Just got my first brand new usa strat head

[charvel pointy head]

Ok, I've probably owned a dozen of the old SD guitars w/ that head made in the 80's but they were all used as my first purchased Charvel was in 1985 and the stratheads were no longer available to the common folk such as myself. So, tho not my first, it's my first "brand new" one. Got it from Nick at Piney Hills Music.

First off got to say that he is one of teh coolest guys in the music business I've met. He took a good hour of his time the other day to talk w/ me about all kinds of stuff. The guitar, musicians, the state of the industry, etc. Great guy who gave me a great deal and I highly recommend him. Now to the guitar.

Starting off, I wanted one of those slime green ones. None available from him at the time and I didn't want to wait, so I bought the candy blue one. As many of the old hands around here know, I went to University of Kansas back in teh 80's, so when he told me about the color being Jayhawk blue, I was pretty much sold. I was worried because some of teh "candy" finishes I've seen in the past have looked more like boat paint. I hate that but not this, very nice looking finish, very much like a KU Jayhawk helmet. I'm gonna stick a vinyl KU sticker on it once I pick one up in a day or too - pics to follow. Playability is what I would expect, very Charvel. Frets seem pretty well done as well. As for the 'korean' Floyd, I don't see a great deal of difference, but frankly I lke those more for the sound. By the way, this guitar is a tad on teh dark side tone wise, kind of like a Rhoads I had until I put emg's in it. Put the dunlop strap locks on an old strap as well. Not sure about those yet. I wish it had a brass knob, not sure why they went with the rubberized 'mace' knob, but it works, so no complaints. Now for a couple questions

1. what is the finish on teh neck? is it oil or satin finished? reason being I'd like to oil it w/ linseed oil so it'd darken up a bit. I'd imagine a satin neck wont 'age'

2. Sound is dark. I wonder how much the floyd may contribute, i.e. not has hard a metal as a german floyd. I doubt it as it seems a good quality unit to me, won't be replaced.

3. How durable/cured is the finish. Will a vinyl KU sticker mung it up?

4. Tuners seem ok as well, not Gotoh 36's but work pretty well.

5. Oh, anyone actually screw that allen wrench retainer on teh back of their headstock?
Kind of more a Jackson thing, but it did come in the gig bag, which though Charvel,
would be better served w/ a case.

That's about it. Glad to see the neckplate looks like the olden days too. Nice touch on that, also it's thicker like a fort worth.

I like the guitar at first impression. Pics to come.

I

[jet66]

Congrats! I got one (Pagan Gold SoCal) from Piney, too. He's a great guy.

1. The neck is oiled. I was recommended Birchwood-Casey gunstock oil and wax, it feels very nice. It doesn't change the color of the wood, which is good by me. I'd rather let that happen over time. I used the instructions as supplied at the EBMM forum, they recommend the stuff specifically for their guitars.

2. The guitar is a little darker, I don't know if it is the Floyd and/or the Tone Zone, but it's perfect for me. I was afraid it might be a little bright, being alder & 1-piece maple and having a Floyd, but it's a happy medium, IMO.

3. I don't know.

4. I agree. They work fine, not the worst there is, but not the smoothest. Maybe a little break-in will change it, same with the Floyd fine tuners.

5. I debate it every time I look at it, but so far, the holder and wrenches are just sitting on my desk.

[charvel pointy head]

yeah, that birchwood casey stuff, "true oil" is pretty much linseed oil w/ maybe some tung oil. really pretty much identical oils. I think they put some sort of esther in it so it will cure faster, linseed oil itself takes a few days. It also tends to seep out of wood grain as it heats up. not too likely on a guitar but I've heated up my M14 pretty hot and the oil starts to ooze, also the sun does that too.

How strong are these dunlops? why don't they put in schallers? Doesn't fender own Schaller? I bet they own dunlop as well.

Cool think about linseed oil/tung oil/ "true oil" is that it darkens up over time. When you rub it in, if you work it in by hand and rub really hard and fast for a bit, so you can feel friction heat, that will work it in faster and also start to darken it oh so slightly real quick. Ever notice how an oil finish neck is darker in teh regions that get the most play? Say if you play alot in first position, or solo alot around the 15th fret area? Thats the heat of your hand doing that. Also the acid in your sweat does that. Looks real cool. Oil will also bring out the hidden flame in maple pretty well.

[Grandturk]

How strong are these dunlops? why don't they put in schallers? Doesn't fender own Schaller? I bet they own dunlop as well.

I used to swear by Schallers. The San Dimas was the first guitar I've ever had with Dunlops - I am totally converting.

[Jacksonite]

hey bro, glad I could help

Fender doesnt own Dunlop, but the dunlop locks are the better sellers.. thats why they used them i guess.. The Schallers do come on the Fender stuff...

[joelayres]

1. what is the finish on teh neck? is it oil or satin finished? reason being I'd like to oil it w/ linseed oil so it'd darken up a bit. I'd imagine a satin neck wont 'age'

I remember the late Doc Dryer saying he rubbed necks down with coffee to bring out the wood features - wonder how that might work?

[jet66]

I've seen people use brown shoe polish to do that with MIM Strats. Poly vs. oil finish, though, so I'm not going to be the guinea pig on that one.

[vondran]

I've finished necks with Tung oil and Lin Seed oil. They've both yellowed nicely over the coarse of a year. I imagine the gunstock oil neck will also yellow over time.

[Bengal65]

Dunlops are coming on the Blackmore signatures. (Soon to be shipping). Schallers have been more closely associated with Fender since so many tuners and strap button have been used over the years.

Also, the Birchwood-Casey Tru-Oil can and will darken a maple neck! That is if you use multiple coats. Careful with the multiple coats however. Too many will give the neck a varnished feel if too many coats are applied. But, it will darken the maple and give you that "vintage" look.

[Grandturk]

Dunlops are coming on the Blackmore signatures. .

Note that the Blackmore's have modified Dunlups as the strap button itself is recessed into the body of the guitar - you can't use a "regular" strap with it.

[charvel pointy head]

Well, spent some time w/ my old geezer friends jamming tonight. First off, the sound on this guitar is spot on. My drummer was very impressed with how throaty it sounds. At high volumes thru my handwired plexi clone it really sounds for lack of better adjective "thick". I tweeked the neck pickup to balance out the volume as stock is flush w/ pickup ring and there is probably a 10 db drop in volume. easy turn of a couple screws. Playabiltiy is pure Charvel, very fast and tuning stability is very professional grade. You ever notice though that when you tighten the nuts on a strathead type neck, meaning one that does not tilt back like a jackson or gibson, that it goes immediately out of tune? Pain in the ass. Floyd works fine, but the bar, eh. I've got what I thought was a genuine german floyd bar that had trouble threading. I think I'll get a new bar that comes with teh attachment bolt thingy as stock this bar kind of sucks. Tuning works well and sound is there, so no reason to change floyd that I can see. One thing that I hate is the floating floyd. I am going to put it down on teh body if it wont' screw things up. is the neck shimmed to get the angle? or am I going to have to mod the thing to get the trem down? I don't see the point of floating a trem as you can bend your string up w/ your fingers. It's a tuning nightmare if you ask me. might switch to 10's as what ever is on there are stretchy stretchy for sure. All in all a very nice effort by Fender/Charvel to capture the old magic. I think they did pretty well if you ask me.

[jet66]

The neck pocket is angled, no shims. I don't usally pull up all that much, so I'm thinking about getting one of the units that attaches in the spring cavity route. Some are spring tensioned so you can pull up, some have a simple adjustable bolt that you can set and forget.

[Grandturk]

Yeah mine had no shims under the neck when I pulled it off to adjust the truss.

[straycat]

No shim in mine either.A very tight neck pocket too.Absolutly a great sounding and playing Charvel.
I opted for a non-pickguard model and glad I did.Nice thick tone from the 59 and and smooth growl from the JB.
The factory uses BC true-oil.I have tru oiled mine once and its getting a little darker already.

[Newc]

They use D'Adarrio strings, and in 25 years of playing I've never had a set of those that stopped stretching. I could stretch them until they literally broke and they would not hold tune.

Ernie Ball SuperSlinkys on the same guitar were perfect, so it wasn't the guitar.

As for the Charvel, congrats

I agree the Style 1 does sound a bit darker than the SoCal - could be the Floyd, could be the Duncans (JBs, which I don't care for in the bridge).

The finish does appear to be sturdy - I haven't put holes in it trying to get the trem cavity covers off