Product: Michael Bashkin Placencia OM
Price Paid: USD 7425
Submitted
02/18/2008
at
01:46pm
by
Greg Yang
Features
:
No Opinion
Nitro finish, best available spruce top, Brazilian rosewoon back and sides, ebony fingerboard
Waverly tuners
Body like Olson small jumbo body style
Built 2005-2006
It is poor man high-end Olson (7000 $ compared to 15000) with all appointments of the highest class guitar.
No rating can do such guitar favor.
If Olson is 10, Bashkin is also 10, but many very good guitar would than be 5 or 6, so no rating here.
Neck is state of the art 3-piece magogany with graphite reinforcement. No problems with tuning stability.
Quality of the fretboard and fret works is secong to none. Only 10k + guitars have such smooth quality. I can't say it better and believe me I've tried hundreds of guitars.
Sound
:
No Opinion
Lively and very responsive.
It's flatpicking and finger playing guitar, not strummer.
Each note is separate, clear, dinstinct and chorus-like rich in harmonics.
Low strings are deep and nicely ringing, very balanced on all fretboard.
Chords sounds always as expected, no dead spots or muffled parts.
It's hard to find any weak element on sonics of this exceptional instruments.
10 would not do it favor, so no rating here.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
Very low action enables easy solos and very smooth playing, no fret buzz on entine board.
Finish looks like not hand made (means it is so perfect that seems like unbelieveble that man can do it). 7000+ Martins are laugh compared to finish of Bashkin guitars, gold thin lines, Paua inlays and quality of work is stunning.
I tried very hard to find even smallest flaw.
This is exemplarly perfect kind of quality.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
Without doubt it is player's guitar, although it has all collector's guitar qualities. Calton case seems indestructible.
I use it mainly for studio job and rare gigs.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Michael Bashkin is very kind and knowledgable luthier. No doubt that support is excellent from the day one. Lifetime warranty.
Overall Rating
:
10
I play for 25 years and more than 1 year this particular guitar.
I owe 25 electric, bass and acoustic guitars of very high calibre (Thorn, Ken Smith, Martin, PRS, Rain Song etc.) and have been playing many exceptional instuments on ocassions.
I like Olson guitars and actually wished to order one.
Bashkin is on par with the best Olsons.
My warmest recommendations.
My guitar has several expensive extras, so it costed more than standard, but having in view all qualities
