Charvel So Cal

[metlking]

Re: Charvel So Cal

My only problem now is that I've got too many to play now . . .

Never heard of such a thing!!!!


Nice guitar. I've been thinking of getting one. I like the style 2 tele body a lot too........

[KeeperOS]

Re: Charvel So Cal

That looks awesome!

Congrats on the new score and enjoy!!!

[Binnerscot]

Re: Charvel So Cal

Best 600$ I have ever spent! This guitar is fricking awesome! Pics/info to come.

Congrats, I have one those in the dark candy green. I love that purple. Those are some smokin' guitars.

[GuitarStv]

Re: Charvel So Cal

Never heard of such a thing!!!!


Nice guitar. I've been thinking of getting one. I like the style 2 tele body a lot too........

Too bad you don't live in Canada . . . the same dude who sold me mine is also selling a purple Charvel tele : http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/oak/msg/2065336255.html

[Ayrton]

Re: Charvel So Cal

Sweet axe!

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Charvel So Cal

I've had 4 of the special color SoCals - Candy Green, Tangerine, Purple, and Pagan Gold (the neck from my Candy Green was the first one sold on Ebay - $482 )

I've also had a couple of the rear-loaded ones - the Slime Green and the White.

These are great players, indeed, and I have to say the one I miss most is the Purple SoCal. That color just rocks. A guy on the JCF put a white pickguard on his and it's got a bit of Grape Creamsicle vibe happening.

I've still got the Candy Green body somewhere around here


But overall these have more of an 80s Hair Metal vibe that I was never really into, though the DiMarzios did get me that classic Iron Maiden tone.


Warmoth's 2-hum pickguards work well, but have Fender neck heel spacing, which means you'll have to widen it once you get it. You can get pretty much the same single-ply matte-finished material though. I ordered 2-hum/V/T/5-way replacements for all mine.

You should be aware, however, that SuperSwitches will have to be oriented with the wafers towards the bridge since the route in the body is so narrow in the control section.
Not a major issue, unless you wire it up before you try to fit it.

Warmoth's S-S-S pickguards will also give you trouble, at least the slanted bridge pickup will. I had to shave about 1/4 of wood out of the bridge pickup section to accommodate the single coil's baseplate.

[orangecountycarl]

Re: Charvel So Cal

What's crazy about this guitar is how at home the neck feels . . . and all my other guitars are Gibson scale, small fretted guitars. The neck feels great, with a nice satin feel to it.

That's a great looking guitar.

I'm so glad somebody here really likes the neck as I just purchased the same neck on Fleabay last night as a replacement neck for my Kramer.

[GuitarStv]

Re: Charvel So Cal

Here's some soundclips . . . almost clean with neck and middle pickup, gainier solo with the bridge, crunch with the bridge volume slightly rolled back, and completely clean with neck and volume rolled back a bit. Don't mind the sloppy playing . . .

http://www.soundclick.com/player/sin...d=9899771&q=hi

[BloodRose]

Re: Charvel So Cal

Im so jealous! Thats the exact one thats been killing me to have!! I wish it came with the duncans tho.. but thats just my pref
Congrats!

[arellanon]

Re: Charvel So Cal

Hey that guitar looks awesome! Enjoy!

[GuitarStv]

Re: Charvel So Cal

Warmoth's 2-hum pickguards work well, but have Fender neck heel spacing, which means you'll have to widen it once you get it. You can get pretty much the same single-ply matte-finished material though. I ordered 2-hum/V/T/5-way replacements for all mine.

You should be aware, however, that SuperSwitches will have to be oriented with the wafers towards the bridge since the route in the body is so narrow in the control section.
Not a major issue, unless you wire it up before you try to fit it.

How hard is it to cut through pickguard material? It sounds like I'd have to do a lot of shaving around the neck area, and it would really kill me if I did anything half-assed with this guitar. Do you have any tips for how you modified the neck section of the pickguard?

[SrDeMaFp]

Re: Charvel So Cal

How hard is it to cut through pickguard material? It sounds like I'd have to do a lot of shaving around the neck area, and it would really kill me if I did anything half-assed with this guitar. Do you have any tips for how you modified the neck section of the pickguard?

Tin-snips should work great and quite easily. On another note - Good GAWD these Jap Charvel's play better than the USA "production models", IME.

[Hoboman]

Re: Charvel So Cal

I tried out a couple of used ones at GC. The necks did feel great but the upper fret access was really lacking.

[GuitarStv]

Re: Charvel So Cal

I tried out a couple of used ones at GC. The necks did feel great but the upper fret access was really lacking.

The Charvel is like this:


My Godin is like this (although mine is a righty with a maple fretboard):



I'd like it a little more if the heel was smoothed out a bit like my Godin, rather than just a big block like your typical strat. I have found though that by changing my thumb position a little I can reach all the strings on the 22nd fret with my pinky and ring finger without any problems. Besides, I figure that if it worked for Malmsteen and Van Halen, who am I to complain?

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Charvel So Cal

Tin snips, or a very sharp carpenter's knife, and some patience.

I have no patience, so I went at it with a sanding drum and a Dremel. Shaved it down in no time flat, made a huge mess, and left it looking pretty ragged. The edges were hidden under the neck, however, and I was going for function over form, so looking nasty didn't bother me that much.
Especially after I had already cut the control section of the pickguard off with tin snips (so it looks like a Jazz bass control plate/pickguard setup). Ugly but functional.