guidothepimmp
So... today I had the opportunity to play one of the new San Dimas Charvel's that are made in Japan..
I must admit I am bitterly disappointed... Owning 2 from the 80's I am of the opinion that these newer ones fall short of their older cousins in just about every department..
Pro's - The neck is phenomenal! Also has an original Floyd Rose, Seymour Duncan pups, Action (as low as I have ever seen)
Con's - Big neck joint, paint work isnt great, really light piece of alder.
So why am I disappointed?
Well comparing it directly to my model 4... The neck pocket on the new charvel is not angled, this means that because of the top mounted floyd, the strings are a good 1.2 - 1.5cm above the body.. and the pickups are set to their highest..
This is why the neck joint feels clumpy, it is a shallow rout with the fret board quite high..
Not really a catastrophe but I dont like that..
On the older models, the neck joint was angled so the neck joint wasnt as clumpy.
Then the finish, on my older models, the finish seems much more significant than on these newer models.
Tone... this new model seems a bit thin on the tone side... maye it has something to do with the lightness of the wood.. not sure.. My older ones seems heavier weighing in at around 3.6kgs and have a "meatier", raunchier tone.
(i did pla them through the same amp, the store had a Laney like mine).
oh.. and no case where my old Charvies have an old school original tweed case..
hmmm..
Maybe I was just expecting too much..
:-[
singemonkey
Maybe the pickups are not as good as the older ones. Surprised about the finish. Just thicker? Were the old ones finished in nitro maybe? What factory are the new ones made in?
Strange that they made those dodgy design decisions. Maybe Charvel was going for a cheaper to produce instrument?
tonerider
I like your review guidothepimmp. I get what you mean with the string height and the neck joint. It isn't slim and sexy anymore. This is importance to me too as I like as small a distance possible between the strings and the body/scratchplate on a bolt-on, it just works nicely with the angle of my right hand and feels a lot more comfortable. I love a San Dimas neck myself. Old School! ?
guidothepimmp
THanks man..
just to add.. been seeing that these are meant to come with skb cases.. made a point of going back and asking about that..
turns out there is a case that comes. The sales dude ummed and ahhhed but the case is included in the cost.
so potential buyers.. dont get duped into paying extra for a case..
second time this has happened.. stores try make some extra bucks selling the case separate..
naughty naughty
arjunmenon
Wow! Your experience sounds very bad Guido.
I had the opposite when i played one of the new San Dimas (Vintage Vibe on the forum is now the owner of this Charvel).
The one i played had a phenomenal neck (with the rolled fingerboard edges and wormhead fret ends) and had a great action to boot.
The pickups were Dimarzios and i was suitably impressed. This guitar really had no paintwork issues, and it wasn't the lightest guitar i've played.
The neck joint though, like you mention, is a strat type (unless i'm mistaken). And yes, it's supposed to come with a very nice SKB case.
guidothepimmp
WHat ?! >☹
Vintage has a Charvel and hasnt posted it in the superstrat thread??
Attila
I like my old Chavel Jackson acoustic, to bits...... esp since I made a few mods and it lived to tell the tale ......rather well I ed say
