Fender BAJA Telecaster

[degsycaster]

Originally Posted by Willyguitar

I have a Baja and it has been through a revolution. It's heavy, and at first I thought I needed a lighter one... so I bought a lighter one with a view to selling the first one. But it turned out that the heavier one just sounded better and had a better neck (I tried swapping necks and that didn't work). Then, as an experiment, I put CS Nocaster pickups in it, but once again I came to the conclusion that the orginal ones were actually fine, if not slightly better! So now, I am completely happy with my completely stock original Baja (with just a bit of dodgy soldering going on under the control plate).

They are wonderful guitars.

willyguitar.

Mines currently in 'neck change mode' with my '09 MIM Std and I have to say it seems to have worked for both guitars. The MIM is modded with a vintage 3 saddle and a Tonerider Hot Classic' at the bridge so the Baja neck just seemed like it needed to be there too! It won't last.

[Broken Light]

I'm almost ashamed to say I've never tried the twisted tele pickup(or the S-1 for that matter). When I bought mine, it was already modded with a Duncan Lil' 59, although it did come with the original parts. I'd planned to restore it to stock, but I couldn't solder. I fiddled around with the pup heights for months, till I eventually found the sweet spot.

Over a year later, I just can't bring myself to do it, even though I've learned to solder. It's a shame, I really need a guitar to put the twisted tele in. I read these baja threads and feel like I'm missing out.

[LennyEdwards]

I have one of each, blonde, desert sand, both are magic guiytars, I can't recommend them enough, however I would second the notion that with the blonde being higher in demand you should really try before committing (or make sure the return policy is good for online orders) to it..... despite the relatively low price, I would say you get a lot of guitar for your money on the good ones, if mines were lost or stolen I would be on a mission to find a replacement straight away.

[jisham]

Is 8.4 lbs. considered a "heavy" Baja?

[tele12]

Originally Posted by VerySlowHand

It's not like a Tele is anywhere near Les Paul territory for instance.

I have played a Baja that was heavier than a 70s Les Paul Custom I have. This particular Baja felt like it was made of concrete.

[tele12]

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

But most of all some people evaluated it as a $ 600 guitar and were smitten, and other people evaluated it as a $ 1,100 instrument and bought a used AV52 instead (so would I).

So, for the overseas buyers, full speed ahead; your prices are probably as decent as they will be. As for North American customers, buy used or hang in there. $ 1,100 is a nutball price and no-one expects you to actually pay that. Buy and play something else for 6 weeks or six months until the price gets normal somehow.

Well said.

[falconer]

If anyone here is looking for a blonde Baja and is in the SoCal area:

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/msg/1453931763.html

I don't know if the guy ships or not, but there ya' go.

[Ortho]

Originally Posted by tele12

Well said.

To further put things in perspective, during the first wave of the Baja, there were of course the Classic Series also Custom Shop Strats 50-s and 60's (had the 50's, sold it) and the Strats were later, not much later, being blown out sold at GC for about $200 less...

I do NOT recall the Baja ever dropping in price that dramatically (no need to get rid of leftovers?).

What has emerged from the original $699 a guitar that is best purchased on special deals or used.

In some ways, the darker toned overall Baja allows for these weight variations for probably most people (who would like the Baja anyway)...up to a point.

I am more inclined these days to saying "Sounds different" vs. "Sounds better." I think we can all be more at peace that way...

[boris bubbanov]

I read about that blowout on the Classic 50s and 60s but did not know of it at the time.

Reading about it made me decide to strike for all I was worth in case the Baja ever did go low.

It did, in late 2007-early 2008 and I paid $ 499 for some and $ 469 for some. Some guys paid less than that. Yes, desert sand ones but none I bought are terribly heavy. Some of these hadn't been on the floor 5 days. But now they seem to be gone from the hooks in the big box store. Or they're marked $ 1,109.00. Weird.

[tiktok]

Originally Posted by jefrs

The heavy neck is responsible for much of the weight, and they're no heavier than a lot of other solid bodies.

I'm not so sure about that--I have two light ones, and I've never noticed their neck being any thinner than the obviously heavier ones I've picked up in stores. It's been a while since I've seen a light one for sale new though.

[Ortho]

Originally Posted by tiktok

I'm not so sure about that--I have two light ones, and I've never noticed their neck being any thinner than the obviously heavier ones I've picked up in stores. It's been a while since I've seen a light one for sale new though.

Boris B, feel free to chime in here...

Yes, once the guitar gets going...things change? My prediction you WON'T see many optimum weight Bajas new. Why? You also won't find many optimum weight 52 Reissues either...

In my experience, it was easier for me to find a Fender MIM Standard Upgrade with a 6.7 (under 7 pounds) simply because there are more of them around? I've got one and wouldn't trade it for a porker of a Baja.

While the Baja is clearly for those who want something darker tonewise, I think, again, that the weight issue for Fender has become a nonissue, which IMO is and isn't.

My sense of the weight issue is that with overweight guitars tonal distinctions are less defined.

In some ways, tonewise and with switching configurations, the Baja IS the "Les Paul Tele" and if that fulfills a need, fine. But the price new these days?

[h20man]

Originally Posted by falconer

If anyone here is looking for a blonde Baja and is in the SoCal area:

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/msg/1453931763.html

I don't know if the guy ships or not, but there ya' go.

He has it listed on Ebay, he said the guitar weighed about 7 lbs, I noticed it didn't have the correct neckplate, he stated that it came with a blank neckplate from Sweetwater when he bought it. I passed and bought a used 52RI Thin Skin from someone on TGP.

[falconer]

Originally Posted by h20man

He has it listed on Ebay, he said the guitar weighed about 7 lbs, I noticed it didn't have the correct neckplate, he stated that it came with a blank neckplate from Sweetwater when he bought it. I passed and bought a used 52RI Thin Skin from someone on TGP.

Interesting. I passed on two guitars about a year ago for new neckplates.

Good catch.