Michael Bashkin

ARTIST. SCIENTIST. LUthier.

Michael Bashkin brings a distinct vision and sensibility to the craft of guitar-making—one shaped as much by his time teaching tropical forestry in Belize as by his years of experience as a musician, visual artist, and lifelong student of wood.

Michael doesn’t just select tonewood; he understands it on a deep, intuitive level. He sees the grain the way a photographer sees the nuances of texture in reflected light. He feels the resonance in a raw sheet of spruce and hears the voice within; bright, vibrant, and waiting to be brought to life.

Michael is also a scientist. With graduate studies at Colorado State University and post-graduate research at Duke University, he has studied the biology and mechanics of wood. He understands where wood comes from, how it’s shaped by its environment, and how climate change is altering the trees we rely on. This knowledge informs every aspect of his craft, helping him sculpt guitars that are not only beautiful and responsive, but deeply connected to the materials from which they’re made.

Michael’s work is grounded in tradition, honed under the guidance of master luthiers like Ervin Somogyi and Harry Fleishman. Like his mentors, he holds an abiding respect for both aesthetics, function, and the elegant balance between them.

The Birth of Bashkin Guitars in Colorado

Bashkin Guitars was founded in 1998 in Fort Collins, Colorado—an ideal home for this creative luthier. Fort Collins is a college town, a music town, and a national center for craft brewing. It’s also a hub for cutting-edge research in energy and the environment, and a gateway to the Rocky Mountains. The city pulses with creativity and innovation—an inspiring setting for a builder whose work is as thoughtful as it is finely crafted.