthier where I (despite not being a luthier) talk to Michael "Hot Sand" Bashkin about this and a lot of other stuff too!

I hope you enjoy it

Luthier on Luthier - Michael Watts

[gitarro]

IMHO the following rosette designs are distinctive of the luthiers who originated them:-

- the segmented rosette that was created by ervin somogyi

- the elaborately carved cutout rosette created by Ervin somogyi

- the deconstructed rosette created by michi matsuda

- the torched burl wood and bone rosette created by Michael bashkin

- the raised 3D profile black ebony ring rosette that merges with the ebony bevel cum purfling at the cutaway - created by casimi guitars

[gitarro]

Other than being a great luthier with excellent professionalism and customer relations, Michael Bashkin has created many distinctive features which enable his guitars to be so distinctive to me I could probably spot them instantly in a crowd of guitar holding people across the room. (Of course I am biased as I once commissioned and owned a bashkin!)

The torched wood and bone rosettes, the torched wood inlays in the snake head headstock (with the half moon cutout), the bone tile fret markers, the one of a kind yet beautifully elegant bridge shape and even the elegant shape of his Placencia om sized guitar.

Originally Posted by Michael Watts

That would be Michael Bashkin, he scorches them in hot sand.

Seriously though, rosette design is one of the brand identity signifiers in a luthier built guitar and deserves as much care and attention as the other three (Headstock shape, label and bridge design).

While it's great to find inspiration in the work of other builders I would counsel any luthier to trust their own ideas and artistic integrity. If you want to look further into this thought process you can check out this episode of Luthier on Luthier where I (despite not being a luthier) talk to Michael "Hot Sand" Bashkin about this and a lot of other stuff too!

I hope you enjoy it

Luthier on Luthier - Michael Watts

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by mercy

I like a rosette to be the same wood as the back unless its an unattractive wood like mahogany.

Apparently you haven't seen the Mahogany on the backs of Eastman guitars.
It mostly puts everybody else to shame.

[Bronzestar1977]

Thank you Michael!

Originally Posted by Michael Watts

That would be Michael Bashkin, he scorches them in hot sand.

Seriously though, rosette design is one of the brand identity signifiers in a luthier built guitar and deserves as much care and attention as the other three (Headstock shape, label and bridge design).

While it's great to find inspiration in the work of other builders I would counsel any luthier to trust their own ideas and artistic integrity. If you want to look further into this thought process you can check out this episode of Luthier on Luthier where I (despite not being a luthier) talk to Michael "Hot Sand" Bashkin about this and a lot of other stuff too!

I hope you enjoy it

Luthier on Luthier - Michael Watts

[mercy]

I certainly acknowledge the skill of the builders mentioned here I think too much importance is given to having a different headstock or bridge or rosette or so on. I am not a fan of some of the builders we know, factory and individual. I will use an example we dont speak of here on the forum who has a huge sort of/not really half moon like cut out on his headstock and some other odd/ugly features. When I asked him to make a guitar for me with a Martinesque headstock he refused. Risking loosing a customer for what you are so proud of seems like the wrong attitude.

[Erithon]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Michael is a student of Irvin Somogyi, and when he was building my OM I asked who his greatest influencers were and he immediately said:

• Harry Fleishman - thinking outside the box
• Ervin Somogyi - for understanding how to build better guitars
• Matsuda - for creativity

Michael actually appreciates the work of a lot of builders. He has a pod-cast called "Luthier on Luthier" which are interviews with many renowned builders.

ljguitar, I too own a Bashkin (also an OM) and have listened to numerous episodes of Luthier on Luthier. It's great!
However, Michael is not a student of Ervin Somogyi. Yes, he took the week-long voicing class (just about every luthier out there has enrolled at one point or another), but that is not the same thing as apprenticing with Ervin for two full years like the builders I mentioned.

[gitarro]

That luthier may consider those features to be his own distinctive trademark and thus essential to the look of his guitars thus non negotiable. That he is willing to turn away a customer may be a positive instead in hat he considers that to be reflective of an identity he is trying to carve out tor his guitars in the crowded marketplace. And what u consider ugly may not be considered as such by other customers....

I
Look at it this way. It may be the same with martin custom shop - I doubt they would agree to modify their headstock for a customer if he wanted a half moon cutout on their normal headstock for example...

Originally Posted by mercy

I certainly acknowledge the skill of the builders mentioned here I think too much importance is given to having a different headstock or bridge or rosette or so on. I am not a fan of some of the builders we know, factory and individual. I will use an example we dont speak of here on the forum who has a huge sort of/not really half moon like cut out on his headstock and some other odd/ugly features. When I asked him to make a guitar for me with a Martinesque headstock he refused. Risking loosing a customer for what you are so proud of seems like the wrong attitude.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Erithon

ljguitar, I too own a Bashkin (also an OM) and have listened to numerous episodes of Luthier on Luthier. It's great!
However, Michael is not a student of Ervin Somogyi. Yes, he took the week-long voicing class (just about every luthier out there has enrolled at one point or another), but that is not the same thing as apprenticing with Ervin for two full years like the builders I mentioned.

Hi Erithon

I didn't say Michael was an apprentice. I said student. Your clarification is noted.

Many builders (in this forum) took Ervin's class, and their guitars before and after taking the class are often vastly improved in many areas.

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by mercy

I like a rosette to be the same wood as the back unless its an unattractive wood like mahogany.

Yeah. Unattractive...

https://themusicemporium.com/guitars...#&gid=1&pid=18

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by Bronzestar1977

Hey Friends,

And Suggestions for my next build? Looking for Inspiration to Design my own One and let it build.
Right now Kraut and Kostal Look really good to me.

Looking forward to some nice Pics.

Thank you

Steve Sheriff, Edwinson Guitars, does superb custom rosettes for clients.

https://www.google.com/search?q=edwi...iDpR_2pK0lIhM:

[Shadowfox]

I really like the crown of thorns Composite acoustics does, and I really like the wood rosettes Furch does!

[pattste]

This rosette was made by John Kinnaird for @invguy921 is probably the most beautiful one I've seen.



My Latulippe OM has a spiral rosette. I think it fits the guitar's overall look very well. Sometimes simple is best. (Although in all fairness I don't know how much effort went into it so no disrespect towards my favorite builder.)

[DenverSteve]

Originally Posted by mercy

... unless its an unattractive wood like mahogany.

What? I can't believe I read this.

[StringMeUp]

In addition to the folks previously mentioned, I have been drooling over Leo Buendia’s rosettes lately.

https://buendiaguitars.com/

..and I have always loved the elegance of Bruce and Matt Petros’s rosettes.

http://petrosguitars.com/