Fender Baja Telecaster

SteveAmaralSteveAmaral
edited March 2012 in General
Has anyone played or owned a Fender Baja Telecaster?

In the Sacramento area, not one authorized Fender dealer carries this model.
Both Guitar Center and Skips Music want you to pre-pay for the guitar in order for them to order it.
Basically you have to buy it first. The specs look good on paper for the price, I just would like to be able to try it, before I buy it.

Comments

  • leekocasterleekocaster
    I have a baja as my no. 1. Iove it. it has a nice chunky neck and great pickups but i can take or leave all the switching stuff, although it can be fun if you're into that kind of thing.
  • elreclusaelreclusa
    I have one and love it! The chunky neck took a little getting used to, but now it's comfy as an old baseball mitt. FWIW, I got mine used with some small changes- pickups and the S1 switch removed- and I've done a bit more, swapping to Nocaster neck pickup, Fezzster Flat 5 bridge pup, and most importantly, modding the bridge with no "lips" on the plate, added toploader holes, and Rutters stainless steel saddles. I REALLY dig it now! That said, they're great bone-stock.
  • docdoc
    I have a baja that is my mainstay practice guitar. It's a great players guitar, and is capable of what you likely want to wring out of it. I think having a luthier work it over with a good setup and adjustment is key if you pick up a new one. The pickups have a lovely tone, but the neck pickup could have a little more of a round, sweet low end for jazz. The bridge pickup knows it's job and does it. If you're playing jazz, you might want to boost the bass a bit more than you would with higher end pickups, a vintage tele or a solid custom shop version, and that should have it sorted out. All around, it's a great guitar for the price.
  • docdoc
    The S1 switching stuff, for me, is irrelevant, though the serial/parallel neck & bridge selections are nice when cutting through a live mix.
  • AndyrooAndyroo
    I've been lucky to have a local shop who always stocks one of the Baja's. I usually go in a noodle around and think I'm gonna pull the trigger, but I have yet to do so. My impressions are that this is a good guitar, but priced too high brand new. I'd say hope to find one used on CL for $5-600. The neck is chunky if you like that sort of thing. I've played some pretty sloppy looking and heavy ones, and I've played one (the one that is now at the store!) that is pretty darn delightful! I just can't seem to make myself fork over the dough they want! I thought the S-1 switching was pretty cool and I think it might be something I'd use from time to time, although from the pics I've seen of the actual switch....it's a hot mess in there. The pickups are just OK in my opinion. I like the Roadworn Teles better, to be honest. But again....can't cough up the dough when I've already got something that fits the Tele bill! The next time I get Tele #2, I'm gonna go big (like having Ron Kirn make me one)...or go home! Good luck on your search.
  • elreclusaelreclusa
    I like the older, Fifties-style Roadworn a lot too- aside from the "relicing"! If you're looking for a Baja, CL etc is indeed a good idea, used ones can be had at good prices. One thing to keep an eye on is the nut- I've seen a couple that were just slightly off, including mine. Not skewed enough that it wouldn't intonate properly at all, but just enough that compensated saddles became a necessity. Of course, it's rare, but you never know without looking closely. Good luck and enjoy when you find the"one"!
  • ChattilongoChattilongo
    I picked up a Baja Tele on a goof one winter's day back in 08. I liked it, then let a friend's father borrow it for nearly 6 months. I considered selling it, but after I got it back I quickly remembered how great it felt and played. The S-1 I didn't always care for, and the 4th (series or parallel, i always forget) position was the better 'extra switching option'.
    Mine is super lightweight too, very comfortable to play for hours. The only problem I had was that the knob set screws kept coming loose, so I had to really tighten them on on day.

    I wasn't keen on the feel of the poly finish, so I stripped it with a heat gun and refinished blonde, and I shaved the neck poly off and rubbed in some oil. I put in traditional Tele wiring, too.
    I scored a Fender CS top-loader bridge off ebay to complete my "Campy-inspired" tele refinish, but I may go back to the string through, just because the empty string-thru holes irk me a bit, lol.



    image
  • elreclusaelreclusa
    Sweet Baja, Chatti! I forgot to mention, the neck on mine is partially refinished as well- the prior owner attempted to "relic" it, took most of the finish off, and I had my local luthier of choice replace it with a "barely there" rubbed on finish. The through holes bug me on mine, too, but I've learned to live with it! I need to find a toploader bridge for my next build.

    How difficult was removing the poly? The finish on mine is very thin, and I like Desert Sand, but I'm curious...
  • ChattilongoChattilongo
    For the neck, I scraped the finish off with razor blades. I got the idea from this youtube video: I believe it's Don Mare, of Tele pickup winding fame.

    For the body, I used a heat gun and heated the poly, scored it with a utility knife and then pried it up with a putty spreader. It was very easy and the heated poly looks almost like rubber as you're trying to peel and pop it off with the putty spreader. I saved all the poly chips and chunks I could to weigh them and they were right around 3/4 lb.

    Here's a pic of the poly removal:


    image

    I've heard that not all poly comes off so easily, so don't take my word alone before embarking on a refin mission. I don't want to be responsible for anyone ruining a pretty guitar! lol
  • elreclusaelreclusa
    Wow! Mine has a ding through the paint near where the forearm cut would be on a Strat- the paint isn't very thick at all on mine. My brother has a '69 RI Thinline, though, with a similar ding- it didn't damage any wood but knocked off a half-dollar size chunk of poly, which is literally between an eigth and a quarter inch thick, it's ridiculous! Having seen your lovely Baja, though, I'm tempted to un-poly both. Thanks for the video and photo! Did you notice much difference in the sound after the refinish?
  • ChattilongoChattilongo
    I noticed a difference when the poly was off, perhaps a difference resonance is the best way to describe it. Maybe it was becasue the shell of paint was off, or because the weight had been lessened, I don't know. Strumming an open A sounded totally different, and nice. After the refin, I installed traditional tele electronics with a mojotone vitamin T tone cap, as well as new pickups, so it obviously sounds different, but I definitely think it sounds better! :D
  • elreclusaelreclusa
    Hmmmm...wheels are turning in my head...this could get messy, but end up pretty cool...
  • dstreetdstreet
    Steve - check out Nicholsonsin Folsom. They had a Baja a couple weeks ago. Great guitar & pups.
  • mckiepsteinmckiepstein
    edited April 2012
    I recall very much regretting removing the poly from my thinline '69 RI, especially the formaplast or whatever they use as a grain filler. It was much harder and messier than I expected, and I ended up with gouges in my body here and there. I'm not a noob to tools either, it was just damned difficult!

    Others considering this might be better off getting a raw body to use.
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