any update on latest charvel guitars?

[shreddermon]

I'm not so sure about that one. USA custom shop guitars with a Charvel logo are next to non-existent from about late '86 to maybe '90. I suspect that there were no USA Charvel logos even to be had until '88-ish. Maybe even later. Remember, the last "Charvels" built in San Dimas went out with Jackson logos and Charvie plates, because they ran out of Charvel logos and stopped producing them. Custom bolt-ons essentially all became Jacksons from that point on, and they were pushing the Charvel brand as the import line at that point.

[veniculum]

Maybe I'm in the minority here...hard to tell..., but I'm really disappointed that they're moving pro mod production to japan (and REALLY disappointed if it's Mexico). I take pride in my USA made guitars...and the Charvels were kinda like the crowning jewel of my collection, if you will. Such bang for the buck...a USA made guitar made with quality materials for $1100 street price...not to mention, I got my Telly for 699 (when they dropped the price), and my SD-HSS for 1000.

I'm absolutely going to pickup a SoCal USA pro-mod...particularly if it is confirmed that production is moving to Japan (or..cough..Mexico)

I will admit, that guitars can be made over-seas these days and have really good build quality. Especially considering some of the crap that came out of Japan back in the 80s. Still..there's something really special about "American made". Nowadays, even the Korean and Chinese stuff can be good quality...I don't build guitars and don't claim to know everything about the process...but I'm sure computers have helped in the quality dept.

In any case, I see the appeal....899 for a new Charvel. But in my mind, what's better...899 MIJ...or 1099 Made in America...200 bucks aint much when buying a guitar...and it's certainly worth it for the "made in USA" sticker on my guitar...even if all things are equal. But I guess being proud American aint what it used to be...shame

[lepard]

I wonder if we have already seen the low point in USA Pro Mod prices? There were SD1's for $799-$850 all the time and Tele's for $650. I would think the new Japanese models might make the original USA Pro Mods worth a little more over time. This has to be good for some of us. Ten years from now, the USA Pro Mods might be kind of legendary.

[veniculum]

I think you are absolutely correct. Before there was any talk of Pro-mods going to Japan, you could easily find a USA Pro-mod on ebay for around 700. I got my Telly from the dealer for 699....now that the rumors are saying MIJ, I'm slowly seeing the Pro-mods going up in price. And I feel like the longer I go without buying a So Cal, the more I'm gonna pay. Decisions decisions!

Personally, I think these guitars are legendary already (and I really am not exaggerating)...so 10 years from now...sky's the limit

[lepard]

I also imagine production was being moved to Japan so they could get the volume they needed to send these things out to all the big retail stores, Guitar Center, etc. You never used to be able to buy a San Dimas Charvel at Guitar Center or any of the big online retailers. This will get volume out and more volume = more profits. I also think that over time, that volume will work against the Japanese guitars and then you'll be able to buy used ones by the dozens for $400 on eBay with the USA Pro Mods holding value up around $700-$800. I would think the 2 graphic Flame models would increase in value as they were limited in production and fairly unique.

[lepard]

Butchering history with inaccuracies is such a poor thing.

Aw come on man, you get the point.

The point being, it's interesting how history repeats itself 25 years later. Charvels started out being made in the USA as production guitars for 5 years and then moved to Japan for mass distribution. Here we are many years later and Charvel tries to recapture the original glory/feel of it's original San Dimas guitars, makes them for a few years in the USA and once again moves production models to Japan, actually the same Japanese shop that was originally setup by AMIC/Grover Jackson to produce Charvels in 1986.

[RacerX]

the original glory/feel of its original San Dimas guitars,

No apostrophe

[DRM]

No apostophe

It's "apostrophe", grammar nazi.

[fullmetalguitar]

No apostophe

A what now?

[RacerX]

D'oh! Hoisted on my own petard!

[RacerX]

It's "apostrophe", grammar nazi.

Aw, go shoot a gun, gimpy.

A what now?

Aw, go kick a football, Charlie Brown.

[DRM]

Aw, go shoot a gun, gimpy.

Gladly. Go stand downrange.

[Mazz]

so what's happening with the SoCals? they are still going to be produced right? i wanted to get one in green & black.

[veniculum]

Every night I'm looking for a deal on a So Cal, and there are less and less of them at a low price. Even the online superstores are listing them back at 1099...where they did go down for a short time in some cases. This just proves to me that they know something that we don't...or at least something that isn't official yet (I suppose we do already know). I think it's pretty clear at this point that they're moving production overseas...which, on one had, really sucks because I love the USA Pro-mods...but, it's a good thing too because it absolutely increases the value of my two San Dimas pro-mods.
I really wish I would've picked up a So cal back a few months ago. My local shop told me they'd sell me one of theirs for $700...and I passed it up. They had a plum, slime green, and the gold one. The gold looked too much like my SD-HSS....and I just wasn't into the slime green...I kinda dug the plum. What I really want is the white SoCal with the black pick guard. As soon as I see one for a decent price, I'm gonna jump all over it....if I ever get that opportunity again...may not get that opportunity again

[Mazz]

Every night I'm looking for a deal on a So Cal, and there are less and less of them at a low price. Even the online superstores are listing them back at 1099...where they did go down for a short time in some cases. This just proves to me that they know something that we don't...or at least something that isn't official yet (I suppose we do already know). I think it's pretty clear at this point that they're moving production overseas...which, on one had, really sucks because I love the USA Pro-mods...but, it's a good thing too because it absolutely increases the value of my two San Dimas pro-mods.
I really wish I would've picked up a So cal back a few months ago. My local shop told me they'd sell me one of theirs for $700...and I passed it up. They had a plum, slime green, and the gold one. The gold looked too much like my SD-HSS....and I just wasn't into the slime green...I kinda dug the plum. What I really want is the white SoCal with the black pick guard. As soon as I see one for a decent price, I'm gonna jump all over it....if I ever get that opportunity again...may not get that opportunity again

I know what you mean man, I really want either an Orange with Black pickguard or White with Black pickguard, being 16 there's no chance I'll be able to afford it before they move production to Japan again.