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  #16  
Old 05-04-2019, 01:58 AM
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Default Bending the sides

Time to make some sides....

Let's start with that set of koa side wood that Mike and I liked, complete with sapwood and some interesting markings within the sapwood too. Everyone has their own preference but I like wood that has a bit of character and even what others might think of as blemishes. It reminds me that the wood was once part of a living tree out in a forest somewhere.



Mike regularly builds with double sides. For my build he suggested a couple of different woods for the ‘inside’ layer, including wenge. Wenge adds a bit of weight to the guitar but in Mike’s opinion it can contribute to extra sustain, which is something I like generally and am particularly keen to achieve in this small body guitar. So wenge it is.

Here is the koa all covered in glue and ready to meet its new lifelong wenge partner.



Working on the shape….



And the completed sides in the 00 frame…



Mike has the La Conner Guitar Festival in a week so I am not expecting photos for a while, but the guitar he has on the La Conner website is nice to look at while I am waiting!

http://laconnerguitarfestival.com/luthiers.html

Col
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  #17  
Old 05-04-2019, 03:03 AM
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Thanks for sharing the progress pics, Colin. I saw that picture of the Meridian on the La Conner website. Wow! As always, Mike's choice of materials and use of color and texture is striking, subtle, refreshing. I'm looking forward to the aesthetic touches he'll do for your 00.
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  #18  
Old 05-04-2019, 10:07 AM
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Looking good Col.

Steve
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  #19  
Old 05-04-2019, 08:59 PM
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awesome!!!!!
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  #20  
Old 05-26-2019, 04:05 AM
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With all the activity for La Conner out of the way, Mike is back at the "bench" (although actually he has a wide variety of benches, and a whole bunch of clever bits of equipment around his shop). Here are a few new images of the 00 coming together:

Here is the neck block going in. I like the contrast in side woods - the wenge for the inner layer and the koa on the outside:



I’ve gone for a simple, fixed neck on this guitar; the same approach that I have on my other two Baraniks. Mike also offers an adjustable neck, which allows neck adjustments “on the fly” and some of the guys swear by it for action adjustment or different tunings.



Also the back bracing has been put on, and here is the vacuum system Mike uses to hold it while the glue cures.



And once the glue has set:



Note the asymmetrical approach to the braces:



Mike has used fanned back braces for many years, as a way to help balance the guitar's sound. It allows him to change the back stiffness in certain areas and loosen it in others.

Thanks for looking!
Col
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  #21  
Old 05-26-2019, 11:32 AM
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Smile Baranik

Looking good Colin!
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  #22  
Old 05-26-2019, 01:31 PM
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That wood looks outstanding.
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  #23  
Old 05-28-2019, 05:17 AM
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Default Adding a side port

Thanks guys. Here is another update for you as it's time to add the side port…

We’re going for a bound, oval side port. Here is the frame that Mike uses to guide the initial cutting:



If you look closely at the photo above you can see the relative thicknesses of the koa and the wenge in the double sides, as well as the fact that there is no layer in between them.

And here's the port after the cut:



Mike has some clever ideas for the binding on the guitar involving figured maple that will be coloured. For the binding on the side port he first cut a matched piece of the maple and inserted it into the sound port hole:



Then finished it a little:



Eventually he will trim back this maple plug so that it just provides some nice binding, then add the colouring so that it matches the coloured maple binding planned for the rest of the guitar.

I'm sure that the sapwood in the sides will not be to everyone's taste but I love the variety of colours in this koa. Gives it character!

Col
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  #24  
Old 05-28-2019, 07:37 AM
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Very nice!
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  #25  
Old 05-28-2019, 09:30 AM
jaymarsch jaymarsch is offline
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I like the choice of the sapwood sides. A bit more unusual and visually very striking. Those sides and the back will look spectacular when finished - lots of depth in the figure. Very exciting for sure, Col.

Best,
Jayne
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  #26  
Old 05-28-2019, 10:13 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by colins View Post
I'm sure that the sapwood in the sides will not be to everyone's taste but I love the variety of colours in this koa. Gives it character!

Col
Col,
The sapwood in the sides is one of my favorite things on my Baranik:


Good choice.

Steve
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  #27  
Old 05-29-2019, 03:47 AM
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Thanks sakar12

Jayne, I'm glad you are enjoying it, as I am enjoying your build too (and waiting impatiently for the images in June after the finish is on!)

Steve, I hope mine ends up looking as nice as yours.

Col
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  #28  
Old 05-29-2019, 07:43 AM
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Smile Sapwood...

"I'm sure that the sapwood in the sides will not be to everyone's taste but I love the variety of colours in this koa. Gives it character!"

I agree. I like woods that are not "perfect". But I do like them to sound perfect!
Now if I could only play perfectly... hahahahahahaha

This will be a beauty

Paul
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  #29  
Old 05-29-2019, 07:50 AM
SoCalSurf SoCalSurf is offline
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What a wonderful set of wood you have chosen. When I had a custom koa guitar built recently, I had a very hard time seeing in my head what the final flaming of the koa would look like. In the end it was better than I could have imagined. I'm sure the same will hold true for you. Enjoy the rest of the process!
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  #30  
Old 05-30-2019, 02:45 AM
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This is a great thread and I must admit I had to google sapwood to see exactly what is was you guys were talking about and just want to know if there is any tonal or stability differences between the boards if they consist of both sapwood and heartwood.

Cheers, Paul
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