Dream Acoustic Guitar Build#3: Baranik Meridian

racman · 2012-08-31T09:25:28+00:00

Well, it's that time again and we are about to begin my third in a three guitar rollercoaster ride of "Dream" Acoustic builds! This “Dream” started some 15-20 years ago but started to gather momentum about five years ago when my “research” started. I embarked on the first journey a few years ago and commissioned all five builds within a year with estimated completion schedules until 2015. The first two have been completed with the build thread links in my signature. Both have been a resounding success in my opnion and are just fantastic guitars with superb tone and build quality. As should have been expected once I received the first two completed guitars I took a more critical look at what I had planned for the remaining three and after much deliberation, cancelled a few and started the search again for the remaining builds. I had felt that the builds needed to be complimentary and none should by design render any of the others redundant (Much like having a LP, Strat, Gretsch, Tele and 335 or 175 I suppose). All of the remaining builds I had commissioned would have resulted in great guitars but I thought that my needs and desires had changed somewhat as to what I wanted out of the “collection”. I must say that I have never been one of the “which is better” people and rather see each Luthier bringing a unique signature tone and style that may deviate to a certain degree from his own internal reference point. Over the two builds that have been completed I have learned so much about many aspects of the acoustic guitar, tone woods etc. but probably the most significant aspect I have learned is to provide as much communication on what I like and dislike and then trust the Luther’s opinion on the important aspects. One of the Luthiers whose name kept on rising to the surface in all discussions and research I conducted was that of Mike Baranik. I contacted Mike and after much discussion, the build was scheduled for September 2012. An article/informative with Mike can be found here: http://acousticmagazine.com/news/interviews/618-mike-baranik More to come… ?

rikus

Wow, updates are coming thick and fast! Love it!! Looking very good.

racman

More images to make up for the recent break in posting:

racman

Beautiful Heelcap...

deefstes

Holy smokes! Each set of pics just outdoes the previous. This is a seriously drool-inducing guitar.

racman

Finishing process:

racman

Squonk

Words can't describe this. This one looks like it's going to be the best looker out of the three builds!

racman

Thx for the comments - cant wait for this one!

Some may be interested to know that Mike uses a UV cure Polyester process and does his own finishing. Here is a brief explanation that I thought may shed some light on it ( combining a few comments from AGF):

"Mike's shop used to be just 2 doors down from National Guitars and they became very good friends. He helped them set up their very high tech UV spray booth as pictured. As a result, he enjoys the privilege of using it for his own guitars. And, he does indeed spray his own. And, they are indeed flawless. IMHO, Mike's attention to detail is second to none."

And: "UV cure is pretty cool. Its not cured by air or chemical...its cured with the UV light. You spray it and in a few seconds to minutes it is cured by exposing it to the UV light. The neck in that pic is rotating and that "wand" is the UV light. Literally, in minutes - you can work on the finish (i.e sand in between applications or buff it). Its super toxic though (not when cured but when spraying it). Jim Olson also does UV cure.

....Actually that wand is the spray nozzle for spraying the UV (not the UV light - pretty sure)...its very toxic stuff."

racman

And then of course there is the more logical explanation for the process:

"Well, Mike likes to keep this on the downlow, but over the course of years and through careful breeding, he has actually produced a unique lac bug which responds very intensely to Barry White, a disco ball (not pictured), and pale green light. During the finishing process, he releases these lac bugs onto the guitar, dims the lights a bit, gets the disco ball going, and turns on a little Barry. The lac bugs get their groove on and pretty soon you have a coat of polymerizable (part of the breeding) shellac on the guitar. The rate of application is important and is dictated by both the rotation rate of the disco ball and the particular mix of Barry White used. When the proper thickness is achieved, Mike really gets the party hopping by turning on the UV lights. While all the lac bugs are tripping over the whiteness of their teeth no more shellac is secreted, and the UV cross links the shellac and produces a hardened finish. He then turns off the disco ball, turns up the lights, plays the chorus to Celebration a few times, and takes the mop (pictured lower right) and gives the guitar a few hard whacks to get rid of the bugs.

Voila!"

? ? ?

racman

Installing the bridge:

racman

Shibbibilybob

Roy, as much as I enjoy this thread, and your posts, I have a bone to pick with you...
In your signature, you link to two threads of your Cornerstone and your baranik builds.
However you have deleted the photos from photobucket and so I can't perve your fine instruments.
I tried both here and on the acousticguitarforum...seems it's not a broken link, but that the pictures are missing ☹

Apart from that, and the mild jealousy, we're good ?

warrenpridgeon

Shibbibilybob wrote Roy, as much as I enjoy this thread, and your posts, I have a bone to pick with you...
In your signature, you link to two threads of your Cornerstone and your baranik builds.
However you have deleted the photos from photobucket and so I can't perve your fine instruments.
I tried both here and on the acousticguitarforum...seems it's not a broken link, but that the pictures are missing ☹

Apart from that, and the mild jealousy, we're good ?

Yeah man... put the other pics up... cos people commented stuff and I am like... huh?lol...

I am pretty keen to try build a guitar sometime too...quite a challenge there!

deefstes

Care to explain please, what is happening in these pics?

RoyC wrote

warrenpridgeon

I am guessing that is some sort of vacuum thing... which I guess is used to "suck" the bridge down onto the guitar instead of clamping? I may obviously be wrong and it could be a computer connection to transfer the awesome playing of super stars into the guitar ... lol

rikus

The bridge glue joint is arguable the most important glue joint on an acoustic. You want it to be as perfect as possible in order to ensure as much of the string vibration as possible is transferred to the guitar top. You also want to to be super strong, because the string tension is working at pulling on that joint 24/7 with the equivalent of about 180lbs (according to a quick google).

Too much pressure during gluing means you're starving the joint of glue, which could lead to catastrophe given the amount of tension on that joint. Too little pressure means too much glue in the joint, which can also affect strength and transfer of vibration. A vacuum setup like that will help ensure uniform and perfect pressure when gluing each and every time.

deefstes

Rikus wrote The bridge glue joint is arguable the most important glue joint on an acoustic. You want it to be as perfect as possible in order to ensure as much of the string vibration as possible is transferred to the guitar top. You also want to to be super strong, because the string tension is working at pulling on that joint 24/7 with the equivalent of about 180lbs (according to a quick google).

Too much pressure during gluing means you're starving the joint of glue, which could lead to catastrophe given the amount of tension on that joint. Too little pressure means too much glue in the joint, which can also affect strength and transfer of vibration. A vacuum setup like that will help ensure uniform and perfect pressure when gluing each and every time.

Aha

Thanks. Nice explanation.

racman

Thx Rikus - great explanation.

As for the other build pics in the links, it must have happened when PB changes occurred so I will try and sort them all out on the weekend.

racman

Anyway, latest pics show strings are on!

Will only be able to post pics later on today ...

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