I quess Charvel listens in around here!

[dg]

You guys know as well as I that the "Charvel" legend is about an affordable strat/LP killer, easily customized to the buyers requirements.

They were always pretty expensive. In '84, a solid color 1-hum pointy was $1120 with a Kahler, $1260 w/ floyd. "Other Headstock" was a $100 option. So for a 1-hum floyded strathead, adjusted for inflation, you'd be looking at $2780 in 2008 dollars. You could probably get a discount through the dealer or pay less for an in-stock guitar, just like you can now.

http://audiozone.dk/cm/displayimage.php?pid=427&fullsize=1

http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl

[shreddermon]

+1. With some of these kind of opinions, I think the Charvel brand is sometimes fighting revisionist history. Back in the day, San Dimas Charvels were expensive custom shop instruments. Bought new, they were pretty pricey instruments for their day in the 80s. There is absolutely no disputing that fact.

But it seems like many guys' recollection of Charvel prices back then is instead driven by their post-heyday late 80s / early 90s bargain basement used values. i.e., When no-one wanted anything to do with "hair metal", and many guys were then snapping up SD Charvels when they could now (post-adolesence, have a job ) afford them and their values had plummeted.

Now some guys are taking it even a step futher, and want custom shop-like options at production guitar prices. I said it before, and I'll say it again - that line is all about sale volumes and keeping options to a minimum.

...F**k me, can you imagine how comparable USA Charvel "production" models would've done back in the San Dimas era? At prices adjusted to today's value? ($1,100 in today's dollars would've cost only about $565 in 1986!!!) We late teen / early 20s guys would've been creaming our jeans for that, back then! And we should be freakin' thankful that they're offering them now - something they never did before.

[mudkicker]

never[/I] did before.

That would have put them in competition with the Model series. Now I know the SoCals are filling a niche. This is my opinion, but I haven't found a Socal in my local market that compares to any Model Series guitar. I don't see the SoCals lasting the test of time as well as the Model Series. Those guiatrs are extremely well built, and other than the Kahler fulcrum (which isn't as bad as everyone thinks) they had very good hardware.

To me the SoCals feel as if they would break if I dropped it, the Model Series feel thicker, tighter, just better.

[shreddermon]

That would have put them in competition with the Model series...

Clearly you missed my point. The Model series were done post-San Dimas era, 1986 and later. And after Charvel custom production had already ceased, anyway. Not to mention they were imports. Whatever you think of the guitars, that's apples and oranges, IMHO.

All that aside, I'd take a SoCal over a Model series any day of the week. Korean OFR Floyd vs Kahler/JT6? Alder bodies vs baswood? Quartersawn necks vs not? Duncans, etc etc. I know the Model series have their fans, and they're very solid guitars. But, in comparison to the new Charvel USA Productions, it's not even close IMHO.

[Davey]

look at the new production charvels as double fat strats with a floyd (a guitar fender no longer makes), while the true charvel guitars made on order are the same thing they were back in the early 80's.

i do wish they'd offer more colours on the things (like black and white as standard on all models and all the one batch custom colours like they do now)

[mudkicker]

Clearly you missed my point. The Model series were done post-San Dimas era, 1986 and later. And after Charvel custom production had already ceased, anyway. Not to mention they were imports. Whatever you think of the guitars, that's apples and oranges, IMHO.

All that aside, I'd take a SoCal over a Model series any day of the week. Korean OFR Floyd vs Kahler/JT6? Alder bodies vs baswood? Quartersawn necks vs not? Duncans, etc etc. I know the Model series have their fans, and they're very solid guitars. But, in comparison to the new Charvel USA Productions, it's not even close IMHO.

1986 and the price point you mentioned was during the birth of the Model series. I was simply making a point.

You cannot tell me you prefer a Korean floyd to a Kahler pro, even the crappy JT 6 is an upgrade over the Korean floyd. Basswood, the poor mans wood. Pretty much every holdsworth model charvel was basswood, the EVH art series, yep their all junk because of basswood. Two piece body versus three?? I'll concede the Duncans over some of the Jackson pickups. While quarter sawn necks are nice, you don;t see many 20 year old Model series popping up with twisted or warped necks.

My initial point wasn't to argue the merit of the SoCal as I said it fills a niche in the current market. You mentioned how good a value it would have been in 1986. In 1986 pound for pound the Model Series would have been the better buy.

[Newc]

How many here know anything about building guitars from raw wood? How many of those that can answer that question honestly can also state and certify beyond all doubt, providing scientifically-measured proof, that a 3 piece body made of a given wood has an audibly noticeable difference from an identical body made of only 2 pieces of the same wood cut from the same section of the same tree?

I'm guessing 0.


Mud, if you think the SoCal would break if you dropped it, then you must have found a fake. I've got 3 of them now and they feel at least as sturdy as my Custom Shop War Angel, my 93 LP Standard (lemme guess, that was a Norlin leftover?), or even the "indestructible" MexiStrats I've owned.


The new Charvels are perfect in every way, and are being offered in realistic configurations that fit the modern world of "I play in a real band" music. No, they don't fit in the "I wish it was 1983 so I can fantasize I'm EVH/George Lynch/Warren D" dream world/screwcounter's world of "music".


As has been stated 3 times in this thread already, where were you people 2 years ago when Charvel was trying to sell the exact model you're all crying doesn't exist? I passed on tons of single-hum/v-trem/pointyhead/80s throwbacks *without the dated graphics you so despise* that were moderately priced for a USA-made high-quality axe because they were aimed squarely at the people who jerk off to the notion that they can pretend they're some Hair Metal Hero from 1983.


When are the San Dimas snobs going to accept the fact that Charvel is not catering to them with these new models?


Now, back to the subject of "how hard is it to offer options" - again, in the manufacturing world (specifically, the actual "on the shop floor" work which I'm guessing from this thread that no one here but me and Bionic has ever worked), EVERYTHING affects both the MANUFACTURING cost and the CUSTOMER cost. EVERYTHING. To change ONE thing - no matter how small it appears to those not directly involved in the manufacturing process (read: actually doing the work) - adds time to the process.

TIME = MONEY. That is a galactic truth that is woven into the very fabric of business.

Yes, it may only take 5 seconds to remove the neck pickup router bit from a CNC machine that also cuts and shapes and contours the body blank - assuming of course that such a machine is even used or even exists - but you also need an extra person to keep track of that one-off or small batch.

You've just added not only downtime (remember, after that small run is done, you have to put the bit back into the machine, which may take another 5 seconds, and that's assuming you have zero safety controls), you've also added another hourly-rate employee, or you've taken an existing employee off their regular job to do it, which means their regular job isn't being done or it's being covered by someone else who is also trying to do their own regular job.

Splitting your concentration in a production environment causes problems and increases cost.

In the more likely event that a formed blank is pickup-routed at another workstation, you have paperwork that follows the batch to that workstation that the operator has to interrupt their workflow to read and ensure they're doing just that number in the batch according to the order, rather than 2-humming every blank that hits their table.

EVERY interruption of the workflow reduces profit and thereby increases manufacturing cost. Increased manufacturing costs translate directly to increased dealer cost. Increased dealer cost translates directly to increased customer cost. If the average cost of a single-hum batch of Style 1s is $300 extra to Charvel, and therefore $300 extra to the dealer, you're not getting it for $300 less than the standard 2-hum Style 1.

Plus, the first time you leave your dealers holding the bag on a ton of unsellable single-hum models, they won't order anything else from you. Since the dealers and manufacturers use a credit-based system, the dealer can't order new things until they sell the old stock to pay for the stuff they're trying to get YOU to come in and buy. If they take too much of a loss, they will not look to that brand again.

If you don't use the neck pickup, then don't flip the switch. If you want H-S, stick in a single-coil or rewire the neck pickup to be permanently split. If you don't want to see the neck pickup, don't look at it. If any of that is beyond your comprehension, feel free to support a different brand before they realize you alone do not float their financial boat.

[Dogbone]

I don't know... I like the current layout
I'd bet, if Charvel would have made the Pro Mods with only one hum, that this same thread would be up with people asking why can't Charvel add a neck hum??
It would be nice to have the option to have a neck hum or no neck hum, but really take a look around. How many single hum guitars do you see available from other manufacturers?? Not to many the last time I looked, and no I'm not talking about custom one off's. Just production models... Charvel stood back, looked at what was selling (and took a poll of what we wanted), and went with what was popular at this time. Now back in the hayday of the 80's (I was there, I'm 44) a single hum would have sold easily as that was what was in style. Times change.

[Newc]

Now back in the hayday of the 80's (I was there, I'm 44) a single hum would have sold easily as that was what was in style. Times change.

Agreed. Sadly, too many people whose only "contribution" to Charvel has been to buy a few used guitars and a new import here and there back in "the day" now belittle them nonstop, and somehow feel that their Hero-Worship of a bygone era grants them the title of Official Charvel Historian such that they claim to tell Charvel what their own heritage is, and what path their future should take.

[RacerX]

This from a guy who gets befuddled by simple Jackson serial # rules!

[norton333]

I started this thread because I was excited by what I thought was a 1 hum production, not to bash Charvel, if I did not love Charvels I would not be here, as most of us.Being a customer and asking for what you want is not unreasonable, personally I would not switch to another brand if I don't get it, when you can order.To come here and belittle others for wanting a 1 hum for whatever their reason is(wishing they were GL, or in 1983)is rediculous, we all have personal preferences for our guitars specs, if you can't respect that, I guess you are missing the point of why a lot of us think Charvels are great.

[roodyrocker]

I started this thread because I was excited by what I thought was a 1 hum production, not to bash Charvel, if I did not love Charvels I would not be here, as most of us.Being a customer and asking for what you want is not unreasonable, personally I would not switch to another brand if I don't get it, when you can order.To come here and belittle others for wanting a 1 hum for whatever their reason is(wishing they were GL, or in 1983)is rediculous, we all have personal preferences for our guitars specs, if you can't respect that, I guess you are missing the point of why a lot of us think Charvels are great.

I don't think anyone is being belittled for wanting a 1 hum Charvel, I'm a fan of 1 hum guitars myself and I guess I'm stuck in the 80's since I play in an 80's cover band I think the problem arose when people started complaining about the price of a 1 hum Charvel and why it would be a custom shop upcharge since its not a production model at this point. I'm like everyone else and would like to buy these as cheap as possible but I do understand the current Charvel production guitars and what they offer at the current price point is simply unbeatable by the competition. At some point in the future if they produce a 1 hum version it'll be on my want list too but for now I hope Charvel continues to bring us the cool guitars they are currently offering. To put it in perspective, before the big evil Fender take over of Charvel people were saying no more Strat heads. Not only did FMIC and Charvel give us Stratheads but also at a much lower price point. Prior to this about your only other option was to look for an original San Dimas era Strat and pay out the wazoo for it then hope that what you bought was indeed legit and not a parts mutt. I say keep up the good work Charvel
By the way, I once went to Dairy Queen to get a Heath Bar Blizzard. I asked them to only put in half the amount of candy in it than they usually do because there was too much. The lady said fine but I'll have to charge you .50 cents extra! Yup, true story. I got a custom shop ice cream once