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They've obviously figured out how to make long scale necks. They've got a couple quizillion other tele variations that they've released over the past 5 years (one with the jazz pickup in the neck, always wanted to try that, still haven't seen one in person).

Baritone / extended scale is an expanding market, and one that's growing at the bottom end ( ) of the price wars. If they can sell SQ Biv's all day long for threefitty and still make a profit, then they sure as hell can sell a bari-tele for $329 or so and make the same damn margins since there has to be significantly less parts and labor cost involved. They'll probably sell more of them than the offset models as it's "more traditional" and I don't see it biting into Fender USA sales - corksniffers gonna sniff, ya dig. @ $299, I have to imagine they'd be selling them 3-4x faster than the blacktop models and making better money besides.

Warmoth, et al has shown them there's a market. Hell, even Rondo has at least two different flavors of extended scale tele's and has had such for years.

What, I say, What da high unholy fuck, Mr Fender-Squier?! I'm calling you out.

Gauntlet = thrown.

I think it's because the Jazzmaster is awesome enough!

in terms of marginal cost, we're not exactly talking about a HUGE difference in parts, you know? i'm guessing they buy the parts in such quantities that the cost of more switches, pots, etc don't really factor in. this isn't a guy making them in his garage, this is a place with factories, international connections, etc.

when you're talking about tele, offsets, and regular vs baritone guitars, you're hitting "traditional" vs "explorers/non-traditionalists" ... while offset bodies are in no way new, they ARE, generally speaking, much rarer a body than "the usuals" (tele, strat, les paul), and likewise, the baritone guitar departs from the standard (regular bass, regular guitar). you're thus looking at doubled down smaller market. it's easy to say "there's a market!" ... but that market is super small.

warmoth and rondo aren't REALLY competing with squier. warmoth, you kinda gotta know what you're up to (i'd say they're competing with fender, certainly, but not squier). rondo, they're in the "road less traveled" market, i think (i've never seen a rondo in person, but that may just be me!) and, i'd say, compete with brands like reverend (who go for 'familiar but not necessarily traditional' and 'bang for buck'). fender, ESPECIALLY squier, is in the numbers game. regardless of the naysaying, they ARE good at their game (which, in large parts, is marketing and being cheaper than gibson).

They have the Fender Baritone Telecaster. The used prices on those are in the ballpark of what I would envision a new Squier would be, or at least what it would be after upgrading the parts that normally get upgraded that would already be decent quality on the Fender version

doommeow wrote:Gauntlet = thrown.

Haven't you heard tuning guitar lower than C doesn't make sense?

nah you're right. And it WILL happen next year, I'm sure of it. These things just happen But I think it depends a lot on how the bari Jazz catches on

btw the tele with the jazzy pup in the neck posish is GREAT

Get a Squier Tele body, slap a DC Kunkle bari neck on it, Bob's your uncle.

DarkAxel wrote:Haven't you heard tuning guitar lower than C doesn't make sense?

nah you're right. And it WILL happen next year, I'm sure of it. These things just happen But I think it depends a lot on how the bari Jazz catches on

btw the tele with the jazzy pup in the neck posish is GREAT

I don't think that Baritone Jazzmaster will catch on as well as the VIs or just a standard Baritone (I'm talking B-b, 28" scale). That jazzy is tuned A-a which isn't a bad thing but it's just a little too weird and they're not exactly flying off of the shelves. The Bass VI is unlikely to go away at this point as it seems most shops can't keep them in stock and everything is simply ordered. The Baritone Jazzmaster on the other hand seems to be hanging in a lot of places and while it sounds decent enough there are some things about it that are driving people crazy (Stratocaster jack, ugly ass pick guard, pickup switch in top volume knob location which has a tendency to get bumped).

I would love to see a traditional take on Baritone from Squier. Those Blacktop Telecasters are pretty nice and something similar would be cool but Skully has a point when you start looking at upgrades.

Plus I think we're all rather see a Vintage Modified XII before a baritone tele.

skullservant wrote:They have the Fender Baritone Telecaster. The used prices on those are in the ballpark of what I would envision a new Squier would be, or at least what it would be after upgrading the parts that normally get upgraded that would already be decent quality on the Fender version

UGH. The electronics are shit even in the fender. Mine has a buzz like a beehive, and sometimes the "fucking piece of shit" switch doesn't connect. If I had any knowledge of electronics I would open it and fix it!




wait....

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aen wrote:

skullservant wrote:They have the Fender Baritone Telecaster. The used prices on those are in the ballpark of what I would envision a new Squier would be, or at least what it would be after upgrading the parts that normally get upgraded that would already be decent quality on the Fender version

UGH. The electronics are shit even in the fender. Mine has a buzz like a beehive, and sometimes the "fucking piece of shit" switch doesn't connect. If I had any knowledge of electronics I would open it and fix it!




wait....

i slapped one of those Emerson 3 way harnesses in mine & it solved a lot of problems. i also changed the bridge pickup & got rid of the middle pup (got a new pickguard, too). I honestly love it now, but it definitely need a lot of...uh...customization.