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Ernie Ball Music Man Custom Design Experience

B A K E R Guitars

Well, I might be if I ever get to PLAY one! Hopefully, this new relationship between Gene and EB/MM will allow just that in the next year or so... My only set neck guitar right now is a PRS, and many on the PRS forum sing the praises of Baker guitars loudly and long, so I suspect that once I do play one, I'll have to buy one (which makes it just as well that it will probably take them a year or so to get geared up and producing sufficient numbers that a few make it out my way :D )
 
VegasGreg, Baker AND EB owner-is in the house!

For those of you that Haven't played one of Gene's creations-let's just say you're in for one heckuva treat!:D

I've attached a photo of mine-BJ Select NAMM show guitar. If I had to give up every one of my guitars except one, this would be the keeper.

VegasGreg
 
BAKER Guitars

Hey Thanks a lot guys for piping in with some very kind words. Gene-o is here in the EB house along with Justin and Bryan from our Baker shop and we are digging every minute of it and everyone here has been greeting us with open arms, were glad to be a new part of their well established team of guitar and bass guru's. EB has a great group of people and they keep their quality extremely high so I'm lovin every minute of it. Looking forward to see what we evil scientists conjure up, stay tuned!

Bakers got Balls! How do you like that one?

Koadaddy, I see you have the John Shanks (rockstar) B1 up on eBay, hope you find a good home for that monster, that one was originally built back in our garage days, thats early stuff there.
 
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Hey Gene!!

Gene,

Have you started work on my Ritchie Blackmore Strat yet?!?! I emailed my specs to BCRGreg... ;)

Hope everything is starting to ramp up well for you over at EB.

And not a week goes by that someone that had a shot at that purple JB doesn't email me to say they are kicking themselves for not getting their hands on it before I did!

Regards-

Greg
 
woohooooo, I see a few of us have found the way over here...cool, H.A.'s in the house too now. Good to see all of you familiar fellow Baker addicts...Rock On!!!!!!!!!!
 
B1

Gene, Hope I find a good home for her too. My wife is having her third back fusion in 4 years. So I gotta let her go.Things are tight. I still want my Koa top Crucible! I'll be in to see ya next week. Peace & Much Tone To All. Tim AKA KoaDaddy.
 
Hi Gene,

Glad to hear that the EB/Baker get-together is working well. Looking forward to see what's in store for all!

By the way, I saw a NAMM snapshot with someone wearing one of those Baker "My guitar can kick you guitars ass" t-shirts. NOw that is really wicked cool. Would love to get my hands on one of those.
 
BAKER Guitars

I just received probably the last batch of shirts that we may see for sometime. I have dudes black short sleeve T's, L, XL, and XX as well as chick's S, M, L, black with the V neck, and last a bag of black beanies. Currently I am selling them at gigs we play and we're at Harry’s here in Pismo Beach today and tomorrow 6/21 & 22, plus its car show weekend so there will be tons of people. Or you could email me with your address and I could get you a shirt.

Whatever I have left over today I may toss up on eBay and post links on both the Baker forum and the EB forum for those interested that don’t live locally.

Richie Blackmore Silhouette EB hmmmmmmm........ You guys are crazy aaaaaaa!

Best of luck with your wife, my wife Charlene is going in to get that tumor removed on July 8th, she's been jacked for a few years and it would be very nice to have her back to some sort of normaility. She's doing ok so far and she is back to work part-time but after the operation shes down recovering for 2 months. Poor girl, so I am playing as many gigs as I can to bring in some extra dough to pay bills while shes not working. Crazy world....
 
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Whew!

Found this place, and here are some of my buddies already!

Hey Gene, whazzzzzup!!!!
BTW, we are a Baker dealer, in case anyone needs any. 'Course, all of mine are gone, but they're gonna make a few more....
 
I got a chance to play 2 at Youngren's Guitars in Peoria, Il.
I thought that they were excellent playing guitars with a very good tone. This was my first experience with Baker guitars, so I knew very little about the company. I see that apparently the owner is present, so perhaps my assessment may mean something.

I thought the quality was great. could not find a flaw. The intonation was outstanding(Buzz Fieten). The tone was excellent, and the neck was very easy to play.

Now that I've named the things I liked, I'll now move onto the things that I believe are drawbacks.

There were two models there, one with a single cutaway Les Paul shape, and one with a double cutaway PRS shape. Both were straight top, Flametops. Although the guitars were beautiful, I didn't see a lot of originality of design. What I mean to say is that when buyin a PRS, you get a PRS designed bridge, PRS designed tuners, and PRS designed pickups. It seems to me that the Baker guitars have borrowed the general shape of popular models, put widely available hardware and electronics on them, and are charging high end prices for the product.

From what I understand, the models I played are somewhat "entry level" for Baker guitars. If you want the carved top, and hardware options, your looking at some serious cash. More than a Gibson or a PRS.

I hope you don't misunderstand my post. I am not trying to talk down the Baker guitars. I am just giving my honest opinion as a working guitar player that doesn't have a small fortune to throw around. I think the Bakers are top quality, but I think once you get to a certian point on quality, the thing that really seperates top quality guitars is the price. I would put the quality and tone of Ernie Ball guitars up against Gibson, PRS, or any other guitar out there. They are all great, but Ernie Ball gives me that quality at less than $1500.

Maybe I would be more willing to shell out the cash if Baker was giving me a totally original guitar design that nobody else has done before, or even if the hardware and electronics were something you couldn't get anywhere else but on a Baker, but as it is, I can't see spending the money that you guys want for one.

Baker may be the best guitar out there, and Porsche might make the best sports car, but I can't afford either one of them, so as long as Ernie ball keeps making comparable quality guitars, I'll stick with my Axis.
 
I see what you're saying

You know, before I got my Baker, I thought the same thing.

But I tell you, I've played 2 top of the line models, and my "Entry Level" BJ Select crushes them.

I also play synth. When I get a new one, you go through all the presets and usually, if they are nicely designed, you can play for hours on end finding new things. It inspires you.

When I got my Baker, I had that exact same feeling. I called BCRGreg the next day, absolutely gushing. I played that guitar for something like 6 hours straight the day I got it. I was coming up with new chords, progression, new runs, all of it. It felt and sounded better than any guitar I've ever owned, and I've had 2 Pensa-Suhrs, as well as some other high end stuff. I tell you, that guitar just rips.

Maybe you want to spend a little more time with one? I agree, the world doesn't need another single cut Les Paul copy (IMHO), but those BJ's (the flat top ones) wow-I just love that guitar. I WISH I caould get another one.
The last one that went on Ebay would have been mine, but my buddy Kizanski scored it. Just a beautiful guitar.

And this could all be a moot point anyway-let's wait and see what Gene and Company have in store for us NEXT! :-)

I can't wait-

Greg

BTW-don't get ME wrong-Ernie Ball Music Man makes some spectacular guitars. The Axis is a great one, no doubt about it.
 
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Hey man, don't get ME wrong. I would love to own one. I would sooner buy a Baker than a PRS or a Les Paul, just because I think it plays better, and sounds better. I'm glad you could afford one. I can't.
I guess what I was trying to do is let Gene know what would make it easier for me to find that extra $2500-$3500 I would need to buy the model with the options I wanted.
Basically what I see you are paying for with a Baker is the quality construction on the body and the neck, which is great, but I would expect a little more when paying custom shop prices. Inlays, binding, original hardware and electronics designed specifically for baker guitars. Hell, the ones I played just had the Baker name painted on the headstock. I know it doesn't effect the playability or tone, but ****, for the money at least some fake pearloid inlay would be nice.

I'm just going to be brutally honest here and say that I don't see enough guitar to justify the price, but I feel the same way about PRS and Gibson too.
 
Thanks VegasGreg,

I just can't break away completely from the 6 strings. I have come to the conclusion that, at least for me, you have to convert to the 7's 100% in order to keep the confidence level where it should be for gigs so I'm stickin with the 6 strings. I have 2 Baker 6 strings. Wish I could keep this one for collecting, but money's a little tight right now. This guitar has AWESOME tone, by the way, as does every Baker I've played. It's a great deal for whoever ends up with it.

H.A. :cool:
 
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