domhatch
ding! ground floor. playing and sounding magnificent departments...
stunning. absolutely beautiful. congrats
dh
racman
Norman86 wrote:
She is looking MIGHTY fine!
So you received her yesterday??? Congrats ?
I wish! There was a delay and so should be early afternoon today ?
"Somewhere
Over the ocean
Bashkin flies ...."
racman
Ok, well it's time to give a little insight into the build and tone of the Bashkin Placencia OM. I have been extremely busy at work and travelling quite a bit (very inconsiderate of my company ?) so have neglected to write a preliminary review. However, even worse I have not been able to play as much as I wanted to before writing my impressions. The truth is that on the odd occasion that I wanted to write a review I picked up the guitar and either got so lost in the tone and my enjoyment of the guitar that I just never got around to it. There were the odd times that I thought; “I have to write something now”, and then got quite irritated that I would have to now stop playing and write my impressions. So when time is a little precious one wants to spend it with the things that bring the greatest joy and pleasure. My apologies, but that has been playing this exquisite instrument and not writing this. However, I really need to get my thoughts and views down to round off such a great experience and an amazing final result.
Michael has been an absolute pleasure to deal with and I have now come to really miss my early Saturday “Christmas” present as I would awake early and download images from the link that Michael had sent me and so faithfully updated.
Firstly, the build is absolutely impeccable! The pictures really don't give a true reflection of the beauty and elegance of this guitar. Being an OM shape it is quite a bit smaller that my Zion which is really closer to a Jumbo. I asked Michael to build a guitar that was complimentary to my Cornerstone Zion, while retaining his voicing etc. He achieved this and more. The guitar is very comfortable to play and the FanFrets are truly “transparent” in that one doesn’t notice any real difference in playing technique needed.
I have never played a guitar like this! While I know that the Adirondack top will open up even more with time and if it does, I am in for a treat.
I have also never played an OM with this amount of bass! To say I am ecstatic would be an understatement.
This is the first guitar that I can truly say I now understand what people mean when they talk about "piano like" trebles and mids. Man, I don't even know how to describe it. I keep on trying to figure out how to describe the sound and then play it and just am amazed at the chime and bell like trebles but with great body, even a little "fat" and without any of that crystalline piercing sound and yet they just ring. I never thought that one could have a combination of fat, sweet and yet bell like ringing trebles at the same time. I am going to have to find new ways to describe the tone of the Placencia. The mids are just so full and combined with the bass notes sound very Cello like at times. I tried the guitar with a little lead and flatpicking and it is just amazing.
Tune down to DADGAD or even Drop-D and the fun really starts with the bass just beautiful. You know that you are playing something special when you doodle around for about 30min on just the low three strings (DAD)! Overtones, sustain and harmonics are in abundance. However, move over to the rest of the strings and it is just ublime. the sweetness is accentuated to a greater degree than before. This is really the sweet spot and yet going back to standard tuning one falls in love with the tone as well.
The strange thing is that I have always varied my right hand position to change the tone a little and yet this seems to have an even greater effect on this guitar - maybe as a result of the fan fret and slanted bridge position. It seems to be very responsive to both hand and finger position on the strings. Harmonics are great as well.
So here's the only negative - every time I play the Placencia I am always left with the feeling that I need to play it a little more, practice a lot more, learn a huge amount more to get the most out of the guitar. It leaves me very satisfied and yet strangely dissatisfied at the same time. I am in awe of the tone of the simplest little tunes and notes that I have played and yet mildly irritated with my inability to caress the most out of the guitar. This is in no way a negative comment on the guitar but has caused me to start practicing with more focus and renewed zeal.
Playing it softly late last night and I was enthralled by such a beautiful, sweet song that emerged. As I started playing with a little more gusto and applying a little more force to the string and it sounded like the orchestra was starting to play. The strings excited by right hand flesh had a more cello like tone. Trust me; this has nothing to do with my playing ability!
I still stop playing every so often to just admire Michael's exquisite craftsmanship and I truly am blessed to own such an awesome and inspiring instrument.
I hope to take a few images this weekend and post a follow up review soon.
Again, my apologies for the delay in writing this but I really have been enjoying myself immensely. ?
aubs1
Congratulations Roy! Wow, what can one say? :applause: :applause:
Neon-Gecko
Well after such humble apologies, all is forgiven. ? Reading you review has conjured such a strong mental image of the tone and craftsmanship, I really can’t wait to see and hear her in the flesh.
I wish the two of you countless hours of aural pleasure where time all but ceases to exist. She really is a ‘Beauty’ mate, congratulations! :woohoo:
racman
Thx guys.
As I wrote on another forum: "I am always concerned that I write what I hear and cannot describe what I am hearing in an articulate way. Or maybe I am just reduced to gushing and limited vocablary when I start playing this guitar
I am not a decent player by any means but those who know me know that I am quite literally obsessed with tone. This satisfies my obsession ... "
Squonk
Now to see the Guitar ?
racman
@Zohn - thx for the great chat. I hope your operation went well. Will make a plan to get this to you soon.
@Squonk - that makes two you need to play now. ?
DDR4LYF
Thank you so much for posting all those pictures. That is absolutely amazing how they make it! It is an incredible guitar, but I am equally impressed with the craftsmanship and the building process. It kind of makes me want to give up on my varsity course and become a luthier! But thank you very much for the insight into guitar making!!!
racman
Hi Sean, Glad you enjoyed viewing the process as much as I did sharing the images. Thx
racman
A few "@ home" pics:
In the Hiscox case
Waiting patiently to be played:
Norman86
oooooh shes nice Roy! Congrats!
racman
Thx Norman. I will try and take a few better pics this weekend.Maybe of the Cornerstone as well but will post that in My Gear Thread.
