Charvel Custom Shop Order - 1 year down and still waiting...

[Drlynnmd]

Well, it has been officially over 1 year since I ordered my first CS Charvel... Strat body painted Black, black headstock painted to match, all black hardware, black floyd, pearl neck binding, and pearl dot inlays, two hum with no pickguard, etc, etc... The dealer I ordered it through has been helpful at keeping my spirits up. I ain't hatin' on my Charvel crew...I'll wait another year if I have to. The dealer told me that there was a recent downsizing of the staff at the Charvel CS and that was the reason for the delay... I guess I'm just missing that new Charvel. Wondering if there are any similar CS wait stories you guys would like to share to help me pass the time until my new baby arrives. Thanks guys.

[MikeStrat]

I don't have any good stories for you but I can say this is the only reason I haven't put in my orders for cs Charvels. I feel for ya brother. The wait times are just ridiculously stupid. Especially for what you ordered. Black on black. That should be a 90 day turn around at most. I've heard all the stories about what's going with Charvel. Only they really know for sure. I think it's just a total lack of interest by Fender to keep the USA part of Charvel going. I wish they would sell it and let some owners who care run it properly. It's a shame but I guess it is what it is.

Good luck to you. Let us know when you get it.

[Drlynnmd]

Thanks Mike. I was under the impression that early on, Fender brought the Charvel team in, gave them their space, and let them essentially to build the CS orders just as the did in the past. I saw a CS video tour after they moved in to the Fender complex. It was so wierd to see so many of my favorite guitar companies under one roof...Charvel, Jackson, EVH, etc... Piles of jackson necks perched next to EVH guitar bodies and Charvels in various stages of production, fenders everywhere...surreal. Anyway, it seemed like pure bliss, and it really kinda reassured me (at that time) that even though Charvel had a new home, they were still given the freedom to to continue to build the types of CS guitars that made them so desirable.

Alas, along comes the media blitz for the imported Desolation series (hohum) which resembles NONE of the Charvel heritage (except the logo) - and now recently, I have been seeing hints of the exact same thing about to happen to the Jackson line. I have no problem with change, and putting some new models out there in the lowerprice bracket to attract new players and those with tighter budgets is fine with me. But for God's sake don't do that at the expense of sacrificing the quality of the original CS guitars that we all know and love.

Maybe the honeymoon is over with those guys? Like you said, Mike only they know for sure. I hope that those clouds in the distance don't mean a storm is brewing...

[DonP]

Bummer. I'm parting together a mid priced Charvel starting with a flamed pro-mod neck. I don't think I could wait that long.

[Rich#6]

The new charvels are all based on old less know charvel models. i wish people would let that sink in. The custom shop has been at a couple of years for a long time. that would be a stupid more to lay off people since so many people will not order from them becuase of the wait. Take me for example, i hated waiting 3 months for a Carvin that i received yesterday. I coun't even think about 2 years.
With the japanese factory closing both brands had to find new places to make their guitars. the X series aren't too bad and the desolution I have only heard good things. They're not as good as the MIJ and the price reflects that(the japanese factory prices, at least what they charged fender, should have been much higher hense the reason for the factory closing.

[Axewielder]

This is totally unacceptable IMHO. I have no doubt that Fender, with all their resources, could bring those lead times way down if they made it a priority. Downsizing?? Bah. I've actually never placed an order for a CS instrument, and see to reason to start now (even though I could easily afford it).

[Drlynnmd]

Well said axe. My Point exactly. There are manybuyers out there that would love to have a CS Charvel and can easily afford one, but the wait times... Disappointing. I'll bet when the new CS finallygets here, I'm gonna love it, and I'm gonna want to buy another one. Will I? Probably not... I could do it, and I love collecting them, but I can't wait forever. I'll probably go back to doing what most of us Charvel CS lovers do...scour the internet until one pops up that I like. Does that help Charvel? No.

[shreddermon]

It is what it is, dude. I've gotten guitars in as little as 6 or 8 months. And as long as 2 years-plus. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it through the years, as far as I can tell.

Wait times do seem to have gone back up again recently, though. I'm also on 1 year already on one order, and still waiting. Chill, and just hope for the best.

[mrt01]

Well said axe. My Point exactly. There are manybuyers out there that would love to have a CS Charvel and can easily afford one, but the wait times... Disappointing. I'll bet when the new CS finallygets here, I'm gonna love it, and I'm gonna want to buy another one. Will I? Probably not... I could do it, and I love collecting them, but I can't wait forever. I'll probably go back to doing what most of us Charvel CS lovers do...scour the internet until one pops up that I like. Does that help Charvel? No.

I totally share what's being said...

I also have one on order... CS Socal, 1S 1 HB, Gotoh bridge, sonic blue... 11 months waiting and don't wait for anything before a while...

I wish I could have found my dream guitars in another brand... well not really, Charvel rules all the way.

Would have ordered another one, but the build time is insane !

Cheers from France man,

PS : to any future CS customer, please also enrole some Yoga course at least for a year !

[pjastper]

The wait time is long - I ordered in Nov 2010 and received a month ago. The good thing is I love the guitar. I'm pretty sure these guys build Jackson, EVH and Charvel so they probably have a lot of work. They also got pulled to do the prototype builds on the desolation series. I was quoted 14-16 months on a new order. I'll have a lot of time to save my money for this.

[xenophobe]

Um... hate to say this folks, one of my good friends has had his Custom on order for over 25 months now. He is due to receive this guitar in a month or so, but he's gone through all kinds of hell.

[MikeStrat]

Um... hate to say this folks, one of my good friends has had his Custom on order for over 25 months now. He is due to receive this guitar in a month or so, but he's gone through all kinds of hell.

I'd be curious what the specs are on that guitar. It better have unicorn hair for strings!

[mrt01]

[busdriver]

One not to be underestimated part of the wait time is some kind of black hole somewhere in the custom shop. There are cases when you finally receive the guitar you'll notice that the date of final inspection dates back several month'

[Drlynnmd]

Update...more bad news for me. I had asked for a pearloid (pearl-like) Charvel logo. Thought it would look cool on an all black guitar (Black headstock, body, etc.) Well...it turns out that they can't do that. I have seen Charvel logos in every pattern and color under the sun, including pearloid, but now they can't do it. Geeezz. Hey, at least they're working on my guitar, right? They are gonna do the logo in white. (sigh).