USA Production Star!

[Rich#6]

Have Stars always had bolt n necks or were there ever any neck thrus? Either way there sexy guitars.

If there are any they are very rare. More likely some Jackson stars neckthrus.

[toejam]

Jackson did a few custom shop neck-thru Stars. As far as I know, the Charvels were bolt-on unless somebody possibly ordered a custom shop.

[RR05xx]

These guitars, while cool for what they are, have a very, very limited audience. Yes, there are people who love them, but they are few and far between. The specs on the new production series were not exactly chosen at complete random.

[iain_atkinson_1986]

How much were these brand new?

I got mine from the same run a month ago for £699 (approximately US$1, 200) or so. It's new but it'd been in the shop for years so I guess it had been reduced a few times. If I had the money going, I'd get another right away.

[Newc]

These guitars, while cool for what they are, have a very, very limited audience. Yes, there are people who love them, but they are few and far between. The specs on the new production series were not exactly chosen at complete random.

Agreed. There's actually a large market for Stars, but it's split up into several uncompromising smaller sub-categories:

- 1-hum, v-trem, Strathead, ebony/dots
- 1-hum, v-trem, Strathead, rosewood/dots
- 1-hum, v-trem, Pointyhead, rosewood/dots
- 1-hum, v-trem, Pointyhead, ebony/dots
- 2-hum, v-trem, Strathead, ebony/dots
......ad infinitum

You simply cannot cater to all those markets with a production model Star. The last production series like Toe had was proof. Not only was the price a bit high (same as a neckthrough Jackson!?), but for all the varied features, there's not enough of each sub-market to carry a production model.


Warmoth has the biggest success since each piece is made to order. Charvel isn't going to get into that business again because they're now tied to a bigger brand name. People expect Warmoth to have parts. People expect there are going to be a flood of "vintage San Dimas Charvel Stars" hitting the market at $3000+ each with today's advances in relicing.
You buy a new Charvel Star body for $350 and work it up to look like an '83 original and you've made a mint while screwing someone.

Charvel knows this, and that's what makes Charvel Parts practically impossible.

[vector]

I traded it to someone else here for an RR1T. I do miss it, though. It was a great player! Soloing on the highest frets can be a little difficult since the cutaway is slightly cramped there.

Just posted in the general forum yesterday trying to find this: http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...harvelStar.jpg

I traded it for a black USA Standard with two Seymour Duncans (JB bridge, Jazz neck) cuz' I tend to use that phased, combined pu's tone for sweeps and
cleaner toned passages in my playing. Dumbest swap I ever made. Not that there's anything wrong with the Standard. Plays great! It's just that the Custom was worth almost double and is so bitchin' lookin'!!!

[quiksilver]

Wow, I have never liked Stars, but that's the nicest Star I've seen yet. I love the color, the OFR, the reverse headstock, everything. That is one I would buy.

[85 San Dimas]

Charvel knows this, and that's what makes Charvel Parts practically impossible.

I agreed with everything in your post except the argument that led up to this statement. Charvel doesn't know or care about anything (it's a seperate name brand only), otherwise FMIC wouldn't make plates that say San Dimas on them AND put them on the non-CS models. FMIC only knows and cares about the initial sale to the dealer. Then they're done. They could give a happy damn about anything unless its a actionable trademark issue. The secondary or counterfeit markets are someone else's problem.

As far as the "stars" they don't get made for one reason only, and that's the dealers. Again, FMIC only cares about the profit they make on the intial sale (wise as long as customers keep buying), and the dealers just don't want these things hanging on their wall. ONE CUSTOMER at every store MIGHT want it, MIGHT buy it, but if that customer doesn't then it'll be hanging on the wall for 2 years like an anvil around the dealers neck. Example is a Carvin V220, if its 700 bucks on the wall used it'll never sell and is a helluva guitar. If MusicZoo thinks they can sell 100 stars then they can pay FMIC to make them, otherwise...the dealers have confidence they can sell a strat shaped guitar and won't get stuck.

As far as production costs for stars, please...the wood working is a program for the CNC machine that only has to be loaded, you don't even have to "work" to do it. The backplates costs what? 4 cents from the Chinese? 75 cents from a USA supplier? the rest of the guitar is just a guitar. Bottom line is FMIC can't sell 1000 of these to the dealer network in ANY configuration so its CS only where they get $ up front.

Still no single hums, anyone surprised? BTW like the Magenta alot, not so much the green (the black kills it IMHO), and the Jake (I wouldn't say Murray) is okay but ultimately just a plain strat. The guitar that is least "offensive". A wild one, a different one, and stock one so a good mix of colors.

[toejam]

Just posted in the general forum yesterday trying to find this: http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...harvelStar.jpg

I traded it for a black USA Standard with two Seymour Duncans (JB bridge, Jazz neck) cuz' I tend to use that phased, combined pu's tone for sweeps and
cleaner toned passages in my playing. Dumbest swap I ever made. Not that there's anything wrong with the Standard. Plays great! It's just that the Custom was worth almost double and is so bitchin' lookin'!!!

I remember that one. I think Stars and Kellys look great with the reverse headstock.

[wilkinsi]

Didn't someone here once own Chris Holmes' Harley Star?

[chrisolson]

Didn't someone here once own Chris Holmes' Harley Star?

Al Z the "retired" guitar collector. He has the blood drip too.

[surfreak]

You may disagree, but I think the Star body shape is fundamentally flawed, in that it simply doesn't sound good.
I don't specifically know why, but in my experience the lack of wood right behind the bridge takes a lot away tone-wise.

I remember reading an EVH interview a while ago where he said that his Destroyer sounded awful and he stopped using it after he routed the wood out and created the proto-Star shape...

[Flatpicker]

You may disagree, but I think the Star body shape is fundamentally flawed, in that it simply doesn't sound good.
I don't specifically know why, but in my experience the lack of wood right behind the bridge takes a lot away tone-wise.

I remember reading an EVH interview a while ago where he said that his Destroyer sounded awful and he stopped using it after he routed the wood out and created the proto-Star shape...

I think there are too many variables to make the blanket statement.
Wood type, density, bridge type, Neck construction, etc.
It's possible EVH's stunk, but others have sounded very good.

[joelayres]

It's possible EVH's stunk, but others have sounded very good.

Gotta remember - EVH's original was an Ibanez Destroyer that he took a sawzall to. Not exactly precision workmanship. Having said that, I've never cared for Stars, Explorers or Vs - a friend of mine had a V which I played for 5 minutes and hated it.

[ironworker221]

Next years Wild Card model will be a Red Star with Maple or Ebony fretboard 1 Dimarzio Full Shred Pointy head with a Floyd Rose. I would even consider buying a "Hello Kitty" Star with the right opions on it.