General Information
Here's a review of an early Gene Baker Original B - 1C Electric Guitar. This early Gene Baker guitar was built around 2001 based upon the low 300's serial number and features a bookmatched 4 AAAA Quilted Maple top over a lightly figured vertical grain Genuine Mahogany bottom and one-piece Genuine Mahogany neck. It has zebra pickups, with a push/pull tone for coil tapping.
![[IMG]](https://images.craigslist.org/00b0b_2wD5IglFi6I_1200x900.jpg)
![[IMG]](https://images.craigslist.org/00Z0Z_3TEdmJCXUJr_1200x900.jpg)
Gene Baker was/is a legit American guitar builder who has worked for both the Gibson and Fender Custom Shops, as well as building his own instruments since the 90's.
The early Baker Guitar Company guitars were some of the best USA builds out there. The fit and finish on this guitar is top notch and blows away any Gibson, and is on par with Paul Reed Smith quality. Don't confuse this Baker guitar with ones made in Korea by Ed Roman under the Baker name later after Baker's company was forced into bankruptcy due to a problem with the company that financed his defective CNC machine...
This guitar features the Buzz Feiten Tuning System as shown by the sticker on the back of the headstock. The Buzz Feiten Tuning System is said to provide perfect intonation throughout the whole fingerboard. Please see the information from Buzz Feiten's website describing their system below:
The Buzz Feiten Tuning System solves tuning and intonation problems with 2 simple steps:
1. Shelf Nut
Our exclusive Buzz Feiten Tuning System¨ (BFTS) Shelf Nut moves the strings closer to the first fret according to our Patented Formula. This eliminates sharp notes at the first three frets.
Buzz Feiten Tuning System Shelf Nut
Top View : Each Shelf Nut is precision machined from high quality bone for superb tonal response.
Side View : The strings are moved closer to the first fret a precise distance based on the scale length, fret width and string gauge of your guitar. The slight overhang of our nut (the 'Shelf') does this without altering your guitar in any way. So it's even fine for vintage guitars.
2. Intonation: Your guitar's bridge is adjusted according to our Patented Pitch Offsets, creating balanced intonation over the entire fingerboard - every fret - every string.
Your Bridge Is Adjusted to BFTS Pitch Offsets
![[IMG]](https://images.craigslist.org/00j0j_fDrKPhWqSXC_1200x900.jpg)
This is a great playing guitar, has a nice tone/sustain, and plays very much like a Les Paul in both feel and weight. I found the Buzz Feiten Tuning System was unobtrusive and the intonation throughout the guitar was correct.
The guitar has a nice low action and thanks to the push/pull knobs and coil tapped pickups provides a bit more versatility in tone than a Les Paul.
Though this review is for an older model Gene Baker, I expect his current builds would have the same quality...
Specs:
Nut: 1 5/8"
22 frets
24.75" scale
Fingerboard: Rosewood fingerboard with Crown inlays and 6155 frets
Pickups: Seymour Duncan Tapped Humbuckers
Bridge: Original Tone-Pros Stoptail piece and Bridge
Tuners: Schaller
Headplate: Ebony with the Baker logo inlaid in Pearl
![[IMG]](https://images.craigslist.org/00G0G_kV4baxIRSQh_1200x900.jpg)
Hardware: Chrome
Pots: Push/Pull tone to activate bridge coil tap and two volumes
Binding on neck and top.
Hardshell case: Baker Orange
Weight: 8 pounds on my bathroom scale.
Gene Baker was/is a legit American guitar builder who has worked for both the Gibson and Fender Custom Shops, as well as building his own instruments since the 90's.
The early Baker Guitar Company guitars were some of the best USA builds out there. The fit and finish on this guitar is top notch and blows away any Gibson, and is on par with Paul Reed Smith quality. Don't confuse this Baker guitar with ones made in Korea by Ed Roman under the Baker name later after Baker's company was forced into bankruptcy due to a problem with the company that financed his defective CNC machine...
This guitar features the Buzz Feiten Tuning System as shown by the sticker on the back of the headstock. The Buzz Feiten Tuning System is said to provide perfect intonation throughout the whole fingerboard. Please see the information from Buzz Feiten's website describing their system below:
The Buzz Feiten Tuning System solves tuning and intonation problems with 2 simple steps:
1. Shelf Nut
Our exclusive Buzz Feiten Tuning System¨ (BFTS) Shelf Nut moves the strings closer to the first fret according to our Patented Formula. This eliminates sharp notes at the first three frets.
Buzz Feiten Tuning System Shelf Nut
Side View : The strings are moved closer to the first fret a precise distance based on the scale length, fret width and string gauge of your guitar. The slight overhang of our nut (the 'Shelf') does this without altering your guitar in any way. So it's even fine for vintage guitars.
2. Intonation: Your guitar's bridge is adjusted according to our Patented Pitch Offsets, creating balanced intonation over the entire fingerboard - every fret - every string.
This is a great playing guitar, has a nice tone/sustain, and plays very much like a Les Paul in both feel and weight. I found the Buzz Feiten Tuning System was unobtrusive and the intonation throughout the guitar was correct.
The guitar has a nice low action and thanks to the push/pull knobs and coil tapped pickups provides a bit more versatility in tone than a Les Paul.
Though this review is for an older model Gene Baker, I expect his current builds would have the same quality...
Specs:
Nut: 1 5/8"
22 frets
24.75" scale
Fingerboard: Rosewood fingerboard with Crown inlays and 6155 frets
Pickups: Seymour Duncan Tapped Humbuckers
Bridge: Original Tone-Pros Stoptail piece and Bridge
Tuners: Schaller
Headplate: Ebony with the Baker logo inlaid in Pearl
Hardware: Chrome
Pots: Push/Pull tone to activate bridge coil tap and two volumes
Binding on neck and top.
Hardshell case: Baker Orange
Weight: 8 pounds on my bathroom scale.
