So, I like the Fender Baja neck... What do I get?

[GilmourD]

I keep hemming and hawing over this. I'm pretty convinced that I want this neck:

Specifications
Style: Telecaster®
Construction: Vintage/Modern Construction
Scale: 25-1/2 in.
Neck Wood: $197.00 USD
Shaft Wood: Roasted Maple
Fretboard Wood: Roasted Maple (One Piece)
Right/Left: Right Handed+ $0.00
Nut Width: 1-5/8"+ $0.00
Neck Profile: Boatneck+ $0.00
Radius: 10-16" compound+ $0.00
# of Frets: 22+ $0.00
Fret Size: SS6105 (Stainless)+ $20.00
Tuner Ream: Planet Waves(13/32")+ $0.00
Inlays: + $0.00
Inlays: Black Face Dots
Side Dots: Black Side Dots
Pre-Cut Installed String Nut: GraphTech White TUSQ XL - Standard Nut+ $30.00
Mounting Holes: Standard 4 Bolt+ $0.00
Finish: No Finish+ $0.00
Price: $247.00

Now, this was before I even went to Guitar Center to poke around and try a bunch of different necks. My favorites were the Baja and the American Professional.

Now, I've seen the Baja compared to the AllParts TMO-V, but that doesn't compute. I have a Tele with a TMO-V and the Baja is a lot chunkier.

The American Professional necks have gotten much chunkier than the older American Standard spec (which the MIM Standards still use). What would that compare to in the Warmoth lineup?

I've also got another Tele with a TMO-FAT, which I imagine is closer to the Fatback (if not exactly the same) than the Boatneck.


Are those good comparisons or am I completely whacked out of my mind?  :tard:

 

[GilmourD]

Nobody's compared a Baja to anything?

 

[BigSteve22]

Nobody's compared a Baja to anything?

Sorry Dude, I play thin necks, never even tried a Baja. If anyone has, I'm sure you'll get an answer before long.

 

[GilmourD]

Nobody's compared a Baja to anything?

Sorry Dude, I play thin necks, never even tried a Baja. If anyone has, I'm sure you'll get an answer before long.

Sadly, thin necks are a great way for my hand to cramp. It's why I don't own a JEM.

Fortunately, I don't have the money for the neck purchase, yet, so I won't make any rash, rushed purchases. LOL

 

[rgand]

I'm in the same boat as Steve. Never laid my hands on a Baja. All mine have thin necks so I can't offer an opinion. Do you have access enough to a Baja to be able to cut a paper template from one to compare to the Warmoth profiles?

 

[GilmourD]

I'm in the same boat as Steve. Never laid my hands on a Baja. All mine have thin necks so I can't offer an opinion. Do you have access enough to a Baja to be able to cut a paper template from one to compare to the Warmoth profiles?

Sadly no. I think the GC employees would look at me funny if I did that. LOL I figured that the guitar community has been raving about the model for years so somebody here must've tried one.

 

[rgand]

I'm in the same boat as Steve. Never laid my hands on a Baja. All mine have thin necks so I can't offer an opinion. Do you have access enough to a Baja to be able to cut a paper template from one to compare to the Warmoth profiles?

Sadly no. I think the GC employees would look at me funny if I did that. LOL I figured that the guitar community has been raving about the model for years so somebody here must've tried one.

Fender says it has "a comfortable '60s "C"-shaped neck profile". That's a wide range, there. Hopefully someone here has some firsthand experience with one.

 

[stratamania]

Welcome to the forum. I deduce from your username you are probably a David Gilmour fan.

The closest I have come to playing a Baja is that I have a control plate and switching assembly from one that still needs a build to go in.

In terms of the neck I took a look around and dimensionally they are 1 5/8" with reports that even between necks they will vary, which due to hand sanding etc is hardly a surprise.

.88 - 89 at the first fret and a soft V to about .99 at the 12th. So you may be closer with the Clapton or 59 profile and find the boat a little too thick.

Here is one source of the measurements of one of the Baja necks.

http://www.tdpri.com/threads/baja-neck-specs.357656/

 

[Rick]

You can buy a set of calipers and compare the results.

 

[stratamania]

You can buy a set of calipers and compare the results.

Only if he has something to measure which in relation to this thread as he doesn't this isn't going to help.

The link I provided above has measurements of a Baja neck which can then be compared to the measurements of the Warmoth profiles at this link.

http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Necks/BackContours.aspx

 

[Rick]

Sorry Stratman the penny didn't drop when I read your post, looks like a 59 trying to be a clapton.

 

[stratamania]

Sorry Stratman the penny didn't drop when I read your post, looks like a 59 trying to be a clapton.

No worries.
I think that is a good description of what it is.

 

[GilmourD]

Welcome to the forum. I deduce from your username you are probably a David Gilmour fan.

The closest I have come to playing a Baja is that I have a control plate and switching assembly from one that still needs a build to go in.

In terms of the neck I took a look around and dimensionally they are 1 5/8" with reports that even between necks they will vary, which due to hand sanding etc is hardly a surprise.

.88 - 89 at the first fret and a soft V to about .99 at the 12th. So you may be closer with the Clapton or 59 profile and find the boat a little too thick.

Here is one source of the measurements of one of the Baja necks.

http://www.tdpri.com/threads/baja-neck-specs.357656/

Your deduction would be correct.
So, I compared those specs to the AllParts TMO-V specs.

• 21 vintage frets (.079" x .043")
• Solid maple neck, VEE shaping, sanded, unfinished and ready to spray
• 7.25" radius
• Nut width 1-5/8"
• Heel width 2-3/16"
• Tuning Peg Hole Diameter .340"
• Truss Rod adjustment at heel
• Neck thickness .91" at first fret, .98" at twelfth fret

By specs, the Baja neck should feel thinner. I spent a little time with my Tele that has a TMO-V on it and it certainly feels smaller than the Baja neck.I'm thinking that the Baja is somewhere between my TMO-V and my TMO-FAT.Would you say that the TMO-FAT is pretty equivalent to the Fatback? If so, I'm thinking I guessed right with the Boatneck.

 

[stratamania]

The TMO-FAT specs state

9.5" radius
Nut width 1-5/8"
Heel width 2-3/16"
Tuning Peg Hole Diameter .340"
Truss Rod adjustment at heel
Neck thickness .97" at first fret, 1.00" at twelfth fret

TMO-V

7.25" radius
Nut width 1-5/8"
Heel width 2-3/16"
Tuning Peg Hole Diameter .340"
Truss Rod adjustment at heel
Neck thickness .91" at first fret, .98" at twelfth fret

I'm thinking that the Baja is somewhere between my TMO-V and my TMO-FAT.

Measured Baja specs from my post below. .88 - 89 at the first fret and a soft V to about .99 at the 12th

Thickness wise the Baja is more similar to the TMO-FAT. But that is just part of what makes up the feel in the hand the other is the shape. One neck the same thickness and taper to another can feel different due to the profile and the amount of shoulder or lack thereof.

The Boatneck is 1.00 all the way along in thickness and is not in between the two Allparts necks mentioned but thicker than both. If you like the Baja which to your hand feels in between the two Allparts necks you will probably find it too thick.

These Warmoth profiles are more likely to be a better choice. If you think you would prefer a V shape go for the second one.

59 Roundback
Similar to: 1959 Gibson® Les Paul®
Thickness at 1st Fret: .860"
Thickness at 12th Fret: .960"
The 59 Roundback is based on early Les Paul® neck dimensions. It is also our neck profile most similar to the PRS® neck shape.

Clapton
Similar to: Early Fender® Eric Clapton signature Strat®
Thickness at 1st Fret: .850"
Thickness at 12th Fret: .940"
The Clapton features the soft "V" shape popularized by Eric Clapton.

Neither of these profiles could be described as a thin neck.

 

[GilmourD]

So I ended up at a different GC today. I had order a DiMarzio Tone Zone T and for some STUPID reason the default selection is for the cream version but they only have a picture of the black version and I never noticed. D'OH!!!

So, while I was there, I checked out another Baja, just to check my head (since my head CAN be screwy sometimes...  :tard: ).

It felt exactly like I remembered the other one feeling, fat in my palm but with less shoulders than my TMO-FAT.

Now, comparatively, it's the same thickness as my TMO-V, but that neck feels so much smaller. I think it's the lack of shoulders due to the sharper V.

So, I think I've been getting tripped up over numbers. If the Fatback is pretty much the same as the TMO-FAT and I like that the Baja feels like the TMO-FAT but with a little less in the shoulders, I'm pretty sure I'll be happy with the Boatneck.

 

[stratamania]

That photo does look quite thick of the Baja.

Just going by specs of thickness is only part of the story as previously discussed. One person's preference will always be different to that of another so if your gut tells you the boatneck may be closer to what you are looking for go with that.

Even if one of us had a Baja and said Warmoth x profile I find to be the closest in feel someone else may find another profile to fit that category for them better.

 

[musicispeace]

The Baja pics look like the Warmoth boatneck to me, just going by photos. And having both a Warmoth boatneck and one Warmoth Clapton neck the Clapton is way thinner. Boatneck has a bit of V feel and is chunky. If I remember you can always return something to Warmoth with their approval if you don't do anything to it.