"Wanderer" - Baranik Concert Meridian "tree" mahogany and sinker cedar build
 

Well, all, I've been waiting very impatiently for a long while to get to start posting this. It's a bit of a longish story, so those who are only looking for the "graphic novel" version should skip on down...

I bought a Baranik CX with Brazilian and German Spruce 2 years ago from JasonA from the forum. Incredible guitar. My first luthier built that I'd even touched, let alone heard. And yeah, I was hooked.

Somewhere along the way I saw the RTaylor "tree" mahogany option (all sets are now sold I believe) and was really struck by the look and the story. I love mahogany guitars anyway - I had about that time completed a three year tour of various Taylors beginning with a 714 (EIR/cedar), then an all Koa GS, then a 914 coco/englemann, finally discovering an all mahogany 514 - which fit my musical needs and tastes perfectly.

I saw a picture of a tree mahogany that Mike Baranik had built sometime in the past (this picture) http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/g...romthetree.jpg

and asked him about it. We discussed a mahogany guitar, and he told me he had some non-tree but nicely figured mahogany. But when I visited his shop in 2008 he pulled out a back (only) set of the tree, and showed me a sinker cedar top set, and we both looked at each other and it was settled. He looked for quite a while for a complementary side set of the 'tree', and ended up buying a set from Lance McCollum a few months before Lance's untimely death. Mike and Lance had shared a lot of time together and that added to the "story". Just this past summer he found a set of figured mahogany perfectly sized for the double sides - more serendipity.

The final piece of the story was the name - "Wanderer". Sailing vessels - stories, real ones, some racing, some personal memories - have been very important at various points in my life. Reading "Dove" - the Robin Lee Graham circumnavigation story, he noted Sterling Hayden's book "Wanderer" which was the name of the schooner Hayden took off with his kids in the 50s (another long story). The name fits this storied back and sides set as well as the sinker cedar, and "Wanderer" is now under construction.

At Healdsburg Mike and I agreed that the guitar would be one of his new "Meridian Concert" models - double sides, port, fully adjustable neck via a small hex head screw inset into the neck heel strap button, even more asymmetric body - some really great innovations, and he's at last getting the build started in his new shop in California.

I'll post some along the way pictures - Mike wanted to document this build more fully, as he didn't have a lot of pictures of the previous "tree" build.

Not all the specs are quite settled. Binding and purfling are still up in the air until we see how the colors look; the exact neck width and carve we're working on. I'm wanting something sort of between Mike's standard width and the narrow standard Taylor neck - we'll get there.

Thanks for looking. Questions welcome, answers given whether factual or not (!).

Phil

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/g...1-17110608.jpg

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/g...1-18095731.jpg

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/g...1-24124710.jpg

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/g...1-24144847.jpg

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/g...1-24144948.jpg

Holy barbecue sauce. You're so lucky!

How awesome is that. The allure of the tree is strong!

I wonder if it would be possible to reproduce trees with that figure with the right amount of breeding.

Baranik .... "the tree" .... doesn't get much better. Lookin forward to following this one - luck!

Ok Phil, we're gonna have to have another lunch date in Stillwater as soon as you get this thing :D ... and it may have to be a loooong lunch :D:D:up:

Wow, that is going to be great, thanks for sharing your story! The moral of this tale is, of course, that visiting luthiers' workshops can lead you into temptation...

Fliss

This is going to be a killer guitar!

Mike's guitars are right up with the best of the best. I will never let my JX go - for my style and tastes it really is the best guitar I've ever played.

Keep us posted on the build, and hope you don't have to wait too long for your new baby.

Nice!! Of all the Baraniks I've been able to try, there was only one mahogany, and it was terrific. Should be spectacular with sinker cedar!

I've been looking forward to watching your Meridian coming to life. Great backstory Phil and thanks for kicking thus off.

Hey Phil,
does this set have the 'veins' that R Taylor pictures on some of his sets? I couldn't tell from the raw wood picture.

It's going to be a great guitar in any case, and you will probably soon be the person with most 'tree' guitars in the world :)

Keep posting pics.

It's not the heavily veined quilting that the RTaylor pictures showed - but it is a beautiful set.

Thanks for all the comments and interest! I'll keep the pictures coming... Baranik... tree mahogany... sinker cedar (which I'd never heard of but it was really lovely to see... wonderful ruler-straight grain...)... and in a Meridian w/ Florentine cut... IP-1 Highlander... can't remember any other specifics off the top of my head.

We're looking at two very dissimilar binding/purfling options.. spalted maple or koa or some other light wood, or dark, subtle ebony (like Macassar). Mike will mock up both and see how it looks.

Estimating a February completion. Some of you know I bought the "lava" cocobolo negro/blue spruce Meridian that Mike built for Montreal and Healdsburg this year -- that's still in Mike's shop awaiting a Highlander installation. So by late winter I'll have a very complementary set of Meridians!

Phil

Hi Huck,
Did you buy your JX from TAMCO used?

Tony

Baranik
 

Hi Rio,
Looking forward to following this,and hope it exceeds your expectations.

Cheers Tony

Sinker Cedar
 

I thought I'd add these shots - this is the sinker cedar top. Look at that grain!

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_zGI_o4anong/SD...0/DSC03929.JPG

and, to contrast, a normal cedar top (right) on top of the sinker. Love that dark, smokey look!

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_zGI_o4anong/SD...0/DSC03928.JPG

Hey Phil, if you still thinking about binding you might want to look at cocobolo. That's what I went with for my "Tree" guitar that's being built by Hank Mauel and the coloring really does work well.

Looking great. Love looking at these Tree builds.

Humberto

Thanks for the idea, Humberto! I'll let you all know when we make the decision.

Phil

Just a couple more this evening... sides being doubled... you can see the quilted inner sides. For those who haven't seen a Baranik, he uses the wood plate as the serial number plate inside... too cool... this will be #150...

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_zGI_o4anong/Sy...2011.39.19.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_zGI_o4anong/Sy...2011.42.08.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_zGI_o4anong/Sy...2015.01.03.jpg

cheers all!

Phil

Looking great, Phil.

Hey Phil, tell Mike to stop messing about with your guitar... he's got more important things to do!! :D ;)

Following it? Phil, you know me, and I want to PLAY it.

Yes, I picked it up earlier this year. Did you play it there?

haha... I know he's still working on it... I am in hopes that you'll be sharing some pics or clips or both with us all sometime soon.....!!!

p

I was the original owner along with the other used JX there,good to see you are pleased with it,i traded both for the Black and Blue CX that Mike featured on his web site.

That is a wonderful guitar, Huck if you ever decide to part with it you know where I am!!

How did I miss the thread??? Must be the new format. I forget to look here.

Phil,

Very, very cool. I am really looking forward to seeing the progress on this guitar. I just assume it will be great.
LC

LC, you may very well end up being one of the first to see it finished, as I am working on plans to pick it up and deliver another guitar. I'll be sure stopping by your town to see the brother and will definitely carve out time to meet you face to face, or guitar to guitar, while coming through!

This evening, just a couple of shots. One is the neck with some basic routing underway; the other a side before bending and joining to the double side (seen behind).

Cheers all,
Phil

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_zGI_o4anong/Sx...2019.56.02.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_zGI_o4anong/Sx...2015.23.23.jpg

Ha! EXACTLY what I was thinking. It shouldn't be too long before mine gets started. Time to go up to Mike's and start looking at options!
Jenn

I will look forward to it! But, don't be surprised if I just happen to drop by Mike's shop for a preview next time I'm over there. : )
LC

Excellent! Just be sure to take a camera....!!!

Phil