Classic Player 60s Baja Tele question.

[Toto'sDad]

OK it seems quite a few of you have CP 60s Teles now. I have tried the Baja 50s really didn't care for it, felt a little like a parts caster to me. Noisy, heavy, not very good fret work, and just generally unappealing. I'm not intentionally trying to start a ruckus, this is only MY opinion and not meant as a troll action seriously. I know the Baja 50s is very popular here and I only mention it as a reference point, as I will reveal shortly. I have owned a number of American Fender guitars Strats and Teles and in MY opinion the Baja just didn't stack up. This is not an intended insult to anyone, I'm fully aware that everyone has an opinion witch may vary from mine, and rightly so.

The reason for stating my somewhat harsh opinion of the Baja 50s is that I once owned a 2006 American Standard 60th anniversary model with OV pickups, and a rosewood fretboard that I sold and have always regretted doing so. I have tried later versions of American Standard equipped with rosewood fretboards, and they simply do not have the same magic, whether 2011 and earlier, or the 2012 and later models.

After all that getting to it, my question is: Does the Classic Player 60s have a decent fretboard, is the overall fit and finish on par with an American Standard, perhaps more importantly is the neck thicker than a Squire CVC which I find a nicely finished guitar but with an impossibly thin (for me) fretboard. I've listened to a lot of sound files of the CP 60 on youtube, but a dog barking through a barn door would sound good when a dealer does them and most of the amateur postings are all but impossible tell anything about.

Please do not be offended by my post's comments about the 50s model I felt it necessary to post them in order to compare the 60s to it.

Thanks for any comments good or bad

TD

 

[fender4life]

I have an older 60's and it's a pretty pathetic build, but as i've always said, build quality isn't as important as design and wood species. Barring of course playability....obviously fret work must be decent. in any case, my 60's plays and sounds fantastic despite the build. But my new 50's is built like a freakin CS tele ! Literally as well built as anything i've owned. I heard the mex factory was updated and they are putting out much better stuff now. These two teles would seem to confirm that.

But as to the neck, all 60's MIM classic teles and strats i have had and thats a good few all had quite thin necks. i also had a squier CV custom with the thin neck you mentioned, and that was even thinner. i sold it because of that but i'm ok with the classic 60's. But it too is quite thin if not stupid thin like the CV.

As to your experience with the baja, i have never picked up a classic series or baja that was as bad as you describe so i don't know what to tell you there. But after hearing about the update to the mex factory/products and experiencing my purchase of a 2014 classic 50's, i wouldn't be afraid to buy any of them. It's as well built as anything i have ever held. perfection really. But i think you're likely to find all 60's necks, at least in the MIM classic series pretty thin. Not as thin as the CV custom, but not a lot thicker. I have a '99 MIM classic 60's strat who's neck is identical to my '06 classic 60's tele, so i don't think they change those much. And if anything the 60's baja 60's may be thicker because i tried a baja 50's and it seemed a bit thicker than my classic 50's.

 

[Toto'sDad]

Thank you for you honest assessment of the Classic 60s. Also, as I stated, I have actually only played one Baga 50s at length, and it was not a new one. I have played a few in the store, but they usually need some attention before they are playable, and that goes for most anything hanging on the wall at GC.

GC is about the only store within decent driving distance of my place and haven't had a either model in stock for a while. The other stores that have guitars in this area usually don't have much in the way of Fender models witch at this time is all I'm interested in. Perhaps a road trip is in order to try both the Baja 50s and 60s and reevaluate the Baja 50. My only Tele at the moment though well intentioned but poorly planned action is an AV 72 Tele Custom after selling off all my guitars save for it, a Jazz Bas, and a Martin both my remaing guitars are devoid of a 9.5 radius fretboard. I thought I might kill two birds with one stone if I acquired a Baja 60s with both a rosewood fretboard and a 9.5 radius.

 

[jklotz]

I played a 60's baja, sonic blue with rosewood board, in a shop a few weeks back. It needed a setup, but otherwise felt pretty good. The neck was definitely thicker then the anemic neck on the CVC, no question, but it is not as think as the one on the 50's baja. I'd guess it's a tad thicker then an Amer Standard, and has more shoulder to it, almost like a mild D shape. I like fat necks, and felt I could live with that one.

As for fit and finish, I thought it was pretty good. Hardware seemed decent. I'd say it was on par with my American Special. I don't think Kirn, Thorn, Suhr, etc, have much to worry about in terms of this mexi guitar running them out of business, but I'd have no issues playing a gig with one. I liked the pickups - if I bought it, I don't think I'd change anything (other then a good setup & strings of course)

 

[christhebrit]

I have a baja 60s on my list, but I need to find the right one and stock isn't great. Lucky in the uk if a store carries one, let alone several.
My first Baja 50s was ok, but nothing special and got moved on. Played quite a few in stores after selling and they were fine, but still didn't really get the fuss and played a couple that I could even consider as they were stupid heavy and just sounded dead. Then I found one about 7 1/2 lbs, acoustically resonant, which is perfect and won't go anywhere.
I'm assuming my search for a 60s will be similar so I'd say try as many as you can and grab the one that speaks to you. They're special guitars if you get the right one, but not as consistent as much higher end fenders.

 

[MrSea]

The only thing that was needed on my 50s Baja was to have the fret ends filed a little. The seller did a set up before they shipped it. They did a great job. The intonation was damn near perfect with the straight stock saddles and the action was wonderful. There was a small finish glitch for which the seller gave me a handsome discount (he offered to take it back). The guitar itself is very nice and weighed only a little over 7 lbs before the B bender was added (with the Bores bender it is now at 7.8 lbs.).

 

[EllenGtrGrl]

I think the 60s Baja's have decent finishes. I like chunkier necks, but I find the neck on my 60s Baja to be very comfortable, despite it being thinner than what I usually like for a guitar neck. As was mentioned in an earlier post, I think it's due to the neck being more of a flattened D profile, than a C profile. As a result, the neck has a fair amount of shoulder to it (near the edge of the rosewood fingerboard). The neck definitely isn't a Modern C shape (which I don't like), nor is it anywhere near as thin as CV necks (which I also don't like).

My 60s Baja

 

[songtalk]

I love every baja I've ever done a setup on!

The 60s baja is not thick but it's not thin. It is "medium C"ish to be sure.

 

[xtrajerry]

Happy to say my 50s Baja is exactly the opposite of the model you played. I originally bought it to use as a donor guitar for a surf green MJT body I picked up from eBay but can't bring myself to strip it apart. In general I think the guitars coming out of Mexico the last couple of years are extremely well built. I wouldn't hesitate to give any MIM a spin.. I've been impressed with several..

 

[Toto'sDad]

Thank you all for your informative posts. I am going to try and play at least a 60s model, and I am willing to admit (and have) my experience with the 50s model is limited. I plan on trying both, but am at this point really interested in the CP 60s. I know GC will let me order one and if I don't like it, let me return it, but I don't like doing that. I may have to though if I can't find one to try.

I also want to thank you for not hammering on me for my less than stellar appraisal of the Baja 50 I know they can't all be like the one I played or they would not be so well thought of. I've played dogs and race horses of many different kinds and models of guitars, I know it can happen.

 

[RadioFM74]

I there, hope it’s not too late for your needs. My impression is that fender4life kind of mixed up “Classic Series ‘60s” and “Classic Player Baja ‘60s” (these cannot be much “older” as they are from 2014). I own a Classic Player since about ten days, and I have a 2011 Am Std 60th anniversary at home. I would not say that the Baja is “better” than my other tele, but it sure compares well: the neck is excellent, the finish is excellent, the build looks very good, the looks are great, and even though they seem to get little love on this forum I happen to like the AVRI ’52/‘58 PUPS and their combinations. I had tried a couple ‘50s Bajas and never bonded as much as with the ‘60s. NB: the slimmer neck was and is a plus for me.

 

[Diagoras]

I have a CP 60's Baja, a classic 60's neck, a classic 50's body, a few MIM std necks/bodies, and an Am Std. The fit/finish is excellent with all of them. If you didn't look on the back of the headstocks, you'd never be able to tell which ones were MIM.

In fact, the only problems I've had in the past 17 years of playing Fenders have been with Am Std and Am Deluxe necks... I use 11's and over time I've run out of truss rod adjustment with every single one of them except the newest one (even though I've tried to keep them humidified during winter). This has never happened with any of my MIM std necks. Why? Because they use a larger 3/16" truss nut, which is simply a better mechanical design with more threading than the skimpy little 1/8" truss nut in the Am Stds. Why Fender doesn't use the larger truss nut in the Americans is beyond me.

And of course with the CP Baja and Classic 60's, running out of truss adjustment is not a possibility, since they have the vintage-style truss nut at the heel that can easily be removed and washers added. If I could only keep one neck, it would be either the CP Baja or the Classic 60's. They are absolutely flawless.

 

[Discosanta]

I am very happy with my 60´s Baja. The fret ends are nicely finished, it´s light, and the neck fits me perfectly. I wish the neck had a satin finish instead of lacquer, but when I play I don´notice it much. If you want a quality rosewood neck tele on a budget, buy it! The pickups sound good enough for me, especially when the drummer kicks in

 

[still_fiddlin]

... I wish the neck had a satin finish instead of lacquer ....

The layman's fix for that problem is a nylon scrub pad like 3M Scotchbrite brand. It's what I used on mine. Gloss to satin in a few seconds.

 

[SL311]

I bought my 60s baja tele yesterday after quite a bit of indecision and waiting for it to come into stock. Once I went and played it I fell in love with it. I don't have much telecaster experience but playing it next to a mex standard it felt so much better and so easy to play.

 

[Matthew Leo]

Does anyone know if the 60's Baja neck is anything like a current Jeff Beck Strat in shape and thickness? I can't find one locally, but the description of "not thick, but not thin" sounds like my Beck, which I love.

 

[geotele]

In my experience, I find that I have to play a bunch of any particular model, to find one that's "just right", to me. I have several Tele's, (and yes, I will post pics tomorrow) and to buy one American standard, I had to play about 20 of them! I bought that one in 2008, and I still love it! I've built several from USACG parts, and have a 52' hot rod, that I love! I also had to play a few, before I found that one. With all this being said; DONT SETTLE FOR CRAP! Play a bunch, make sure they are what you want, then pull the trigger! This, of course, is just my opinion,and I could be wrong....nah, not really...lol!

 

[rebelwoclue]

The layman's fix for that problem is a nylon scrub pad like 3M Scotchbrite brand. It's what I used on mine. Gloss to satin in a few seconds.

That or 1200 grit paper- smooth as a baby's bottom...

 

[boris bubbanov]

I have tried the Baja 50s really didn't care for it, felt a little like a parts caster to me. Noisy, heavy, not very good fret work, and just generally unappealing.

Sounds like the kind of MIM one might find at the Bakersfield GC.

How many of these original style ones have you gotten to check out?

Jes' Wonderin'.

 

[tallpaul]

i think the only thing you can do is actually try some out.
there are always good and bad examples about,dont judge by just playing one and assume all are the same!