Classic Player Baja 60’s (Reissue) - are these good Tele's?

Voxman

Hi guys. what can you tell me about a Classic Player Baja 60’s (Reissue) as I've no experience/knowledge of these. I've seen an immaculate one in sonic blue, rosewood neck for £395 (but no case).  It has a fourth switch position, which runs both pickups in series, effectively creating a humbucker and secondly there is a switch which inverts the signal in the form of a hidden button on top of the tone control.   Is this a good Tele and is it a good price - what's a typical price for one of these?

Voxman

Just found some info on it - big problem is the truss rod adjusts at the wrong end which is just too much of a faff. 

GoFish

They only came with a gigbag iirc, no case. £395 seems a great price at today's prices. These were overshadowed, perhaps unfairly, by the 50's models and were later christened "Baja" as well. The specs and pickups are different but they're near the top of what was coming out of Mexico at the time. The faded sonic blue + rosewood is a lovely combo. I thought it was less pure Tele-like than I was after when I tried one about 10 years ago. I may not think so now.

Voxman

GoFish said:

They only came with a gigbag iirc, no case. £395 seems a great price at today's prices. These were overshadowed, perhaps unfairly, by the 50's models and were later christened "Baja" as well. The specs and pickups are different but they're near the top of what was coming out of Mexico at the time.

Plus £50 delivery (which seems a bit high). Such a shame as it looked very nice, seems to be in immaculate condition, & I like the extra switching options, but I just can't live with a vintage truss rod adjustment.  If anyone's interested, it's here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116118018617

HAL9000

Voxman said:

Just found some info on it - big problem is the truss rod adjusts at the wrong end which is just too much of a faff. 

Truss rod adjustment at the dusty end is less a problem with a Tele than a Strat - particularly if it’s 21 frets. Simply lift or remove the scratchplate and it’s all accessible. There are also tools (Stewmac I think) available to help adjust the rod.

£395 sounds like a good price.

rossi

I had an originial Baja ,two in fact and loved them but a bit heavy for an old fart .fine guitars though  with great necks and pickups .Not a traditional tele but who gives a fuck .

Funkfingers

rossi said:

… a bit heavy … great necks … 

This.

I don't rate the stock pickups, dislike the 4-way selector switch and distrust the S-1 switch.

Eight switch positions to get six sounds?  I prefer the Freeway 3B3 or Schaller Megaswitch M (circuit SS3).

noisepolluter

Voxman said:

Just found some info on it - big problem is the truss rod adjusts at the wrong end which is just too much of a faff. 

I have one. You can take the scratchplate off and get at the truss rod with a truss rod crank without loosening the neck, strings etc as the neck pickup is mounted into the body not the scratchplate. 

Got mine off here in 2018 and love it - it displaced a 2007 US standard. It’s lightweight, plays really nicely and I haven’t felt the need to replace the pickups (unlike in the US standard).

I never use the additional switching though.

GoFish

Voxman said:

GoFish said:

They only came with a gigbag iirc, no case. £395 seems a great price at today's prices. These were overshadowed, perhaps unfairly, by the 50's models and were later christened "Baja" as well. The specs and pickups are different but they're near the top of what was coming out of Mexico at the time.

Plus £50 delivery (which seems a bit high). Such a shame as it looked very nice, seems to be in immaculate condition, & I like the extra switching options, but I just can't live with a vintage truss rod adjustment.  If anyone's interested, it's here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116118018617

The extra options sound useful but in practise I found I was just swtiching from one to another just bescause I could. It was even worse than the 5 strat options which I'd consider a distraction if I wasn't so used to it.

robgilmo

That wont hang around at that price, unless the 60's dont sell as well as the 50's? I have a 50's and I think its a great guitar, its got a real chunky neck which is what I like and find easier to play, I dont know about the neck on the 60's though, my 50's has been the last guitar I will ever buy for many years now, for me its perfect.

robgilmo

Oh, forgoit to mention, truss road is easy to adjust, scratch plate off and bingo , its done. The one I have is very stable, Ive only adjusted the rod once in all the years of ownership.
Evben the tuning is stable, it can sit for weeks without being picked up and still be in tune, its the most stable guitar I have ever owned.

Deadman

It’s not buy it now, I doubt very much he’ll sell it for £395. 

Edit; even beaters are going for £500+ from watching the market. 

Voxman

Deadman said:

It’s not buy it now, I doubt very much he’ll sell it for £395. 

Edit; even beaters are going for £500+ from watching the market. 

Good point

Kent747

Grab it. 

Voxman

robgilmo said:

Oh, forgoit to mention, truss road is easy to adjust, scratch plate off and bingo , its done. The one I have is very stable, Ive only adjusted the rod once in all the years of ownership.
Evben the tuning is stable, it can sit for weeks without being picked up and still be in tune, its the most stable guitar I have ever owned.

Does that mean you don't need to undo the neck? How is it adjusted - hex key or screwdriver?

elstoof

One of these



https://www.axecaster.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=809

noisepolluter

Voxman said:

Does that mean you don't need to undo the neck? How is it adjusted - hex key or screwdriver?

Screwdriver type. You don’t have to remove the neck or even slacken the strings. Something like this makes it very easy:

https://tonetechluthiersupplies.co.uk/products/philips-head-truss-rod-wrench

Deadman

Voxman said:

Deadman said:

It’s not buy it now, I doubt very much he’ll sell it for £395. 

Edit; even beaters are going for £500+ from watching the market. 

Good point

Hey, try his arm, see if he’ll give it to you for the 395 +50 postage. It’d be a result if he did! I’d need to know the weight though, personally. Can’t stand heavy stuff. And any Tele over 8lbs gets me sucking my teeth. It's a lovely thing mate, think I’d prefer it over the 50’s.

robgilmo

Voxman said:

robgilmo said:

Oh, forgoit to mention, truss road is easy to adjust, scratch plate off and bingo , its done. The one I have is very stable, Ive only adjusted the rod once in all the years of ownership.
Evben the tuning is stable, it can sit for weeks without being picked up and still be in tune, its the most stable guitar I have ever owned.

Does that mean you don't need to undo the neck? How is it adjusted - hex key or screwdriver?

Its been a few years but from memory its a screw driver job. I might have a photo..

Here we go, the pick up can make it a faff but its dooable.




This guy made his own special tool.

brojangles

I've owned one of these, they're very good. The extra sounds are fun (series as a boost, phase switch in series for a nasty skronky sound with fuzz or distortion). The colour's very pretty too. I didn't keep it because I have a Marr Jag that covers a lot of the same stuff and more, but that's about four times more expensive an instrument. 

kelpbeds

£395 is very cheap for a Baja tele. They often go for more like £600