Isn't Adrian Smith's San Dimas Signature technically a So-Cal?

[Number Of The Priest]

In the Charvel Pro-Mods, a San Dimas is a rear-loaded Strat/Tele with no pickguard, and a So-Cal is a front-loaded Strat with pickguard.

Adrian Smith's signature Jackson has a front-loaded Strat body. Why is it called a San Dimas instead of a So-Cal? Did they call it a San Dimas because that was where his original mid-80s custom Jacksons were made?

Not that Jackson's model names have ever been cut and dry. They are confusing sometimes. DKMGFFWTFBBQ, SLXATQHLOL, RRTOMGLMAO...

[neilli]

And why is it described as a dinky?

[Number Of The Priest]

Dinky is a horrible name.

Wait, that's another thread.

[Mudlark]

All good questions.
Fender needs to start hiring new employees from members of this forum.
...and pay them well.

[mantis]

In the Charvel Pro-Mods, a San Dimas is a rear-loaded Strat/Tele with no pickguard, and a So-Cal is a front-loaded Strat with pickguard.

Adrian Smith's signature Jackson has a front-loaded Strat body. Why is it called a San Dimas instead of a So-Cal? Did they call it a San Dimas because that was where his original mid-80s custom Jacksons were made?

Not that Jackson's model names have ever been cut and dry. They are confusing sometimes. DKMGFFWTFBBQ, SLXATQHLOL, RRTOMGLMAO...

First off it's not a Charvel so it shouldn't be called a So Cal. I never remember a Jackson being called a So Cal.
Also a So Cal is a HH design not a HSS. I could be wrong here but the last 8 plus years of So Cals have all been HH with a Floyd Design.
The San Dimas is the same way except they also offer Hard Tails and no pick guards. I'm also referring the the last 8 plus years or so.
Jackson can all his signature model anything they wish I guess. It has the Fender Head stock and body so Super Strat might be in order here LOL.

I played the $499 selling price model at Guitar center and Sam Ash and both times I walked away from it thinking " This thing sucks ass". I never got my hands on a real model so that might play and sound much better. I'm no fan of Dimarizo pickups but I am a fan of his tone. They all in Iron Maiden have amazing Tone.

[shreddermon]

Sorry, but that's not correct. Just because the ProMod SoCals have only been HH and Floyds does not mean other PU and bridge layout do not equal a SoCal.

In Charvel terms - or FMIC marketing terms, to be more accurate - a "SoCal" is a front-loaded Strat body. And a "San Dimas" is a rear-loaded Strat body. They have definitely labeled custom shop pieces with different PU and bridge layouts with those same terms.

As to Jackson, why would they use a different term than Charvel? They're the same corporation. Which brings us back to the original post. Agreed, technically the AS is neither a San Dimas nor a Dinky. It is a SoCal. Non-technically, FMIC has been f**king this s**t up since day one. The only reasons why they started the terms "San Dimas" and "SoCal" in the first place were lame attempts to differentiate the J/C strat body from the Fender strat body, both from a marketing and legal protection standpoint. It's a f**king strat body shape, no matter what they try to call it.

[Force]

The AS has a smaller headstock than the Fender.

Aren't the new SoCals HSS? That would put pay to the 'HH only' part of ID'ing them.

The SDX is the same as any import, some good some bad, mine is perfect.


EDIT: Nope, SoCal still HH, could've sworn I saw HSS ones, lololol

[Number Of The Priest]

I agree with shreddermon, pickups do not have any bearing on the naming.

Look at the USA Charvel Pro-Mods seen in the catalog scans: http://www.jcfonline.com/threads/145...ls-catalog-ads

There is one San Dimas with HSS pickups and a two Wild Cards that are 1H.

It's been messed up even before FMIC. Remember the 1996-1997 Charvel San Dimas guitars? http://charvelusa.com/charvel_models...1996_1997.html

They look nice, and by all accounts I've heard that they also play and sound nice... but the gumby headstock and Dinky body don't really match the San Dimas name. At least the 2008-present Pro-Mods have Strat bodies and Strat headstocks that are REMINISCENT of what was made by J/C in California in the 1980s.

Had no idea Adrian's guitar had a smaller headstock.

I was browsing other forums a few weeks ago (blasphemy!) and was amused when people were horrified to learn the Pro-Mod San Dimas and Pro-Mod So-Cal, 2010 to present day, were not made in California. "But they have SAN DIMAS and SO-CAL in their names, they must be American guitars!" It's just a model name! I could make a Telecaster-shaped guitar in Canada and call it the Nashville.

[MountainDog]

The SDX is the same as any import, some good some bad, mine is perfect.

I agree. I have both USA Adrian Smiths (maple board & ebony board), and recently picked up the SDX with maple board at Guitar Center that was hanging on the wall with a used/$299 tag. At some of my bar gigs, not always a wise idea to bring $2000 guitars due to the drunks, so figured at this price would be good to try out and use for those gigs. Thing is dead mint, not a scratch, with perfect setup and intonation. Can't figure out why it was 'used' unless someone ordered it but didn't pay or pickup. Anyway, I am very impressed with its playability and construction and sound.

[j2379]

To me a SoCal is more just a hot rod strat, the AS is truer to a Jackson strat. The Jackson strats aren't as rounded and don't have top jacks.

[xenophobe]

The AS, originally, is a Jackson Custom Strat. It later came to be known as the AS Sig. model.

It's not a Charvel. Applying new Charvel specific terms to an older Jackson is not correct. The difference between a front loaded or rear loaded Jackson Custom Strat is either being ordered front loaded or rear loaded. You should call either a Jackson Custom Strat. The same goes for having a pointy or a strathead. These new "So-Cal" and "San Dimas" names are relatively new terms used for marketing purposes.

As for all the different model numbers and SKUs we have today... that's such a fucking mess. lol