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arison Below
PRS wins a couple of things
But the Baker delivers way more for 1/3 the price of the PRS.
Both PRS &
Baker Guitars are made on CNC Machines. Even those old
original Gene Baker guitars that used to sell for $4,000.00 were
also made on CNC Machines. Don't be fooled by photos of some guy in
a catalog carving a body. It really grinds my gears when I hear some
know it all moron salesman tell a customer that "These guitars are
hand made"
 I guess it
does take a hand to push a button to start the CNC Router.
Just in case you have been in deepest darkest Africa for the past 10
years and don't know what CNC means. It means Computer
Numerically Controlled. A CNC Router can make a guitar body in
minutes where it would take a craftsman hours & hours. A
craftsman will pay attention to the details of the wood grain, If
he's any good he will marry the woods that sound the best together,
he will position the wood so that an occlusion will fall inside a
pickup route or under a pickguard. In other words he will give a
$hit. CNC Machines just don't give a $hit. But they serve
their purpose in keeping costs to a minimum. Bakers, Gibsons,
PRS, Fender, ESP, Ibanez, Washburn, Yamahaha are all made on CNC
machines. Nothing wrong with that as long as the price reflects it.
Fenders are cheaper and better today than have ever been in 50 years. I
personally am not a huge Fender player myself. But I must comment, Fender is
a company that offers excellent value. In fact as long as you don't
go crazy on price with a Fender custom shop model you cannot go
wrong. I always highly recommend the artist model Fenders, They hold
value better than any other models and 99% of the time the quality
and components are better than the standard models.
Gibsons have gone through the roof in price because
Gibson thinks
that a customer will think it's a better instrument if it costs
more. The sad sad very sad thing is Gibson is right. Many people
spend a small fortune on Gibson's because they assume it must be
better because it costs so much more.
Ed Roman
says "Smoke & Mirrors." I have a few other
choice words to say but in the interest of not being blocked by
school computers, I'm going to have to settle for "Smoke & Mirrors"
Many people become
privately disillusioned with Gibson. They don't always admit it,
because they might still be trying to sell theirs, or at least keep the value as high as
possible on the one they bought. Usually after the person has sold
it he will give you a more truthful rendition of whether or not he
really liked it.
Below is a
comparison between a PRS custom and the Baker B1. The quality of the
PRS is excellent. The Baker wins primarily on price, components &
options. PRS will have a higher resale value but that's what huge
advertising will do.
(Gibson Comparison Click Here)
I always say that if you care too much about resale value it means
you aren't buying the guitar for yourself. You are buying it for the
next guy. So naturally you won't keep it because you didn't buy it
for yourself. I say buy what YOU want don't buy what you
presume the next guy will want.
Comparison Below Comparison Done 2004
I have come up against a
great deal of flak over my comparisons !!!
I just don't know of any other way to show a customer
how something is a better value.
If you
believe that I am wrong about anything or that I have left something
of importance out !!
If you think this is strictly a self serving article.
Please email me or call, I need something to make the PRS look
better!!
I will print any contributing article !!!
Remember
This Comparison Uses The
Lowest Priced Mass Produced Baker Not The Handmade
Ones
|
Body |
Baker B1 |
PRS Custom |
| Archtop Maple Over
Mahogany Both
Use The Same Woods, |
Yes |
Yes |
| Body Binding
Available Only On The Baker
!!!!! |
Yes |
Never |
|
Figured Top The Std Baker Top
looks a lot better than the Std PRS Top
|
Yes |
Yes |
Highly Figured Top PRS
offers one for $600.00 - Baker offers it for $200.00
Compare the quality of the wood on the Baker to either a PRS or
a Gibson. |
Yes |
Yes |
Weight Comparison Comparable except the PRS
Tremolo pushes the weight up.
On the old original Bakers they were heavy & cumbersome
Today they are light and sweet. |
Comparable |
Comparable |
|
Neck |
Baker B1 |
PRS Custom |
| Set Neck Comparable Neck Joints
(PRS also offers Bolt In Necks) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Bound Neck PRS has never bound any of their
guitars (not even $20,000.00 models) |
Yes |
No |
| Ebony Fretboard PRS will not do Ebony, even if you supply the Ebony |
Yes |
No |
| Rosewood Fretboard PRS
only comes with a Rosewood fingerboard. Baker offers choices. |
Yes |
Yes |
| Ebony Overlay On
Headstock (PRS uses some kind
of fiber material) |
Yes |
No |
|
Matching Quilt Headstock |
Yes |
No |
| Bound Headstock
|
Yes |
No |
| Logo Under Finish You can
scrape PRS Logo with a fingernail, Baker
logo is under the finish. |
Yes |
No |
| 24 Frets
Much harder to find a 24 fret
PRS (Not available on all models) |
Yes |
Yes |
| 22 Frets
Not recommended on a modern Guitar |
Yes |
Yes |
| Custom Inlays
PRS Only Offers Birds at $420.00
Baker Offers Free Crown Inlays. |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
|
|
Electronics |
Baker B1 |
PRS Custom |
| 2 Humbucking
Pickups |
Yes |
Yes |
| EMG Pickups
Available Baker Will
Install EMG Pickups |
Yes |
No |
| Duncan Pickups
Available Baker Will
Install Duncan Pickups (Recommended) |
Yes |
No |
| Jason Lollar
Pickups Available Baker
Will Install Lollar Pickups (Recommended) |
Yes |
No |
| Dimarzio Pickups
Available Baker Will
Install Dimarzio Pickups |
Yes |
No |
| PRS Pickups
Available Baker Will Even
Install PRS pickups |
Yes |
Yes |
| Choice Of Pickup
Colors Baker offers Black,
Creme, White & Zebra Pickups at no charge |
Yes |
No |
| Push Pull Coil
Splitters PRS Uses that 5
position knob that is numbered from one to ten, Baker uses a
push pull system that has less negative unity gain. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
|
|
Hardware |
Baker B1 |
PRS Custom |
| Tune-O-Matic Bridge
Available Not Available
since 1991 (Those 1991 Models were the best PRS's ever made)
They bring about $8,000.00 with a below average top. |
Yes |
No |
| Tone Pros Bridge
Available Ed Roman
Recommends The Tone Pros Bridge Since 1999 It costs an
additional $50.00 on a Baker and is not available from PRS. |
Yes |
No |
| Gold Hardware Free
PRS Charges $420.00 Baker
Offers it Free. |
Yes |
No |
| Black Hardware
Baker
Offers it PRS Does Not |
Yes |
No |
| Buzz Feiten System
Available |
Yes |
No |
Tremolo System PRS offers
only one tremolo, Baker offers 4 models. On the Baker it can be retrofitted, The
PRS will not retrofit. except for a Floyd Rose. You have to get
someone other than the factory to install it !!!!
PRS Wins on this because
currently they aren't charging for a tremolo,
There is a lot more than meets the eye on this subject, If you
are considering a tremolo on an archtop guitar then I suggest
you either give us a call or do a lot of research first.
Ed Roman |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
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Base List Price |
Baker B1 |
PRS Custom |
This Is A
No-Brainer
The Baker
Guitar is $1,100.00 cheaper it comes with Inlays, Gold Hardware,
Tun-a-Matic Bridge, a Gorgeous Quilted Or Flamed Top, Fully
Bound Body & Neck and a 2 year full
parts & labor guarantee. (not a
limited warranty)
The PRS charges
Extra
for Gold, Extra
for Inlays, Extra
for Figured Top and only comes with a one year
limited warranty.
Street Price The Baker sells for about
$1,295.00
Nicely Equipped
with Ebony Fingerboard, Duncan's, Crown Inlays, Gorgeous 10 Top, Gold hardware,
Binding, Matching Headstock, PP3 system, Tone Pros and more The
PRS sells for about
$1,999.00 stripped with no options at all.
Talk About a No Brainer!!!
IMPORTANT
The PRS Custom loaded. as far as they will
load it lists for close to $4,500.00 & sells for
$3,350.00 even in the biggest discount
stores. Ed Roman will of course beat that price by at
least $200.00. If you want a PRS Ed Roman can easily
accommodate you.
The Baker fully loaded which includes many options that PRS
doesn't even offer will cost less than $1,295.00 & your
satisfaction is 100% guaranteed.
Full cash return policy on all
Bakers that have not been modified. If you can find the same
guitar cheaper we will triple the difference back to you within
10 days !! |
$1,899 |
$3,500
$5,000 |
Below Some Unacceptable PRS Design Blunders
Horrible Long Heel & Bridge With No Adjustment
Incorrect Pickup Location
Another Photo Of The Same Blunders
Worst Ever PRS Design Blunder
On this guitar they used a Tune-O Matic style bridge
excellent !!!! Very Very rare for a PRS!!!
They must have taken a hint from my constant pointing out of the
problem.
Then they go and use a Bigsby style Tremolo for the tailpiece
Talk About a Royal Screw-up !!!!!
Old Style Bigsby Tremolos Look Cool But
They Don't Hold Tune !!!
Very Cool Modern Metallic Blue Paint with Unmatching 60's
Treehugger Hippie Brown Fingerboard.
This Guitar Should Have a Maple or Ebony Fingerboard.
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