Just played the 25th Ann. "Charvel" (not impressed) .....

[RR05xx]

Maybe it was all the hype (kinda like John Trevolta in Pulp Fiction [img]graemlins/sleep.gif[/img] ), but I for one was not impressed with the 25th Ann. model that I played. Yes, very nice fit and finish. The birdseye neck and flame tope were very nice etc. Action was not optimal, but it was not terrible either.

BUT to me, the FEEL of the guitar was so Fender (highend/custom shop, but Fender none the less). It reminded me so much of a custom shop Fender that I played a year or two ago at guitar center, that I lost all interest. The shape of the neck, the way it is finished, and the dressing on the frets is what I think turned me off. The Fender-style neck plate didn't help I am sure but I can get over that).

Flame away if you must, but for the $2500 plus that the guy wanted I kinda thought that some of the feel would be there (and dont tell me its because the guitar is brand new, because my GMW "copy/counterfeit" played and felt just like I hoped/prayed/expected it too right out of the box as I bought it on reputation as I had not played one before getting it).

I am totally crazy or is something off about the guitar?????

(Sorry if this has been covered, but I tryed not to read others reviews as I wanted to go in "cold").

[Spider Riff]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. "Charvel" (not impressed) .....

Brother you are right. I own all the beasts a Charvel 25th, GMW, and the real deal 80's Charvel. The GMW is the way to go for now unless you are a collector. GMW is a player's guitar.

[terrax]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. "Charvel" (not impressed) .....

i think it's funny actually. made from san dimas part templates, heck doesnt mike shannon even work in the custom shop, so he probably had a hand in it's design? strat head that everyone creams over, and it's still not good enough.

there is a big difference you cannot buy off the rack (unless it's a used guitar), and thats age, and being played. give that guitar 20 years of hard playing, and you'd love it.

Dave

[Greg Crowe]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. "Charvel" (not impressed) .....

Of course the 25th doesn't feel like a Charvel..... it isn't! It was made in the Fender Custom Shop by Fender employees before the Jackson equipment and people even moved in there. People who bought those got overpriced Fender Strats with a Charvel logo.

[RR05xx]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. "Charvel" (not impressed) .....

Originally posted by Greg Crowe:
Of course the 25th doesn't feel like a Charvel..... it isn't! It was made in the Fender Custom Shop by Fender employees before the Jackson equipment and people even moved in there. People who bought those got overpriced Fender Strats with a Charvel logo.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">If true, that explains everything (and I am not saying it isnt, I dont know myself). I guess I will wait for the Bulls Eye and try that.

[Chuckracer]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. &quot;Charvel&quot; (not impressed) .....

What Greg said is 100% true.

[~K~]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. &quot;Charvel&quot; (not impressed) .....

Originally posted by Greg Crowe:
Of course the 25th doesn't feel like a Charvel..... it isn't! It was made in the Fender Custom Shop by Fender employees before the Jackson equipment and people even moved in there. People who bought those got overpriced Fender Strats with a Charvel logo.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Actually I walked through the custom shop while those were being made and it depends on your point of view I guess as to who those were made by.. They were made in "charvel/jackson" cells that are intertwined through FMIC and then sent through the Jackson area for set-up

[charvel pointy head]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. &quot;Charvel&quot; (not impressed) .....

I've written more than a couple posts on this subject. No, it's not a 2500 guitar. Know what else? A sandimas strathead from 20 years ago isn't either, except that people seem more than willing these days to pay that much. Has anybody played say a 1962 or 63 strat? the ones before cbs and the big head? I would guess that when the guys at charvel back in the late 70's were trying to come up w/ something, they chose that as a basis for neck feel, went w/ a larger radius (12" vs 9") and stuck 6100 gibson frets on there, voila, the charvel feel is born. I think it's more the oil finish and thin neck (though not as thin as ibenhads) that gives the MOJO or whatever it is to the old ones. When you get a GMW today you are getting essentially the same thing you'd a got from Charvel in 1981, a small custom shop guitar built to your specs. If GMW comes up w/ a catchy logo like Charvel did, if/when guitar playing/shredding comes back, our GMW's will be the shiznit, then we'll sand off all the Charvel decals we put on them to satisfy our nostalgia, myself included, and blow away. With one exception in this town, I could walk into any music store and massively unimpress the locals w/ one of my sandimas guitars. Thats ok, it's me that is impressed by them and that's enough since I pay for them. Hey that was kind of a stream of consciousness. Clark

[Birdzeyeee]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. &quot;Charvel&quot; (not impressed) .....



Looks like the GMW is the way to go since you can virtually get an unsurpassed high quality version of that favorite Charvel that you either sold or couldn't afford back in '81 -'85. Plus the Floyd nut doesn't require weakening the neck by drilling 2 holes at the wealest point in the neck! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] If I want a great pointy, I can also get one from GMW without the "peeling" and above mentioned Floyd improvements.


How do the GMW's compare MOJO to MOJO (and build quality) with the Charvel Strat reissues? (not the 25th ann.) Thought about getting one of these when they expand their graphics / colors options. I DO NOT want a Fender feel!

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. &quot;Charvel&quot; (not impressed) .....

Agreed,very nice axe but.....for that kinda $$ I wasn't very impressed either!! [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] Chucksplatter

[sully]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. &quot;Charvel&quot; (not impressed) .....

Originally posted by Greg Crowe:
Of course the 25th doesn't feel like a Charvel..... it isn't! It was made in the Fender Custom Shop by Fender employees before the Jackson equipment and people even moved in there. People who bought those got overpriced Fender Strats with a Charvel logo.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">that's not what mike told me. i know that the one that was at namm last year was slapped together for visual purposes, but the ones that were ordered and made were under mike's supervision.

i've played two or three of them, and no, i don't think they're $2500 guitars, but i don't think that they feel fendery to me.

sully

[Genebaby]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. &quot;Charvel&quot; (not impressed) .....

It's funny that GMW seem to be able to provide a Charvel replica that feels right but Charvel/Jackson themselves can't?....what's the go?...isn't the neck on the 25th oiled up?...

[mattsmusiccenter]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. &quot;Charvel&quot; (not impressed) .....

Impressed or not, I've got one for sale on my wall here. Someone buy it, now!!

Matt [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[RR05xx]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. &quot;Charvel&quot; (not impressed) .....

Originally posted by mattsmusiccenter:
Impressed or not, I've got one for sale on my wall here. Someone buy it, now!!

Matt [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">LOL. As it happens Matt, yours was the one that I played [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] (and I had thoughts of buying it on the way down there to try it). However, the Namm Camo model you had did catch my eye. So many guitars, only so much closet space....

[Wizard of Ozz]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. \"Charvel\" (not impressed) .....

I've heard both good and bad about the 25th Annis... I've yet to play one myself.