The Fender Classic Player Baja Telecaster was developed by Fender Master Builder Chris Fleming, who came up with some interesting concepts for this guitar. In order to make this instrument accessible to a broad mass of customers, it is produced as part of the Classic Player series. At first glance, the Baja Tele appears to be a true Telecaster model with a classic design. A closer look reveals, however, that Mr. Fleming has incorporated some interesting modern features in the form of Fender's own S-1 circuit and pickup equipment donated by the Custom Shop into the design. The body of the Fender Classic Player Baja Telecaster is made of alder and connected by a screw connection to the maple neck, which has a maple fingerboard. The special neck plate with"Custom Shop Designed" lettering refers to the place of development of this special guitar.
A Custom Shop "Twisted" Tele Singlecoil in the neck position and a Custom Shop Vintage-Style Tele Singlecoil in the bridge position are used as pickups, which produce the popular Telecaster Twangsounds. A 4-way blade switch is available for selecting the pickups, which individually activates the bridge or neck pickups in positions 1 and 3. In position 2 the neck and bridge pickups are activated together in parallel, while in position 4 both pickups are connected in series. The latter option delivers significantly more output and a very fat tone.
Further sound variations can be called up via the S1 switch, which is integrated in the volume controller in the form of a push/push switch. When the S1 switch is activated, the pickup combinations in position 2 and 4 of the blade switch are operated out-of-phase. The sound becomes significantly thinner and hollower by erasing different frequency ranges.
The bridge in vintage tele style with the three typical brass string riders clearly contributes to the popular Telecaster sound and also gives the classic player Baja Telecaster a certain vintage look. The strings are guided through the body in so-called string through construction. Classical closed vintage style tuners allow quick and easy tuning of the guitar, while the H- and E-string sustain holds the high strings securely in the saddle. Of course, the characteristic pickguard and the Top Load Control Plate are a must in the overall impression of a Telecaster!