Charvel USA San Dimas Style 2 neck pocket vs. MIJ So-Cal

[The Dali]

Ok, a question... I recently bought a USA San Dimas Style 2 (the Tele style) body and want to use a MIJ So-Cal neck on the body. In looking at the neck pocket versus the So-Cal, the USA San Dimas has a much more angled pocket. Is this normal? Would the neck be the same in either scenario? I will upload pictures later tonight, but it looks odd and it looks like the bridge needs to be raised quite a bit to get clearance. I haven't tweaked the neck (haven't even wired the pickups yet) but wanted to find out if the neck was compatible with the body before I did too much tinkering.

Thanks!

 

[jmh151]

Re: Charvel USA San Dimas Style 2 neck pocket vs. MIJ So-Cal

The will work fine. Unfortunately the USA Charvel Pro Mods were inconsistent from run to run with their neck angle routing- my Style 2 played perfectly with no shims, but when I put that neck on a USA Socal body, I noticed shimming was needed, so I'm in the procedd of taking it to a lutheir to shim it to the correct neck angle. But they are the same necks, fully compatable, just Charvel was a little inconsistent, some guitars needed shims while others didnt

 

[The Dali]

Re: Charvel USA San Dimas Style 2 neck pocket vs. MIJ So-Cal

Thanks - I'll check on the angle, but the USA seems MORE angled than the MIJ body so it might require a shim. Good to know they are the same necks.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Charvel USA San Dimas Style 2 neck pocket vs. MIJ So-Cal

are the Japanese ones more consistant?? I LOVE my Japanese sO cal and hope to get another or San dimas one day and hope it plays and sustains as great.

 

[jmh151]

Re: Charvel USA San Dimas Style 2 neck pocket vs. MIJ So-Cal

are the Japanese ones more consistant?? I LOVE my Japanese sO cal and hope to get another or San dimas one day and hope it plays and sustains as great.

The Japanese are regarded as having slightly better fretwork. They come with a hardshell case too. Only complaint is being non USA made, and the necks get a slightly darker oil treatment making them a little amber, whereas the USA ones are white. I hear the finish work is better on the Japanese as well, the USA ones- for good or for worse, had very thin finishes that you can sometimes see woodgrain through, and chip easily in areas like the trem posts.

As far as consistency, the Charvel USA Pro Mods would come in runs- batches of certain colors, and the guitars would be consistent in each batch, but slightly inconsistent from one batch to the other, particularly with the neck angle route. By the time they'd leave the factory, however, they recieved a proper setup, and shimmed the necks if needed, so by the time they reached stores they played great. However, if you plan on disassembling a Charvel and making a mutt, you'll likely need a new setup to correct the neck angle.

Having a USA made one, and playing a Japanese one, I'd choose the Japanese