Guitar Journals Vol. 1 - 2024 Bashkin JM

[usb_chord]

My first experience with one of Michael’s instruments was at a guitar gathering in Boulder maybe 13-14 years ago…? Long-time member of the forum Larry Jacobsen owns an absolutely wonderful sounding early OM from Michael. It’s a fan fret model with an Italian top and myrtle back and sides. That has to be the best sounding myrtlewood guitar on the planet. Beautiful, complex voice…quite modern, quite lovely. At the time, I didnt know a guitar could sound THAT much better than my Goodall. I still remember that first chord . . it was a lot to digest.



I eventually met Michael about eight or so years ago with a dear ol’ buddy who had something on order with him. A couple times over the years we would drive up to grab lunch, hang, talk shop and mostly just distract Michael from getting any work done. My apologies to anyone indirectly affected I recall that first meeting was especially fun. During lunch, I (inadvertently) interviewed him …prompting all sorts of open-ended, obtuse (and probably bizarre) questions about the craft. That day was also significant because I realized how well a good IPA pairs with french fries. I’m simple.

At one point I remember asking how he might see his sound/build style developing in the future. He mentioned his love for John Slobod’s work as well as a lot of the old Martins and Gibsons that crossed his bench over the years. It seemed he was transitioning towards a build style that incorporated more of those influences.

All the guitars Michael had in process were gorgeous. I remember there was a cedar topped one with purple heart accents all over it . . . what a beautiful and novel combination of materials. The man has an eye for design, clearly!

Anyways, my buddy eventually received his guitar from Michael a year or so later. It was a Madagascar rosewood OM and I believe it had a Swiss moon spruce top or something fancy. The receipt was hilarious… a sheet of bond paper with the words “One guitar”, the price and his signature. Utilitarian to the core.

Then there’s the magnificent JM model he recently built that a good friend, Rob here in town owns. I was especially curious to play this one. This would be the first guitar I’ve had hands on that was built after Michael had more or less completed this transition to his current way of voicing a guitar. In a word? WOW. That is among my favorite guitars I’ve played …by anyone. It’s everything you’d want in a “fingerstyle guitar” but it still sounds GREAT when you’re just strumming open chords in standard tuning. It’s surprising how uncommon that is in nicer guitars with the modern aesthetics. You don’t expect a guitar that looks like THAT to excel in, I dunno, Western swing music? Bluegrass?! How ‘bout some Neil Young? With that thing, you can have it all. Lindsay’s vid below -



Anyways, one day recently when I was doing some research on Mitsuhiro Uchida I called Michael to get his insight and catch up a bit. He mentioned at the end of our chat that a client was dropping out of a mostly-completed build due to a financial hardship. The guitar was to be completed in a few weeks and he felt bad just having it sit in limbo at the shop with no clear and immediate destination. As result, Michael asked if I would be willing to document my time with this one until it finds its forever home!

Needless to say . . .



"Yes, please!!"

I’m excited to share my experiences here…particularly in comparison to instruments I own and many others I've played over the years. The fun part is…I don’t know much at all about it! I’m not sure what it looks like, what the woods are, nothing! The guitar arrived barely an hour ago and is still sitting in the box.

In the meantime, one more bit of Bashkin geekery . .



Dave is a fabulous guitarist and a bit of a local legend based out of Loveland, CO. I was fortunate to study with him for a period of time. Long before I knew of him, I was well acquainted with this tune. Gosh I think I first discovered it on a Pandora “fingerstyle guitar” playlist a bajillion years ago. Extremely well crafted piece of music. Dave owns a couple Bashkins now as well as one of Phil Keaggy’s old Olson SJs.

Hope you guys enjoy the coverage!

[Lonzo]

I’m in !

[iim7V7IM7]

I suspect it may be JMC #183…

[nootis]

I’m in too. Michael is one of my best luthier friends and it just so happens my Bashkin OM is my favorite guitar I’ve ever owned.

[Rwpierce]

Well you definitely piqued my interest and thanks for posting mine in the video above with Lindsay [emoji7]

[Rwpierce]

Here is video of Carl Miner playing my Maple/Swiss Bashkin

https://youtu.be/0CuTWQ2yR9o?si=advJD_ndlcruobLY

[justonwo]

I’m a long-time fan of Michael’s and still not sure why I haven’t commissioned one, though I’ve been very tempted. I’ve played at least a dozen over the years, as Michael has been a regular at HGF and other guitar shows for years. His multi-scale OMs from the earlier years were incredible guitar. I think the last time I played a Bashkin, he had just started to transition to a more traditional build style. This would have been 2016 or so.

He’s another gem of the luthier world: a master craftsman and a real gentleman.

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=447151

Can’t wait to hear your impressions!

[usb_chord]

Sorry for the delay, everyone! I've been a bit over run with work and such this week and haven't had time to really dig in just yet. The guitar has indeed arrived safely and been unboxed after acclimatizing. I'll go into the weeds soon enough on specs, feel and sound soon but for now I'll just say I'm extremely impressed, in every respect.

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

I suspect it may be JMC #183…

You might be right! ;-)

Originally Posted by nootis

I’m in too. Michael is one of my best luthier friends and it just so happens my Bashkin OM is my favorite guitar I’ve ever owned.

Originally Posted by Lonzo

I’m in !

Thanks, guys! Glad to hear of your experience with that OM, nootis. It's one thing to happen upon one of the finest instruments you've ever played "out in the world", but it's quite another to OWN that instrument!!

Originally Posted by justonwo

I’m a long-time fan of Michael’s and still not sure why I haven’t commissioned one, though I’ve been very tempted. I’ve played at least a dozen over the years, as Michael has been a regular at HGF and other guitar shows for years. His multi-scale OMs from the earlier years were incredible guitar. I think the last time I played a Bashkin, he had just started to transition to a more traditional build style. This would have been 2016 or so.

He’s another gem of the luthier world: a master craftsman and a real gentleman.

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=447151

Can’t wait to hear your impressions!

Ahh, thanks for linking to that old thread, Juston. I think that's my buddy's MRW OM you mentioned there in that thread. It's a wonderful guitar...havent played it in ages but I loved the "no nonsense" look of that Madagascar rosewood. Michael is really on top of things and I can't imagine how easy the process of commissioning a guitar would be from someone like him. I asked him how he setup this JMC because it plays so ridiculously well. He said . . .

"With string depressed at first fret action at 12 th is 5/64” low e and 3/64” high e. Neck relief at 7 th fret is about .004” - .006” on low e and .001”-.003” on high e. This is dressed into the finger board. Height at nut is .022 low e and rappers down to .016” on high e."

I don't know that I've ever gotten that detailed an answer off the cuff about a setup.

Originally Posted by Rwpierce

Well you definitely piqued my interest and thanks for posting mine in the video above with Lindsay [emoji7]

Of course, Rob! That's a great guitar.

[usb_chord]

Apologies for the delays in continuing this thread! I had some emergent vet stuff pop up with our elderly pup which converged with the most hectic couple work weeks I’ve had in years. I finally had a little time to spend with this guitar over the weekend and I’m *quite* impressed.



The specs are as follows -

Scale - 25.4"
Saddle Spacing - 2 5/16"
Nut Width - 1.75"
Top Wood - Italian spruce
Back and Sides - Royal Ebony (also known as Katalox)
Neck Material - Honduran Mahogany
Rosette - Burled Bubinga
Bridge Material - Brazilian Rosewood
Bindings, Headplate, Backplate - Indian Rosewood
Purflings - Bolivian Rosewood
Tuning Machines - Waverly 1:21
Truss rod - 2 way Blanchard
Linings - Solid linings(!) and Mahogany back bracing
Fret Markers - Pernambuco
Fret wire - EVO gold medium
Saddle & Nut - Bone
Fingerboard - Macassar ebony
Finish - Nitrocellulose lacquer finish



The first chord I played on this guitar transported me back to a thread that Juston made here a billion years ago, in the early stages of commissioning his first Circa guitar. This was around the time he was dipping a toe in the Martin/Gibson-infused waters he’s a complete maniac for today. I remember he asked Slobod for a “modern interpretation of a vintage sound” or something to that effect. It was beautifully worded, as usually the case with him. Succinct but highly concentrated ...

I mention that because I remember being baffled by the idea of a “modern interpretation of a vintage sound”. I didn’t know what that meant and honestly, I’m not really sure Juston did either. Did you??



Whatever the case, THIS thing sounds more like that description than any guitar I’ve played up to this point. One of the best things about vintage Martins and Gibsons (from the Golden era especially) is the balance, IMO. It doesn’t matter what it is - the best dreadnoughts will have it to the same extent as the OMs and smaller sizes. They speak with the same voice and depth of character throughout every register. This guitar has that quality in spades.



It certainly passes my “cowboy test” (i.e. how well it handles good ol’ fashioned strummed open chords in first position) with flying colors. I’m getting a strong bass response with that subsequent life-affirming “thump” in the chest. The immensely skilled, celebrated and happily retired luthier Julius Borges calls that kinda low end the “medicine ball to the chest” effect. I don’t feel that enough in high-end instruments and I really wish this was more common.

It should go without saying that this is behaving as a top-flight fingerstyle guitar should. There’s a touch of compression on the attack (just a hint of modernity..) and it’s so nicely placed here. There’s just enough to keep the guitar from ever sounding “thin” no matter how you play it, but not so much that it causes the strummed sound to be opaque/saturated, or dare I say “tubby” as I’ve experienced with some other hand-made instruments in the more modern voicing style.



The trebles here are as good as anything. This probably sounds pretty bizarre, but I’ve found that my favorite guitars have low end in the high end …and high end in the low end. That’s to say the trebles have depth, roundness and warmth and the bass register has the “snap” and brilliance you tend to innately get with thinner strings. It’s a guitar that just feels really well dialed in.

I’ve included a couple of Michael’s photos here as well as a few of my own throughout, highlighting some of the little details I found alluring. I can’t wait to record it!! I hope to do so very soon. More ponderance after I do!

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by usb_chord

The first chord I played on this guitar transported me back to a thread that Juston made here a billion years ago, in the early stages of commissioning his first Circa guitar. This was around the time he was dipping a toe in the Martin/Gibson-infused waters he’s a complete maniac for today. I remember he asked Slobod for a “modern interpretation of a vintage sound” or something to that effect. It was beautifully worded, as usually the case with him. Succinct but highly concentrated ...

I mention that because I remember being baffled by the idea of a “modern interpretation of a vintage sound”. I didn’t know what that meant and honestly, I’m not really sure Juston did either. Did you??

I love these posts and in-depth reviews. Please keep them coming. When I asked John for a modern interpretation of a vintage sound, I think I knew what I was asking for at the time. But I probably didn't, to be honest. And as I look back on the thread, I kinda wonder how I was envisioning things would turn out. I started with AB on a 00-12 but ended up somewhere else entirely. I still kinda wonder what AB would sound on a Circa. Probably spectacular. At least one builder predicted a train wreck from my commission, which I think may be the sum total of that particular's builders contributions of any of my threads to date.

Since the time I commissioned that first Circa, I've played quite a lot of vintage guitars, Martin or otherwise. I feel like I have a reasonably accurate feeling for the range of tones that the "vintage" sound covers. I can't quite remember what I had in my mind's eye with that first Circa. It turned out to be quite the opposite of a train wreck, however. But you can watch as my thinking evolved over the 3 years until delivery.

I've played a lot of Michael's work over the years and have heard his evolution from HGF 2009 to SBAIC 2016. I can't recall playing one since; I bet he has progressed even further down the path to vintage tonal styling. I would love to hear the one you're posting about.

[Deft Tungsman]

Great thread and review, as always, dude ! That's a lovely guitar, as is every Bashkin I've ever seen. I prefer the newer symmetrical bridge over his older design. Your descriptions of how it feels and sounds are so palpable that they make perfect sense to me. I am eager to hear more as you get to know it better.

My favorite quip?

"...my favorite guitars have low end in the high end …and high end in the low end..."

Couldn't have said it better myself!

The clips of Mr Pierce's Swiss/maple JM show how talented Michael Bashkin is at achieving that aim. (Congratulations, by the way !)

Michael and I missed the chance to meet in person due to COVID, but our meager written correspondence is of a piece with the gentleman who is also one of the best interviewers I've ever followed.

[iim7V7IM7]

I am glad to hear your positive impressions of Michael’s recent work. I have known Michael for about a decade now when I first met him at a WILS. I was always attracted to his exquisite aesthetic designs and high workmanship, outstanding playability, but was not initially captured by the timbre of his instruments.

I was able to audition his work from time to time at luthier exhibitions and about 7-years ago I noted a distinct transformation of the tonal signature of his instruments to more of a traditional voice to his instruments. I believe Michael’s work was influenced by his experience as a repairman working on client’s traditional instruments and his experience attending the Swannanoa Gathering for many years sampling and listening to traditional instruments vintage and both luthier made. As a result, he changed what was going on “under the hood” of his instruments.

I tend to categorize luthiers broadly into three camps: 1) Traditional; 2) Evolved Traditional and 3) Modern schools of how a guitar functions. This speaks to mostly how the guitars tops and backs operate. As in any categorization, many builders will span multiple categories. I would place Michael’s current work in the “evolved traditional” category and his earlier efforts in the “modern” category. I commissioned a Swiss “Moon” Spruce / Koa 12-fret 00 sized guitar with Michael that he delivered to me about 5-years ago.









Michael as a luthier is a joy to work with. He is professional, communicative, timely and detailed oriented. The guitar that he delivered to me exceeded my expectations. As expected, it is beautiful in its design, crafted to the highest standards. Sound wise, it has a balanced timbre with a midrange focus like a Mahogany instrument, but with more warmth and overtone content and high-end chime. The guitar with play has continued to open across the years with enhanced bass.

[usb_chord]

Originally Posted by justonwo

I love these posts and in-depth reviews. Please keep them coming. When I asked John for a modern interpretation of a vintage sound, I think I knew what I was asking for at the time. But I probably didn't, to be honest. And as I look back on the thread, I kinda wonder how I was envisioning things would turn out. I started with AB on a 00-12 but ended up somewhere else entirely. I still kinda wonder what AB would sound on a Circa. Probably spectacular. At least one builder predicted a train wreck from my commission, which I think may be the sum total of that particular's builders contributions of any of my threads to date.

Since the time I commissioned that first Circa, I've played quite a lot of vintage guitars, Martin or otherwise. I feel like I have a reasonably accurate feeling for the range of tones that the "vintage" sound covers. I can't quite remember what I had in my mind's eye with that first Circa. It turned out to be quite the opposite of a train wreck, however. But you can watch as my thinking evolved over the 3 years until delivery.

I've played a lot of Michael's work over the years and have heard his evolution from HGF 2009 to SBAIC 2016. I can't recall playing one since; I bet he has progressed even further down the path to vintage tonal styling. I would love to hear the one you're posting about.

I miss those times! Back before we were all battle-hardened and jaded. I bet that AB guitar would’ve been wonderful. I’ve only played a few other AB guitars by “trad” luthiers but it definitely works. This one was special - https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=28...88&ref=sharing

Originally Posted by Deft Tungsman

Great thread and review, as always, dude ! That's a lovely guitar, as is every Bashkin I've ever seen. I prefer the newer symmetrical bridge over his older design. Your descriptions of how it feels and sounds are so palpable that they make perfect sense to me. I am eager to hear more as you get to know it better.

My favorite quip?

"...my favorite guitars have low end in the high end …and high end in the low end..."

Couldn't have said it better myself!

The clips of Mr Pierce's Swiss/maple JM show how talented Michael Bashkin is at achieving that aim. (Congratulations, by the way !)

Michael and I missed the chance to meet in person due to COVID, but our meager written correspondence is of a piece with the gentleman who is also one of the best interviewers I've ever followed.

I prefer this bridge, too! I wish I was able to get a better shot of it but it works especially well in person. I love how the light hits the angles. The trouble now is trying to capture all that I’m hearing in “real time” in an actual recording. My recording setup is nothing near the caliber of TNAG/Carter. What a can of worms. Some things come through well enough but others feel more like gestures towards the real thing. I think I’ll fire up the audio interface later Sunday after some rest (it’s 1am here now…)

Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7

I am glad to hear your positive impressions of Michael’s recent work. I have known Michael for about a decade now when I first met him at a WILS. I was always attracted to his exquisite aesthetic designs and high workmanship, outstanding playability, but was not initially captured by the timbre of his instruments.

I was able to audition his work from time to time at luthier exhibitions and about 7-years ago I noted a distinct transformation of the tonal signature of his instruments to more of a traditional voice to his instruments. I believe Michael’s work was influenced by his experience as a repairman working on client’s traditional instruments and his experience attending the Swannanoa Gathering for many years sampling and listening to traditional instruments vintage and both luthier made. As a result, he changed what was going on “under the hood” of his instruments.

I tend to categorize luthiers broadly into three camps: 1) Traditional; 2) Evolved Traditional and 3) Modern schools of how a guitar functions. This speaks to mostly how the guitars tops and backs operate. As in any categorization, many builders will span multiple categories. I would place Michael’s current work in the “evolved traditional” category and his earlier efforts in the “modern” category. I commissioned a Swiss “Moon” Spruce / Koa 12-fret 00 sized guitar with Michael that he delivered to me about 5-years ago.

Michael as a luthier is a joy to work with. He is professional, communicative, timely and detailed oriented. The guitar that he delivered to me exceeded my expectations. As expected, it is beautiful in its design, crafted to the highest standards. Sound wise, it has a balanced timbre with a midrange focus like a Mahogany instrument, but with more warmth and overtone content and high-end chime. The guitar with play has continued to open across the years with enhanced bass.

Thanks again for sharing this one, Bob - I have to smile whenever I pull up Michael’s website and see your guitar proudly showcased above the fold. That’s one serious set of Koa with that inordinately tight uniformed grain. One of the best sets I’ve seen anywhere. It reminds me a bit of some of the flamed mahogany that has been floating around in the luthier and boutique circles a few years ago. Ever since you mentioned to me the three camps of classification you use I’ve been thinking about that in relation to every builder I’ve had experience with. Fun little thought experiment!

[usb_chord]

Here's some proof that it makes noise! Not the best recording but I tried to keep it casual here -

[nootis]

It's always a pleasure to hear you playing. Also, very nice review.
You have very accurately described the type of guitar a Bashkin is.

Originally Posted by usb_chord

It certainly passes my “cowboy test” (i.e. how well it handles good ol’ fashioned strummed open chords in first position) with flying colors. I’m getting a strong bass response with that subsequent life-affirming “thump” in the chest. The immensely skilled, celebrated and happily retired luthier Julius Borges calls that kinda low end the “medicine ball to the chest” effect. I don’t feel that enough in high-end instruments and I really wish this was more common.

The "medicine ball to the chest" is what I look for in a fine acoustic. With his OM shape, I'm surprised of the "thump" he gets from those thin sides (just shy of 3 5/8"). I can't say enough about my Bashkin. It was built on the bench with this thread with a truly remarkable inlay by Jimmi Wingert... https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...hlight=bashkin

I believe Michael prefers to do a photo shoot of all his builds, but at the time he was completing my build, Covid hit, so we never got a chance to do professional photos. I have taken some myself and maybe posted a few things here and there in some of those "show your headstock" threads and such. I've also brought it to B.I.G. III (I think) and was treated to our friend Brad, a.k.a. Frog, serenading me with it. The heliconia flower inlay, rossette and endgraft were all done by Harvey Leach, but were all designed by yours truly. I had drawn the concept on a napkin while in Colombia after being inspired by this photo I took...




And since we're talking all Bashkin here, might as well post a few.