Baker Guitars????

[mjmtri]

Tell me your impressions of Baker Guitars, Please!

Michael

[rcl]

I have a B3 Phoenix. Sort of a tele meets firebird. We call it the telebird some days, other days the firecaster which sounds much cooler. ANyway, very well built instrument, great tone, amazing craftmanship. Oh, and not cheap. Sadly, folks have to make a buck or two, but I'd rather drop the cash into the hands of folks lovingly making instruments than huge companies shipping out crap. I have a half dozen LPs, but my Collings gets the play time. In the case of the smaller vendors, Huber, Collings, Baker, others...you get what you pay for. No idea why the price for a bolt on Fender is so high. Gibsons quality is nowhere near my B3 or my CL-Dlx. I love my LPs, but they all needed extra love and I've had half of them plekked just to compete with the small shop stuff.

[Dave Orban]

The "real" Bakers are great guitars.

The crap that Ed Roman put out under the Baker "name" is colorful firewood.

[Axdoctor]

The originals are some of the best guitars ever built....... and this comes from over 17 years of being involved in the manufacturing and design of guitars as well as working for Jackson, Fender, co-owner of Baker, Washburn/Parker, Suhr and now with Music-Man again.

Please note that I said "some of the best" as I don't want people to start tripping and start a huge battle over which guitar is better.

ER Bakers = CRAP!!

[Rusty G.]

Gene's a member of the forum and he can tell you all about his guitars. I've got an older B1 and it's a fantastic guitar. Build quality is as good as it gets.

Good luck!

[matte]

i've been working with gene since 1998. incredible builder, brilliant human. our first project was the b1 7. the man doesn't know the meaning of the word can't.

matte:"can you make 7 string pickup rings?"

gene:"no problem."

matte:"how about a t6 7 string nashville bridge and bar stop?"

gene:"sure! no problem."

builders who (can) make their own hardware (when the necessary hardware isn't commercially available)?

those are the true custom builders.

[amc]

The originals are some of the best guitars ever built....... and this comes from over 17 years of being involved in the manufacturing and design of guitars as well as working for Jackson, Fender, co-owner of Baker, Washburn/Parker, Suhr and now with Music-Man again.

Please note that I said "some of the best" as I don't want people to start tripping and start a huge battle over which guitar is better.

ER Bakers = CRAP!!

Gil is one of the reasons that the original Baker Guitars are such outstanding instruments.
Here are some of my Bakers and a B3........

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/amc115-photos/BAKERKT0021DSC01192.jpg
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/amc115-photos/BAKERJRHOLLOWdscf0199je2.jpg
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/amc115-photos/BAKERB3331c_3.jpg

[RvChevron]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/amc115-photos/BAKERB3331c_3.jpg

Now, that is COOL! Haven't seen one with a trem.

[Millul]

Gil is one of the reasons that the original Baker Guitars are such outstanding instruments.
Here are some of my Bakers and a B3........

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/amc115-photos/BAKERKT0021DSC01192.jpg



One of the very best guitars on TGP. In my wet dreams, it has an Humbucker at the bridge position!

[TNJ]

One of the very best guitars on TGP. In my wet dreams, it has an Humbucker at the bridge position!

(I think...) She used to be mine!

S.
j

[jads57]

While I`ve not owned a Baker guitar personally I`ve had a chance to play a bunch of them both older Bakers & a couple B3 guitars. Definitely beautiful build quality, and attention to detail. But I can`t say they have all overwhelmed me as say compared to some other fine instruments Collings, Artinger, and even some newer Hamers. Again this just sitting and playing the instrument acoustically first and plugged in second. I think it`s hard for any builder to have a homerun on every guitar they build. Again this not meant to be deragatory, rather just my impression. And in fairness, not every Suhr guitar I`ve played has been overwhelming, and those are probably among the finest bolt on guitars available.

[les]

I own 2 Bakers and they are fantastic! Gene is da man!

Very well make, easy to play, stay in tune and sound great!

Highly recommended!

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm250/les_thomas/Baker-Brothers.jpg

[miks]

Baker picture posting! Hahaha. I love my B3. Fantastic guitar that is 110% reliable. It has never let me down. Always a great player and always killer tone. Has not been temperamental like my les pauls.

Gene is an A Class guy to deal with. Always responds to emails and provides service above and beyond. Dont even think twice... if you want a baker and have the cash to drop on one.. i would recommend it without hesitations. Great value for money, great service and seriously great tone!

Videos of my baker in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdaJY95UTuo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8JPCfFpD7k&feature=channel_page




http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v481/miks696/IMG_8694.jpg

[mjmtri]

One of the very best guitars on TGP. In my wet dreams, it has an Humbucker at the bridge position!

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/amc115-photos/BAKERKT0021DSC01192.jpg

Well, the deal is done! I have become the new owner of KT-001!! It is the twin to this one in the thread. I have never owned a P-90 or even played a Baker, but with all of these great stories and photos, I just had to try one!!
I'll give you an update when it hits my door! Black Limba - come to me!
Michael :rolleyes:

[Dave Orban]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/amc115-photos/BAKERKT0021DSC01192.jpg

Well, the deal is done! I have become the new owner of KT-001!! It is the twin to this one in the thread. I have never owned a P-90 or even played a Baker, but with all of these great stories and photos, I just had to try one!!
I'll give you an update when it hits my door! Black Limba - come to me!
Michael :rolleyes:
KT-001 is my old guitar, it was actually built for me. And a truly great one it is!

I had to let it go the last time I was out of work, just like I had to let my Andersen Archie go, this time. :jo

In any case, enjoy the Baker. I know that I did! ;)

[John Hurtt]

Gene is a great guy, and terrific luthier.

[daveS]

Here's a "real" Baker B1 lefty out of Santa Maria CA that I used to own. A fantastic creation. I had to let it go in a pinch $$....really bummed me out since I searched for it for a long time and I'll probably never see one like it again. The upside is that I sold it to a very cool guy who really loves this guitar ! Karma.

As for Gene...he's a very cool cat, a monster player and a talented luthier. He deserves all the recognition he gets.
:BEER
-Dave
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d49/dmsang/DSCN2227.jpg

[cmatthes]

Ditto to ALL of the above!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/cmatthes/BakerUSAstuff3.jpg

[amc]

Congratulations............

[GAT]

Michael, KT001 went out today to you, enjoy it!!

[daoinnyc]

Ditto to ALL of the above!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/cmatthes/BakerUSAstuff3.jpg


Thats just to ****ing cool.

[cmatthes]

Thats just to ****ing cool.

Yeah - doesn't sound as good as the other Bakers...yet! ;)

I managed to snag some nice stuff from the auction, and although I've sold a few of the RF necks and a couple solid IRW necks, I still have a few things kicking around, like the pic above.

[Axdoctor]

Thanks for the kudos AMC, Gene and I had a blast making them guit-fiddles and he is still my brother, I finally got him playing GALF!!

[matte]

gene is gonna drop some new/old model guitars this year that will be absolutely devastating. i'm extremely excited about this project.

[daveS]

gene is gonna drop some new/old model guitars this year that will be absolutely devastating. i'm extremely excited about this project.

Very cool news Matte ...



Some Baker trivia.........I remember years ago when I was in college (around '89-'90) a band called Full Tilt was hot in the local clubs on the Central Coast of California. I always really dug going out and watching that band because the guitarist was a sick shredder and he played these cool looking custom super strats. Turns out it was Gene and his early "Mean Gene" Uber-strat type guitars that he made himself.

[parker]

Wonderful builder, top notch person and unbelievably cool guitars, my favorite "boutique" guitar to date. Every detail is agonized over, Gene's one of the best! So is Gil...

[meangene]

You guys are giving me a cavity, too sweet, call in the dentist and have this tooth extracted. HA! Oh Gilbert Godfriegh Axdoctor just left the shop to do some ball whacking (Golf) and told me to check out the thread. You guys are all freakin nuts. I'm quickly humbled from eveything you guys say and just say thank you.

Dave S Whatz Up! Full Tilt days were the bomb, full of piss and vinegar and and a lot of beer. Shred was alive and we had a blast thinking we might become rock stars Double HA HA! GIT alone was a shred head dream come true. Use to watch Racer X rehearse early morning GIT peformance rooms pre-1st CD and no singer yet. Then we had Jimmy Herring and his band killing Steve Morse, Dixie Dregs and Eric Johnson tunes before EJ even released his first CD. These details kept me well inspired to play 10 hours a day back then, so gigs these days help keep up what chops that still remain. And those guys were just a few classmates, not to mention the slew of guest artists that showed up. Holdsworth, Vai, Robben Ford, Eric Johnson who did a show 1st CD wasn't even released yet, had a cassette bootleg of that for awhile until someone borrowed it...

I found a cassette of the 85 GIT Tommy Tedesco Student album of that year with 6 bands and luckily we were one of 2 rock bands that made it on. Wish I still had that 50 watt Hiwatt head.......

Anyhow always welcome anyone if your ever in the area to look us up at a gig as we always enjoy guest pickers or other. myspace/meangene31 (http://www.myspace.com/meangene31) Would love to work up a yearly event which I garuntee all would love, a bit of a jam/concert event, could involve fishing, golf and off course Santa Maria style BBQ. Pismo Beach area is simply stunning and far more peaceful than the crazy city life, would be a trip everyone would remember for a long time, or at least till next years bash. Curious how many people would enjoy something like that, I've always loved throwing party's.

New models yes theres something a brew, stewing, waiting to come out, undergoing minor revisions and should knock some socks off, so please have clean feet.

OK I'm back to sniffing more paint fumes so I can make a lot more people really happy.


Bring it!

Gene

[daveS]

You guys are giving me a cavity, too sweet, call in the dentist and have this tooth extracted. HA! Oh Gilbert Godfriegh Axdoctor just left the shop to do some ball whacking (Golf) and told me to check out the thread. You guys are all freakin nuts. I'm quickly humbled from eveything you guys say and just say thank you.

Dave S Whatz Up! Full Tilt days were the bomb, full of piss and vinegar and and a lot of beer. Shred was alive and we had a blast thinking we might become rock stars Double HA HA! GIT alone was a shred head dream come true. Use to watch Racer X rehearse early morning GIT peformance rooms pre-1st CD and no singer yet. Then we had Jimmy Herring and his band killing Steve Morse, Dixie Dregs and Eric Johnson tunes before EJ even released his first CD. These details kept me well inspired to play 10 hours a day back then, so gigs these days help keep up what chops that still remain. And those guys were just a few classmates, not to mention the slew of guest artists that showed up. Holdsworth, Vai, Robben Ford, Eric Johnson who did a show 1st CD wasn't even released yet, had a cassette bootleg of that for awhile until someone borrowed it...

I found a cassette of the 85 GIT Tommy Tedesco Student album of that year with 6 bands and luckily we were one of 2 rock bands that made it on. Wish I still had that 50 watt Hiwatt head.......

Anyhow always welcome anyone if your ever in the area to look us up at a gig as we always enjoy guest pickers or other. myspace/meangene31 (http://www.myspace.com/meangene31) Would love to work up a yearly event which I garuntee all would love, a bit of a jam/concert event, could involve fishing, golf and off course Santa Maria style BBQ. Pismo Beach area is simply stunning and far more peaceful than the crazy city life, would be a trip everyone would remember for a long time, or at least till next years bash. Curious how many people would enjoy something like that, I've always loved throwing party's.

New models yes theres something a brew, stewing, waiting to come out, undergoing minor revisions and should knock some socks off, so please have clean feet.

OK I'm back to sniffing more paint fumes so I can make a lot more people really happy.


Bring it!

Gene


Yo Gene...good to see you lurking.

Yes, Full Tilt was one of the local bands that created a lot of buzz then. Hey, do you remember a band called Zeitgeist ?...I had a good friend who played guitar for that band....he was a sick shred guitarist.

I still think back about the time I cruised over to your house in Nipomo and bought that purple Soldano cabinet off of you LOL....I loved that cabinet. I think you had a Digitech DSP 21 and/or an orange (or was it white ?) Marshall head at the time. Hair rock days were the best of times ! ! !

Man, being a student at GIT in the late 80s early 90s must have been a killer experience...L.A. Sunset area was loaded with shredders and cool clubs back then too.

I think a Baker party would rock ! Ron Thorn has a post NAMM thing every year down at his place in SoCal....great time for sure....you could have one too on the Central Coast.....maybe in the parking lot behind Lightning Joes ! Central Coast is the best....Pismo, Shell Beach, SLO and Avila, AG are the bomb ! My wife and I love it there and my folks still live nearby down in Los Olivos.

Looking forward to seeing what new stuff you have coming out.

Peace
-Dave

[anyone]

New models yes theres something a brew, stewing, waiting to come out, undergoing minor revisions and should knock some socks off, so please have clean feet.


:boxerHmm...:boxer

[meangene]

Yo Dave S

Was that Joel Kelly from Zietgiest or Mark Schisel? Both those guys are baddazz, going to see Mark's newest creations (Hate Shop) tomorrow night at Mongo's after we get done playing Harry's in Pismo Beach. Joel is double sick, chops beyond most chops. Last time I saw Joel was at a guitar wars contest held at The Graduate which I humbly happened to win back in 07, Mark's current other singer/guitarist Bill Doty took second, lucky for me Joel didnt enter he woulda smoked me. Bad to the bone, luckily Mark couldnt enter either since he won a few years prior and could only be a judge. Now I cant re-enter either..... Darn it love free gear....

OK paint break over back in I go. Hope to see you sometime over the year. We play in Santa Ynez at The Maverick near your mom now and then too.

[shoe]

Genes stuff is great. Dig this 7 serial #101

http://www.petelacis.com/images/Baker-B1-7-full.jpg

[daveS]

Yo Dave S

Was that Joel Kelly from Zietgiest or Mark Schisel? Both those guys are baddazz, going to see Mark's newest creations (Hate Shop) tomorrow night at Mongo's after we get done playing Harry's in Pismo Beach. Joel is double sick, chops beyond most chops. Last time I saw Joel was at a guitar wars contest held at The Graduate which I humbly happened to win back in 07, Mark's current other singer/guitarist Bill Doty took second, lucky for me Joel didnt enter he woulda smoked me. Bad to the bone, luckily Mark couldnt enter either since he won a few years prior and could only be a judge. Now I cant re-enter either..... Darn it love free gear....

OK paint break over back in I go. Hope to see you sometime over the year. We play in Santa Ynez at The Maverick near your mom now and then too.

Yeah ! That's my buddy Joel. He and I went to Cal Poly together....we also both worked at the old Arco on Marsh street in SLO (they tore it down by now). Back then, he turned me onto Vinnie Moore and turned him onto SRV :D He's a ripper and was totally into Yngwie back then. He's up here in the bay area now but still playing. I think Mark is still playing in and around the 5 cities...right ? Great band.

I definitely gotta come down and hit the Maverick when you guys are there....I spent a lot of time raging there in the old days LOL. Now they have that huge Chumash Casino across the highway...whoa ! I know some guys from high school dayz that play in and around the Santa Ynez Valley that are pretty cool to watch too.....Frank Palmer is one of the guys in that band and he's a monster bass player.

Rock on !

-Dave

[It's Time!]

I've never played a USA Baker I didn't want to take home and sleep with and take to Las Vegas to one of those little drive thru wedding chapels and to a Wayne Newton show right after a nice dinner at Spagos !!

[BluePowder]

How could I have missed this thread.

Bakers, I love them to death.

I've been fortunate enough to have one, best sounding guitar ever; absolutely magical.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/ChristopherChen/IMG_5045.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/ChristopherChen/IMG_5077.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/ChristopherChen/IMG_5140.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/ChristopherChen/IMG_5150.jpg

Enjoy!

[anyone]

Just saw this in another thread. Oh my!!!
http://www.meangene.org/images/Guitars/pelham.jpg

[daveS]

How could I have missed this thread.

Bakers, I love them to death.

I've been fortunate enough to have one, best sounding guitar ever; absolutely magical.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/ChristopherChen/IMG_5150.jpg

Enjoy!


Cool Baker USA ! The Divided by 13 looks great too ! .... EDT ??




Just saw this in another thread. Oh my!!!
http://www.meangene.org/images/Guitars/pelham.jpg


Whoa....this one really brings all the classics together doesn't it ? Sweet.

-d

[anyone]

Whoa....this one really brings all the classics together doesn't it ? Sweet.

-d
Sick, sick sick!
I think I'm gonna order one up just like that but with a tele bridge, hum in the neck and a tele control layout.

I remember talking to Joel at Cal Poly. I don't really know Joel well, but I've been friends with Mark Schisel since 9th grade. Joel made no excuses about being heavily influenced by Yngwie; maybe he's his doppleganger... a totally down to earth neoclassical monster!

[daveS]

Sick, sick sick!
I think I'm gonna order one up just like that but with a tele bridge, hum in the neck and a tele control layout.

I remember talking to Joel at Cal Poly. I don't really know Joel well, but I've been friends with Mark Schisel since 9th grade. Joel made no excuses about being heavily influenced by Yngwie; maybe he's his doppleganger... a totally down to earth neoclassical monster!

Cool ! Did you go to Cal Poly ? Yeah Joel was a monster player back then when we were only 19 or 20. We had a guitar class at Poly together one quarter. He's up here in Oakland now. I remember watching Mark and Joel play the quad at Poly....Mark had some Gretsch Corvette looking type of guitar with a Scholtz Rockman head....Joel had some Rack type 80s rig like an ADA MP1 or something, and an ugly blue strat with a baby blue pickgaurd....I told him that thing was ugly too LOL. Those two had very different styles but complimented each other well in the band.


If Gene makes you a guitar like what you described, you gotta show it to all of us dude !

-d

[anyone]

Cool ! Did you go to Cal Poly ? Yeah Joel was a monster player back then when we were only 19 or 20. We had a guitar class at Poly together one quarter. He's up here in Oakland now. I remember watching Mark and Joel play the quad at Poly....Mark had some Gretsch Corvette looking type of guitar with a Scholtz Rockman head....Joel had some Rack type 80s rig like an ADA MP1 or something, and an ugly blue strat with a baby blue pickgaurd....I told him that thing was ugly too LOL. Those two had very different styles but complimented each other well in the band.


If Gene makes you a guitar like what you described, you gotta show it to all of us dude !

-d
Yeah, we were probably at the same gig! I think that Gretsch was actually Mark's first guitar... then he had that natural mahogany, destroyer-lookin thing. Those Rockmans and ADA MP-1s were good fun. Did you catch any Zeitgeist gigs at Sweet Springs Saloon? (haha).

When I get that fiddle, I'll post pics for sure.

Cheers,
Chris

[BluePowder]

Cool Baker USA ! The Divided by 13 looks great too ! .... EDT ??

Thanks man, the /13 is a rsa23 combo.

Together they sound absolutely heavenly :D

[KennethC]

How could I have missed this thread.



I was just wondering that the other day, buddy!

Yours looks beautiful....

Pls bring it to our gatherings one day :D

[BluePowder]

I will! :D

One thing though that bothers me about the guitar, I've been spoiled by playing strat style contours on all my other guitars. The top bout of the guitar give my right forearm a bit of ache after playing for extended periods due to the lack of a contour. :(

I was actually thinking of adding some sort of an arm rest to make it more comfortable.

[antojado]

Just saw this in another thread. Oh my!!!
http://www.meangene.org/images/Guitars/pelham.jpg


That is so cool! Baker guitars rock! I have a B1 that I bought in 2001. It's a shame Gene lost the Baker brand name, but his new stuff really looks awesome!
Hey, cool to see some Cal Poly alum on TGP!

[anyone]

That is so cool! Baker guitars rock! I have a B1 that I bought in 2001. It's a shame Gene lost the Baker brand name, but his new stuff really looks awesome!
Hey, cool to see some Cal Poly alum on TGP!

Cool! Nothing like the smell of livestock on a mile hike to class, eh? Good times!

I have a B1C with a varitone circuit. Killer fiddle.

Loss of the Baker brand name is a bummer... but the new stuff is way killer.

[stan p]

i've been working with gene since 1998. incredible builder, brilliant human. our first project was the b1 7. the man doesn't know the meaning of the word can't.

matte:"can you make 7 string pickup rings?"

gene:"no problem."

matte:"how about a t6 7 string nashville bridge and bar stop?"

gene:"sure! no problem."



I got one of these 7-string bridges thanks to Matte, that Gene has built in the past. Awesome job! It rescued our project, as we wanted TOM 7 that could fit RMC saddles. Not available on the market!

[antojado]

Cool! Nothing like the smell of livestock on a mile hike to class, eh? Good times!

I have a B1C with a varitone circuit. Killer fiddle.

Loss of the Baker brand name is a bummer... but the new stuff is way killer.

I'm actually teaching there part-time so I still get to enjoy it!