Well, my Baja is down now too...
When you press the S1 switch, there is a noticable volume drop and the differences in switch positions are very slight, not like before. I took it in for repair under warrantee. Luckilly the service center nearest to me is Motor City Guitar and they have a fantastic reputation. I hope the repair doesn't take long...I love that guitar. The problem does have me considering other p'up options should the thing crap out once the warrantee is over though.
...and on the 8th day, God created the Super Reverb and there was ROCK, and it was GOOD!
That's two on just THIS forum.
These almost as bad as HRDlx's.
I kid, of course.
How many Baja owners do we have here.
Hopefully they can just replace the switch or the S1 gadgetry.
If that time comes, shoot me an email.Originally Posted by flintpunk
I dug both of those p'ups even w/o the S1.
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
I really dig them too...I guess I could come up with my own push/pull switch and wiring. They are 3 wire p'ups for the phase inversion, I'm guessing.
...and on the 8th day, God created the Super Reverb and there was ROCK, and it was GOOD!
Or just take out that heinous S-1 switch.
--The music is all around us. I can hear it. Can you?
But it sounds great! I like having all the combinations. You can get some pretty Strat-like sounds out of her! Now I'm thinking of taking the switch logic and transposing it to my own push/pull volume and wiring, but only if it fails again (which I'm guessing it will!). I'll have to look at the schematics and see what I can do. They were included with the case candy...I wonder if they were anticipating problems with this thing!
...and on the 8th day, God created the Super Reverb and there was ROCK, and it was GOOD!
IMO, the Baja is one of the best off-the-shelf tele bargains that Fender puts out there.
But the S-1 switch is a problem waiting to happen (or happening already, evidently). If I had a Baja, I'd rewire it straight away. You can get the exact same switching options with a push-pull pot (ugh), a mini-toggle, or one of the new 4-way tele switches (my personal fave for series wiring in a tele).
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".
-Dave Barry
I don't know a thing about the wiring, but, when I tried out the Baja, I found the p'ups so responsive, I could fairly approximate a lot of what the switching offered with changes in pick attack, and vol/tone controls.
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
superswitch. i think they make a 7 posish.
"don't worry, i'm a professional!"
The Baja already has a 4 pos. Tele switch. I'm leaning toward a push/pull volume or the 7 pos. switch that Chucko suggested (Thanks, Chuckocaster!). Geez, 7 positions! I've never heard of that, but that would definitely solve the problem! You only need 6 combinations, so you'd have one duplicate. The stock Baja has 2 duplicate positions...Neck only and bridge only are duplicated when the S1 is either up or down.
The main reason I took it in was just in case there was a p'up problem...I thought I'd better get it fixed while it's still under warrantee!
...and on the 8th day, God created the Super Reverb and there was ROCK, and it was GOOD!
It does? I didn't remember that detail. I seemed to remember them having a 3-pos switch, plus the S-1. I guess I'll have to get back over to GC and play one again. Darn.
Anyway, I still think the S-1 is just too fragile, mechanically.
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".
-Dave Barry
People have been activating their mods for decades using push/pull pots or mini toggles that work fine.
I think Fender decided it was important to maintain the familiar appearance of their controls. So you wind up with what seems to be a flimsy switch.
Up to a point, they're right.
However they want their Fenders to sound or work, more often than not, people seem to want them to look like Leo himself put it together.
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
I have nothing to add but wanted to say "Another Baja Down" will be the name of a song on our next Surf CD.
VM
If aliens listened to our current top 40, they'd think that the entire planet was populated by sexually ambivalent robots with ethnic insecurity.
7 ways switch?
mon-tue-wed-thu-fri-sat-sun?
do I look like I know what I'm doing?
Yeah, but I think Sunday is first.
...and on the 8th day, God created the Super Reverb and there was ROCK, and it was GOOD!
That's only when the "S1" switched is pressed.
"S1" = Sunday 1st.
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
...and on the 8th day, God created the Super Reverb and there was ROCK, and it was GOOD!
I sold my Baja Tele to Fund My latest Strat Purchase..although mine never experienced any switching issues ..I will say this: As versatile as some of the PU configs were...When I have a Tele in my hands , all I desire is classic tele tones . I actually kinda found the other options a distraction after a while. I have owned a tele in my collection on and off for 35 years ..so when I throw the switch in the most neckward position ,I Don't want to have to click it back 1 notch just to get the neck tone I have known for so long. Maby its trying to teach a middle aged Dog a new trick....But When it comes to Strats, Teles, 335s, and LPS...I prefer them as I have grown accustom over the years.......YMMV ; Mark
Last edited by Tele00; 08-09-2007 at 10:48 AM.
I can appreciate your feelings about a traditional tele, but my number one is a strat. I like the way the Baja does the traditional Tele sound, but also does a pretty fair Strat approximation. I usually keep 2 guitars on stage in case I break a string. I float my Strat bridge, so continuing a song with a broken string doesn't work. I like to be able to grab the Tele and finish the song. Also, when I need a Tele for a certain song, it's in there!
...and on the 8th day, God created the Super Reverb and there was ROCK, and it was GOOD!
While Motor city is my second fav store behind Elderly here in Mi, a few of my buddies experiences with the tech there hasn't been that great. No personal experience though. I always go to a local guy Ron luczak but I doubt he does warranty repair. He lives right around the corner from you too. If you need any non warranty work done or it craps out again you should check him out.
Hell is full of musical amateurs: music is the brandy of the damned.
George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950), Man and Superman (1903) act 3
Iron Maiden is selling out arenas all over the world as we speak! Metal is not dead. The only thing Kurt Cobain killed was himself!! (Some random Forum Guy)
Thanks, Draven! I went on the Fender site and Motor City was the best sounding option for warranty (spelled correctly this time!) work. I'll definitely look him up if I go to the 7-way or push/pull switch option. Another good one to check out is Gene and I forget his last name. Gene lives in Rankin. He's a tech at Elderly and he is a whiz when it comes to amp work! He has super-fast turnaround and really reasonable pricing too. Ever heard of him?
...and on the 8th day, God created the Super Reverb and there was ROCK, and it was GOOD!
Nope, but I have been looking for an amp tech. I'll look him up.
Hell is full of musical amateurs: music is the brandy of the damned.
George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950), Man and Superman (1903) act 3
Iron Maiden is selling out arenas all over the world as we speak! Metal is not dead. The only thing Kurt Cobain killed was himself!! (Some random Forum Guy)
Email me! I've got his phone number.
...and on the 8th day, God created the Super Reverb and there was ROCK, and it was GOOD!
Great news!!! Just got a call from the tech working on my guitar...It's a pickup problem. S1 switch is fine. He says he's never had a problem with an S1 switch (wierd, that seems like the weak link). He's talking with Fender to get the parts. I don't have to go through any of the "exchange the guitar" BS. WooHoo! Still, it's odd that Custom Shop pickups would crap out like that! My buddy had a neck p'up go out in his NoCaster though, so I guess it's possible.
...and on the 8th day, God created the Super Reverb and there was ROCK, and it was GOOD!
I didn't know they were having problems with baja's, but if only two are documented, then i guess it might just be a bad pickup, solder etc., i have had mine for about 8 months and it has performed flawlessly, what got me was the tone without the s1 and the great neck/frets and feel.
peace
Update...Fender walked the tech through a series of checks on the pickups because "the S1 switch never goes bad" according to Fender. Now it looks like the S1 switch might be bad. Probably a week to 10 days more, once Fender authorizes replacement parts. I've got a gig on Sept. 8! I hope I can have it back by then! I really like to have a spare guitar parked on stage and my only other guitar right now is a project Lester Special that still needs a lot of work! Oh well, my Strat will get me through the night. I'll just put fresh strings on before each gig and I'll be ok.
...and on the 8th day, God created the Super Reverb and there was ROCK, and it was GOOD!
That's why EE's learn to never, ever say, "It can't be that. That can't happen."
Just ask anyone who worked on Apollo XIII!
...and on the 8th day, God created the Super Reverb and there was ROCK, and it was GOOD!
Nothing never goes bad.
Unbelievable.
"Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
Elvis Costello
Got a call from the tech today...Fender still didn't believe the S1 switch was bad, so they sent him the 4-way p'up selector instead! He replaced it and we still have the same problems. Today Fender is sending an S1 switch...7-10 more days for it to get here! This is getting old! C'mon Fender! You authorized the guy to do repairs, trust his judgement when he says the S1 is bad! The guy says if the S1 doesn't fix it, he's ordering a complete new electronics
package, p'ups and all. I've got a gig next Friday (rescheduled from this Saturday) and I need a fixed bridge guitar to play some of the
alternate tuning stuff. I'm going to have to borrow a buddy's Tele because I can't get a loaner! This will probably end my new guitar purchases. Vintage stuff from here out! The only reason I'm not flying off the handle on this deal is that I really like that guitar and I want it back!
...and on the 8th day, God created the Super Reverb and there was ROCK, and it was GOOD!
I like only having a 3-way switch my Tele. I had a 5-way and a Strat middle pickup, then a 4-way without the Strat pickup.
All that kind of defeated the purpose of a Tele to me. I was messing with switches instead of playing music. Now I just have two really nice sounding pickups, a 3-way switch and an awesome sounding amp.
Seems like Fender's second guessing the tech, and for a 10 dollar part (i'm guessing), fender support of their tech pretty much sucks. and is costing you. they should have just sent him the part, get the bad part back and analyze, anything can break etc.
Fender's, not your tech, customer support seems to suck.
peace
Man...I've played a couple of these and LOVED the way they felt. But I couldn't get a good chance to really hear it (it was at the local GC...too much riff-raff goin' on).
Still, I would buy one and instantly plan to wire it like a classic Tele model.
I'm a no-frills kind of guy.
"...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."
-Edmund Burke
I have tried 4 in different storesand one was showing a faulty switch right there. Thats nothing though, I must have tried 30 USA Strats before I was happy with my main axe ,some of the faults on the flagship model were just as strange. I'll probebly buy a Baja. Even if I replaced the S1 with a regular set up its great value and a great guitar. I love that neck!
Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.
C. S. Lewis
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FUCK FENDER! you bought a new guitar and it ain't wroking! seems like your tech has it figured out.
i'd reccomend taking out that S1 garbage and putting in two push/pull pots or something to that effect. find out the weird combonations you like on the switch and then replicate that with push/pulls.
"don't worry, i'm a professional!"
Believe me, if it ever happens out of warranty, I'll do just that. It's just that if the problem actually lies in the custom shop pickups, I don't want to have to buy them! That's why I went the warranty route.
...and on the 8th day, God created the Super Reverb and there was ROCK, and it was GOOD!
I hate warranties. They're seldom worth the trouble. I celebrate the day they end. It feels like the item is actually, completely mine.
I bought my HWY1 Strat back in 2005 with the intent to modify it. I had replaced the pickups, bridge and tuners and polished the body within weeks of buying it!
Have the tech temporarily swap in a toggle switch to replace the S1 switch. When it works properly you'll know that it's not the pickups and you can feel comfortable installing a push pull pot.
When I buy a guitar, the first thing I do is something to void the warranty. Then I never have to worry about it.
As Don said, more trouble than they're worth.
same here.
"don't worry, i'm a professional!"
I just want it to be the guitar I paid for.
...and on the 8th day, God created the Super Reverb and there was ROCK, and it was GOOD!
I like having a warranty. I like knowing that if anything goes wrong with the guitar (that isn't my fault), somebody else is legally required to make it right on their dime.
I'd never let the warranty keep me from making a modification I wanted to make, but I've never heard of deliberately voiding the warranty because having a warranty somehow makes you feel bad.
"I haven't slept for ten days...because that would be too long." -- Mitch Hedberg
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