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  #151  
Old 11-29-2019, 01:11 AM
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colins colins is offline
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It looks incredible!!
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  #152  
Old 12-04-2019, 10:35 PM
chippygreen chippygreen is offline
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Originally Posted by doodahdoug View Post
Absolutely Beautiful...and then some! Good choice on the Panamanian RW. Enjoy!
Thanks so much Doug! I'm really grateful to Michael for picking out a great set for me, and to others on AGF who guided me to trusting my gut and picking the "ordinary" tonewood for my first build.

As I start to think about my Michaud, I've got to come to you for advice...

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Originally Posted by Simon Fay View Post
Easily, one of the most beautiful guitars I've ever seen. The headstock is jaw-dropping !!!
Simon, as an admirer of your work, that's some compliment. Hopefully we'll have the chance to work together one day!

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Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7 View Post
I hope that she is everything you hoped for and then some...
Bob, quite the journey since that day at Woodstock '18. See you there in '20!

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Originally Posted by JMURRAY16 View Post
This is truly one of the most beautiful guitars I have seen - the choices were exceptional l, but the execution is sublime. Congrats - I look forward to hearing some clips!
I'm very fortunate to have picked Michael. At the beginning I could not have imagined going in such a different direction than his signature design language, but he is a consummate artist, and a master craftsman, and took it all in his stride - I do like the result, and I'm hopeful he does too.

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Originally Posted by nootis View Post
Superb in every detail. I've really enjoyed watching this come together.
It was a privilege to have been build siblings! May we meet one day to close the karmic circle!

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Originally Posted by colins View Post
It looks incredible!!
Thanks so much! Everyone here has been super kind and supportive, and it gave me the confidence to take the build in interesting directions.
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Bashkin 00-12 Adi/Hog
Bashkin 0M-MS Swiss Moon/PRW(build thread)
Bashkin GC-12 Sitka/Koa
Carter-Poulsen J-Model German Select Spruce/MacEb
Fender MIJ Strat ('90) and 50s RW Tele ('19)
Martin 00-28c Spruce/BRW('67)
Martin M-36 (R) Sitka/EIR
Michaud O-R Cedar/Koa - New Build
Michaud J-R Sitka/MBW
K. Yairi RF-120 Spruce/EIR
KoAloha KTM-25 Koa/Koa
Yamaha G-231 Cedar/Hog ('71)
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  #153  
Old 12-06-2019, 06:56 PM
chippygreen chippygreen is offline
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Just a couple more pics that might be helpful to others in future builds.

Bob Colosi offers both stock white bone and a "vintage bone" which is stained by him to emulate/match older guitars. I was interested in the colored bone as a way to provide greater contrast to the base of the headstock/zero fret.

As it turns out Bob offers vintage bone blanks for nut, saddle and bone pins. With the selection of the EVO Gold, it seemed natural to lean in favor of this color family for these pieces. In the end the frets, vintage bone and amber markers offset each other pretty well.

These close ups may be useful reference if you are considering an alternative to bleached bone for your build.

Michael is also going to carve a FWI saddle for me to try, also from Bob. But Bob did a great job matching the bone pieces for us.



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Bashkin 00-12 Adi/Hog
Bashkin 0M-MS Swiss Moon/PRW(build thread)
Bashkin GC-12 Sitka/Koa
Carter-Poulsen J-Model German Select Spruce/MacEb
Fender MIJ Strat ('90) and 50s RW Tele ('19)
Martin 00-28c Spruce/BRW('67)
Martin M-36 (R) Sitka/EIR
Michaud O-R Cedar/Koa - New Build
Michaud J-R Sitka/MBW
K. Yairi RF-120 Spruce/EIR
KoAloha KTM-25 Koa/Koa
Yamaha G-231 Cedar/Hog ('71)
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  #154  
Old 12-10-2019, 10:08 PM
chippygreen chippygreen is offline
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Bashkin 00-12 Adi/Hog
Bashkin 0M-MS Swiss Moon/PRW(build thread)
Bashkin GC-12 Sitka/Koa
Carter-Poulsen J-Model German Select Spruce/MacEb
Fender MIJ Strat ('90) and 50s RW Tele ('19)
Martin 00-28c Spruce/BRW('67)
Martin M-36 (R) Sitka/EIR
Michaud O-R Cedar/Koa - New Build
Michaud J-R Sitka/MBW
K. Yairi RF-120 Spruce/EIR
KoAloha KTM-25 Koa/Koa
Yamaha G-231 Cedar/Hog ('71)
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  #155  
Old 12-10-2019, 11:43 PM
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StringMeUp StringMeUp is offline
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That is an amazing guitar! Congratulations!!
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  #156  
Old 12-11-2019, 12:03 AM
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Chippy, I'm speechless!

So many fine elements, all coming together. I hope you are enjoying actually having it in your hands.
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  #157  
Old 12-11-2019, 03:00 AM
RalphH RalphH is offline
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Well done sir, that is a beautiful piece of work.
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  #158  
Old 12-11-2019, 09:29 AM
jaymarsch jaymarsch is offline
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Lots of careful consideration of details went into this one and it shows. From Jimmi Wingert's stunning inlay work to Michael's craftsmanship and your personal aesthetic, a real team effort in producing a true work of art. Now that the eyes are totally taken care of, when will you get your hands and ears on it? I have played a number of Michael's guitars over the years and they do not disappoint.

Best,
Jayne
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  #159  
Old 12-11-2019, 10:58 AM
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Erithon Erithon is offline
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Magnificent! Michael continues to outdo himself. You must be very pleased.

I know I'm biased, but black was definitely the right move with the tuning machines
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  #160  
Old 12-14-2019, 06:42 AM
chippygreen chippygreen is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StringMeUp View Post
That is an amazing guitar! Congratulations!!
Thank you - it really came out better than I could have hoped!

Quote:
Originally Posted by colins View Post
Chippy, I'm speechless!

So many fine elements, all coming together. I hope you are enjoying actually having it in your hands.
Not quite yet - Michael has a micropore fill that is on it that isn't cured yet - but soon!

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Originally Posted by RalphH View Post
Well done sir, that is a beautiful piece of work.
Michael is fantastic to work with, and provided superb guidance every step of the way!

Quote:
Originally Posted by jaymarsch View Post
Lots of careful consideration of details went into this one and it shows. From Jimmi Wingert's stunning inlay work to Michael's craftsmanship and your personal aesthetic, a real team effort in producing a true work of art. Now that the eyes are totally taken care of, when will you get your hands and ears on it? I have played a number of Michael's guitars over the years and they do not disappoint.

Best,
Jayne
Thanks Jayne! I am keeping my expectations in check, but if it sounds anywhere close to how it looks, I won't be disappointed!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Erithon View Post
Magnificent! Michael continues to outdo himself. You must be very pleased.

I know I'm biased, but black was definitely the right move with the tuning machines
I owe you on this one. Good call, especially with that ebony backplate!
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Bashkin 00-12 Adi/Hog
Bashkin 0M-MS Swiss Moon/PRW(build thread)
Bashkin GC-12 Sitka/Koa
Carter-Poulsen J-Model German Select Spruce/MacEb
Fender MIJ Strat ('90) and 50s RW Tele ('19)
Martin 00-28c Spruce/BRW('67)
Martin M-36 (R) Sitka/EIR
Michaud O-R Cedar/Koa - New Build
Michaud J-R Sitka/MBW
K. Yairi RF-120 Spruce/EIR
KoAloha KTM-25 Koa/Koa
Yamaha G-231 Cedar/Hog ('71)
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  #161  
Old 12-23-2019, 10:19 PM
chippygreen chippygreen is offline
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Default Video Clip Courtesy of Michael & Justin Roth

https://youtu.be/mEhDhk3f5-o
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Bashkin 00-12 Adi/Hog
Bashkin 0M-MS Swiss Moon/PRW(build thread)
Bashkin GC-12 Sitka/Koa
Carter-Poulsen J-Model German Select Spruce/MacEb
Fender MIJ Strat ('90) and 50s RW Tele ('19)
Martin 00-28c Spruce/BRW('67)
Martin M-36 (R) Sitka/EIR
Michaud O-R Cedar/Koa - New Build
Michaud J-R Sitka/MBW
K. Yairi RF-120 Spruce/EIR
KoAloha KTM-25 Koa/Koa
Yamaha G-231 Cedar/Hog ('71)
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  #162  
Old 12-24-2019, 04:18 AM
MThomson MThomson is offline
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This is a stunning looking guitar. Hope it is everything you wanted when you get it
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  #163  
Old 12-24-2019, 05:45 AM
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A bunch of nice archtops, flattops, a gypsy & nylon strings…
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  #164  
Old 02-15-2020, 09:27 PM
chippygreen chippygreen is offline
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Hi AGF, I've now had my OM for about a month - holiday travels, and then a death on my wife's side of the family held back shipping, and then I was a little busy at work. Having now had a few weekends with extended play sessions, I'm ready to share some impressions.

Balance
In this OM, Michael Bashkin has built an exceptionally well balanced guitar, an observation I shared with Michael and which he agreed with. Why do I lead with this? Well, I've always thought of balance as a bit of an over-rated thing, and never felt any of my other guitars were "unbalanced", though my Michaud has amazing bass projection, which is one of my favorite things about it. I have played a few guitars - the Martin D-35 and D-42 come to mind - that I felt were tonally weighted in such a way that I found it hard to express myself through playing. And that is what I ultimately look for in my guitars, the ability to be expressive at my current skill level and the inspiration to practice and learn.

Having now played this instrument, I feel I have a new understanding of what balance can bring. I would describe it as an abundance of composure - the equivalent of a finely tuned sports car that welcomes being driven to its limits. One illustration of this is that plucked chords have a "vocal harmony" that feel tighter than on my other guitars - I use that phrase intentionally because it reminds me of excellent a capella performances. I find a lot of headroom in this aspect - it's hard to break that tightness even when pushed. Because of this, I find myself emboldened to explore.

The result, to my surprise, is a standing invitation to improvise old runs and modify chords. Each string is in such fine balance with the others that it can speak with a distinct voice without detracting from other notes. This experimentation is so rewarding that I find myself pausing mid-song and trying alternative fingerings and riffs just because it's so fun to do. Collectively this has led to more creative practice sessions.

Responsiveness
Volume and responsiveness is terrific. Compared to my Bashkin GC, which is of similar (slightly larger) dimensions, this guitar "feels" about 5-10% louder when played in like fashion. I'm not sure it is the volume per se so much as what in audiophile terms is sometimes called an "up front" presentation. This loudness/responsiveness manifests tangibly in the form of crisper and easier hammer-ons, pull-offs and slides - the notes form and project better than on my other guitars. Michael sums it up as follows:
"I really like the immediacy and responsiveness of the guitar. The sounds accelerates very quickly which I mostly attribute to the low density Swiss top, low mass bridge and voicing of the braces. This is one of my favorite and most important aspects of the instrument."
<<Cue obligatory Swiss Moon skepticism here>>

Attack
Every guitar has to do something special to warrant its place in the horde (+ offset spousal demerit points). I love my Bashkin Koa GC for its chorus of angel overtones; I love my M-36 for its harder edged vintage tone; every guitar I own does a few things uniquely well that keep it in my rotation.

What is unique about this OM? It has a crazy fast attack. In contrast, I would describe my GC as having swelling overtones - the sound blooms to fill the room. This OM is much faster (what Michael refers to as "immediacy" in the quote above). It still has fantastic sustain, but the leading edge of the note peaks and retreats that little bit more quickly, creating a little more space for successive notes. The overall effect is a slightly more crisp overall presentation - which combined with the responsiveness and balance contribute to the license to explore.

I think there are many contributors to the phenomenon that I find myself trying new arrangements to well-trod tunes often. But it's no one thing in isolation - the balance, responsiveness and attack combine here to make it happen in a usably perceptible way.

Playing Feel
Finally, and this is very subjective - I like the feel of the guitar. The shorter scale on the treble side feels like a slightly more comfortable reach for my smaller hands, and I'm able to form a few chords - albeit with effort - that were not possible on other guitars. This is the only fan fret I have tried with a 1-13/16th nut and it's a winning formula for me. The guitar is just faster overall - I can play sequences and runs better and more smoothly than I can on my other guitars, which considering my skill level, is a worthwhile upgrade.

I noted to Michael that whereas I tend to think of (and he himself describes) his guitars as vintage with a modern feel, this guitar feels modern with a vintage feel - and he agreed. It's still every bit a Bashkin - the lightness, liveliness and intonation are all there - and the craftsmanship is of course superb and without reproach.

To be honest, I anticipated, and would have been delighted with, a guitar that would be like my other Bashkin guitars, but "a little different and a little better". I think what I received was a well tailored suit. Michael listened to what I was describing by phone and by email, listened to the sound clips I sent him of my playing style, helped me make design and tonewood choices, and has built something that has made me a better player - but that also makes me want to play better.

Thank you Michael! This OM will bring me countless hours of happy playing for many years.
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Bashkin 00-12 Adi/Hog
Bashkin 0M-MS Swiss Moon/PRW(build thread)
Bashkin GC-12 Sitka/Koa
Carter-Poulsen J-Model German Select Spruce/MacEb
Fender MIJ Strat ('90) and 50s RW Tele ('19)
Martin 00-28c Spruce/BRW('67)
Martin M-36 (R) Sitka/EIR
Michaud O-R Cedar/Koa - New Build
Michaud J-R Sitka/MBW
K. Yairi RF-120 Spruce/EIR
KoAloha KTM-25 Koa/Koa
Yamaha G-231 Cedar/Hog ('71)
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  #165  
Old 02-16-2020, 12:39 PM
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nootis nootis is offline
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Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. I don't think a luthier could want any better of a write up than what you described. Through your words, you've given a voice to all the weekend hacks like you and I (no offense), and have articulated all the nuances that playing these remarkable instruments brings. Michael's guitars have a certain mojo regardless, and I appreciate your candid details that bring out what is special about YOUR instrument.

Cudos to all!
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