2007 Charvel Price Sheet

[mattsmusiccenter]

http://www.mattsmusic.com/CharvelWinter2007.pdf

[neilli]

I can't remember, but I assume the basic price has increased?

Adding a Kahler or gold hardware are expensive options though aren't they?

Also, it's interesting that 'Frankenstein' is listed as a trademark not owned by FMIC at the end. Not that they should own it, but just that 'Frankenstein' is not mentioned in the price list anywhere other than in that disclaimer!

[shreddermon]

The return of a detailed custom shop price list? Cool. Very glad to see that!

Neilli - IIRC, the last published price list (last Jan.) had a base price of $2,500, so looks to be a 20% bump.

BTW - So much for the "$8k base price" rumors. Good to see that nonsense finally put to bed.

[Top Jimmy B]

I had no idea we could get a tele head Charvel. Hmm...

Thanks for the link, Matt.

[shreddermon]

Ooooh. Hadn't noticed that one. That is kind of cool. Pretty sure some others were looking to order a Telehead, too.

[Top Jimmy B]

Yeah, I know. Dual hum, bound, Floyded, reverse tele head, tele.

[jwoods986]

Wow. It looks like there aren't going to be any "Standard" models, just CS. So if you want a new Charvel, it has to be a CS? Unfortunately, I've deleted the last price list with CS prices but scanning through the new one here's what I've noticed (anyone with the old list please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm going off memory):new vs. old
scalloping - $25/fret vs. $20
mahogany body - $150 vs. $60
nut width (1 5/8 or 1 3/4) - $150 vs. can't remember exactly but not more than $75
on/off kill switch - $150 vs. $60

Those are big increases, percentage-wise. On top of the base price increase to $3K!

But the one that floored me (and I'm not left-handed luckily): left-hand - $777! I'm also looking at the GMW price list for comparision because at one point, they matched up almost exactly. Their price for left-handed??........n/c.

I guess I'm just amazed because as far as I can tell, new Charvels don't seem to sell too well to begin with, so why RAISE prices? Or maybe it was the Standards that don't sell and that's why they are going CS only?

[neilli]

Aparently they've effectively been CS only for a long while now - stores just had stock to shift from the 'production' runs.....

[Joe_Steeler]

BTW - So much for the "$8k base price" rumors. Good to see that nonsense finally put to bed.

There goes exclusivity. I thought these geetars were meant for the rich only.

[busdriver]

edit

next time I think before I write...

[shreddermon]

Re: Going all custom now, and no production guitar line.

My take on this is that it is a very GOOD thing. Remember, Charvels (and Jacksons for that matter) were all customs back in the day. It's a return to their roots.

Yes, I suspect that some of the USA Standard line that was produced - esp. the one-hum vintage trems - didn't sell up to expectations. Others - multiple PUs and Floyds - possibly sold a little better than expected.

And, perhaps, this was the whole purpose of the USA Standard line to begin with. By that I mean, until recently resurrected, the Charvel brand was effectively dead. Hadn't beeen on the scenes for 20-ish years, except for a brief little splash with the mid-90s Reissues. It had been gone for so long that dealers didn't know what to do with the brand, what might sell and what wouldn't, etc. And there had to be some questions for J/C themselves, as well. So the USA Standards may have been a transitional "experiment", if you will. i.e., Getting a foot in the door, while feeling dealers and the market out for what would be most successful for the Charvel brand's return. Coupled with the strathead limited editions, of course.

That's not to say they definitely planned to eventually go full custom from the start. But it might've been an option, and possibly the hoped-for goal all along.

Well, now we're a couple of years down the road. J/C has made some progress on re-establishing the brand with dealers and customers. And they've brought back custom stratheads. Dealers now have a better handle about what they can successfully sell. So now the Charvel line can go custom only, and dealers can spec their own stock with a little more confidence about what's popular and what's not. As can Charvel itself. And J/C has the confidence that custom-only Charvies will reasonably work.

Now, before some dimbulb comes into this thread whining about how - without the USA Standards - there won't be an "affordable" Charvel option for them anymore, something bears pointing out. Assuming you upgraded to some finish option besides the lowly 4 standard colors, the difference in price between a USA Standard and a full custom was very little. Street price, in the neighborhood of only $150-ish bucks or less. So, unless you were going to settle for one of those four colors, it made sense to step up to a full custom order anyway. And I suspect that - for those looking for a Charvie in the USA Standard price range - that point was simply lost on them. They didn't bother to compare the two in the price list and see that the difference was pretty small and/or they didn't want to deal with the "hassle" of waiting for a custom. So, IMHO, the price difference between USA Standard and full custom shop was - and remains - a small minor factor, at best.

[Joe_Steeler]

Re: Going all custom now, and no production guitar line.

My take on this is that it is a very GOOD thing. Remember, Charvels (and Jacksons for that matter) were all customs back in the day. It's a return to their roots.

Yes, agree 100%.

[fullmetalguitar]

What's the difference between the San Dimas and San Dimas Traditional body shape? Sorry for not knowing.

[shreddermon]

San Dimas = Strat
Traditional = Tele

[tanpsi]

Tele body is definitly cool, of course at this point I can barley afford a mexican tele, but cool anyway!!!