USA Production Series Appreciation Thread

[Newc]

See to me, having never owned an old strathead, I never looked at the ProMod series as "replicas" of the early days - I only looked at them as superstrats with stratheads.

That's the problem, though. Whenever a new Charvel line pops up, the old guys start comparing them to the original small-shop pre-pro models, and then slam accordingly.

It's the same as people bashing Metallica for not putting out Master Of Puppets year after year - some people have their own idea of what something should and should not be, and they waste everyone's time spreading that mindset rather than judging the new stuff on its own merits without regard for the old stuff.

[ToneZone]

I'd like to try one of these Charvels. I just got to save up some money first. Got two Custom Shops comming. I think I'm buying to many guitars. Got to be carefull not to OD.

[jordan]

Hi,

First time posting. Been reading you guys for awhile but finally got my activation so just had to chime in on this thread. Got a black San Dimas about 2 months ago NIB off the bay for $730 after trying out a couple locally.
This is without a doubt the best neck I've ever played, and it was fab right out of the box, just had to lower the action a bit and block the floyd (floaters sound thin). The oft-used cliche "plays like butter" is very accurate, so have to resort to using that. In comparision to the So Cal, which I also have in Candy Green (on Ebay right now, but ends in 4 hours), the SD is more versatile soundwise with the '59 in the neck. The Korean floyd is pretty good, and definitely not a deal killer, although the OFR on my Baretta is definitely smoother (duh). Being these guitars were supposed to be manufactured to the original spec of the CS charvels, but sell for <$1000 in 2009 $$, I am surprised people are expecting them to be as good as the original CS models. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the CS stuff go for around $1300-2000 at late 70s/early 80s $$, depending on what options you wanted?
BTW, if anyone's interested, that Candy Green So Cal on Ebay is in mint condition. Wanted to keep it, but need a Kramer 1984 to stripe up EVH style so I don't ruin another Baretta or my SD (I'm such a fanboi )

[Newc]

That's what I've been saying - only the "old guys" are expecting them to be equal to the originals. However, you can't compare a 20 year old OFR with broken-in springs to a brand new one with brand new springs. Of course the old one is going to be smoother, it's broken-in.

As well, the new ones are made with a markedly different manufacturing process than the originals - less done-by-hand because back then, they didn't have the machine they have today to do it, not because of some fanatical adherence to traditional old-world craftsmanship.

Surely no one seriously buys into the old tales of "well, you have to work a piece of wood totally by hand to build a great guitar because you can feel the soul of the wood"? It's a CYA statement so you don't come across as being as poor as you really are in not being able to afford machinery, or stating flat out that you don't have the same skills with a powered tool as you do a hand tool.

Everyone starts out with hand tools because they're inexpensive, and easy to get started with. If you start with powered tools, you can develop the same level of skill and produce the same quality as someone with hand tools.

Look at people that do ice sculptures with a chainsaw, the level of detail they get using only the chainsaw (no touch-ups with chisels and dremels).

[ADR]

Boy. . could I add to this thread.I'll keep this short I hope.

I love the new Charvels period! I loved the early Charvels too.(1983 +) I bought both brands Charvel & Jackson brand new in their heyday and with no acception today as well. They were exciting colorful and different,custom and some plain ones too.

We can sit here all day and nit pick various things,I'd rather sit here and read how much we love them.We all have different tastes/styles/abilites.My gear clealy is better than my playing ability, I'll blame myself for putting it out of tune,not blame the trem cause it happens to be made outside of USA.

I think we should realize that things are made differently,times change.Maybe for better,maybe for worse.All I know is that I would have never thought that when I bought my 1st brand new Jackson that I'd be able to buy a brand new 25+ yrs later and be just as excited.I think that FMIC buying Jackson/Charvel was awesome move.They were thinking the same as us. . let's build them and keep shreding,keeping rock & roll,shreders alive. I went and saw Dokken not to long ago and keeping the tradition alive was a Charvel on stage (A production series to I might add,played by Jon Levin).

To us old school guys,we can afford custom shops. .we can pay and wait for custom shop pieces that cost $$$$ so we know how top notch hand made instruments should look,feel and play and what tolerences are tight and perfect. Any new kid that wants one of these is going to love it,it's going to paly & sound sweet for app $1000.00 new.It's a killer guitar at a great price and the quailty is very good.The are made to customize and make personal and they nailed it.AND selling them.

ps:Bionic,the brand new Production Series Charvel white is ♥GEORGOUS♥

-Andy

[JACKSONWOLF]

The first of my modifications are complete.....I've just installed a set of Bareknuckle Nailbomb's. Just need to get an OFR and stick in a Switchcraft 3-way to complete.



Cheers
Steve

[beachjammer]

The zebra coils really compliment that guitar! Sweet!

[Grandturk]

Love the zebras on the green. Still waiting for someone to put in some double cremes, creme rings and nickel/chrome hardware on the slimed... (Newc I'm looking at you...)

[Flatpicker]

Nothing short of a time machine can recreate the magic that was the 80's charvels.

By the same token, nothing short of a time machine can recreate the period of time where those Charvel players came from.

Back then the bar on playing skills was raised so high. The players made the magic, the guitars were tools.

Lynch proved that, no matter what was on the headstock that day, he still played godlike. It was just the era where being good was recognized and applauded.

Fuggin Grunge killed the music.

[Mr.Shreddy]

Fuggin Grunge killed the music.

Exactly

[MusicManJP6]

I played my buddy's So Cal last weekend and I'm GASing like crazy for one of these guitars now!!

[Newc]

Fuggin Grunge killed the music.

Nope. It killed itself, or at least set itself up to be pushed under the bus.

You weren't "good" unless you could keep up with the shredding. Your band sucked if you didn't have a guitarist who could blaze scalar patterns and arpeggios at 200BPM while carrying on a conversation.

You had to be able to impress other guitarists with your fretboard skills.

Nevermind the fact you can write a melody that stuck with the general CD-buying populace or a song that more than guitarists would be interested in, you had to be able to masturbate musically to the exclusion of all else.

Ergo, the "music" killed itself.

[Mr.Shreddy]

^^^^^ Awesome comment man.

[jet66]

Nope. It killed itself, or at least set itself up to be pushed under the bus.

You weren't "good" unless you could keep up with the shredding. Your band sucked if you didn't have a guitarist who could blaze scalar patterns and arpeggios at 200BPM while carrying on a conversation.

You had to be able to impress other guitarists with your fretboard skills.

Nevermind the fact you can write a melody that stuck with the general CD-buying populace or a song that more than guitarists would be interested in, you had to be able to masturbate musically to the exclusion of all else.

Ergo, the "music" killed itself.

My thoughts exactly. Somewhere around '90-'91, it wasn't about 'the song' anymore, it was about showcasing the latest whiz-bang hotshot's chops. I love hotshot chops as much as the next player from the 80's, but I was so over it at that point.

Every new/good style seems to do that, though. Even grunge and hip-hop became more of a marketing scheme than an 'art form.' Sure, the point of the music business is to make money, but once a style becomes more of a business plan, it just turns in to a business plan.

[Grandturk]

More importantly, grunge killed the "dirtbag" look, or at least slapped a label on it. As a kid, I wore jeans, work boots and a flannel shirt. When Pearl Jam's Ten hit, I still wore jeans, work boots and a flannel shirt - somewhere along the way I went from hopeless loser, to righteous hipster without changing my clothes.





I did cut my hair though. Probably around the time Chris Cornell did - so Metallic bit my style.