A Pair of Baranik JX's

AZ Slacker · #1 02-24-2018, 10:20 PM

Mike Baranik's guitars are amazing. With the recent acquisition of a 2001 Baranik JX, Brazilian / Italian (thanks, Jay), that joins a 2008 JX that I 'designed' with Mike, not a day goes by that I don't consider my good fortune. The 2001 is near mint, has a modified V neck carve, and soundhole with traditional reinforcement. With D'Addario EJ24's, it is my DADGAD guitar. My 2008 with a C neck (slim profile), and 360 degree reinforcement around the soundhole, is strung with medium gauge strings for C tunings. These are amazingly crafted, and sonically exquisite. Such a pair of great guitars. Here's some pictures, first the 2001 Braz, and then the 2008 MadRose.

Here's the 2008 JX in MadRose / German

ChalkLitIScream · #2 02-24-2018, 10:29 PM

Look at you go! Lovely guitars there, including the other 2 in your sig! Understated elegance on that one

Brucebubs · #3 02-25-2018, 12:13 AM

Those are absolutely beautiful.
Stunning.
Love them.

Deft Tungsman · #4 02-25-2018, 03:11 AM

Two JXs in the house ? That's a lot of rumbling for one man's cottage, right there ! Put in some stained glass windows, and you'd swear there was a pipe organ somewhere in the wings. Enjoy !

Can you describe any marked differences in tone/responsiveness between the two ? Which perceptions led you to assign DADGAD to the 2001 and C tunings to the one you had Mike build for you in 2008?

Baranik established his credentials as a top-tier builder a long time ago, and his work keeps getting better as time goes by. His aesthetic choices are always refreshing, outside the box yet well-considered, flowing and harmonious, lighthearted and sometimes comical (like the VW bus guitar he showed a few years back or that beehive guitar he built for a client in Asia).

If I had the dough, I'd readily commission a build with him, most likely a larger model to complement my compact 00m and mini Retreux Parlor.

colins · #5 02-25-2018, 04:10 AM

Very nice.

Looks like you got your maddie JX the same year I got my CX. Mike builds wonderful guitars.

AZ Slacker · #6 02-25-2018, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deft Tungsman

Two JXs in the house ? That's a lot of rumbling for one man's cottage, right there !

Can you describe any marked differences in tone/responsiveness between the two ? Which perceptions led you to assign DADGAD to the 2001 and C tunings to the one you had Mike build for you in 2008?

DT, I've never played one of Mike's smaller builds, but I bet they are quite nice. After a lot of DADGAD playing on both my 2001 and 2008, I felt the 2001 the best choice for that tuning. First was tone. The 2001 is brighter from top to bottom. That may be the wood (Braz/Italian). DADGAD arrangements just sound more to my liking with it. The cutaway, and the completely different neck carve also helped in my selection of it for a 'dedicated' DADGAD guitar.

The 2008 is not to my ears as bright. It excels in C tunings, with a low end 'growl' of its own. The upper end is defined and clear, but without the 'snap' on the high treble notes. I don't know if I can explain that very well.

I'm fortunate to have both.

Deft Tungsman · #7 12-06-2018, 09:14 AM

Hey AZ Slacker!

What's this I see in your signature? A third Baranik JX in the house? Tell us more!

Deft Tungsman · #8 08-08-2019, 12:36 PM

¡Hola, don Slacker!

Just checking in on a lazy summer evening, these many months later. Care to tell us about the EIR JX?

Me ?? These past few weeks, I've been on a second honeymoon with Tuxedo Bolo, discovering which pieces of the repertoire let it shine. In my stable, it's the sexy muscle car.