Need info/opinion on Baden Guitars - D Style Maple

[nvilletele]

Anyone know anything about Baden Guitars, in particular the D Style in Maple?
I've had one offered, in a trade for a tele, but it would involve a bit of a drive, so I want to find out what I can before I make the trip . . . from what little I've read, it seems a very nice guitar, retailing at $1499, and the guy wants to trade for a MIM Tele . . . a bit suspicious, given the price difference, but sometimes good deals fall in your lap. I was looking to sell the Tele anyway, but not sure about this guitar. A bit odd shaped, but apparently well made. Anyone with experience with such guitars? Any advice/info would be appreciated. Thanks.

Here is a description of the baden: http://www.macnichol.com/product/baden_d_maple.html

[johnnykf]

They are very nice and good bang for the buck, if you don't have a problem with them being made in a rather new source of cheap labor-Vietnam. I almost went there in the 60's.

[nvilletele]

Originally Posted by johnnykf

They are very nice and good bang for the buck, if you don't have a problem with them being made in a rather new source of cheap labor-Vietnam. I almost went there in the 60's.

There are a lot of decent products (not specifically guitars) being made in Vietnam these days . . . indonesia too . . . just depends on who is making them and how carefully they control quality.

Getting off topic here, but re your almost going there in the 60's . . . in what capacity? Not in the military . . . as it seems you are only 53 (people dont lie about their age on TDPRI, do they?), you would only have been around 15 in 1970 . . . What would have brought you to vietnam so young? Well, presumably your parents, I suppose.

In the early 70's I started worrying about getting drafted and sent to fight in Vietnam, but luckily that war ended before I turned 18, and they ended up doing away with even registration for the draft around the time of my 18th birthday. Dodged that bullet . . . . (pun intended).

[johnnykf]

Well Nash I'm actually 54. I remember the draft card and it was a REALLY low number. The Vietnam draft ended in 1973 which was the year I turned 18 and got out of high school. Several of my high school buds that were one year older ended up there. So I really would have probably gone there in the early 70's if the timing were different, rather than the 60's, my error.
At my age I'm starting to lose track of time very easily. Sometimes go to my garage and by the time I get there, wonder what I went there for.

I suppose a lot has changed in over 30 years. Look at how it has with Japan after WW2.

Getting back to topic, regardless of where there are made, the couple I tried did play great and project very well

[nvilletele]

Thanks a lot man . . . you are same age as my brother (if he were still alive), and he also was in same boat you were in back then, as were so many others of course. I was just close enough to begin to worry about the draft, but thankfully never had to face it so directly.

Getting back to the Baden, I am heading to do the trade today . . . will report later on the guitar . . . it's a 2007 model, apparently. I am trading one of my MIM teles, my first nashville, which I was looking to sell anyway. Given that it only originally cost me $200 and I put in around $100 more for upgraded pickups, still a pretty good trade for me, I think. In my research, I saw a lot of folks complaining about the Baden -- not re quality, but arguing that they are overpriced for what they are. I saw them selling new for as high as 1600~1800 and as low (in special sales, demo models, etc.) for 1000. Trading a guitar that only cost me $300 and for which I'd probably only be able to sell for $400 (if I were lucky, in the current depressed market), is probably a good deal for me. And since I have something like 7 or 8 better Teles and hardly ever play that nasville much anymore, seems like a reasonable thing to do.