Be honest.

[joelayres]

Just get one. No need to justify it. Always remember - how many guitars are enough? One more!

Seriously, I don't understand why so many people rag on these things. My two are both killer players (a So-Cal and Tele). Put it this way - you won't be sorry if you buy one, and will probably end up with another.

[Chubtone]

People can rag on these production models as much as they want. I have a 1980 pre-pro and a 1984 pointy head and have owned literally DOZENS of the original Charvels and early San Dimas Jacksons. These USA production guitars are great guitars.

I sold 2 Suhr Standards about a year ago and have bought two of these new production models, and honestly I don't miss the Suhrs.

The proof is in the pudding. I have 10 guitars sitting here in my home studio and for the last song on my new instrumental CD I grabbed my candy tangerine So Cal with a Mojave PAF in the bridge and a Duncan '59 in the neck. I love it. Here's a clip...... I just don't understand the people who make it sound like these guitars are good enough for noobs, but nowhere near good enough for them?:think:

http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=7758212&q=hi

[Guinny]

I own several Fender Custom Shops and also an EB Musicman-these Charvels are great guitars and compete at all levels!

Go buy!

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I have two of these. One I had a lot of problems with and required a level/crown/dress but it's now absolutely a killer guitar and sees a lot of play time.

The other was just good to go out of the box. It doesn't play quite as well as the one I did the level/crown/dress but that's kind of expected, and it's still head and shoulders above my American Standard Strat.

So, I'd say that given you have a few to choose between and don't get a lemon you will be very very happy with what you get for your dollar.

[vondran]

Honestly, on playability and sound my SoCal is right up there with my higher cost guitars (several `83 charvels, PRS, ...). I've had the SoCal for a year now and it's getting nearly all of my playing time.

[aceinet]

Love it

I love my Polar White San Dimas. Compared to my Peavy Wolfgang it might not feel as "fast" but it still feels great. I wanted to get a Super Strat and bought a Fender FSR with EMG's earlier this year. But I just couldn't deal with the soft V neck. After hearing that these Charvels are made on the Fender line I feel like I got the best Super Strat that Fender will make, this side of a custom shop order. Even compared to my Jackson Dinky mutt (with the Musikraft San Dimas style neck) the Charvel still holds up. Now I have to admit that I will probably replace the JB pickup at one point but that is just my personal search for my tone with my gear. Playability wise you just can't go wrong with the Production line in my opinion.

[85 San Dimas]

For owners of the new production models how does it compare to other guitars you own?

So guys, how does your production model rank against other guitars you own?

Also how similar (or not) is it to other guitars you know? Like an old import charvel? a US strat? some kind of Jackson?

the pro mods do not compare in any way to the import Charvels of yesteryear. a model 3 (great guitars if not goofed-up), a 375, a fusion (name any model you want) these aren't anywhere near the same thing. The pro-mods are an attempt to "recapture" the 80-82 period not the 84-86 "pointys"........so it has to viewed that way. You can have a 375 deluxe and a pro mod and have 2 completely different guitars BESIDES the fact that they're made by different people (mij vs. USA) and of different parts.

I keep a LOT of superstrats..it's my thing. I think the answer comes down to whether you "feel" like spending 9-11 hundred and/or whether you'd be happy with "used" or not. If used is okay, the pick up one of these for less money, or (my opinion here) there are a ton of fantastic used guitars for a grand. Tons and Tons and Tons and Tons.

If you want NEW for 9-11 AND you want a Superstrat then I think this is the way you go. I paid 1100 for a new Wayne w/trad trem a year ago and its insane, but I'm not so sure whether you can get one at that price right now (maybe?) GMW's are more expensive and not really the Pro Mod competitor.

At the 1000 and lower range and factory-built new w/warranty you'll have a tough time beating the Pro Mods if that's the kind of guitar you like. it would be best to pick out one you like rather than ordering to make sure you are happy. ALL IMHO.

Good luck.

[/QUOTE]

[Bionic]

People can rag on these production models as much as they want. I have a 1980 pre-pro and a 1984 pointy head and have owned literally DOZENS of the original Charvels and early San Dimas Jacksons. These USA production guitars are great guitars.

I sold 2 Suhr Standards about a year ago and have bought two of these new production models, and honestly I don't miss the Suhrs.

The proof is in the pudding. I have 10 guitars sitting here in my home studio and for the last song on my new instrumental CD I grabbed my candy tangerine So Cal with a Mojave PAF in the bridge and a Duncan '59 in the neck. I love it. Here's a clip...... I just don't understand the people who make it sound like these guitars are good enough for noobs, but nowhere near good enough for them?:think:





http://www.soundclick.com/util/getpl...d=7758212&q=hi

Nice music bro... great work!

[roodyrocker]

That clip did sound nice indeed!

[Chubtone]

Nice music bro... great work!

That clip did sound nice indeed!

Thanks for checking it out guys!

[Vass]

Am looking for one myself, and appreciate the info on this thread. I'm amazed how far down they've come on ebay.

Mostly posting to tell Chubtone- Loved your clip, nice job bud.

[wanthairspray]

Well, I overode my GAS countermeasures and caved, and got a So-cal in black off Ebay. It came today. Seller had it BIN for £600 + free shipping, which I thought was pretty ok.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=170352468387&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=007

Listed as used, but unplayed. Hang tag, sealed baggie with bar, manual and keys. Came shipped in the original Charvel box (which I see came from Evanston, IL and Flyn Guitars), and bagged with the Charvel gigbag.

Basically when I opened it it was as described, totally immaculate and unplayed. Completely in tune too.

Anyway, I played it a lot today to get the measure of it. I basically compared it to my Vigier Indus which has become my complete #1, and the touchstone by which I compare anything vaguely high end.

Maybe it is a bit unfair to do so, because new, an Indus costs about £500 more than the Production model and has a lot of "hands on time" by workers, especially with regard to the glorious neck.

Neck wise the Indus wins out totally, despite the compound radius of the So-cal, though the compund radius feels great.

The Indus has PAF Classics which I love through a tube amp, as they are very warm. I have a guitar with twin Evos in anyway and think I might darken the So-cal up with a resistor or pot change or something, a slight snarly top end to the Tone Zone, but the pickups work really well together and are very well matched.

Really the Vigier Indus is the ultimate soloist instrument. I like that it has a hair under 12 inch radius.

The So-cal feels like what it is made to be: a perfect rock guitar, great for powerchords, blasted-out triads and doublestops, screaming bends and all. I like the Floyd a lot.

I'm going to see how this one fares. It took me a few months of solid playing to really bond with the Indus and appreciate it in everyway. I think the So-cal will be the same and I will come out loving it.

I'm hoping to use it in an 80s tribute band and it will just completely fit right in. Charvel did well on this one, it's great for that style of music.

I am happy with the money I spent. Had I tried one in a shop, I do not think I would have got one new for £899 though...but I am cheap like that.

So overall, a nice addition to the stable. A really solid rock-workhorse, which is just what I wanted.

[\m/HELLRAISER\m/]

i have a demartini charvel , and my SD1 is pretty close to it in terms of quality and playability, .

Finally someone who owns BOTH that i can ask this,
how do the neck shapes compare between the two charvels?

[Harmonious]

Hey chubtone.....nice one man, I really enjoyed that. What was your amp set-up for that?

[Chubtone]

Hey chubtone.....nice one man, I really enjoyed that. What was your amp set-up for that?

Thanks man! I used my Splawn Quick Rod for this track.