David Russell, Sharon Isbin, Berta Rojas and other artists own and play O'Leary guitars, in fact here is a delightful clip of Berta playing her O'Leary on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1bbW1NKlbk (I have been swamped with requests for the composers email, everybody loves this piece and the recording of the guitar is well done also)

I have been working with Michael for years now, and had the distinct honor of selling the very first O'Leary in the USA to a client of mine about four years ago now. Since then, Michael's reputation has continued to grow, and with good reason, he is building some of the finest guitars on the planet now and I am so very pleased to continue my ongoing relationship with this very fine builder. This September in fact I will be in Ireland visiting Michael in his shop!

This guitar is a "paradigm shifting' guitar, it really sounds like nothing else that I have played, it has its own very highly pleasing and very unique personality. Perhaps this is due to Michael's hybrid bracing system which combines aspects of fan bracing and lattice bracing in a unique manner. The tone is just beautiful, while most builders can build a guitar with decent basses, it seems to be the trebles that really sets apart the masters, and these trebles are in a class of their own. Really just the most full, round, focused and yet open at the same time trebles you can imagine. The basses are perfectly suited mates and together they conjure up, well, images like playing around a camp fire surrounded by gypsies ( well done Berta!). Really, you have to hear the guitar to really appreciate what Michael has accomplished here. And power? Oh yeah, heaps, a very robust guitar that sounds really as if it is amplified. Incredible.

Michael puts a twist in the neck for relief on the bass side, and utilizes a 12 hole tie block, 20th half fret, and stunning custom designed Graf tuners that display a celtic weave that beautifully compliments the similar design on the rosette.

Congratulations to Michael, as I said, a 'paradigm shifting' guitar..

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