Charvel Enquiry

[Slartibartfarst42]

Some years ago I looked at a Jackson DK2 and a PRS SE Custom 24. It was a really tough call as I loved the Jackson far more than I expected but I eventually went with the PRS, largely because it wasn't as obviously 'Metal' and that suits me. I'm not a shredder by any stretch of the imagination and I'm in my fifties, not my teens. I used to love pointy guitars but those days have gone and I now prefer something more restrained looking. The PRS has been awesome but I think I've now decided to change it to something with an alder body. This one has really caught my eye:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/charvel_pro_mod_so_cal_style1_2h_fr_sw.htm

I'm a big fan of Adrian Smith but I can't afford a USA version of his guitar and I don't want the cheaper one as it only has the Special Floyd Rose. That aside, I'm also not a huge fan of single coils or Floyds sat on top of a guitar. This Charvel appeals because it looks a lot like Adrian's guitar (I just love a white guitar with black pickguard), it has the recessed Floyd that isn't a Special and has an H-H configuration while not being as obviously 'Metal' as the Jackson DK2. I would change the pickups to a DiMarzio Super Distortion and a 36th Anniversary PAF, which should be perfect for Adrian's tone. I have just a couple of questions about this guitar.

1. The quality of the PRS is incredible but it's a long time since I've tried a Charvel so what is the quality of the instrument like? Is it made in the same Mexican factory as the Pro series Jackson that I tried when I bought my PRS because that Jackson was excellent. I've also owned a Mesican Strat in my time that was very impressive. If the Charvel matches those, it should be good.
2. One of the great things about the PRS is the incredible upper fret access. I've played neck-thru guitars that have been no better! The Charvel is a bolt-on and I'm guessing it's essentially the same as a Strat so the upper fret access won't be as good but I'd be interested to hear how it compares to the PRS from anyone who has played both. How do they compare?

Thanks for your help.

[pianoguyy]

I have San Dimas Style 1

Nice guitars.
Bolt ons and neck thrus have different heels, no getting around that. Even neck thrus have different heels going from brand to brand - or, in the case of Jackson, the older vs the newer.
But it is certainly better than the big clunky Les Paul.

[MetalDaze]

I have the left handed version of this Charvel and I highly recommend it.

Right out of the box it sounds and plays great. No quality issues on mine.

[MountainDog]

I have several Charvel Pro Mods and several PRS SE models including a SE Standard 24. Note that you are going from a 25” scale/10” radius from your PRS to 25.5”/12 to 16” radius on the Charvel, 6 screw trem vs. floyd, so different “animals”. I am mainly a rhythm player, so the feel of a neck for chording is important to me. I prefer the Charvel’s neck shape, fingerboard radius and the feel of the back of the neck, but the PRS with 9 gauge strings and the shorter scale length results in effortless chording. Quality-wise, no issues on the Mexican Charvels, easily on par with the Korean SEs and better than the Indonesian ones.

You aren’t going to channel your “inner Adrian Smith vibe” with a PRS, so I say go for the Charvel. FYI, I have the maple and ebony board versions of the USA Jackson Adrian Smith models and I think you’d be happy with the direction you are thinking of doing.

As mentioned, these guitars are completely different, but that’s the fun sometimes, breaking out something different as motivation to practice more and enjoy making music.

[pianoguyy]

and the feel of the back of the neck,

my 2016 is a wood neck.
my 2013 has a clear coat of some sort. the website says it is 'oiled'.

[Slartibartfarst42]

I have several Charvel Pro Mods and several PRS SE models including a SE Standard 24. Note that you are going from a 25” scale/10” radius from your PRS to 25.5”/12 to 16” radius on the Charvel, 6 screw trem vs. floyd, so different “animals”. I am mainly a rhythm player, so the feel of a neck for chording is important to me. I prefer the Charvel’s neck shape, fingerboard radius and the feel of the back of the neck, but the PRS with 9 gauge strings and the shorter scale length results in effortless chording. Quality-wise, no issues on the Mexican Charvels, easily on par with the Korean SEs and better than the Indonesian ones.

You aren’t going to channel your “inner Adrian Smith vibe” with a PRS, so I say go for the Charvel. FYI, I have the maple and ebony board versions of the USA Jackson Adrian Smith models and I think you’d be happy with the direction you are thinking of doing.

As mentioned, these guitars are completely different, but that’s the fun sometimes, breaking out something different as motivation to practice more and enjoy making music.

Thanks, that's very reassuring. My PRS does have a Floyd so the trem won't be a problem and when I bought the PRS, I also tried a Jackson Pro Dinky and I loved the neck on that. Honestly, if it wasn't for the pointy headstock that screamed 'Metal' I probably would have bought the Jackson. I still wish the Charvel had the neck joint of that Jackson as it made upper fret access excellent but I guess every guitar comes with some small compromise. Other than that and the pickups I can easily change, I just love everything about the Pro Mod So-Cal.

Out of interest, what's the difference between the Pro Mod So-Cal that I'm looking at buying and the Pro Mod San Dimas? Other than pickups, the addition of the scratchplate on the So-Cal appears to be the only difference. I normally avoid scratchplates but on this one I actually prefer it, partly because of the Adrian Smith look and partly because the black and white looks so good together. I guess another factor is my desire to not have the guitar scream Metal and with the black scratchplate, the black Floyd is far less obvious and it looks a bit more like a normal Strat.

[Number Of The Priest]

For Charvel Pro-Mods, San Dimas designates a rear-loaded body and no pickguard, while So-Cal designates a front-loaded body with pickguard. (Style 1 designates Strat shape, Style 2 designates Tele shape.)

That is just a general rule of thumb and isn't completely consistent across Jackson and Charvel.

For example, the Adrian Smith signature Jackson guitar you like should be called a So-Cal Style 1 if it used the Charvel nomenclature, but instead it's called a San Dimas DK (it's a Strat shape, not a Dinky, so why it's called a DK is confusing).

Yet, more recently a Misha Mansoor signature Jackson guitar was released that is called a So-Cal and is consistent with what should be a So-Cal in Charval parlance.

There's a Joe Duplantier signature Charvel labeled a San Dimas Style 2, which would lead you to believe it's a Tele shape with no pickguard, but it has a pickguard. Ignoring Jackson for a moment, if Charvel were internally consistent, that guitar should be called a So-Cal Style 2.

Jackson and Charvel have a long history of enjoying nomenclature inconsistencies.

[Slartibartfarst42]

Amazing as it may sound, that now makes almost perfect sense! San Dimas has no pickguard, a So Cal does have a pickguard but Charvel and Jackson change the rules to suit themselves whenever the mood takes them. What's confusing about that?

[pianoguyy]

That is just a general rule of thumb and isn't completely consistent across Jackson and Charvel.

Is anything ever consistent across the J/C Universe

[pianoguyy]

So-Cal vs San Dimas

Basically, it is the pickguard.
But then you have things that go along with that - such as the look. Or, the fact that there are a few key pieces of wood missing from the SC, which is easier on your shoulders but changes tone and sustain. And that pickguard makes it easier to do mods and maintenance to your guitar - and provides a hiding spot for your doobage so your mom won't find it while you are at school.

[pianoguyy]

There's a Joe Duplantier signature Charvel labeled a San Dimas Style 2, which would lead you to believe it's a Tele shape with no pickguard, but it has a pickguard. Ignoring Jackson for a moment, if Charvel were internally consistent, that guitar should be called a So-Cal Style 2.

but it has a pickguard like a Les Paul, not like a Stratocaster.

[Dak]

Thanks, that's very reassuring. My PRS does have a Floyd so the trem won't be a problem and when I bought the PRS, I also tried a Jackson Pro Dinky and I loved the neck on that. Honestly, if it wasn't for the pointy headstock that screamed 'Metal' I probably would have bought the Jackson. I still wish the Charvel had the neck joint of that Jackson as it made upper fret access excellent but I guess every guitar comes with some small compromise. Other than that and the pickups I can easily change, I just love everything about the Pro Mod So-Cal.

Have you thought about a Charvel DK24. It's 100 to 200usd. more and does lose the Adrian Smith vibe but has a sculpted heel and 24 frets so better upper fret access.
Dinky™ (DK) :: Pro-Mod DK24 HH FR M Mahogany with Quilt Maple, Maple Fingerboard, Dark Amber (charvel.com)
Dinky™ (DK) :: Pro-Mod DK24 HSS FR M Poplar, Maple Fingerboard, Purple Sunset (charvel.com)
There is a solid color with a floyd but I don't care for it. Others might. Dinky™ (DK) :: Pro-Mod DK24 HSS FR M, Maple Fingerboard, Specific Ocean (charvel.com)
Seems all good colors are on the non floyd guitars. Dinky™ (DK) (charvel.com)

Also maybe someone who's played current Jacksons can clarify as the newest Jackson I've played was a early 2000's DK2 in a pawn shop and mine are the old Professional series or Toothpaste logo Charvels( that do feel like a Jackson). The neck profiles are different between the Jackson's and the Pro-mod/So-cal. A buddy has a pro-mod and I have a Pro-mod neck on a partscaster I built. I don't know about the DK24 but just a heads up that the Charvel may not feel like the Pro Dinky you played. I was hoping for a strathead neck that felt like my Jacksons for my partscaster. It did not. Thickness wise it's very close but the back feels like a more rounded shape than the Jackson. It's still a great neck and I love the satin/bare feel but you might want to play one if possible before you buy.

[pianoguyy]

Also maybe someone who's played current Jacksons can clarify

The neck profiles are different between the Jackson's and the Pro-mod/So-cal.
Thickness wise it's very close but the back feels like a more rounded shape than the Jackson. It's still a great neck and I love the satin/bare feel but you might want to play one if possible before you buy.

My 2013 is different, but I don't know if that is the size/shape, or if it is the clear coat on it.
My 2016s are very close.

But, I think the problem with trying to describe the differences is the fact that Jackson necks are different. So it isn't like I can say something is the same or different because they are different from themselves.

[Slartibartfarst42]

While a white guitar with a black pickguard has that Adrian Smith look, I am open to other options. I know I don't like natural wood finishes and I don't want an all black guitar. I also definitely want a guitar with a Floyd bridge so that drastically cuts down the options that are available to me. It doesn't help that I also have a strong preference for an H-H configuration so again, the options are very limited indeed. My second choice would be H-S-H and finally H-S-S but in the past I've always found it very hard to get a singlecoil pickup that works for me. Even hot singlecoil sized humbuckers never seem to do it for me as they just don't sound like humbuckers and they often can't live with the power of the bridge humbucker. As I've never had any success with singlecoil-sized pickups before, I'm naturally wary of going down that path. There are also budget constraints so I know I'm not getting a USA guitar. I don't want to be shallow when it comes to colour but some of Charvel's colour options are awful and I just wouldn't spend money on them. That mint green and pale blue for instance - really not me at all. Here are some options I found:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/charvel_pr...prplsunset.htm
I don't much care for the colour and I'm obviously not keen on the H-S-S layout but I do like the 24 frets and the more contoured heel.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/charvel_pr...dark_amber.htm
I agonise over this one! It's absolutely gorgeous, I love the colour, it has the Floyd, 24 frets, an H-H layout and a contoured heel. I'm also used to using alnico 2 neck pickups so I may not even bother changing that for the PAF Pro and just switch the bridge pickup to the Super Distortion. The only thing that puts me off is the fact it's mahogany and after a long time with PRS, I kinda wanted to switch to alder as it tends to have a snappier tone. I keep thinking that if I just end up with another mahogany guitar, I might as well stick with the PRS. That said, this one is REALLY nice!

https://www.thomann.de/gb/charvel_pr..._hh_fr_clb.htm
Not much to dislike here. I like the quilted blue top, it's H-H and has the Floyd. I'm used to 24 frets but 22 doesn't bother me at all as I've never actually used frets 23 and 24 that I can remember so the only real compromise is the neck joint.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/charvel_pr...1_2h_fr_sw.htm
My starting point. Much the same as the previous guitar really. On a plain white guitar, I prefer the So Cal but on a guitar with a nice finish like quilted blue, I prefer the San Dimas.

Of these four, I guess the H-S-S option would be the first one to go as it has more compromises than the other three. Between the San Dimas and the So Cal, there's nothing to choose so I guess I'd probably go with the So Cal for the Adrian Smith look but between the So Cal and the amber DK24, I just can't decide. If the amber one was in alder instead of mahogany it would be a no-brainer. I guess I'll have to just wait until the lockdown ends here and see if I can find one of each locally to try.

[Dak]

My 2013 is different, but I don't know if that is the size/shape, or if it is the clear coat on it.
My 2016s are very close.

But, I think the problem with trying to describe the differences is the fact that Jackson necks are different. So it isn't like I can say something is the same or different because they are different from themselves.

Yeah I knew the Jacksons varied over the years even among themselves. I just didn't know how they felt or compare to the current Charvels. I need to make a trip to Guitar Center sometime and just play a bunch of their new Jackson/Charvels.