Would you buy a modern Charvel strathead?

[83SanDimas]

Lets say a compound radius.. 10-16 or whatever works best. Clasic wide thin Charvel back profile. Top or side ajustable truss (or back..thru the neck plate) some type of newer functioning trem like a PRS or suhr... (or floyd or standard 6 point...you choose)

Personally I would like to see Charvel come out with a less bulky looking floyd, sort of a locking vintage trem.

same 12th fret dots, same control cavity, same sexy body lines as the early 80s (that hand shapped look and feel)

Think evolution of the species, not reproduction of the past...

Would you buy one?

[Mickey_C]

Sure, if it was a great guitar, no question about it.

I think the VSVG vintage style wilkinson would be really cool, as would lightweight locking tuners.

As long as it sounded and played great, I'd be all over it.

[dsg0208]

I really like the NOS vintage brass trems

[brent]

Sure, if it was a great guitar, no question about it.

I think the VSVG vintage style wilkinson would be really cool, as would lightweight locking tuners.

As long as it sounded and played great, I'd be all over it.

I debated Wilkinson/locking on my custom order which I would prefer but, opted for the Floyd more traditional easier to flip if need be (cheaper too)

[brent]

oh and the answer is yes I'd buy one, (in fact I've bought 3)

Except for the odd guitar, the production and attention to detail has been excellent. The fretwork is almost as good as it gets, certainly some of the best from the factory you will see.

[Adam]

Sure. It sounds good. A straight-pull headstock, locking tuners, and a well-cut nut are about as good as a Floyd anyway, and easier to maintain. I'm a fan of Wilkinsons and the Hipshot Contour trem.

I would draw the line at a vintage 6-point trem though. I don't see a need to go back to that.

[Stinkbug]

I would be interested in getting one. I am still missing a Charvel Strat head in my collection.

[brent]

I would draw the line at a vintage 6-point trem though. I don't see a need to go back to that.

If I went with the vintage, I would do it with the intent of blocking it down and not using it as trem, I always preferred the sound of trem vs hardtail in strat style axes.

If I were going to use it as a trem, I'd go with a modern alternative, it's just senseless to not take advantage of advances in guitar building.

[quiksilver]

Yes, I would buy a more contemporary Charvel.

I'd like something along the lines of the SD-1, but with a Strat-head and an ebony board. Koa would be cool, but if it's too hard to come by, I'd be happy with an Alder or Mahogany body, done in Red Ghost Flames.

Dinky-bodied Charvel w/heel & lower horn contours
Floyd (prefer non-recessed, but recessed is OK)
Prefer 1H, but 2H would be OK, with 1 vol, 5-way switch (like SD-1)
24 fret Strathead w/Ebony board (or Maple as a second choice)
Prefer Abalone dots, but MOP would be OK

[dg]

I'm for the compound radius board (which the new ones have, btw), but I prefer the old-school truss adjust at the heel & neck w/ skunk stripe. I also think the more rounded body contours like the pre-pros had would be awesome. I love how the belly cut just smoothly eases into the back on some of those old ones! Trem-wise, I'm a floyd guy and I don't see that changing unless they come up with something with all the same functionality & stability, but with a more vintage look. I could see forgoing fine-tuners to make that happen. I just doubt that anyone is going to pursue it because demand probably wouldn't be high outside of some of this crowd.

[83SanDimas]

I agree on the demand, but it would directly compete with the Suhr/Andersen guitars. I think it would hold its own...

[quiksilver]

It's interesting that you say that about Suhr, because I've been thinking along the same lines. I'm thinking of getting a new Suhr Pro Series when they come out with the 24-fret version if they offer it with a Floyd, but I'd rather get a new Charvel along the same lines (super-Strat body, Floyd, 24 frets, etc.), as it would look cooler IMO with a Strat-head, and it would be a Charvel, which is a plus in my book.

[peedenmark7]

buy? no!

I've sat quietly reading for months....bought and then quickly resold or returned the new charvels......now I dont wanna start a sh!t storm with the admins or the jcfi here,, BUT
in my "humble opinion" as a long time player , supporter,collector...I would try before you buy any "new" c/j product.

I had the absolute displeasure of getting a dweezil reverse 2nd hand...
hands down the friggin coolest looking charvel I have ever seen.
awesome idea...and was excited as a rooster in a hen house abouth getting one..

but the floyd arm socket rubbed/hung up on the trem route.
it didnt return to pitch without some help...
the fret job was abismol and needed dressing from the 13th fret up .
furthermore....
I wanna know who donated the neck for the neck specs on the "NEW" pointies cause they arent even close to the namesake...
that or jackson seriously dropped the ball in duplicating "every" guitar to that spec.
the few JCF member limited edition runs were pretty close and very cool...

current neck specs are way to thin , with no thickness at the shoulders of the neck...feels more like a ibanez jem guitar than a dimas charvel ...
I was so incensed that I cancelled 2 jackson neckthough teles...
and thats another nightmare ordering cluster fu%k story all together...

I wont even go into the mediocre paint work...

I love these guitars dearly... I know and have had great working relationships /ultimate respect over the years with/for the gentlemen building them...

but this company desperately needs to RE-figure out what the term
"san dimas " means before they put refer to any instrument they send out as that.

p.o. box 245 is as foreign to fender these days ,as it is to wayne himself

[~K~]

now I dont wanna start a sh!t storm with the admins or the jcfi here]

In all honesty John this is what starts shitstorms. There's no need to put a disclaimer here and it is this type of statement that gives us a bad rep with people assuming we kiss JCMI ass.

I cannot personally give a positive opinion of anything on this board without being ripped over it and I've chose to keep my mouth shut more and more over the last few months because of it... I'm just tired of being made out to be a bad guy all the time.

Your opinions on the new product is just as valid as mine and I don't see an issue with posting it at all. What gets to me is the elitist way it gets done by some members by belittling anyone who happen to like or beleive in the new stuff...

My opinion on the current pointy neck spec is that they aren't bad. I have had tons of old charvels and all those necks had their own feel due to the backshape sanding etc. I have one in my house right now that is wide and thin and it is a legit guitar. It is the only one that has the shape to it that I've owned ..

I agree that they need to take a hard look at quality and I've been assured they are doing that. I love C/J prouct as much as any of the oldtimers and I don't want to see it fail because then a little bit of all our glory days fades away ...

Bottom line ..please post things on your own merit and don't worry about the administration ...

[peedenmark7]

point taken to heart kevin...
but, I think we all do care and do worry about how the admins take whats said/posted here.
in my case, not for fear of being banned,
but honestly for credibilty within the forums circle .

I know I should/could post more, but as I have said privately lots of covered ground over this 5 yr forum..... so I post when things are on my mind...

I know that you, the owner of this site,as well as the guys behind the scenes spend alot of time making this forum a good place to visit, and dont want even the slightest ripple with the jcfi mothership to ruin the time you put in, and that is respected/understood .


but if you dont tell the chef your steak was over/under done he has no way to correct the problem in the kitchen...
nor is it the restaurant managers job to tailor that customer opinion to the chefs liking.
sometimes the chef needs to hear it straight from the customers mouth.

with that said , yea it seriously bothers me to say anything contrary to c/j folklore, I love this stuff and the guys making it.

I want all my c/j experiences to be good ones.


but, its the truth... just my opinion that a growing number appear to share.

when enough people complain constructively/other the changes will be made,

its much like telling someone who's late every day for work that you'd like them to show up on time , rather than your job depends on you showing up on time..

let the fmic guys read, thats what makes for a better fmic company and I am all for that.
my intent was merely to say hey take a long hard look before you spend...
no alternative brand name recommendations.


I've blown the c/j charge horn for quite a while... no biggie , and who really cares about that, ?
most guys here would get a good laugh at the c/j swag I still wear daily at my age..
my wife has said on many occasions "enough with the charvel uniform john".


when they get it right again, I'll be the first to get on top the mountain
singing the praises, to the point you'll say geez what are you john ,some kind of c/j gay wad or something?

until then....patiently waiting for the second coming as fortold by the powers that be fmic.

signing off the topic