Older Charvels BETTER or just more Valueble?

[JACKSONWOLF]

I don't own an early strathead but I do have an '84 Pointy. I also own one of the new Star's and a couple of the new San Dimas Standards as well as a 25th Anniversary. I have to say that I much prefer the neck profiles of the new guitars as I find them slimmer than the '84. Also, as the '84 has a Kahler, I find the tone "thinner" than my later guitars which are fitted with a Floyd, excluding the 25th of course.

Steve

[Oregon Jason]

I own a pre-pro strathead, some serialized stratheads, and some a new strathead. I think the new one is a killer guitar and plays awesome. The neck on the new one is much wider than the necks on the earlier ones. The thinnest neck is actually the one on the pre-pro.

I think the difference is just the old / rare factor.

They all play fantastic.

jason

[jonsgon]

i agree with jason, having played both, they both are great guitars. the early charvels fetch the money cause, in my opinion, a lot of the oldies aren't around anymore, by whatever reason, so people will spend more money on them as there aren't many to go around, the new ones will not see that as people are collecting them now so there will be a lot more of them to go around in the future.........

jon

[bsteff666]

I have played some new Charvels..strathead & pointy..and every one I have played has been very nice. The necks felt & played great.

I really do prefer my old Charvel stratheads though. Even though their neck profiles tend to vary quite a bit....for the most part they are all very much broken in & I think that is why I like them.

As for values of old vs. new.....rarity & maybe even a little bit of the hype & snob appeal make the old ones fetch the $$$.

[83SanDimas]

I have a few oldies and have had and have new ones. I do prefer the old but also like the new ones. The old ones are hand crafted and are less machined. It is something that I notice. I do think this can be accomplished again but would most likely be tooo expensive.

[Carbuff]

Hey, that reminds me... I met Mike Tyson a couple weeks ago...

maybe I'll write a thread....

Did you kick him in the ass ala Roman?

[ADR]

Id say that its more of an age thing, and low serial # for hype helps. My new San Dimas can go head to head with my old '86 Jackson bolt-on #1010 I had as far as neck feel/tone/weight/sustain etc. I prefer the pointys.

[Shawn Lutz]

there is something to be said about an old worn in player. If its been used and abused then its probably a good player. The necks feel nice and worn in but I do think a lot of the times its the ole " $100 bill feels better in your hand than a $1 bill"

[Top Jimmy B]

Older Charvels are the greatest guitars in history, nothing else even comes close. The new Charvels are a mockery, and disgrace, to the great Charvel name and the six '80s dudes who collect them will happily tell you so.

[ADR]

Stratocasters are the greatest guitars in History you mean. Charvels are mockery of Strats.
The new San Dimas series can hold its own aganist a Vintage 80's Charvel.
If you were to put on a blindfold on and had 2 Charvels with the V-Trem, a new one vs. old one. I really doubt you could tell a difference in sound/tone, neck feel/weight and sustain. Well the old one would probably buzz do to wear and the new one wouldnt.
My #6989 has all the Vibe and feels just a special as any of my 80's USA Charvels & Jackson bolt-on's. First hand experience.
The very 1st time I played my new San Dimas, it was as if I was holding and playing my old Jackson #1010, except that had a Kahler, neck was just as sweet and felt 20yrs old. Both are RW boards.

[Top Jimmy B]

I was being sarcastic, dude.

[ADR]

Opps sorry then, I was really defending my Chavel wasnt I? My bad. Not a problem.

[voodoosound]

The charvels of today are every bit as good as the old ones. I have about 12 left from the old days that I ordered new and have bought 5 new ones since then. The new ones are as good if not better. Hype comes with a heavy pricetag.

[atomic charvel guy]

I'll never play a guitar as good as my parts gold sparkle. Came close with #1601 but my Gold sparkle is the one, and that includes all brands of the world. At least up to this point. It's
best neck that these hands have ever flew on. I've played a few new ones, and owned the namm show cross swords for a few weeks and as good as it played i didn't like it as much. I liked the 25th anniversary flametops too but didn't like it as much either. I think the best wood for sound and playability all came from trees that were cut in the 50's- 80's. I could be way off, but that's my unhumble opinion.

[RR05xx]

So forgetting hype and price, is a real '57 LP or Strat better then a new reissue?