Charvel San Dimas

Re: Charvel San Dimas

treyhaislip said:
If its Fender then it is most likely a costs thing.

Quartersawn necks are more expensive than Flatsawn, I have no clue on the price of manufacturing necks nor adding graphite rods but with FMIC ownership I doubt it has anything to do with sustain and just cost cutting measures.

I would highly recommend both Warmoth and Musikraft–if the body has the typical Charvel 2 1/4 neck pocket then you need Musikraft (unless Warmoth now offers that but I believe they only do 2 3/16, not sure about WD or USA Customs.)

You can get one of the newer Charvel San Dimas body on eBay for around $200 completely painted and all–get a neck and hardware plus pickups and you are set well under your mentioned price of $1,400.

It won't be a truly authentic Charvel brand guitar but it will get you the Charvel guitar you want (which the modern Charvel stuff is Fender not Wayne Charvel...and the Charvels from the 80's that became so popular were really Jacksons.)
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Yeah, because the Charvel necks are so sweet, everyone harvests the necks and sells the rest.. I wonder if they will be doing this anymore since they necks are changed?

If they necks feel the same, Id be ok with it, as was mentioned above, the rods will provide the stability. I prefer the wheel truss adjust. Im just chapped by the price hike..
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas

In another thread someone posted the MSRP. What was the street price increase?
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas

BloodRose said:
You'd think they would have learned from the 80s.
Start out with a top notch product, cheapen it year after year until the name is synonymous with entry level rubbish..
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I never thought about it before, but that's exactly what it seems Charvel has done twice now.
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas

Gearjoneser said:
I never thought about it before, but that's exactly what it seems Charvel has done twice now.
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Exactly.. History repeating itself.. In the 80s they were USA hotrods. Lots of people went nuts cuz they did the Model series in Japan.. (Even tho they were AWESOME and in later years became very desirable. Then they went to china or korea and started putting out all kinds of rubbish..

Recently we had the US Pro Mods. Then they were Japanese. (Again, amazing guitars), now Mexico. Granted they are building good guitars in Mex, but they have gone to a cheaper floyd, cheaper tuners and the price keeps climbing.

Kramer did the same thing back in the day.. Were awesome axes and ended up a joke..

Dark Matter, where you seeing them street for that price? If so, is that the base one with no figured top and hard tail? I saw a dealer selling the ones with the flame tops and IIRC they were $1200
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas

Wolferine92 said:
This Exactly. It is all about the money.

Regarding the Floyd, you are not going to get a more Original Floyd than the ones they fit.
If it's your beef with them being Korean instead of German made than please state so, although (again) I wouldn't understand why you'd have a problem with that, other than it's Arm Collar. New one costs 30 bucks max.
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I think my fear comes from the metal used. I am nervous about the quality of the steel. It effects how it sounds and resonates. I can always replace the trem block, but the basic unit needs to be made out of a good quality steel or its a tone sucker. I know it will lock ok but will it sustain well and sound good.....that kinda thing.
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas

philthis said:
I think my fear comes from the metal used. I am nervous about the quality of the steel.
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If I'm honest that's part snake oil. Korea is a modern Advanced country, more so than most other countries. They use the same methods and ingredients to produce the bridges as our German brothers. It all comes down to (internet) speculation, 'legacy' of MiG Floyds and cheaper production in the Orient.

BloodRose said:
Exactly.. Recently we had the US Pro Mods. Then they were Japanese. (Again, amazing guitars), now Mexico. Granted they are building good guitars in Mex, but they have gone to a cheaper floyd, cheaper tuners and the price keeps climbing.
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Again, the Floyds have not changed through the ProMod series. They are all 1000 series Floyds since the 2009 USA ProMods. What did change is Floyd Rose's marketing of their Bridges, annoyingly so because it causes this unclearness for the public. I do agree the price rise is a bit weird. I can see some increase because of the decreasing value of the € as a currency but not the current increase in I'm honest. Thomann has them around the 900€ mark. I paid 1050 for my USA ProMod and the MiJ's were about 950 at the time.
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas

You may be right. The next step is to try one out. I am kind of waiting to see the YouTube videos with the new models and some reviews from players.
 
Charvel San Dimas

BX8a said:
Just a thought: From my experience with an MIJ So Cal, the neck is crap.

The OFR doesn't feel as smooth as the Ibanez Edge Zero II.
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About the neck, is it not related to your climate? I have never had any problems with mine and we have some moderately hot summers and moderately cold winters. I know of several people with Charvels ProMods USA and MiJ and one even has a bunch of Custom Shop stuff. None of them ever had the problems you stated.

Comparing an OFR to any of the Ibanez Bridges is apples and oranges. You won't compare a Kahler and an OFR on the smoothness of handling just as you shouldn't with an Edge and OFR.
 
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Re: Charvel San Dimas

BX8a said:
Just a thought: From my experience with an MIJ So Cal, the neck is crap. Sure it feels good on the hands cause it's unfinished but it is definitely the weakest neck even compared to my cheap Indo guitars. I turned the truss rod at least 3 full turns but it just doesn't stay straight. I have a thread about this not too long ago.

The OFR doesn't feel as smooth as the Ibanez Edge Zero II. The springs are hard to press, the profile is too high, definitely not comfortable. Get an Ibanez RG655 and be done with your search.
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Your opinion is definitely in the minority–not saying you are lying just saying that is the first I've ever heard of someone complain of the MIJ Charvel necks. Sounds like you got a lemon, have you owned more than one or just that one?

And as Wolferine92 said, you can't compare the Floyd Rose to the Edge Zero...different designs and different responses. Also its how you set them up–you can have a two point bridge that is super tight or super loose, regardless of whether it is a Fender standard, Floyd Rose, Kahler, Ibanez, Jackson, etc.

Wolferine92 said:
About the neck, is it not related to your climate? I have never had any problems with mine and we have some moderately hot summers and moderately cold winters. I know of several people with Charvels ProMods USA and MiJ and one even has a bunch of Custom Shop stuff. None of them ever had the problems you stated.

Comparing an OFR to any of the Ibanez Bridges is apples and oranges. You won't compare a Kahler and an OFR on the smoothness of handling just as you shouldn't with an Edge and OFR.
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Re: Charvel San Dimas

I have a Japanese one and a US CS Charvel. Neither give me any stability issues. Matter of fact, Id dare to say the Japanese one is more stable. knock on wood, but once new strings are broken in, I never have to retune it. One it was set up, Ive not had to touch the truss rod
 
Charvel San Dimas

If we're throwing it on the table, I'll join
325058ab92122febe85aef083ca1df86.jpg


CO2 Neutral ofcourse! ;)
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas

BX8a said:
Nope. Definitely NOT climate issue. The MIJ Charvel has a one piece maple neck with the neck also serving as the fretboard. This one-piece construction might be the culprit. I have several other guitars, a 1993 Charvel CX291 with one piece maple neck, 2 MIM Strats with 1 piece maple necks, and none of them have such an unstable neck as the MIJ. The fretboard of these other guitars are rosewood though, which altogether make the neck consisting of two pieces, neck and fretboard. I surmise these 2-piece construction contribute to their stability.

Since the neck has to be removed for truss rod adjustment (which pisses me off even more), I tweak the truss rod with all strings off. I managed to straighten the neck with the strings off, but as soon as I strung it up, the bow crept back in. As a result, the action is a bit high around 12th fret region. It pissed me off big time.
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Have you ever contacted Charvel about this? MIJ Charvels have quite a reputation–your issue is an anomaly to the brand, especially the MIJ ones.

If you are keeping the neck then have you tried over correcting the neck slightly so that when the string tensions pulls it back it will creep back straight? I'm not a luthier but perhaps a reputable one (or contacting Charvel themselves) can fix it?

In theory, yes a board glued onto a neck is more stable than just a one-piece neck and a quartersawn should be more stable than a flatsawn. A roasted neck should be more stable as well. But things can always happen with organic materials. If you haven't contacted Charvel yet, I would. Just a suggestion.
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas

Yeah, good point. Contact em and see. It is unusual, so perhaps there is an issue.

And, since others have thrown down....



 
Re: Charvel San Dimas

BX8a said:
Aw ****....the red one just gave me an erection. Is that a refin? How did you get that beveled horn?
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No, not a refinish. it came that way.. Got red binding, red dots on ebony board. Input jack on the back of the body. Ive just changed the stock bridge pup, put a big block on the trem, ti saddles and stainless screws on the trem
 
Re: Charvel San Dimas

Well here we go. The first YouTube vids of a yellow and red came in. Both people seem to like them. Yellow San Dimas guy went through the tones on clean and distortion. You knew the JB would tear it up on distortion but between that and the 59 neck and the splits it actually seems quite versatile. For a club beater it's looking more and more like a go to guitar. Not ridiculously expensive and versatile.
 
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