Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

S

stupendous silly

New member
I think I am going to be trading my Les Paul with this soon. I wil have a chance to check it out in person but I would like to hear your ideas and experiences on US Charvels of that era. Much appreciated. Have a good one.
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

I've never fondled one, but if my MIJ Charvel Dreamsicle is any indication, it should be superb. The quality of it us superb, so I would imagine that a USA model would be at least as good.
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

2008 should be in the range of the good ones. Charvel made a lot of stupid decisions down the line with those models, but the early ones were excellent.
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

Sirion said:
2008 should be in the range of the good ones. Charvel made a lot of stupid decisions down the line with those models, but the early ones were excellent.
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Thank you... Maybe you or someone could elaborate on those decisions a little, and someone confirm your estimate that 2008 should fall in the good part of the story.
 
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Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

Im not sure if Sirion is speaking of over the years, or what have you...?? Im guessing maybe he is going way back?? Or, talking about how since coming back, they have moved production again...

If you arent familiar with Charvel hist, it briefly goes like this:
Charvel started out as a repair shop, then started building guitars from out sourced parts, then making their own, then outsourcing over seas. The Japanese ones were great, then they went all over for production, releasing "budget" models and turning to rubbish.. Then...... disappeared for years..

In 2008, they started making guitars again and they were made in USA and VERY excellent guitars.. After a couple of years, they moved production to Japan, and now they are made in Mexico.

Anyhow... about the guitars.. They have excellent necks!! Very fast and comfy to play. The backs are oil finished so they are real smooth, the fretboard has nice rolled edges and a compound radius. Some of the models came with Dimarzio pups and some with duncans. Orig floyds and good tuning keys.
Good stuff.
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

I am talking about the first runs of the pro-mods, which began in 2008, if memory serves. As BloodRose writes, they were first made in the US, thereafter in Japan, and then in Mexico. It is generally agreed that the quality slipped significantly with the last move (and they moved the volume knob to a less accessible spot, which is a dealbreaker for me), so you are likely to be getting a better guitar than the current runs.
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

Gentlemen I might be missing something. I am trading an pretty new Gibson Les Paul Traditional with high specs which is around 2650 dollars list price. I thought USA Charvels were premium guitars but the prices people mention in old forum treads from back in 2008-9 are below a grand. Am I getting myself ripped off here?
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

Yeah I remember the list price for a ProMod, in 2008, being around $999. They're good - for the price even great - but not quite a straight-up trade for a Trad LP
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

Agreed. To be fair, I suspect that Charvel took a loss with their very first models to reëstablish the brand: unlike Jackson and Ibanez, Charvel was firmly associated with the 80s, and it was not given that they would be a success. They started out at 999$, but if memory serves, they went up in price pretty quickly, at the same time as the quality declined.

I think it is fair to say that the Charvel is more guitar per dollar than the Gibson, but yes: there is a significant difference in price for those two guitars.
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

Sirion said:
Agreed. To be fair, I suspect that Charvel took a loss with their very first models to reëstablish the brand: unlike Jackson and Ibanez, Charvel was firmly associated with the 80s, and it was not given that they would be a success. They started out at 999$, but if memory serves, they went up in price pretty quickly, at the same time as the quality declined.

I think it is fair to say that the Charvel is more guitar per dollar than the Gibson, but yes: there is a significant difference in price for those two guitars.
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So you think there will be a serious quality difference between the current Mexican promods and early American or Japanese made guitars. I am hearing very mixed opinions on the current ones, and some people seem to think the very recent ones are very good. I think they changed to a the truss rod adjustment wheel system at some point and that seems to be a treshold with the newer ones. Did you have a chance to try the latest productions? Or anybody else?
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

The current MIM models are garbage compared to the USA and MIJ models. Fender has destroyed Charvel.

The USA models ran from ‘08 to ‘09, then Japan until the tsunami wiped out the plant mid 2011, and finally Mexico. Starting in 2017, the necks are not even quarter sawn anymore. You can buy new MIM models right now for $500 with a quick Google search.

The USA models were $899 and even some of those were slow sellers. I snapped up several in the the $400-$500 range and kept the best parts for myself. Now you are lucky to catch a USA model that cheap.

Don’t misunderstand me, they are great guitars at the right price, but a used Les Paul Traditional sells in the $1300-$1500 range, and a USA So Cal is a $600 guitar used.
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

I have a qs promod neck on a parts build and as a builder myself i can promise you the quality on those would be hard to beat.
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

kramersteen said:
I have a qs promod neck on a parts build and as a builder myself i can promise you the quality on those would be hard to beat.
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Maybe it is only the necks but the bodies are crap, so there is no real contradiction with the previous verdicts? :joke:
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

The bodies are 2-3 piece Alder and there is nothing wrong with them. The tuners used to be Grover, and the tremolos were MIK Floyds. I swapped out the bridge and tuners for German Floyds and Schaller M6s. Again great guitars, but you have to know what you are getting. Fender has continued to water down the brand to what we have today which is a tragedy for the original “hot rod” strat
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

I think these guitars are great, no complaints at all. The floyds are good quality and the stock pickups are pretty good, (dimarzios in mine) The neck feels super comfortable and the playability is good. As for trading a les paul for it: worth it, yes. If you are looking for this to be simmillar to a LP, you will be disapointed, these are nothing like an LP.
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

No worries, I guess I should have a serious brain trauma to expect them to be like Les Pauls. Okay Gentlemen thanks alot, no harm in further information you may add of course, but I suspended the trade project for a while, since some serious financial damage may incur. I will do some more research on other trade options and try to sell my Les Paul in the meantime. Thanks a lot.
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

They Charvels are great guitars, especially the year you are looking at. But, price wise, they ran about less than a Les paul.. unless you have a studio.

I think holding off is a good thing. If you are unhappy with the LP, then sell it and buy a Charvel and possibly have money left over..
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas Usa So-Cal 2008 ?

Ayrton said:
The bodies are 2-3 piece Alder and there is nothing wrong with them. The tuners used to be Grover, and the tremolos were MIK Floyds. I swapped out the bridge and tuners for German Floyds and Schaller M6s. Again great guitars, but you have to know what you are getting. Fender has continued to water down the brand to what we have today which is a tragedy for the original “hot rod” strat
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History repeating itself.. Back in the 80s, Charvels were American hotrods. Then the model series in Japan, (funny, these were frowned upon at the time, but are actually awesome) then built anywhere and diluted in quality until they were a joke... sad..

Hopefully (and doubtfully since Fender owns), they wont be diluted any further than Mexico..
 
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