Members yell03 Posted December 1, 2011 Members Share Posted December 1, 2011 As a recent lover of Telecasters I made another acquisition today.I had a Fender American Standard Telecaster about a year ago, but never bonded with it. My 1st recent Telecaster purchase was this summer, a Budget Squier Affinity Telecaster for my vacation spot. I really liked the tone and playability, so on November 5th I bought a Butterscotch Blonde Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster and on November 13th I bought a Vintage Blonde Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster. This forum got me interested in the Fender Baja Telecaster, the killer pick-ups and 4 way switch have me intrigued, the S-1 not so much, but not a deal breaker. The one concern I have is the FAT neck, all my other guitars have thin necks, my Les Paul has a 60s neck, my PRS has a Wide-Thin neck and my Squier CV50s have thin necks. So I called my rep at Sweetwater, he got me a 7lb 8oz Fender Baja Tele in Blonde.He price-matched my 15% off price of $679 from Music123 and for $20 more, he is having it Professionally set-up and intonated with my preferred gauge strings, Fender 9-42s. I think I will adapt to the thicker neck, but I'll know for sure next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JR13 Posted December 1, 2011 Members Share Posted December 1, 2011 Happy new tele day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members knotty Posted December 1, 2011 Members Share Posted December 1, 2011 As a recent lover of Telecasters I made another acquisition today. I had a Fender American Standard Telecaster about a year ago, but never bonded with it. My 1st recent Telecaster purchase was this summer, a Budget Squier Affinity Telecaster for my vacation spot. I really liked the tone and playability, so on November 5th I bought a Butterscotch Blonde Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster and on November 13th I bought a Vintage Blonde Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster. This forum got me interested in the Fender Baja Telecaster, the killer pick-ups and 4 way switch have me intrigued, the S-1 not so much, but not a deal breaker. The one concern I have is the FAT neck, all my other guitars have thin necks, my Les Paul has a 60s neck, my PRS has a Wide-Thin neck and my Squier CV50s have thin necks. So I called my rep at Sweetwater, he got me a 7lb 8oz Fender Baja Tele in Blonde. He price-matched my 15% off price of $679 from Music123 and for $20 more, he is having it Professionally set-up and intonated with my preferred gauge strings, Fender 9-42s. I think I will adapt to the thicker neck, but I'll know for sure next week. HNGD. I looked at the Baja and it was only the thick neck that put me off. I hope you adapt and enjoy. I went this way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billybilly Posted December 1, 2011 Members Share Posted December 1, 2011 Congratulations! Pics to come I hope. I would not be concerned about the size of the neck. It's not baseball bat like but more similar to the thickness of your 60's paul with a different shape. It's a nice neck. I believe it be one of it's strengths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members yell03 Posted December 2, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 2, 2011 Congratulations! Pics to come I hope. I would not be concerned about the size of the neck. It's not baseball bat like but more similar to the thickness of your 60's paul with a different shape. It's a nice neck. I believe it be one of it's strengths. I think that is how I'll feel also.If I can play Pinball Wizard and wrap my thumb around the neck to hit the low E string on the chord I'll be fine, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vintage clubber Posted December 2, 2011 Members Share Posted December 2, 2011 HNGD. I looked at the Baja and it was only the thick neck that put me off. I hope you adapt and enjoy. I went this way. what does that mini switch do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members yell03 Posted December 4, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 4, 2011 I actually found one to try at a Music Store today.I did not mind the neck at all, but I do not like 10-46s on a 25.5" scale neck.Mine is being set-up with 9-42s, so hopefully that will be better. Playability was nice, in spite of the 10-46s, the neck was nice, I still prefer thinner necks. Tone was good, but not as great as I was hoping for.Maybe the 10 gauge strings were dull and not snappy enough. Based on this one example, I would not have ordered one, but after mine arrives I will give an honest review. I went out to try a Squier CV50s Strat, I played three, I will not be ordering one. The best guitars I played today were a Fender American Special Telecaster and a Squier CV50 Tele in BSB.I still wish the CV50 and Baja had 22 frets, something I really loved about the American Special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kap'n Posted December 4, 2011 Members Share Posted December 4, 2011 Congrats! The neck is pretty big - think 50's LP neck, but it's not stupidly large. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members knotty Posted December 4, 2011 Members Share Posted December 4, 2011 what does that mini switch do? Its an active EQ. On the back you have 3 pots. You can adjust them for High med and bass boosts. Its has 3 positions. Centre is true bypass and the other 2 give you different eq boost combinations for different pickup combinations. Makes it VERY versatile. You can see the pots and battery cover here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members yell03 Posted December 4, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 4, 2011 Congrats! The neck is pretty big - think 50's LP neck, but it's not stupidly large. I was expecting a tree trunk, it is definitely not that bad.Once mine arrives with the 9-42 strings I will know within a few days if it is a keeper.The tone of the one in the store did not impress me, but it was in a loud store through a mediocre amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BoneNut Posted December 5, 2011 Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 As a recent lover of Telecasters I made another acquisition today.I had a Fender American Standard Telecaster about a year ago, but never bonded with it.My 1st recent Telecaster purchase was this summer, a Budget Squier Affinity Telecaster for my vacation spot.I really liked the tone and playability, so on November 5th I bought a Butterscotch Blonde Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster and on November 13th I bought a Vintage Blonde Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster.This forum got me interested in the Fender Baja Telecaster, the killer pick-ups and 4 way switch have me intrigued, the S-1 not so much, but not a deal breaker.The one concern I have is the FAT neck, all my other guitars have thin necks, my Les Paul has a 60s neck, my PRS has a Wide-Thin neck and my Squier CV50s have thin necks.So I called my rep at Sweetwater, he got me a 7lb 8oz Fender Baja Tele in Blonde.He price-matched my 15% off price of $679 from Music123 and for $20 more, he is having it Professionally set-up and intonated with my preferred gauge strings, Fender 9-42s.I think I will adapt to the thicker neck, but I'll know for sure next week. Like a lot of us here, I've owned many Telecasters. When I decided to finally buy THE definitive Tele, I took my time and searched for over a year. During that time, I played every model Tele from Fender and many manufactures. In the end the two Telecaster I found I liked the best consistently, were the Baja and the Hotrod. Congrats on your Baja and hope they send you a great one!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members yell03 Posted December 5, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 Like a lot of us here, I've owned many Telecasters. When I decided to finally buy THE definitive Tele, I took my time and searched for over a year. During that time, I played every model Tele from Fender and many manufactures. In the end the two Telecaster I found I liked the best consistently, were the Baja and the Hotrod.Congrats on your Baja and hope they send you a great one!!! I hope so too.I really wish my CV50s and the Baja had 22 frets, I use that 22nd fret often in my playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wagdog Posted December 5, 2011 Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 I have a blonde baja - really like it. I happen to like a thick neck, and honestly, the baja neck is about as small as I'd go! It's a very playable guitar, mine has great action and I love the tone - there is a lot tone lurking in the 4-way and tone controls. I did add a treble bleed to mine (100k resistor and 1n cap across the vol pot and output) as the vol control rolled off A LOT of highs too fast. Enjoy yours when you get it - post pics/clips! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kap'n Posted December 5, 2011 Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 I have a blonde baja - really like it. I happen to like a thick neck, and honestly, the baja neck is about as small as I'd go! It's a very playable guitar, mine has great action and I love the tone - there is a lot tone lurking in the 4-way and tone controls. I did add a treble bleed to mine (100k resistor and 1n cap across the vol pot and output) as the vol control rolled off A LOT of highs too fast.Enjoy yours when you get it - post pics/clips! Mine had some sort of treble bleed on it when I got it. I ripped all that S1 {censored} out of there and wired it up normal Tele like with "50's wiring" and there was no need for any sort of treble bleed/bright. I find those things really unnatural. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wagdog Posted December 5, 2011 Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 Mine had some sort of treble bleed on it when I got it. I ripped all that S1 {censored} out of there and wired it up normal Tele like with "50's wiring" and there was no need for any sort of treble bleed/bright. I find those things really unnatural. Really? I love the s-1 phase switch. Why take it out? If you don't use it, it doesn't affect anything. Neck/bridge in-series and out-of-phase sounds pretty cool once and a while. I did try the "50's wiring" on this ax (i.e. moving the tone wire to the output lead/side of the vol control) - found it didn't leave as much treble when I rolled down the vol control as I would have liked. The treble bleed lets one fine tune that to their preference, that's why I like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wagdog Posted December 5, 2011 Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 fwiw, here's a sound clip I threw together of the baja with the s-1 switch IN (i.e. out-of-phase, which only affects pos 2 and 4): http://soundcloud.com/wagdog-1/baja-s-1switch first part of the clip is w/the pickups in series (and out of phase), second part is in parallel. All recorded direct via usb through a mustang 2 using the deluxe model w/reverb added in fuse. This next clip was w/ the pickups in parallel and out-of-phase w/some chorus and reverb added on the amp model. That out-of-phase sound is killer with chorus (my opinion of course): http://soundcloud.com/wagdog-1/baja-s-1switch-chorus Anyway, I picked the baja over the closely priced am std because of the 4-way, s-1 switch and the stock pickups - all of the things I'd probably do to a tele... and the nice shape on the neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members yell03 Posted December 5, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 Mine had some sort of treble bleed on it when I got it. I ripped all that S1 {censored} out of there and wired it up normal Tele like with "50's wiring" and there was no need for any sort of treble bleed/bright. I find those things really unnatural. I won't rip the S1 out, but I doubt I will use it much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Seano Porno Posted December 5, 2011 Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 Love my Baja, it's immense! Neck's not mad big on it, you'll get used to it, really comfortable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mister Crow Posted December 5, 2011 Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 Say yell03, where did you manage to find one to try out? I'm in Bucks County also. I've been interested in the Baja, I'm currently playing an '09 American Standard Telecaster and loving it. Love the way the new series feels, sounds, and plays. I usually just go to the GC in Langhorne, once in a while I hit Sam Ash in Bensalem. Wouldn't mind giving a Baja a try but I'd like to play one before I ordered it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members yell03 Posted December 5, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 Say yell03, where did you manage to find one to try out? I'm in Bucks County also. I've been interested in the Baja, I'm currently playing an '09 American Standard Telecaster and loving it. Love the way the new series feels, sounds, and plays.I usually just go to the GC in Langhorne, once in a while I hit Sam Ash in Bensalem.Wouldn't mind giving a Baja a try but I'd like to play one before I ordered it. Sam Ash at Franklin Mills has one.Let me know if you are going to head over, maybe I'll meet up with you.GC in Langhorne I did not get to check out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mister Crow Posted December 5, 2011 Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 Will do yell03. Thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members yell03 Posted December 5, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 Will do yell03. Thanks for the info. If I notice mine is way better than the one in Sam Ash, we could even meet up at GC and run it through some amps so you could check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vintage clubber Posted December 5, 2011 Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 Its an active EQ. On the back you have 3 pots. You can adjust them for High med and bass boosts. Its has 3 positions. Centre is true bypass and the other 2 give you different eq boost combinations for different pickup combinations. Makes it VERY versatile. You can see the pots and battery cover here. very cool! thank you for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bsman Posted December 5, 2011 Members Share Posted December 5, 2011 Back to the original thread -- I think the baja is a beautiful thing. I'd definitely love to play one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted December 6, 2011 Members Share Posted December 6, 2011 Awesome...but Teles work so amazingly well with .10's....tone sounds SO good! Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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