Product: Victor Baker Model 18 Special
Price Paid: US $4 Figures
Submitted
04/19/2001
at
12:57pm
by
Frank Mele
Features
:
10
Custom Made Fall 2000. 3 in depth.Ebony Headstock overlay. Mother of Pearl Decco fingerboard inlay, and Custom headstock appointments.
Maple/Ebony/Maple neck. Bone nut. Everything 5 layer bound except
f holes-3 layer. Beautiful carved solid sitka top. Beautiful carved
solid maple FLAME back. Carved ebony tailpiece. Bartolini floating jazz pickup. What a Beauty! 18 inch super 400 size, SELECT ebony fingerboard. Wineburst finish. Made in Philadelphia, PA.
Sound
:
9
I play jazz. This guitar, through my vintage Ampeg portaflex,
is great. This is a straight jazz instrument made by a great guitar
player for other guitar players. I prefer Kent Armstrong jazz
pickups. The Bartolini is great. I have always preferred KA's.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
This guitar compares to or exceeds anything coming out of the Guild/
Benedetto Custom shop for about one fourth the price! AND for your
money, the guy's name on the headstock who made the instrument is actually the same guy whose signature is on the label inside.
(I recently sold my Fratello. This instrument SOUNDS BETTER.)
The workmanship is beautiful. Check out this "unknown" luthier's
website if you are in the market.
Victor Baker plays the instruments. The guitar is set up to play.
Reliability/Durability
:
No Opinion
I have not owned the instrument long enough to comment on the
long term reliability/durability.
The construction is entirely of first rate materials.
The final finish is applied by an award winning finish shop.
See Victor Baker's web site.
Customer Support
:
10
Victor is still at the stage of his carrer where he is
readily available. His emails are returned the same working day.
You can phone or write him. My correspondence with him over the
purchase of my instrument went great. What a nice guy to deal with!
The instruments are quaranteed for life except for normal wear and obvious abuse. To find out the price for a similar instrument,
go to his website and add up the additional appointments to the
base price.
Overall Rating
:
No Opinion
If you are a player and are seriously considering to purchase
an archtop made for you by a private luthier, check out Victor Baker.
Jazz guitars are personal. I really can't compare this instrument.
To each his own. All I can do is give my testimonial. Hey 18 inch
jazz boxes are not for everybody. For example, at home I have a 1957
KAY upbeat with the full crazy white and gold plastic headstock. The
box still has the original black laquer finish and 26 inch scale neck.
I have a heavy set of Thomastic Infeld flatwounds on it. The neck has been reset and the action is medium. The instrument is a pressed
plywood archtop. I love to practice with this instrument.
Overall rating? Maybe a 4 or 5? But I wouldn't part with the
guitar. My grandfather and father both played this instrument.
Overall emotional attachment rating 10++!!
