a.bandini Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 Guys (and Ana), I drove for a couple hours to do something important, and picked up #29 today. TSB, Ebony board, bound and crowned. Tara was with me. I'll try to keep it short, but want to emphasize how impressed Tara and I are about the friendliness, humility, and extraordinary artistry of Mike Shishkov. He and Trish welcomed us (people they had never met, and really, had no reason to trust) into their house, offered us something to drink, and did their best to put us at ease. After a couple of minutes' chitchat Mike opened the case. You can see what was inside (below). WOW!! HOLY MACKEREL!! All I could do was grin, like I haven't for YEARS and YEARS. I smiled so much my jaw muscles ached. I was a kid again, imagining what it would be like to have a guitar like I saw in guitar magazines, or in album gatefolds. I'm a living room guitarist, a hack really, but even I can tell I was holding in my hands something special, something extraordinary, something refined and beautiful, but at the same time I can tell this thing can unleash something damn-near primitive, raw, and primal, just like it should. 28 or so of you know what I'm talking about, and nearly as many more are looking forward to seeing for themselves how fantastic a guitar can be. Another incredibly cool thing: I got to hold the Hello Kitty guitar!!! I also saw the workshop (and snapped a photo of Mike in it, which should be in this posting.) Folks, We've got something special. Mike and Trish are wonderful people, just as you suspected, and Mike's guitars are something beyond our everyday experiences. Thank you Mike, and thank you Trish for a very special day, and a treasured piece of art. Best, a.bandini PS. Both Mike and Trish mentioned how special the HFC is, and how much all of you mean to them and (I infer) their company and family. I agree. PPS. I did not see today, but am very much looking forward to seeing the prototypes, and am saving my change to make sure I can buy one once they enter production. You should, too.
atomicwash Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 Great story. Great artist. And another Great top. Congrats!!!!Holy crap that is awesome!!!
cmatthes Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 Just incredible! Now you "get" the whole magic with these things!!Glad you got to pick it up - when Mike and Trish brought out the case for the reveal on mine, that was a feeling like I've never had before with any guitar purchase.
serial Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 "Awesome" is such an insufficient word.Congrats-I love that finish!
django49 Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 Love that story.....Sure would be great if I could one day have such a happy ending. Well, maybe I should better describe it as a happy BEGINNING!
GASguy Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 "Awesome" is such an insufficient word.All words are insufficient for these Shishkov Ultimates.Including number 29.Congratulations.
G Man Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 Wow, loving the grain on that top, absolutely beautiful. Enjoy for many moons.
Jakeboy Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 Wow...that is a beautiful Ultimate. Another winner. Why? Well, bandini told us in his post: Mike and Trish.People I have never met, yet they have enriched my life with the best guitar I have ever owned.
mrjamiam Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 What a beauty! Congratulations and thanks for sharing the story. Mike and Trish rock!
a.bandini Posted November 22, 2015 Author Posted November 22, 2015 Here's a quick update after a few hours of playing around with 0029 plugged into my Mesa Lonestar with so far nothing but clean settings: I love this guitar. It sounds fantastic. It is as comfortable as it is pretty. Mike really built a fantastic musical instrument. Even I can tell. On another important point: I've read all the accolades here others have written about Josh's pickups, and I thought "Come on. It can't really be that big a deal, can it?" Chimey? Airy? Articulate? Responsive? All those adjectives basically saying Josh's pickups truly make a big difference and make my guitar sound much better? Can that be possible? It is. To quote Neil Diamond, "I'm a believer." I'm now looking suspiciously at the pickups in my Artist and wondering how much better it would sound with a pair of Josh's pickups in it. And that Redwood, too. Thanks Mike, and thanks too, Josh. This is a great guitar.
Northfield Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 Thank you so much for making the trip over yesterday. Trish and I were absolutely thrilled to meet you and Tara. I appreciate all of the kind words, and thank you for letting me be part of your NGD case opening. All of you guys rock!
Camstone Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 Ebony fretboard, tobacco sunburst, bound and crowned, bound headstock..... that's exactly how I would have ordered it.Bravo to Mike, Trish and a bandini!
foodermon Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 HOLY MACKEREL is right! running out of words with every new Ultimate ... Tobacco Sunburst, esp w an ebony board just totally kills.. awesome awesome. perhaps down the line we may even see a mackerel inspired burst.. wide flame silver to blueburst. hahahahah. congrats on that Ultimate!
Boomerang~Junkie Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 Congrats! Visually, your incredible #0029 will be my #0044's twin. They will just be a few details apart. WOW - I can totally understand to why you were so giddy. For what its worth, your write-ups are exceptional, detailed and heartfelt. I'm also a fellow sofa-plucker (when I'm able to anymore) and totally related to your postings. If you're not a writer, you've missed a calling. Congrats on #0029, its clearly another of Mr. Shishkov's masterpieces.
a.bandini Posted November 22, 2015 Author Posted November 22, 2015 And finally, I thought I should post a photo of the backside of this beauty. I could have, I suppose, posted this in the bootie thread, but I think it belongs here instead.
specialk Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 Clean, classy, and KILLER! Congrats to all.
DaveL Posted November 23, 2015 Posted November 23, 2015 very nice finish... and I like the chevroning happening in the middle of the guitar... works nice for thatbody style.
serial Posted November 23, 2015 Posted November 23, 2015 Even the backs of these guitars are breathtaking!
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