An update...
Just came home from a Soul Benders gig. I wanna say that Arie really makes waves with his Tele; its suits him better. The B3 for I and my friend, was just less aggressive or less matapang from our spot. However, Arie felt that it was perfect from balance, to neck profile, to shape, to response, to playability except that he gets confused because he is not used to a two volume guitar. So, go figure...
What we did notice is that the Baker is flexible with so many sounds by just turning the volume knob... This guitar is really sensitive from settings 1-10 on the volume knob. It changes character and timbre with each setting. In addition the baker with just minimal boosting has enough drive to even beat a guitar with two overdrives on. The guitar just sustain and sings. We thought that it must be because of the high output pickups --- but the pickups are NOT high output because its clean is that of a low output pickup and Lollar is not really known to have super high output pickups. Miks also felt that this #55 was more hot than his Les Pauls but upon further examination, it really is the wood. To a very popular thread entitled WHATS THE BEST OVERDRIVE/DISTORTION PEDAL? I have to definitely say your guitar's wood.
By the way, subtle flame seems to be more appropriate with stage lights because aside from having a 3d effect, it softens the looks of the guitar. It is not as dry as a solid colored guitar nor is it as flashy and eye straining as pinstripe flame or highly dense flame tops.
More and more I am convinced that Gene Baker and Cliff Cultreri know what they are doing...
alex