Got me a Baja

AngelStrummer · March 30th, 2008, 03:16 PM

I'd been gassing months for one to leave in my place in Amsterdam after having seen the price (about half an AVRI) and read all the great press it gets on this forum.

So Saturday I went to my local geetar shop (Dijkman, for all you Amsterdammers) and after trying it for about 45 minutes, going for a walk and trying it again for another 45 minutes, I just had to give in...

Great guitar - mine's quite heavy, noticeably more so than my AVRI, but apart from that, I'm extremely pleased with it and the workmanship is high quality. The chunky neck, coupled with the 9.5" radius feels really comfortable in my hands and the tone is twang city. Very resonant unplugged and I understand now why the pickups are so well talked about. The neck pocket is tight and it stays nicely in tune. Apart from intonation, the set up was excellent. We'll see how long the S-1 switch resists...

Desert Sand with 1-ply white pickguard, it's definitely a keeper.

BroadMaster · March 30th, 2008, 03:26 PM

Congrats! Sounds like it's found a home. Enjoy!

Ratmonkey · March 30th, 2008, 03:29 PM

Sounds a great guitar, love to see pics of it

VWAmTele · March 30th, 2008, 03:36 PM

Congrats! Still waiting on mine (a blonde) that I had to order. They're just starting to come back into the stores here in the USA so I'm hoping it won't be long.

iorr · March 30th, 2008, 04:36 PM

Congrats,
Amazing guitar. With a little upgrade it will be much better.
AVRI -> No chance

Greetings from Venlo,
Karsten

AngelStrummer · March 31st, 2008, 04:08 AM

Well, I've got to say I got back to London last night and played my AVRI, just to compare - I still prefer the feel of the AVRI, it's just more suble, if that's the right word. Tone-wise they're very close.

In fact, whilst I think the AVRI is the superior instrument, compared to my 1988 American Standard (with AVRI pickups), I think I prefer the Baja, mainly because of the neck.

J-man · March 31st, 2008, 04:31 AM

Welcome to the club!

I happen to think that the Baja is currently the best thing Fender is producing when you consider the price versus the specs!

I love every bit of mine.

trackerdan · March 31st, 2008, 04:45 AM

Has anyone seen this yet? It's not mine; but looks gorgeous.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...:B:BCA:US:1123

AngelStrummer · March 31st, 2008, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trackerdan

Has anyone seen this yet? It's not mine; but looks gorgeous.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...:B:BCA:US:1123

If the axe is Kosher, $500-odd is a steal, especially for us Europeans, whether converted to Pound Sterling or Euro...

As I mentioned before, the AVRI is the superior instrument, although in terms of quality vs price ratio, the Baja is really hard to beat.

Tele 2K · March 31st, 2008, 09:51 AM

I had one for a couple weeks, and returned it. The frets were very sharp, and I really didn't get used to the 4 way switch with S-1. I noticed it is still at GC, at a lower price, and someone has worked on the frets. Still sharp, but less sticking out...

I ended up with a FSR Ash MIM, very good fretwork, and nice pickups, a lot less $$.

VW

Tdot · March 31st, 2008, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AngelStrummer

Desert Sand with 1-ply white pickguard, it's definitely a keeper.

Like mine. I love it

ajgus · March 31st, 2008, 12:03 PM

Look, I'm just gonna come right out & say it... I want one of those in Vintage Blonde soooo bad. Can someone please just give me one? I'm a nice guy, & it will get played every day. I promise you will not regret it. Any takers..?

TheWasp · March 31st, 2008, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajgus

Look, I'm just gonna come right out & say it... I want one of those in Vintage Blonde soooo bad. Can someone please just give me one? I'm a nice guy, & it will get played every day. I promise you will not regret it. Any takers..?

I'll just pop mine in the post tomorrow,sorry I can't manage to get it to you sooner..

gitarjoe · March 31st, 2008, 03:36 PM

Waiting for the GC, in Carl Place Long Island, to join the group and sell them for 499 like the rest of the world.

boris bubbanov · March 31st, 2008, 03:54 PM

Congrats, Angelstrummer, I'm sure you will prize your Baja for a long time. I especially admire the extra time you spent in evaluating it.

I've played many Bajas and I feel the heavier ones were great sounding, I happened to find a number which were not heavy, but I'd have bitten on the heavy ones at that good price I found there for a while.

Of my 4 ash Dlx Nashvilles, the one that sounded best stock was also by far the heaviest Tele I have.

And I guess over there the Desert Sand version is the scarce one. Enjoy.

AngelStrummer · March 31st, 2008, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

Congrats, Angelstrummer, I'm sure you will prize your Baja for a long time. I especially admire the extra time you spent in evaluating it.

I've played many Bajas and I feel the heavier ones were great sounding, I happened to find a number which were not heavy, but I'd have bitten on the heavy ones at that good price I found there for a while.

Of my 4 ash Dlx Nashvilles, the one that sounded best stock was also by far the heaviest Tele I have.

And I guess over there the Desert Sand version is the scarce one. Enjoy.

Thanks BB, and yeah the sand one is probably less common. Plus, I already have a blonde blackguard AVRI.

It's funny how the heavy/light preference generally varies between Bajas and AVRIs respectively... difficult to explain for two sustantially identical guitars, both made of Ash. My '88 American Standard weighs probably somewhere in between the Baja and AVRI, although it's made of Alder. Go figure. Could the extra weight of the Baja be at least in part be attributed to the poly finish?

Unkie Al · April 1st, 2008, 01:01 PM

Congrats from another Desert Sand Baja owner.
It is truly an amazing guitar!
Mine has a very loose neck pocket, i can fit a medium pick in there, but the neck stays put and it's easily the lightest Telecaster i have ever laid my filthy hands on, so I'm not going to return it that's for sure.

riolux · April 18th, 2008, 07:35 AM

I'm going to get one of these, but I can't decide on what colour to get. I like that you can see the grain through the blonde paint, but as for the colour I really prefer the desert sand one. Also, I have an opportunity to buy a gold anodied pickguard for practically nothing and this would look great with the desert sand (like those 50's musicmasters) but I'm not so sure how it'd look with the blonde one. Help please...

AngelStrummer · April 18th, 2008, 10:25 AM

I really don't know what to say Riolux. Have you tried simulating on computer? Personally, I think Whiteguard Desert Sand and Blackguard Scudderbotch Dlonde are both really purdy and now I have both between my Baja and AVRI. I wouldn't mess with such perfect aesthetics... As they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

boris bubbanov · April 18th, 2008, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riolux

I'm going to get one of these, but I can't decide on what colour to get. I like that you can see the grain through the blonde paint, but as for the colour I really prefer the desert sand one. Also, I have an opportunity to buy a gold anodied pickguard for practically nothing and this would look great with the desert sand (like those 50's musicmasters) but I'm not so sure how it'd look with the blonde one. Help please...

I have seven of the Desert Sand ones; if they could all be blonde tomorrow, I would say yes, except for one thing. I know these sound good, I don't know a thing about the next seven out there.
Don't worry about the color. Buy the one that plays and sounds the best, that is light, that is assembled properly. And if it happens also to be blonde, delight in that fact. But know that any "good" Baja is the right one, regardless of color. While you are playing it, the color makes absolutely no difference.

riolux · April 18th, 2008, 02:45 PM

Seven?! Is there a lot of difference between them? Did you come across any bad ones aswell? I'm asking 'cause right now the only way I could get one is by ordering it from the interweb without trying it first. That's also why I'm thinking of colour choices. I havn't bought a guitar this way before, so it would be interesting to know if the quality varies a lot.

Anyway, a couple of hours later and I have decided to forget about the gold pickguard. Like you say AngelStrummer, one shouldn't mess with these classic designs.

boris bubbanov · April 18th, 2008, 03:45 PM

Riolux, I probably tried 60-70 of them, if only sometimes to pick it up and decide it was too heavy. Yes, there were some duds, but I also let some nice ones get away because the price wasn't right, I felt. When you already have 1-2 of your own, it makes evaluating additional ones more relaxing, as you know when you buy #4 or #6 that it isn't the only one you'll ever have. I keep combing through the ones I have, looking for stinkers. But other than somewhat misaligned neck pickups (2) and mineral stains on the maple and a dent on the bottom edge on Jacksonville #2, I'm in better than expected shape. I fully expected to substitute one thinline body, one 1 piece alder and one 1 piece walnut for 3 of the stock bodies but there just isn't enough wrong with the way each or any is set up now to start tearing them apart. So I've been tearing Am Se and Highway One Teles apart instead, substituting necks, bridges and pickups there.

riolux · April 18th, 2008, 04:48 PM

Thanks!

March 30th, 2008, 03:16 PM	#1 (permalink)
AngelStrummer Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: London/Amsterdam Age: 41 Posts: 577	Got me a Baja I'd been gassing months for one to leave in my place in Amsterdam after having seen the price (about half an AVRI) and read all the great press it gets on this forum. So Saturday I went to my local geetar shop (Dijkman, for all you Amsterdammers) and after trying it for about 45 minutes, going for a walk and trying it again for another 45 minutes, I just had to give in... Great guitar - mine's quite heavy, noticeably more so than my AVRI, but apart from that, I'm extremely pleased with it and the workmanship is high quality. The chunky neck, coupled with the 9.5" radius feels really comfortable in my hands and the tone is twang city. Very resonant unplugged and I understand now why the pickups are so well talked about. The neck pocket is tight and it stays nicely in tune. Apart from intonation, the set up was excellent. We'll see how long the S-1 switch resists... Desert Sand with 1-ply white pickguard, it's definitely a keeper. __________________ "Goodnight, enjoy the life you've chosen" - Bill Hicks

March 30th, 2008, 03:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
BroadMaster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: PARIS. REPUBLIC of TEXAS Age: 55 Posts: 1,519 4 Photos	Congrats! Sounds like it's found a home. Enjoy! __________________ {disclaimer} It's like EVERYTHING* else on this entire forum, it boils down to what *YOU* choose, to suit you. If the human mind was a simple thing to understand, we would be too simple to understand it.

March 31st, 2008, 04:08 AM	#6 (permalink)
AngelStrummer Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: London/Amsterdam Age: 41 Posts: 577	Well, I've got to say I got back to London last night and played my AVRI, just to compare - I still prefer the feel of the AVRI, it's just more suble, if that's the right word. Tone-wise they're very close. In fact, whilst I think the AVRI is the superior instrument, compared to my 1988 American Standard (with AVRI pickups), I think I prefer the Baja, mainly because of the neck. __________________ "Goodnight, enjoy the life you've chosen" - Bill Hicks

March 31st, 2008, 04:31 AM	#7 (permalink)
J-man Moderator Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: North Wales/Scarborough Age: 19 Posts: 6,172 9 Photos	Welcome to the club! I happen to think that the Baja is currently the best thing Fender is producing when you consider the price versus the specs! I love every bit of mine. __________________ Write a wise saying and your name will live forever. - Unknown "The large print giveth and the small print taketh away." - Tom Waits

March 31st, 2008, 12:03 PM	#12 (permalink)
ajgus Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: chicago Posts: 2,005	Look, I'm just gonna come right out & say it... I want one of those in Vintage Blonde soooo bad. Can someone please just give me one? I'm a nice guy, & it will get played every day. I promise you will not regret it. Any takers..? __________________ "I'll eat up all your crackers & your licorice. Hey yo, fat girl...come here...are you ticklish?" - Sir Humpty Hump

March 30th, 2008, 03:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ratmonkey TDPRI Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: plymouth, UK Posts: 11	Sounds a great guitar, love to see pics of it

March 30th, 2008, 03:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
VWAmTele Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Palm Harbor, FL Age: 53 Posts: 375	Congrats! Still waiting on mine (a blonde) that I had to order. They're just starting to come back into the stores here in the USA so I'm hoping it won't be long.

March 30th, 2008, 04:36 PM	#5 (permalink)
iorr TDPRI Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: NL-Venlo Age: 45 Posts: 73	Congrats, Amazing guitar. With a little upgrade it will be much better. AVRI -> No chance Greetings from Venlo, Karsten

March 31st, 2008, 04:45 AM	#8 (permalink)
trackerdan TDPRI Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: N Ca. Posts: 77	Has anyone seen this yet? It's not mine; but looks gorgeous. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...:B:BCA:US:1123

March 31st, 2008, 09:51 AM	#10 (permalink)
Tele 2K TDPRI Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Pittsburgh area, PA Age: 56 Posts: 53	I had one for a couple weeks, and returned it. The frets were very sharp, and I really didn't get used to the 4 way switch with S-1. I noticed it is still at GC, at a lower price, and someone has worked on the frets. Still sharp, but less sticking out... I ended up with a FSR Ash MIM, very good fretwork, and nice pickups, a lot less $$. VW

March 31st, 2008, 03:36 PM	#14 (permalink)
gitarjoe Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 1,055 15 Photos	Waiting for the GC, in Carl Place Long Island, to join the group and sell them for 499 like the rest of the world. __________________ Just my two cents.

March 31st, 2008, 03:54 PM	#15 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 7,681	Congrats, Angelstrummer, I'm sure you will prize your Baja for a long time. I especially admire the extra time you spent in evaluating it. I've played many Bajas and I feel the heavier ones were great sounding, I happened to find a number which were not heavy, but I'd have bitten on the heavy ones at that good price I found there for a while. Of my 4 ash Dlx Nashvilles, the one that sounded best stock was also by far the heaviest Tele I have. And I guess over there the Desert Sand version is the scarce one. Enjoy. __________________ Bubban0v

April 1st, 2008, 01:01 PM	#17 (permalink)
Unkie Al Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Denmark Age: 40 Posts: 668 26 Photos	Congrats from another Desert Sand Baja owner. It is truly an amazing guitar! Mine has a very loose neck pocket, i can fit a medium pick in there, but the neck stays put and it's easily the lightest Telecaster i have ever laid my filthy hands on, so I'm not going to return it that's for sure. __________________ My girlfriend always laughs during sex - no matter what she's reading. -- Steve Jobs

April 18th, 2008, 07:35 AM	#18 (permalink)
riolux Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Age: 30 Posts: 192 6 Photos	I'm going to get one of these, but I can't decide on what colour to get. I like that you can see the grain through the blonde paint, but as for the colour I really prefer the desert sand one. Also, I have an opportunity to buy a gold anodied pickguard for practically nothing and this would look great with the desert sand (like those 50's musicmasters) but I'm not so sure how it'd look with the blonde one. Help please...

April 18th, 2008, 10:25 AM	#19 (permalink)
AngelStrummer Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: London/Amsterdam Age: 41 Posts: 577	I really don't know what to say Riolux. Have you tried simulating on computer? Personally, I think Whiteguard Desert Sand and Blackguard Scudderbotch Dlonde are both really purdy and now I have both between my Baja and AVRI. I wouldn't mess with such perfect aesthetics... As they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! __________________ "Goodnight, enjoy the life you've chosen" - Bill Hicks

April 18th, 2008, 02:45 PM	#21 (permalink)
riolux Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Age: 30 Posts: 192 6 Photos	Seven?! Is there a lot of difference between them? Did you come across any bad ones aswell? I'm asking 'cause right now the only way I could get one is by ordering it from the interweb without trying it first. That's also why I'm thinking of colour choices. I havn't bought a guitar this way before, so it would be interesting to know if the quality varies a lot. Anyway, a couple of hours later and I have decided to forget about the gold pickguard. Like you say AngelStrummer, one shouldn't mess with these classic designs.

April 18th, 2008, 03:45 PM	#22 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 7,681	Riolux, I probably tried 60-70 of them, if only sometimes to pick it up and decide it was too heavy. Yes, there were some duds, but I also let some nice ones get away because the price wasn't right, I felt. When you already have 1-2 of your own, it makes evaluating additional ones more relaxing, as you know when you buy #4 or #6 that it isn't the only one you'll ever have. I keep combing through the ones I have, looking for stinkers. But other than somewhat misaligned neck pickups (2) and mineral stains on the maple and a dent on the bottom edge on Jacksonville #2, I'm in better than expected shape. I fully expected to substitute one thinline body, one 1 piece alder and one 1 piece walnut for 3 of the stock bodies but there just isn't enough wrong with the way each or any is set up now to start tearing them apart. So I've been tearing Am Se and Highway One Teles apart instead, substituting necks, bridges and pickups there. __________________ Bubban0v

April 18th, 2008, 04:48 PM	#23 (permalink)
riolux Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Age: 30 Posts: 192 6 Photos	Thanks!