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Roman-Baker Guitar

Current waiting time on a new Roman Baker will be approximately 1 month, Based on current orders we will still not be selling to dealers until we can fill all the orders we already have. The USA made one appears to be a success already, I don't expect to have even a demo available in the store till mid 2008.

When Ed Roman purchased the Baker brand name at bankruptcy back in 2003 there was much gnashing of teeth, whining, moaning & crying. Because of all the hoodoo, Ed made the conscious decision not to put his name on the guitar. There were numerous things Ed didn't like about the original Gene Baker model. In fact Gene had been making Ed a totally private & exclusive model for several years before the bankruptcy. This model was known as the Bushwacker and it featured many of the things that Ed Roman's Baker guitars feature now.

Almost 5 years later and more than 7000 guitars later
Ed will be finally be offering the guitar with his logo on the headstock

Ed has finally come to grips with all the improvements & price cuts.

Ed does not usually believe in set neck guitars, The Baker was a set neck guitar and therefore the glue in the neck joint interfered with the resonance & tonality that the neck was affording the guitar. Ed could never understand why companies like PRS would charge $1,000.00 or more for a solid rosewood tonewood neck and then defeat it entirely by gluing it in. The new 2008 USA Roman Baker will only come in a "Neck Thru Body" version or a deep set neck tenon like the Centurion Guitar.

Ed never liked the original Baker headstock, he thought it was just a little too big and looked out of place.

Historical

Ed was on a camping trip in the Rocky Mountains 200 miles from anywhere when he bought the Baker brand name & trademarks. Camped out on the side of a high mountaintop the elevation allowed his cell phone to work. So being the workaholic that he is he bid on the company without ever even showing up at the auction. Ed bid extremely low because he had seen nothing so he was surprised when he outbid Ernie Ball Musicman (who was at the auction)

The other bidders were upset that Ed never even showed up to bid. I guess they resigned themselves to the fact that Ed would have outbid them. In any case there was much gnashing of teeth that evening in Santa Maria because Sterling Ball wanted to buy the company and Ed prevailed.

Besides the oversize slightly bulky headstock, Ed didn't like the weight and overall balance of the guitar he set out to fix that immediately!!! He also stopped offering the antiquated 22 fret model and cut the cost to less than half of what the guitars were selling for.

Ed thought the guitar was way too expensive for a CNC made guitar so Ed decided to cut the price tremendously. This caused an unexpected backlash from people who had paid several thousand dollars more for their Baker guitars. These people were quite upset because Ed had effectively ruined their overpriced investment. These people badmouthed the new product (99% of these morons never even saw one of the new ones before their mouths started to run like several dozen flushing toilets)

Ed didn't like the yellow rectangular offset inlays so he went to the white block inlays.

Almost 5 years later Ed has finally decided to offer the guitar in a hand made model. If you want one of the hand made models Ed will build it under the Ed Roman brand if you want. Remember the hand made model is constructed like a Centurion McNaught or a Jackson neck through body guitar. There is absolutely no glue in the neck joint to dampen or squash the resonance, sustain & overtones.

See the below the proposed improvements on the new Romanbaker

NEW 2008 100% USA BAKER GUITARS

Gene Baker built a fine guitar, Ed Roman is building a better one. Ed will be personally involved in the construction of the 100% USA made 2008 models and fully guarantees the playability, sound and cosmetics to surpass the original guitars. See the table below to view the proposed refinements and improvements.

Furthermore Ed Roman Guarantees the B1 model quality to be noticeably better than the original ones.
This is really not new news, because Ed always guaranteed the low cost CNC made ones to be better also.

Proposed Improvements on USA Models over the Original Gene Baker Built Ones

AAAAAAA Grade Quilted Tops 16" Deep-set Neck Tenon

AAAAAAA Grade Flame Tops Lower prices than originals

Single Craftsman Construction Black/back Pickups Std

Much Lighter Weight Neck Through Body Version

5 New F Hole Designs Unlimited New Inlay Choices

Full Direct Coupling Buzz Feiten Retrofit Only

New Slightly Smaller Headstock New Speed Knobs

Choice of 24 or 22 frets Abalone Purfling available

Choice of 3 scales Korina Bodies Available`

Choice of 44 Woods Wooden Binding Available

Macassar Ebony Necks, Solid Rosewood Necks,

Tremolos Available Including Floyd & Kahler Active Electronics Available

Choice of Roman or Baker Logo or both

Hello Stephan
Just a short note to tell you how much I love this Baker, I was really worried about the quality because the price was exactly $2,455.00 cheaper than my friend Danny Pingle paid for his "Original" Gene Baker from Wild Wild West Guitars. about 3 years ago.
I'm certainly not a pro and I didn't want to spend 4 grand on a guitar. I am a competent player, but I'm married and well you know he rest.
Imagine my surprise when even my friend Danny agreed that mine even played better than his. Like I said I'm not a pro but those Duncan pickups you talked me into literally killed the pickups in his Baker.
Even the figuring of the wood was at least twice as nice as his. I actually felt bad for him.
Well I'd like to promise you that I will buy all my guitars from you. But I'm 44 years old and I don't expect to ever need another guitar in this lifetime. Thanks again.
BW Shaker

Dear Scott

Many thanks for the great deal on the Baker, I must say I was quite surprised at my treatment. I had been told that you guys were hard to deal with. (couldn't be further from the truth) Tommy, Steven, Bob, Joanne & you were all so nice to me. Currently I have two of Gene Baker's old guitars. I must say, I don't know why they are so much money. They are heavy, clunky, and the top and finish is about 2/3rds as nice as the one I bought from you for $2,300.00 cheaper than I paid from those flaming gay cowboys in LA who ripped me off.
I spoke to Ed on the phone before I came in, He told me that a lot of competing dealers tell people that you guys are out of business and you closed your store. Well from what I was told my some schmuck at Wild West Guitars that you guys were pricks and sold all kinds of phony guitars. Obviously he had some type of agenda that he wasn't sharing with me. From now on I am not going to listen to anyone else. I am going to make up my own mind about who gives me good or bad service. I don't know his name but he struck me as a meat sword swallowing butt pirate. A real rump ranger if you get my meaning. LOL heh heh

It looks to me like I will be buying all my guitars from you guys. I am coming out there in June and I want to go out to the custom shop and check out how you make the guitars. I want to meet Ed also. I want a Quicksilver for sure and possibly a Rockingbird

Thanks again for the great deal !!
Denver Co,

Dear Ed & Crew

I went to Las Vegas last week just to get my hands on four different guitars in your store (all three of which you can't find anywhere else) - Quicksilver, JET, Baker, and the Maximus. I loved all of them, but the Baker was the one that fit my hands the best so I went for it. It arrived today, and I haven't been able to put it down. Your guys took great care of me when I was in the store, even though I had a sinus infection and was pretty loopy at the time. Anyway, I am recommending a trip to Vegas for anyone who wants to purchase a quality guitar. It was well worth the time and money to try out and choose the right one.

The only thing that could have gone better was the pickups. I ordered a set of "zebras" and then called in later that day to request black. The Baker arrived today with the zebras but it's not a big deal -- they sound great!

Thanks for all you do for guitar players.

Rich Romano
Austin, Texas

Thanks to all the people who have purchased a Baker Guitar, Thanks to all the people who wrote us to tell us how much they like their guitar. e mailed us congratulatory notes on our acquisition!! Thanks to all the people who helped us acquire the company, Thanks to everyone who has pre ordered one of the new models and thanks in advance to anyone who wants to get one of our new USA models.
Ed