Neck pockets on new Charvels?

[~K~]

The issue would be if the neck were stable enough side to side. If it isn't then it is most certainly flawed. I'm curious what the actual gap is between the body and the neck and whether or not it has the ability to slip ..

[Mickey_C]

Keep in mind these are real blow-ups, and scale your brain back down accordingly. Like I said, It's much better since I moved the neck back over. That required me to loosen the strings, loosen the backplate, and smack it back over. That also fixed the nut ping, and is why the intonation was off. I've readjusted. Like I've said, I really like the guitar.

Here's the after-photos:

[rjohnstone]

Me personaly... I wouldn't worry about it. I bet it's barely noticable in person.
Looks pretty snug on top, so I doubt it would wiggle to much, if at all.
Play the thing till the frets are gone.

[Joe_Steeler]

Dude, it looks good.
The only pics that had me wondering were the second and fourth, and if these are zoom ins you really have to neat pick to see anything.
Enjoy your HRF, the best graphics Charvel produces.

[peedenmark7]

since you moved the neck. it looks a little better... still, for the money there should be no gap.
almost looks like the pocket wasnt routed square.. it almost looks beveled.

the dweez I had for a few days had a nice tight fitting neck.
paint work was also very good.... but the floyd arm socket rubbed on the trem route and it desperately needed fret dressing from the 13th fret up...
was pretty bummed actually and returned it to the seller.

theyve got some work to do for sure over at the c/s.

if the neck doesnt move and you can get over the look of the gap. play 'er...
if it were mine, it would already be back at the music zoo though.

awesome looking guitar for sure !
love that graphic with one hum and a v-trem... the s-head makes it !
my fave graphic on a charvel for sure...

[hippietim]

if you are 100% happy with it now, keep it.

i'd have to see it in person to decide for myself of course.

however, i just don't get this at all.

i go to guitar stores all the time and never see this on any new cnc cut guitars. heck, even the squiers are snug.

i've orderd tons of necks and bodies from USACG, Warmoth and GMW and interchanged them with each other as well as a few genuine Fender parts and everything has always been snug.

these sort of gaps are what you'd see in late 70's fenders. the 78 tele i had back in 1980 had enough room in the neck pocket for me to jam medium picks in the gap. my current 78 tele is tight. go figure.

[vondran]

As previously said, if your 100% happy then keep it. For me, it would bug me that I compromised on the guitar I always wanted. Especially for the money these are going for you shouldn't see this.

[eddyrox]

i go to guitar stores all the time and never see this on any new cnc cut guitars. heck, even the squiers are snug.

ditto. THAT's gotta eat at ya. I know it definitely would bug the $HIT outta me. good luck and let us know your decision!

[surfreak]

It's not *that* bad, really, but in my opinion sending it back still makes sense, in a kind of "community service" way.
Hopefully when Charvel sees these examples of poor workmanship coming back to them, as opposed to just a generic complaint, it will help tighten their QC?

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

i go to guitar stores all the time and never see this on any new cnc cut guitars. even the squiers are snug.

Agreed Tim!!

(from the Would You Buy A New Charvel thread) Manufacturers can at least learn something in the intervening years.

Well if this is improved manufacturing technique I....once again....prefer the original methods!!

If you're satisfied Mickey that's all that matters....enjoy your new Charvel!!

[gtrbuyer]

Looks much better in the updated pics but as others have said if it is going to bug you, send her back. However, if you can live with her as is, enjoy her she is a beauty. Good luck with your decision.

[Mickey_C]

Well if this is improved manufacturing technique I....once again....prefer the original methods!!

If you're satisfied Mickey that's all that matters....enjoy your new Charvel!!

Yeah, it was like a real kick in the groin after my stance on new Charvels. Keep in mind I was judging them based upon my anniversary, which is simply one of the best guitar's I've ever touched. Could something have changed in the manufacturing between these two guitars? Yeah, I'll tell you what I think. New ownership hadn't yet pushed down their management. Just a guess.

I should've got the anniversary bullseye, as the anniversary guitars, from my limited sampling appear to be better made. For that matter, this body is a LOT thicker than the 25th Anniversary.

FOR THE RECORD:

Had I ordered this guitar, I would've paid full price, and would definitely have sent it back as a reject. In fact, it already was a reject from XSSIVE, who refused the guitar as it did not match what he ordered. Music Zoo decided to sell the guitar, rather than return it. For that matter, Joe at Music Zoo had noticed the gaps before he ever sent it, and did not tell me about it, or why the guitar was discounted.

So I got it on sale price. Had I ordered one it would've had a Charvel SD profile 1.75" neck, and three single coils. So it's funny in that I wouldn't of even ordered it like this to begin with. But at the end of the day, it's a ringer for the original HRF I owned back in the heyday, and that's pretty cool. I've seen worse pockets on Fender Custom Shop guitars (which is weird, because all the US and Japan stuff looks great). The neck is kinda cool.

I probably should've returned it, and music zoo should've returned it. So the guitar was heading my way by the wheels of fate, lubricated by mutual stupidity. I don't think I could return it now if I wanted to - I've played the bejebus out of it, and the neck's starting to get grey.

Will I buy another new Charvel, without holding it in my hands and examining it for myself? Yeah, because at the end of the day, I am totally stupid about guitars. Once I saw the flames, had he said "3,600.00 sucker," I would've still bought it anyway. However, at that price, it would've went straight back into the case, and shipped out the next morning, with no hesitation - as I could order one for that, to my specs (BTW - What is the spec for "snug neck pocket, please!"). Is the current manufacturing as good as the old? From what I've seen, sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't.

I'll use it in clips and pictures on my amp website - it'll make good ad copy, to help justify it (for that matter, I used my business funds, so technically, this is business equipment, anyway).

So that about beats this topic to bloody death.

[vondran]

I have a PRS CE22 with a gap at least as wide - likely even wider. Overall the guitar sounds and looks great, so never had a second thought about it. In fact I see it's more the norm on PRS bolt-ons. My Charvels however have always had a perfect neck-body fit. Both brands are pricey high-end guitars that people expect to be flawless with attention to details during manufacturing. However, it's interesting how I expect Charvel to have no gap and have no problems with PRS's with a gap. Just a perspective.

[Mickey_C]

I had mail today from Joe at the Music Zoo.

He said:

"I'm sorry to hear that you don't like the guitar. The reason the neck fits
like that is because it is a PC1 neck (as explained on the website) and I
guess they never really got it perfect. "

Does anybody know if the 25th anniversary guitars have the same size necks as what's charvel is now making?

I could test that theory pretty easily.

[RR05xx]

That sounds like BS to me. "Its a PC1 neck", um, no even his web site doesnt say that, unless he is suggesting backshape and heel are related?????!?!?!?!?