New Charvel necks?

[petedz]

I just visited the local Guitar Center and tried a new US built Charvel pointy. Nearly every post I've read here says that the new Charvels absolutely nail the feel and neck dimensions from the originals. The neck on the G.C. one really disappointed me, so now I'm confused.

I know exactly what an 80s Jackson bolt-on neck feels like: wide, thin, flat, raw, and comfy. Every one I've tried has been pretty consistent, and I like 'em. I only have intimate knowledge of one original San Dimas neck--my strathead--which is quite different from the Jacksons. Out of a dozen high quality U.S. built shred guitars, the strathead is the most inviting and easiest playing guitar I own.

To be fair, since it was G.C., the new Charvel was poorly set up and abused. That said, the neck seemed skinny and sterile--sorta what I associate with Anderson guitars.

Not trying to stir anything up, but I'm genuinely puzzled. Is my killer strathead an abberation? Do I have a gross misconception of what a San Dimas Charvel should feel like?

[j2379]

really i played 2 pointy headstocks at 14th st GC in NYC they felt & played great much like the original SD's, i also played 2 EVH's which i thought felt like bad fender necks.

[toejam]

Jamie, when you played my new Star, didn't you say that felt pretty close to the old SD feel? It's not too thin or thick.
The only other SD guitar I've played was an old, red Jackson Explorer that Ken owned, but I thought the neck was a little rounder and thicker for some reason.

[petedz]

For all I know, my strathead neck could be an oddball. Maybe I should blow ten bucks on some calipers and find out what's really going on....

[Grandturk]

really i played 2 pointy headstocks at 14th st GC in NYC they felt & played great much like the original SD's, i also played 2 EVH's which i thought felt like bad fender necks.

Were they the Black 1 hum and the 2Hum snakeskin? I've played the same once - liked them both, but not the abuse they had taken at that GC. I also liked the EVH feel.

[~K~]

For all I know, my strathead neck could be an oddball. Maybe I should blow ten bucks on some calipers and find out what's really going on....

Strathead necks differed from pointy necks.. they are 2 different profiles..The new pointies are more like the old pointies so if that is what you played you really can't compare them ..

Stratheads were a little different as there are several different profiles... for instance one of the older stratheads I owed felt more like a baseball bat type neck and the others I have are much thinner ...

To further compound this with the new series a lot of the old timers here will complain that they aren't even close ..especially the 25th ann series ...

I have a latter 25th and I've actually taken the time to check (with a profile gage) that neck vs my old 86 strathead... guess what .. both necks are pretty close to each other ... I guess my 86 must feel more like a fender then ...

BTW calipers won't do you a ton of good .... 2 necks can have identicle thickness yet have differing profiles ...

[eddie_van_earache]

they are the same ( old and new pointies) what you may have felt is: set up, string guage, memory of your strathead and of course the years of playing not present on a new one. I have one from every generationa nd iteration. The new pointies are the same as the old. The model series is as well but the finish throws it off - well my model 4 anyway. The 375 I had was different...

[petedz]

Mayday: that's some great info. Thanks!

My strathead neck is from '84, and it doesn't feel like a Fender neck to me.

Most of my guitars have very similar neck carves, even though they're from a half dozen different manufacturers over a period of two decades. One notable exception--an '89 Anderson--feels much like the new Charvels. I can't unload it for sentimental reasons, but I don't pick it up nearly as often as I should for a great sounding, high dollar instrument.

Guitar Center abuse aside, the fit and finish on the new Charvel I looked at was outstanding. Based on what I've learned, though, I won't be looking at new "off the rack" Charvels anymore.

I get your point about the calipers. A good education for me was looking at the contour drawings on Warmoth's site. It's amazing how few millimeters of difference are involved.

[atomic charvel guy]

your strathead from '84 is probably and unsurprisingly one of those magic infused ones that they are famous for. That's all I can attest too.

[circle of the tyrants]

Of the pointies I have, 2 have thin profiles, 2 have medium profiles and one has an extremely thin profile. Even if all of the necks are used making the most hi-tech machinery available, they still get alot of attention from human beings, detailing, sanding, fretwork and shit. It seems that it wouldn't be a surprise that they a little variance as far as their individual profile.

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

Original San Dimas stratheads & pointys both have a few different varying profiles(some thin/wide,some fatter/fuller & some in between),the pointys generally are more consistant!!

& yes,the typical pointy profile is different than the stratheads!!

[dg]

I only have one old SD pointy & one new pointy to compare. In terms of thickness & backshape, they are very close. The old one is slightly meatier in the lower frets, but from the 7th up they are about identical. I could see where the final hand-shaping & finish work accounts for the difference between them. The big, big difference that puts the old one on top is the 22 years of love it's had. It's broken in perfectly (especially the fretboard edges) & is just effortless to rip on. I have no doubt that the new one is going to break in and be great as well.

[eddie_van_earache]

jesus...

[petedz]

yes? :ROTF:

[j2379]

yes i played the black 1hum & the red GF 2 hum. i didnt see the snakeskin.

& TJ yeah your star's neck feels very much like an old SD. i think all of the pointy SD reissues ive tried feel identical, or at least close enough. IMHO if they could take the new pointy profile & add just alittle more back & get that flatspot just right, all the old school guys would love them. ide really like to try a NON EVH new strathead.