A few shots from my visit to Mike's workshop.

Mike Baranik and Kent Hamblin's visit to TAMCO 16 April 2011. Top photo Kent left, Mike right, I forgot to get any photos with myself in but its not a great loss..

A great time was had by all. Terry Lees (in the pale blue shirt) did a great job of demonstrating Mike and Kent's guitars. He played some fantastic music and discussed their approach to lutherie with them.

Mike and Kent then did a very informative talk about how they got into guitar making and various aspects of their design and construction techniques.

The evening meal at Bom-Banes was a blast. Great food, great company and a couple of Jane's incredible songs.

I think the only conclusion to come to is that it was a great success.

Similar the the first parlour I had from Mike (this is the fourth counting my own and there's two more on order) the 'Aloha Koa' is a delight.

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• Carpathian Spruce top
• Curly Koa back and sides
• 12 3/8” lower bout
• 24.5" scale length
• 1 3/4" Nut
• 2 1/4" string spacing at saddle
• Bone nut and saddle
• Spanish Cedar neck
• 13th fret neck joint
• Green acrylic rosette, end wedge and heelcap
• Gold Evo fretwire
• Ebony Headcap with Koa purfling
• Ebony bound fretboard
• Ebony bridge and bridge pins
• Gold Gotoh mini tuners with Black buttons
• Black binding with Koa purflings on soundboard
• Oval sideport
• Cedar Creek custom case

Wow! I am used to Mike coming up with spectacular guitars but this is truly amazing.

It has Mike's unique easily adjustable action (via an Allen key in the strap button, just turn and the action raises or lowers) and a beautiful and useful scalloped cutaway. Fantastic depth of tone, rich and complex with great clarity and projection. Oh.. and it looks incredible too. Great looks and great playability, a wonderful guitar.

Manchinga is one of the new sustainable woods from Peru that Mike is using.

• Sitka top
• Manchinga back and sides
• 13 frets to the body
• 24 ½”scale
• 1 ¾” nut width
• Adjustable action via heel button
• Oval soundport
• 2 ¼” string spacing at saddle
• 15” lower bout
• Yellow pashaco cantilevered neck
• Scalloped cutaway
• Multiple line purpleheart top border
• Ebony bindings
• Manchinga and purpleheart headstock veneer
• No position markers (with side dots)
• Manchinga rosette
• Ebony fretboard
• Ebony bridge
• Single Schertler tuners
• Ebony tuner buttons
• Bone nut and saddle
• Ebony bridge pins
• No pickguard
• Light carbon fibre case with case cover and shoulder straps

Adirondack and Panamanian rosewood combine to give great power with immediate response and phenomenal depth of tone. Panamanian rosewood is another contender for the Brazilian Rosewood crown, a true Dalbergia it is more stable than Brazilian with very similar tonal qualities.

Consignment sale.

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• Panama Rosewood Back and Sides
• Adirondack Spruce top
• 1 25/32" nut
• 2 1/4" saddle
• 25.6" scale length
• 16" Lower Bout
• Satinwood Accents
• African Blackwood with sap Binding
• Black/Bubinga/Black Purfling
• Gold Gotoh 510 Tuners with African Blackwood with sap Buttons
• Ebony Fretboard
• Ebony/ Panama Rosewood Headstock
• Ebony/ Panama Rosewood Rosette
• No pickguard
• Pinned Ebony Bridge with Ebony pins
• Custom Ameritage case with logo

Consignment sale.

Awesome!!

• Bearclaw German spruce top
• Black and white ebony back and sides
• 14 frets to the body
• 25.6” scale
• 1 25/32” nut width
• 2 1/4 “ string spacing at saddle
• 15 ½” lower bout
• Spalted yellow pashaco neck
• Venetian cutaway
• Purple heart top border
• African blackwood bindings
• Blackwood/BW ebony/Purpleheart headstock veneer
• Rear headstock veneer
• Pearl side dots
• Blackwood/BW ebony/Purpleheart rosette
• Striped ebony fretboard
• African blackwood bridge
• Gotoh 510 tuners
• Cosmo black tuner buttons
• Bone nut and saddle
• Ebony bridge pins
• No pickguard
• Custom Hoffee carbon fiber case

Wow! I am used to Mike coming up with spectacular guitars but this is truly amazing. This is the second in of his new model the OOm, the first sold in a few days. I saw some spectacular prototypes but this is even better. Another is due in about a month.

It has Mike's unique easily adjustable action and a beautiful and useful scalloped cutaway. Oh.. and it looks incredible too.

Higuerilla is one of the new sustainable woods from Peru imported by Lance and Belinda Peck of Terra Tonewoods that Mike is using. I am hoping to be moving this way with many of the luthiers I work with.

• Carpathian spruce top
• Higuerilla back and sides
• 13 frets to the body
• 24 ½”scale
• 1 ¾” nut width
• Adjustable action via heel button
• Oval soundport
• 2 ¼” string spacing at saddle
• 15” lower bout
• Yellow pashaco cantilevered neck
• Scalloped cutaway
• Multiple line purpleheart top border
• Ebony bindings
• Manchinga and purpleheart headstock veneer
• No position markers (with side dots)
• Manchinga rosette
• Ebony fretboard
• Ebony bridge
• Single Schertler tuners
• Ebony tuner buttons
• Bone nut and saddle
• Ebony bridge pins
• No pickguard
• Light carbon fibre case with case cover and shoulder straps

Another stunning manchinga guitar from Mike, take a look at the detailing... With his unique adjustable action via the heel strap button and very comfortable scalloped cutaway its a breeze to play (note, no reference to butter).

Of course this is all secondary to great sound. It has remarkable clarity, separation and projection without missing an beat in the warmth and resonance departments, the basses are well defined and full, the mids complex and rewarding and the trebles strong and well defined.

• Sitka top
• Master grade manchinga back and sides
• Bevelled cutaway
• Oval soundport
• 13 frets to the body
• 24.5” scale
• 1.75” nut width
• 2.25” string spacing at saddle
• 15” lower bout
• Gold Evo fretwire
• Adjustable mahogany neck
• Black/koa/black purfling
• Ebony bindings
• Macassar ebony/manchinga/Peruvian walnut headstock veneer
• Peruvian walnut with coloured geometric design volute veneer
• No position markers (with side dots)
• Peruvian walnut with coloured geometric rosette
• Ebony fretboard
• Ebony bridge
• Schertler tuners
• Ebony tuner buttons
• Aged bone nut and saddle
• Clear pickguard
• Cedar Creek case

Oh that magic combination of cedar and ziricote (every cedar/ziricote guitar I have had has been very special). Add the magic of Mike Baranik and you get a very remarkable guitar. Obviously with cedar and ziricote its going to have lots of depth an warmth with strong, well defined bass notes, it takes the genius of a great luthier like Mike to dial in clarity and great definition and projection.

And.. just look at that detailing.. and you get Mike's unique adjustable action via the neck strap button. There have been many attempts at this but non that I have seen work so easily and so well. Great looks, great sound and great playability.. I've said enough.

• Thirty year old cedar top
• Ziricote back and sides
• Venetian cutaway
• 14 frets to the body
• 25.6” scale
• 1 25/32” nut width
• Action adjustable under tension via neck strap button
• Soundport bound in black and white ebony
• 2 ¼” string spacing at saddle
• 15.5” lower bout
• Mahogany neck
• Purpleheart body, neck and headstock purfling.
• Black and white ebony bindings
• Ziricote and Black and White Ebony with mutlti wood wedge (Purple Heart, Satinwood, Maple, Sycamore, Sumac) headstock veneer
• Volute with multi wood wedge (Purple Heart, Satinwood, Maple, Sycamore, Sumac)rear headstock veneer
• No position markers (with side dots)
• Ziricote and Black and White Ebony with mutlti wood wedge (Purple Heart, Satinwood, Maple, Sycamore, Sumac) rosette
• Ebony fretboard bound with Purpleheart purfling
• Ebony pinned bridge
• Cosmo Black Gotoh 510 tuners with Black and White Ebony custom tuner buttons
• Aged bone nut and saddle
• Ebony bridge pins
• Clear pickguard
• Hoffee case

This really is the bee's knees. Its the fifth Parlour Retreaux I've had from Mike - I'm still enjoying my 'Paint it Black' (below) at home. The figured Bubinga is the most spectacular I've seen. The tone is the warmest of the quintet.

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• Italian Spruce top
• Beeswing Figured Bubinga and sides
• 12 3/8” lower bout
• 24.5" scale length
• 1 3/4" Nut
• 2 1/4" string spacing at saddle
• Bone nut and saddle
• Ebony Headstock with Koa purflings
• 13th fret neck joint
• Cream/Red striped Acrylic accents and rosette
• Gold Evo fretwire
• Ebony bound fretboard
• Ebony bridge and bridge pins
• Cosmo Black mini Gotoh 510 Tuners with Black Buttons
• Black Binding with Koa top purflings
• Oval sideport
• Cedar Creek custom case

Another stunning parlour from Mike. This time with fan fret and all Koa. Kula Kika means gold guitar in Hawaiian.

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• Koa top
• Koa back and sides
• 12 3/8” lower bout
• 24.25" - 25" scale length
• 1 3/4" Nut
• 2 1/4" string spacing at saddle
• Black oxhorn nut and saddle
• Spanish cedar neck
• 13th fret neck joint
• Black and brown acrylic rosette, end wedge and heelcap
• Gold Evo fretwire
• Ebony Headcap with Ipe purfling
• Ebony bound fretboard
• Ebony bridge and bridge pins
• Black Schertler tuners with Black buttons
• Black binding with Ipe purfling
• Oval sideport
• Cedar Creek custom case

See the Acoustic Magazine review, this website, central menu, reviews.

This is a truly awesome guitar in every respect. Fantastic looks and sound and you can adjust the action while the strings are under tension!

There is an Allen bolt thru' the strap button so the action can be adjusted between numbers, or even during if you're Tommy Emanuel.

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• Bearclaw Sitka spruce top
• Wenge back and sides
• Soundport
• Venetian cutaway
• 25.6” scale
• 1 25/32" nut width
• 15.5" lower bout
• Ebony, wenge, black palm mosaic headstock veneer
• Spalted hard rock maple body bindings
• Ebony, wenge black palm mosaic rosette
• Black palm accents
• Bone nut and saddle
• Ebony fretboard
• Ebony bridge
• Cosmo black Gotoh 510 tuners
• Striped ebony tuner buttons
• Adjustable neck action!
• Ameritage climate controlled case

I was so inspired by the two parlour guitars I had from Mike earlier this year (as were their owners) that I commissioned this beauty for myself. Mike wanted to add some accents here and there but with some trepidation I insisted as black as possible. I love it and don't care if you don't...

Two more are due in September, one in Koa and Adirondack, one in Honduran rosewood and Italian Spruce, neither in black.

I am becoming addicted to Mike Retreaux parlor guitars. This is the biggest fix yet.

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• Sitka Spruce top
• Black and white Ebony back and sides
• Machinga neck
• 12 3/8" lower bout
• 24.5" scale length
• 1 3/4" Nut
• 2 1/4" string spacing at saddle
• Bone nut and saddle
• Ebony Headstock with purpleheart purflings
• 13th fret neck joint
• Indigo acrylic rosette and accents
• Gold Evo fretwire
• Ebony bound fretboard
• Ebony bridge and bridge pins
• Black Schertler tuners with black buttons
• Black Binding with Purpleheart top purflings
• Oval sideport
• Cedar Creek custom case

Mike's attention to detail and design skills are second to none, this beautiful guitar is a true work of art. The cedar and rosewood combination give remarkable warmth with great clarity, balance and separation.

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• Western Red Cedar top
• Indian Rosewood Back and Sides
• 25.6" scale length
• 1 25/32" nut
• 2 1/4" saddle
• 15 1/4 lower bout
• Sideport bound with Tulipwood
• Purple Heart Accents
• Tulipwood Binding
• Black/Purpleheart/Black Purfling
• Purpleheart/Tulipwood butt wedge
• Ebony Fretboard
• Ebony/ Rosewood Headstock
• Pinned Rosewood Bridge with ebony pins with Purpleheart dot
• No position markers
• Clear pickguard
• Bone nut and saddle
• Gotoh 510 Cosmo Black tuners with Tulipwood Buttons
• Ameritage climate controlled case

Mad rosewood is said by many to be at least the equal of Brazilian rosewood. I couldn't possibly comment, come and hear for yourself. Mike's aesthetics have always been superlative, the bar is raised now even higher.

The new price on this beauty would be £6300.

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• Madagascar Rosewood Back and Sides
  
• German Spruce top
  
• 1 25/32" nut
  
• 2 1/4" saddle
  
• 25.6" scale length
  
• 15 1/4" Lower Bout
  
• Spalted Maple Accents
  
• Snakewood Binding
  
• Black/Satinwood/Black Purfling
  
• Cosmo Black Gotoh 510 tuners with Madagascar (Boise De Rose) Rosewood Buttons
  
• Ebony Fretboard
  
• Boise De Rose/ Madagascar Rosewood Headstock
  
• Boise De Rose/ Madagascar Rosewood rosette
  
• Pinned Ebony Bridge with Snakewood pins
  
• No pickguard
  
• Custom Ameritage case with logo
  

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• Italian Spruce
• African Blackwood back and sides
• 24.5" scale length
• 13th fret neck joint
• 12 3/8” lower bout
• 1 3/4" Nut
• 2 1/4" string spacing at saddle
• Ivoroid Binding with Satinwood top purfling
• Gold, cream, black acrylic rosette and accents
• Ebony bound fretboard
• Sideport
• Ebony bridge with bone pins
• Ebony headstock with satinwood purflings and logo
• Fossilized Walrus Ivory nut and saddle
• Gold Evo fretwire
• Black Cosmo Gotoh mini 510 tuners with Ivoroid buttons
• Cedar Creek custom case

I'm in love! Cute, beautiful and gorgeous, plays like a dream and sounds like heaven.

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• Adirondack Spruce
• Curly Koa
• Copper acrylic rosette, end wedge, heel cap
• Ebony bound fretboard
• Ebony bridge and bridge pins
• Ebony headstock with koa purflings
• 12 3/8” lower bout
• 1 3/4" Nut
• 2 1/4" string spacing
• Bone nut and saddle
• Spanish Cedar neck
• 13th fret neck joint
• 24.5" scale length
• Gold Evo fretwire
• Gold Gotoh mini tuners with Black buttons
• Black binding with Koa purflings on soundboard
• Oval sideport
• Cedar Creek custom case

With Madagascar rosewood ( 'the new Brazilian' see Bourgeois pages) back and sides and Western red cedar top this is another beauty with spalted maple rosette and accents and ebony bindings, with striped ebony tuner buttons on Gotoh 510s and gold Evo fret wire. Characteristic cedar warmth across the range, rich, woody and deep bass, complex, round and vibrant mids with clear, mellow trebles. With a 15 1/4" lower bout it has Mike's standard phenomenal playability, it is very responsive with great balance, definition and projection. In fantastic condition, new price would be over six thousand pounds. With Ameritage case with humidity control.

Another stunning guitar from Mike with a 16" lower bout this is a very versatile guitar. Mike has moved the treble side waist slightly forward so it sits on the knee very comfortably. It features Sitka spruce, Beeswing Mahogany, Beeswing Mahogany rosette, Rosewood binding with birdseye maple accents, Rosewood tuner buttons and a pinless bridge. It responds brilliantly to being driven hard by the flatpicker but responds equally well to a gentle touch with a very complex and well defined tone, the skilled player can make this guitar do his or her bidding, it looks incredible too. Comes with Cedar Creek case.

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Mad rosewood is said by many to be at least the equal of Brazilian rosewood. I couldn't possibly comment, come and hear for yourself. Mike's aesthetics have always been superlative, the bar is raised now even higher.

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• Madagascar Rosewood Back and Sides
  
• German Spruce top
  
• 1 25/32" nut
  
• 2 1/4" saddle
  
• 25.6" scale length
  
• 15 1/4" Lower Bout
  
• Spalted Maple Accents
  
• Snakewood Binding
  
• Black/Satinwood/Black Purfling
  
• Cosmo Black Gotoh 510 tuners with Madagascar (Boise De Rose) Rosewood Buttons
  
• Ebony Fretboard
  
• Boise De Rose/ Madagascar Rosewood Headstock
  
• Boise De Rose/ Madagascar Rosewood rosette
  
• Pinned Ebony Bridge with Snakewood pins
  
• No pickguard
  
• Custom Ameritage case with logo
  

Similar the the first parlour I had from Mike (this is the fourth counting my own and there's two more on order) the 'Aloha Koa' is a delight.

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• Carpathian Spruce top
• Curly Koa back and sides
• 12 3/8” lower bout
• 24.5" scale length
• 1 3/4" Nut
• 2 1/4" string spacing at saddle
• Bone nut and saddle
• Spanish Cedar neck
• 13th fret neck joint
• Green acrylic rosette, end wedge and heelcap
• Gold Evo fretwire
• Ebony Headcap with Koa purfling
• Ebony bound fretboard
• Ebony bridge and bridge pins
• Gold Gotoh mini tuners with Black buttons
• Black binding with Koa purflings on soundboard
• Oval sideport
• Cedar Creek custom case