Gene Baker began playing guitar at age eleven, and honed his woodworking skills in Junior High preparing for his guitar-building career. Baker attended the Guitar Institute of Technology (G.I.T.) to further his playing abilities. After graduation, Baker served as a teacher/repairman for various stores, and briefly worked at Ernie Ball/Music Man. Baker built a number of guitars in a limited partnership under the Mean Gene trademark between 1989 and 1991.
Baker then took a Masters apprentice job at the Gibson West Custom Shop, serving under Roger Griffin. His duties included warranty repairs, vintage restorations, and custom building guitars. After Gibson closed down the shop, Baker moved to the Fender Custom Shop in Corona. Baker's first production work at Fender included working on the Robben Ford Signature Series, as well as the Carved Top Strat. In 1995, Baker was promoted to Master Builder (at age 28), and continued to produce around sixty custom Fender guitars a year. Baker and his good friend Gil Vasquez, who was also a Master Builder in the Fender Custom Shop, started building Baker guitars in Vasquez's garage. Both Baker and Vasquez worked at Fender until 1997 when they both left to focus on Baker full time. Baker closed up shop in 2003, and both went to work for Ernie Ball/Music Man. After Baker closed, Ed Roman and Robert English bought the Baker trademark from Gene Baker. Guitars are currently built in Ed Roman's shop and Gene Baker has no affiliation with the company. Vasquez is currently the manager of the Washburn/Parker Custom Shop in Mundelein, IL. For more information, visit Baker's website, or contact Baker via Ed Roman. Roman died December 14, 2011 at the age of 61.
Instruments currently built by Ed Roman Guitars since 2003. Previously built by Baker in Riverside, CA between 1995 and 2003. Distributed in the U.S. by Ed Roman Guitars. Previously distributed by Baker Guitars and Intertune, Inc. in Japan.