Custom Shop Tele vs Designed by Custom Shop Baja Tele

[MajorScale]

This has been niggling me. I have a Baja Tele, it plays and sounds incredible, it seems to be built really well and keeps tune perfectly. It genuinely holds it's own among a selection of more expensive guitars.

So can anyone here give me a true insight into how a real Custom Shop Tele would fair against the "Designed by the Custom Shop" Baja Tele...

[Tonemonkey]

It's small differences that matter to those that want/care/appreciate and can afford it.

The differences are more in the feel and touch than actual sonic output (which can be tweaked/upgraded in so many other ways for less).

My humble opinion based on personal experience having owned, loved and gigged both.

[EsquireOK]

Nothing wrong with Baja Teles. I would love to get one as my backup Tele; I'm just waiting for the right deal on the right one locally. They are just as good of a musical tool as my CS Esquire. However, there is no denying that the CS had a lot more love put into it during construction and in terms of raw specs/materials. To me, the Baja is a really nice Chevy with all the options. Really nice, but still a Chevy in terms of general "feel." Kind of "plasticy" in the end. The CS is a bare-bones Cadillac. Maybe even fewer bells and whistles than the tricked-out Chevy in the end, but with a much more luxurious "feel."

Personally, my biggest deciding factor between a used CS (the only way in hell I will buy one, because they are too darned expensive) and standard production is the finish. If it was not for the nitro finish on my CS, I likely would have just got a MIM Esquire. The MIMs, especially the upper-level ones, are good guitars. I just like nitrocellulose lacquer. I like the way it looks, smells, feels, wears, etc. so much better than poly. (I won't claim it sounds any different, though.)

[Telepi]

EsquireOK said it very well. That's the same
experience I had when I jumped from an Epiphone
Les Paul to a Gibson Les Paul.

There are definite differences and variances. It's
just a matter of what they are worth to you in
taking that leap. From a money only standpoint,
there may not be enough differences. It's the
emotional feelings that make it worth the difference.

Although, what I found with Fender is those
variances are more narrow between the MIA
and MIM. And they have more incremental
jumps along the price continuum. But to go
to a CS, the jump is quite large for the differences
that I see.

And that is why I am perfectly happy with my Baja.

Then again, if a deal on a used CS came along, I might be
very interested.

[imsilly]

I own an early CS Nocaster with similar specs to the Baja and have played a couple of Bajas in my time. They are very similar and for the price the Baja offers very good value. Definitely something I'd recommend. In fact I'd say if I wasn't buying a CS guitar the CS designed ones are probably what I'd go for.

The real differences for me are small, but noticeable. I prefer my early Nocasters fat C over the Baja's V. The aesthetics are also better on the CS, the feel of the finish and it's color are more appealing. The pickups are similar, but the Baja has more tonal options. Though I've never felt that the regular wiring system of a Telecaster needed any improvements. Baja's are often noted to be heavier then the average CS guitar. I know my CS Nocaster comes in at just over 7lbs, but the Bajas I played felt heavier. I think the effect this has on the tone of each guitar is negligible, weight is an arbitrary measurement, tone is not. Though it does feel nice to have a lighter guitar in your hands. There is an obvious improvement in the workmanship of the CS guitars over the regular Mexican ones. That doesn't mean the workmanship is bad. You just get the feeling with the CS stuff that there is little you can do to improve upon it.

I'd consider a Baja if you like CS specs, but don't have the cash. I'm very interested in the Classic Player Stratocaster line at the moment, because I want a second guitar to mess around with. I think they have very good specs.

[dayold]

...the more expensive one makes you play better~!

[MajorScale]

Thanks for the comments guys, very happy with the Baja but will definitely try out a CS to find out how the "feel" differs. A closet classic in some non-blonde finish could tempt me at some point!

[swleamon]

Having both (yet I really modified my Baja) I can say a Masterbuilt CS truly has a mojo that assembly line guitars do not. Wish I could explain it better.

[StratBluesRock]

I'd definitely rather have a Custom Shop Tele, but the Bajas are great.

[Tonemonkey]

Originally Posted by StratBluesRock

I'd definitely rather have a Custom Shop Tele, but the Bajas are great.

I'd rather leave my £500 Baja on the stage, than a $2k CS Tele....... YMMV

[StratBluesRock]

Originally Posted by Tonemonkey

I'd rather leave my £500 Baja on the stage, than a $2k CS Tele....... YMMV

I'd rather be playing a CS Tele than a Baja

[Tonemonkey]

Originally Posted by StratBluesRock

I'd rather be playing a CS Tele than a Baja

Touche ......... but I think you get my point.

[EsquireOK]

Originally Posted by Tonemonkey

I'd rather leave my £500 Baja on the stage, than a $2k CS Tele....... YMMV

What do you mean by "leave" on the stage?

[Tonemonkey]

Originally Posted by EsquireOK

What do you mean by "leave" on the stage?

Between sets, for example, even if you have a rotation to keep an eye on the kit etc ...............

[johnthatcher]

i think it depends on the custom shop guitar...i have a baja that i love...ive played some cs teles that i didnt love at all and some that i loved more than the baja. for me the baja is a great guitar to have and its better than most.

its also just general aesthetics...i mean you cant get a baja with binding but custom shop you can...same goes for color...baja is limited.

someone mentioned cars as a metaphor and thats perfect. you can get a honda civic stock or you can get one with lots of features...either way it will last forever and you'll be about as comfortable in one as in the other