What is the catch with Fender Baja Classic Tele ? What am I missing?

rossi

I had a Lake Placid blue one and it very good .It was far too heavy though and somewhat plasticky feel .Odd really .The neck was great and the S-1  on option switching is fantasticon  good overdrive .Some thing I suspect its detractors never get as far as .I did what I usually do. Unscrewed it and sold  it in two parts thus making a profit .i also had a neck from an early model which was better than the later version .Less thick laquer and more refined finishing .It still went though as i fell in love with Fender Japan .Now those dudes really know how to make a great guitar .

blueskunk

Horses for courses but iv had lots of jap fenders and they were no better than these bajas.

dindude

If it wasn't for the thick plastic finish I'd have a Sonic Blue one in a flash. If Fender stuck some nitro on it and sold it for even £799 it would be a complete winner.

blueskunk

No thick finish on this 60s model. Maybe its the colour but was defo noticeable on the 50s model desert sand i previously had.

blueskunk

I here ya about the nitro though.

Rigid_Digits

Have to say I wasn't keen on my Baja and didn't keep it for long. I much prefer my Squier CV BSB to be honest.

Loobs

Slow down big man.

jeztone2

I was always a bit cynical of Mex Fenders, I tried a few early on & the Japanese guitars are superior IMHO. However I did try a Baja recently & I really enjoyed it. A lot of guitar for the cash & useful features while still having a Vintage vibe.

EricTheWeary

I didn't really see the point of the switching system on the Baja. IIRC the US and Mexican plants are about 100 miles apart and some parts will be common to both sites, the country of origin stamp is based on where it is finally assembled. I suspect that doesn't mean the Baja is a cheap US tele but that a U.S. standard is an expensive Mexican one.

Rigid_Digits

Loobs said:

Slow down big man.

If that was directed at my comment then I'll say it again, my Squier wipes the floor with the Baja I had.

Loobs

It wasn't

Rigid_Digits

Ok, cheers.

Dominic

played a lot of them;

all heavy

all got silly s1 wiring with unuseable sounds as a bonus

all play as well as any normal U.S.A. model

the pickups on the original 50s style were a 'broadcaster and twisted tele ' custom shop set -which were excellant

Baja Peninsula factory is literally a few miles down the road from the US facility ..........cheaper labour but not worse labour

Americans have a big issue with buying patriotic and happily pay for it as they are blindsided by thinking that everything the U .S.does,politically ,morally,religiously etc is "the right way " .........if its not made in the GOOD OL U.S. it must be inferior !!!

   The modern guitar factories of the last 5 years in China etc are actually perfectly good ( note ; good not great ) but myth abounds

and many dismiss them as wholly inferior which is categorically wrong ........consumer white goods,computers ,tvs ,mobile phones etc are all made in China ,Vietnam ,Indonesia etc quite competantly -we use them every day ......why ,in this mechanised age ,people seem to beleive that they are any less capable of turning the switch of a CNC machine on in order to make the majority parts of modern guitars is beyond me ! They will not be a threat to Collings or Tyler ,Tom Anderson anytime soon on the quality front but the average Telecaster bolt -on isn 't exactly rocket science !

Adam_MD

Dominic;411322" said:

played a lot of them;all heavyall got silly s1 wiring with unuseable sounds as a bonusall play as well as any normal U.S.A. modelthe pickups on the original 50s style were a 'broadcaster and twisted tele ' custom shop set -which were excellantBaja Peninsula factory is literally a few miles down the road from the US facility ..........cheaper labour but not worse labourAmericans have a big issue with buying patriotic and happily pay for it as they are blindsided by thinking that everything the U .S.does,politically ,morally,religiously etc is "the right way " .........if its not made in the GOOD OL U.S. it must be inferior !!!   The modern guitar factories of the last 5 years in China etc are actually perfectly good ( note ; good not great ) but myth aboundsand many dismiss them as wholly inferior which is categorically wrong ........consumer white goods,computers ,tvs ,mobile phones etc are all made in China ,Vietnam ,Indonesia etc quite competantly -we use them every day ......why ,in this mechanised age ,people seem to beleive that they are any less capable of turning the switch of a CNC machine on in order to make the majority parts of modern guitars is beyond me ! They will not be a threat to Collings or Tyler ,Tom Anderson anytime soon on the quality front but the average Telecaster bolt -on isn 't exactly rocket science !

I agree with you that the country of origin doesn't matter but your opinion of Americans is categorically wrong @Dominic. A LOT of people live there you know and they're not all like that.

chrisj1602

I've played a few and none have been too heavy, and I like the S1 on it - you still get the usual Tele sounds + more.

Reading the TDPRI, there a lot of happy American owners of Mexican Teles, and Chinese Squier CVs.

Neil

Adam_MD said:

Dominic;411322" said:

played a lot of them;all heavyall got silly s1 wiring with unuseable sounds as a bonusall play as well as any normal U.S.A. modelthe pickups on the original 50s style were a 'broadcaster and twisted tele ' custom shop set -which were excellantBaja Peninsula factory is literally a few miles down the road from the US facility ..........cheaper labour but not worse labourAmericans have a big issue with buying patriotic and happily pay for it as they are blindsided by thinking that everything the U .S.does,politically ,morally,religiously etc is "the right way " .........if its not made in the GOOD OL U.S. it must be inferior !!!   The modern guitar factories of the last 5 years in China etc are actually perfectly good ( note ; good not great ) but myth aboundsand many dismiss them as wholly inferior which is categorically wrong ........consumer white goods,computers ,tvs ,mobile phones etc are all made in China ,Vietnam ,Indonesia etc quite competantly -we use them every day ......why ,in this mechanised age ,people seem to beleive that they are any less capable of turning the switch of a CNC machine on in order to make the majority parts of modern guitars is beyond me ! They will not be a threat to Collings or Tyler ,Tom Anderson anytime soon on the quality front but the average Telecaster bolt -on isn 't exactly rocket science !

I agree with you that the country of origin doesn't matter but your opinion of Americans is categorically wrong @Dominic. A LOT of people live there you know and they're not all like that.

Quite right.

  

Loobs

I don't think they're *quite* up to the standard of the US models. Mainly in terms of neck finishing and QC. Less consistent. That said, you do sometimes come across a nice MIM.

I would have no problem buying one. I played the new blue Baja and it was quite good. The S1 switch isn't really necessary to me and I also don't think the pickups are as great as people say. The fret ends were a bit sharp too.

Dominic

You're misunderstanding @ Neil and @Adam MD ........that comment is not meant to be a criticism of Americans as people - its a commentary on the mindset of American Marketing where a distinct majority of consumers buy into the " U.S. IS BEST " psyche

 -its a proven marketing strategy that has worked since the 1920s .Of course a lot of people live there and of course they are " not all like that " but imo they buy into the National ideal a lot more than Europeans - good for them -a lot of people would simply call it National pride but the essence of the comment was to illustrate why the Mexican v USA Fender marketing strategy commands a considerable premium price above the perceived inferiority of the Mexican facsimile.......and consumers happily pay it !

DrJazzTap

I honestly felt underwhelmed by the American special I had. If the baja is of similar quality for less money, then great

thomasw88

Had one for a while didn't really like it tbh, hated the s1 thing, didn't like the finish and didn't think it was a patch on my levinson blade tele which is so much better in every way apart from the pickups.