what is it about the baja ?

[Guitartom_ca]

What is it about the baja Tele that makes it so popular. How is it different than any Mexican telecaster ?

[JimmieT]

Beats me. i don't care cuz I can't afford one.

[E5RSY]

From the Fender site:

1. Custom vintage-style Broadcaster® bridge pickup
2. Custom Twisted Tele® neck pickup
3. Four-way pickup switch
4. S-1™ switch

[elelpe]

It has beefier neck.

[Twang Tone]

Easy. Vintage looks, with modern playability, great neck, great pickups, versatile switching and affordable.

Great guitars. Period.

Thanks,

[Seasicksailor]

I cannot compare it to other telecasters because it's the only one I've owned. As far as guitars go in general, the construction is very good, the sound is excellent, playability is excellent, and it looks beautiful. All this at a really affordable price compared to what it has to offer.

[nosuch]

The neck is really great. A friend of mine has one and it sounds as good as my 52 RI IMHO.

[aidB]

"Designed by Fender Custom Shop Master Builder Christopher Fleming, the Baja Telecaster® guitar features an ash body with a thin polyester finish, soft V-shaped maple neck with 21 medium jumbo frets, custom vintage-style Broadcaster® bridge pickup and custom Twisted Tele® neck."

It's simple really, it just works. It's also a bargain at the price.

[Abu Twangy]

The neck is excellent for us that like a meatier profile. Has a contoured heel. Pickups are great.

I could get by with one Tele rather than the three I currently own.

[soulman969]

I think the for many the main attraction is the neck. Features like 4-way switching or upgraded pickups can be added to any Tele. Even the look as far as the blonde body color and the maple neck are available on quite a few Fender models including some of the Squier's.

But the soft "V" neck is pretty unique to the Baja and the CS guitars as far as other Fender models are concerned and some love it. I'm one. I got addicted to it years ago when I swapped the "U" neck on my CS Nocaster for a soft "V" when I bought it. For me it's the most comfortable neck profile to play.

Even my Nashcaster which is a Nocaster modified Nashville Deluxe has a neck with that profile which is a little strange since the Fender specs say that model comes with a "C" neck. So with that and a 4-way it's almost as much a Baja hybrid as a Nashville hybrid or more like the current CS Nocasters than the original ones.

Some may not like that neck profile but I think it's the best Fender offers.

[Telepi]

Everything above is true (imho of course). I don't do mods because of technical deficiencies, so I bought mine because it already had everything done to it. No upgrading needed. Far cheaper for me than paying someone to make changes later on. Plus, I never would have come up with the upgrades it already has.

[Robert.V]

Bajas also have solid 2 or 3 piece bodies as opposed to
Regular mims with up to 8 piece bodies with veneer on top right?

[qblue]

Originally Posted by Abu Twangy

The neck is excellent for us that like a meatier profile. Has a contoured heel. Pickups are great.

I could get by with one Tele rather than the three I currently own.

+1. I only have one Tele and the Baja is all I need.

[Hoopermazing]

Not meaty enough for me... Although, I came close to buying a Baja body sans neck.

[boris bubbanov]

The neck girth and profile is great and there just aren't enough necks of this size available in a finished guitar any other way.

Does not hurt that the rest of the guitar (fretsize, radius, everything about the loaded body) either is right or can be put right so easily. And, the guitar is inexpensive enough to give guys "the permission they need" to make changes to personalize the guitar to precisely what works for them. Making changes (pickups, bridge) to a $ 650 guitar is not a major event, but make such changes to a $ 2,000 guitar? I can't think in terms of monkeying with a fairly expensive Tele.

Even for those who do not find it "perfect", it will get the job done for a giant percentage of the typical American male Tele player. Sure (as Hoopermazing says) it could be even larger, but it is more comfortable than the thin American Standard type necks and more and more people are recognizing this every day. I hope FMIC is noticing, also, that this is the DNA of the future of the Fender Telecaster.

Faults? It is a PIA to swap the Ping splits for Gotohs, the guitar with all its wires and connections could be quieter, and I think because it probably cannibalizes the sales of many more expensive Fender guitar products, many dealers have quit carrying them in ready stock as they were in 2007. But none of these are grave faults. From the customer's standpoint, I think it is mainly about finding one in person you can play in person and get to sample enough to know you chose a nice one. I could be mistaken, but the Baja might be the easiest Fender guitar to flip if you need cash - maybe a CV could be sold quicker.

[ELET Henry]

I've owned my Baja since 2007 and like it a lot, (I think it cost me £395 brand new back then). I only use the traditional Tele pickup settings so the fancy switching options never get used. If I had to find fault with mine it would have to be the weight, it's about 9lb!!!!

[tpaul]

I think it's the name. It sounds like evil laughter. Ba-Ha! Bwa-Ha-Ha-Ha-Haaa!

[dough]

Originally Posted by Twang Tone

Easy. Vintage looks, with modern playability, great neck, great pickups, versatile switching and affordable.

Great guitars. Period.

Thanks,

+1

I'd focus on great neck shape, 9.5" radius, great pickups, and 4-position blade.

[tele12]

Originally Posted by Guitartom_ca

What is it about the baja Tele that makes it so popular. How is it different than any Mexican telecaster ?

A gloss finished neck, big profile and 9.5 radius with modern frets. No way to get this combination until you get to the $1600 Vintage Hot Rod.

[Five-O]

I think it's the neck, then marketing, and then marketing....One sweet gitfiddle tho !