Production models. How to tell if its legit?

[broken_fusion]

Been thinking about a new style (preowned) Charvel I see a lot of new necks and bodies on Ebay. How do you know if your buying a good used guitar or a parts guitar?

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

You don't.

But, most of the sellers allow you to send stuff back.

[Grandturk]

There's not much difference in price, either way. If you bought the parts and put them together, you likely paid about as much as a whole guitar. Now, whether these become collectors items where "parts match" matters, that's a whole other ball of wax. I'm not even sure you can match numbers on the ProMods. I know there's a barcode on the body... is there one on the neck? Do these numbers coincide? Or are they just random inventory numbers?

I wish I still had my barcode scanner.

Factor that into the price you pay for parts. Factor that into buying a whole guitar.

[broken_fusion]

Well I would like to get a real guitar. Just concerned that I'm going to get a mutt.

[Grandturk]

Well I would like to get a real guitar. Just concerned that I'm going to get a mutt.

If it matters that much to you, figure it this way - unless you can prove without doubt that the guitar is as it was when it left the factory, it's a mutt. Factor that into your pricing when shopping for a used guitar. Otherwise, buying new may be the only way for you to rest assured that you got a "real" guitar.

[vondran]

... I'm not even sure you can match numbers on the ProMods. I know there's a barcode on the body... is there one on the neck? Do these numbers coincide? Or are they just random inventory numbers?

I know on mine when I looked in the neck pocket the bar code stickers were fairly faint from being in tight contact between the neck and body. I imagine in a short amount of time they'll be unreadable.

I'll concur with others in that i will cost $600-$900 to assemble a guitar when you could likely purchase a complete used one for $600-800.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I mutted a blue Pro Mod neck and body together and sold it to Guitar Center with the serial number of a white/chrome/cream SD1 and they paid me money for it. True story!

These are not going to be collector's items except in the sense that old Model series are, and do you really care if numbers match on those? I don't.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Well I would like to get a real guitar. Just concerned that I'm going to get a mutt.

OK, wait a minute.

Why do you care? :think:

I mean, outside of it being a "factory second" or something.

[Larz]

I'd say with Ebay you never truly know what you're buying until you receive it, assuming that basic, yet critical part of the transaction even happens.

Unless you're buying from a reputable dealer's Ebay store.

[Newc]

Since these are mass-produced and not individually hand-made, there's not a real concern as long as all the parts are legit Charvel and not Fender or Warmoth parts (some people prefer the old skool Fender radius or nut width and just put on a fake decal).

However, I think that's the issue here.

I'd play it safe and only buy new.

[broken_fusion]

OK, wait a minute.

Why do you care? :think:

Umm because I'm forking out money for a guitar built by Charvel, not cobbled together by some living room luthier.

[Harmonious]

Umm because I'm forking out money for a guitar built by Charvel, not cobbled together by some living room luthier.

Charvel no longer exist dude, but I take your point.

[Grandturk]

Charvel no longer exist dude, but I take your point.

Uhhhhhhh????

[roodyrocker]

To be safe, if a parts mutt is a concern, just buy new as there are great deals out there on new ones anyway depending on the color. If you use the cash back thing from Bing.com you can buy new from a dealer for the same price as used. Some dealers also have free shipping so you save there as well. I've seen black Charvel San Dimas Style 1's for $700-800 at times. Throw in the cash back and the free shipping (this is all on E-Bay) and it doesn't make sense to pay the same for a used one. Again, color makes a difference here. Change the color to the ever popular white with chrome hardware and you're not getting that for the same price generally speaking. Which model/color are you considering?

[broken_fusion]

San Dimas 1 2H in yellow. I was looking at some used in the 7-800 range. Cash back from bing is 6-8% on charvels from what i see.