Help decide

[Elio]

Hi guys great forum. Tons of info.
I need your expertise on charvels. I want to buy one so bad. I have two choices. Either a used san dimas polar white with zebra hums, or a white San dimas MIJ.
The US costs 800euro, the Japanese 700.
Which one should I buy? Are the jap guitars pretty much the same, soundwise, as the American made ones? Do you think that the guy who sells the used San dimas 800 is selling expensive? He claims that she is a limited model. Is that true? Are the necks exactly the same?

Which one you should buy and why?

Thanks in advance for your help
Cheers
Elio

[Grandturk]

They're pretty much identical. Build location is the only differentiation. Some have noted that the fret work on the MIJ models seems to be better, but its probably still hit or miss.

[G333]

The MIA Polar White San Dimas is one of the more sought after pro mods from what I've seen of the few that have shown up on eBay and they've been bid up over average market price. The zebra pups and the pup rings set it off. Plus if you adhere to general resale value predictions the MIA,would (imho), be the better deal.

Regarding the neck, Grandturk is correct, fret work is a bit better on the MIJ's more polished and they have a bit of a tint that makes it look a little darker than the stark white necks on the MIAs. The MIJs that I played just didn't have the vibe of the MIA's - intangible sure, but that held true for the 3 I checked out. With the 100 Eu difference (maybe work it down some?) between the two go for the Polar white MIA!

[Chief_CrazyTalk]

As always, MIJ FTW!

IMHO, LOL.

[Elio]

Cheers guys for the answers.
Today I am gonna listen the MIA and if she is in great condition probably I might buy the polar beauty. The next step is probably to swap the bridge pup....
Thnx.

[ChasSanDimas]

I would go with the polar white, with Zebras, that has to look sweet.

CHUCK

[Elio]

Just played the used san dimas....Guys the polar white San dimas with the zebra pups is quite different from an hss wildcard i played in a music store here in Athens, Greece. The white is much sweeter and i think she has less laquer in the neck. The hss San dimas sounded a bit clinical. So right now I am thinking only about the used MIA San dimas... I was surprised in a positive way... Nice warm clean with the neck pup. Riffs galore with the bridge. Great! Tmrw I buy..... LOL

Cheers.

[Elio]

Guys a quick question.... The guitar i played has a protruding lip in the neck pocket. Is that common for pro mod charvels? And if not is that a reason for not buying? Is it a defect? Acoustically the guitar felt nice, clean channel warm and well rounded....

[Grandturk]

Protruding lip? You mean on the neck? For the 22nd fret? That's normal.

[Elio]

Nope.... The body cavity is bigger than the surface of the neck.

like this

http://www.hightechtool.com/guitar/001b.jpg

sorry for my choice of words but i dont know how to describe it accurately

[P I K A]

Looks like a non-issue to me. As long as you are comfortable with it.

[Grandturk]

Non issue for me as well.