Would you buy a modern Charvel strathead?

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

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

Well said!!Agreed 100% John!!

[~K~]

Thanks for the response John it is nice to know you understand where I'm coming from contrary to some in the so called inner circle. I've read a lot of these so called experts opinions over the years and they always seem to contradict themselves to suit their own agendas.

Take the 25th Ann for instance. Many people wrote those off stating they were nothing but glorified Fender guitars. I have a later one that I've used a profile gage against my 86. I used that guitar because both guitars have 1 11/16 nuts and to my surprise the backshape was pretty close.

The beauty of the original series was that each guitar was considered a custom. Were they able to standardize the backshape? Most certainly it is more consistent in the pointies than it is in the stratheads. But being the fact that they were made by hand, sanded by hand etc no two guitars will ever be exactly the same.

I see older collectors constantly talk about mojo. Mojo wasn't created at the factory, it was created by all the guys beating down the path to their dream at every sleazy smoke filled, alcohol induced dive they could play to make a name .. that's mojo... To equate mojo to something walking out of the factory gives a false sense of product build periods. The fact is for every few awesome charvels built from that time period there are dogs as well. Everyone of us have played them. Not all charvels are magical unless they were played by the Atomic Noodle. But some would have you believe different.

Screw counting is cool, it is a great way to share in the history of the company. But it isn't an exact science and I've had older fans stand in my own living room and state there were no rules in building these guitars. Out of a specific part? Go through the bin and make due or run down to guitar center because the electric is due and we need to make payroll ..

We have 10 guitars past due, it's Friday afternoon and everyone is already in weekend partying mode. These people were human beings trying to pay their bills. They happen to put out a good quality product and be in the right place in music history at the right time. But even back then they had their own build issues, they just weren't as closely watched as they are now ...

These current issues were in place long before FMIC walked in and took the product line over. It was well known that AMIC ran the company into the ground and frankly didn't give a shit. I honestly want to believe the product we love is better off in the long run and if I didn't I'd be playing another brand ...

John it is people like you that give value to the JCMI product line by giving proper feedback. There are those who love to complain and bitch just to bitch. These people only post under two circumstances. They want to sell something in the classifieds or they want to complain about FMIC... no more no less. But they wont do it in constructive ways they do it in a hit and run type manner...

I know you love the product line and I think you should continue to point out what you think needs to be changed because it is the older guys that have an idea of what Charvel should be, but make no mistake .. in order for the company to remain in the lead they need to be innovative also..Which was the nice twist in this thread...

Would you buy a more modernized charvel .. The answer is if it added to the quality of the guitar yes....

Thanks for your opinions John they are appreciated, please do not think we don't like them because it isn't the case. All I ask is for people to do it in a constructive mature manner which I believe you did..

[hippietim]

Would I buy a modern Charvel Strathead? Maybe. My criteria for a Charvel Strathead is no different than my criteria for any instrument. So if a Chavel Strathead meets my criteria then I'll buy it.

I understand the old farts that want nothing but the old ones. If you get a nice old one in your hands it just feels great. The guitar probably has a history. It's got battle scars. Etc. This all cool stuff.

I understand wanting a new one. You get what YOU want. Without some other dirty guitar player's spooge on it.

I'm not that particular - I'll take either so long as it's a good guitar for a reasonable price. I've put my money where my mouth is with plenty of new Jackson and Charvel guitars.

My biggest beef with J/C is really the price point.

I see guys quoting new $800 pointys but that isn't the reality of it. Those are guitars that didn't sell and stores are blowing out. If we're comparing blowout deals, I bought a brand new Charvel Explorer pointy back in 1985 or so for $275 from Veneman Music in Rockville, MD.

So back to reality. Jackson/Charvel guitars are expensive. You can say it's worth it and that's fine but there is no denying they are expensive. At the price point they come in at, there are some outstanding options. I think Jackson/Charvel has some work to do in the Q/A and consistency department to be charging the prices they do.

[shreddermon]

Well said, Kev. Agreed 100%

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

Take the 25th Ann for instance. Many people wrote those off stating they were nothing but glorified Fender guitars. I have a later one that I've used a profile gage against my 86. I used that guitar because both guitars have 1 11/16 nuts and to my surprise the backshape was pretty close.

Close but not exact Kev!!All opinion anyway....feel is subjective!!

I see older collectors constantly talk about mojo. Mojo wasn't created at the factory, it was created by all the guys beating down the path to their dream at every sleazy smoke filled, alcohol induced dive they could play to make a name .. that's mojo... To equate mojo to something walking out of the factory gives a false sense of product build periods. The fact is for every few awesome charvels built from that time period there are dogs as well. Everyone of us have played them. Not all charvels are magical unless they were played by the Atomic Noodle. But some would have you believe different.

Agreed Kev....but jw has used that same "mojo" line about brand new guitars...."every guitar Mike makes has mojo"!!& yup....I've played a few original San Dimas Charvels that were dogs....very few but still!!

But even back then they had their own build issues, they just weren't as closely watched as they are now

I have never seen an original San Dimas Charvel with the kind of build issues we are seeing now....some paint flaws yes....but misaligned necks/trems/pickups/two tuners from one manufacturer & four from another??....never!!

& that is why I would not buy a new Charvel....modern or retro....quality vs price....IMO!!

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

My biggest beef with J/C is really the price point.

I see guys quoting new $800 pointys but that isn't the reality of it. Those are guitars that didn't sell and stores are blowing out. If we're comparing blowout deals, I bought a brand new Charvel Explorer pointy back in 1985 or so for $275 from Veneman Music in Rockville, MD.

So back to reality. Jackson/Charvel guitars are expensive. You can say it's worth it and that's fine but there is no denying they are expensive. At the price point they come in at, there are some outstanding options. I think Jackson/Charvel has some work to do in the Q/A and consistency department to be charging the prices they do.

Bingo!!Tims got bingo!!Agreed 100%!!

[Top Jimmy B]

I'd buy a "modern" Charvel if its quality and price point matched that of its competitors. After all these years as a "custom" builder, Charvel should be hanging on the same racks with Anderson, Grosh, Suhr, etc...not American Series Fenders or LTD's. I think outside of our little circle perception of Charvel is hindered by its pointy cousin Mr Jackson. This is something the other builders I mentioned don't have to contend with. If Fender Master Built guys knew about Yuri Shishkov's pointy past...

I think it would be nice to see these guitars come out of the factory in the kind of condition that John Suhr or Tom Anderson requires before they wave goodbye to their instruments. At the current price point, it's the least JCMI can do to ensure any continued support for the brand.

I currently have two Charvels on order. One, a small batch strat head worked up by shreddermon and a few others and another which I spec'd myself. So, yes, I would gladly buy a modern Charvel if everything about it made sense to me, not just the name on the headstock.

[~K~]

Close but not exact Kev!!All opinion anyway....feel is subjective!!

I deal with measurment daily ..there isn't enough of a difference to feel it ..I use the term close because nothing is exact .. you do not own two guitars that are dead on identicle.... One of these days I am going to do cad scans of the necks and post em ..

[shreddermon]

Agreed Kev....but jw has used that same "mojo" line about brand new guitars...."every guitar Mike makes has mojo"!!

Why would that surprise you? He's in marketing, right? Of course he's going to talk up the product: that's his job.

[Shawn]

I wouldnt buy a new one or old one. They all stink.

So there.

[shreddermon]

Yeah, we're way off the original topic, too. Sorry for the thread hijack.

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

Why would that surprise you? He's in marketing, right? Of course he's going to talk up the product: that's his job.

So it's bs if an enthusiast of the originals talks about "mojo" but if a marketing guy talks up the new products "mojo" it isn't bs??....how typically....Pat!! !!

& not so sure that is still jws job btw but not going to discuss anothers personal business here!!

I have neither the time nor the inclination to argue the pros & cons of Kool-aid with you Pat!!

Good day!!

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

I deal with measurment daily ..there isn't enough of a difference to feel it ..I use the term close because nothing is exact .. you do not own two guitars that are dead on identicle.... One of these days I am going to do cad scans of the necks and post em ..

Again "feel" is subjective!!

Would love to see those measurements done Kev....would be very cool!!Thanx!!

[toejam]

I have neither the time nor the inclination to argue the pros & cons of Kool-aid with you Pat!!

What's better, grape or cherry? :ROTF:

[StukaJU87]

What's better, grape or cherry? :ROTF:

Blue.