Tweet
I dunno... Maybe I'm getting old, but I'm not as big a fan of Charvels/Jacksons as I used to be. Why?
I really wanted a DK2M... they look sweet! I've played about 10 of them and they all sucked... just felt cheap, IMO, and all had poorly finished fret ends.
In 2005, I was all excited about the new Charvels and was fortunate enough to buy two of them. One was sight unseen from a large mailorder house. Either the trem cavity was routed too far back or the trem posts were drilled too far forward, but the trem would not pull up due to the bar mount underneath hitting the body. After getting the run around from my local dealer (In their defence, I didn't buy the guitar from them) and to some extent Jackson/Charvel, I had to pull out he dremel and rout it myself. The fretwork wasn't all that great, so I had to get them leveled. I lightly bumped the headstock of the guitar against something, now the clear coat on it is bubbling. The locking nut screw holes were drilled offset and are into the truss rod cavity, prohibiting the nut from being firmly seated. I have to put about five wraps on the string to keep the nut down. These issues are inexcuseable on an import, let alone a $1600 USA made guitar. I suppose I should have sent it back, but again, I just HAD to have a USA Charvel. I still have it, but that is only because I could probably only get $300 for it due to the issues. I hardly every play it.
On the other hand, I have a two USA Strats: one is Custom Shop Pro, and the other is a USA Deluxe FMT. Both kick more ass than Chuck Norris and smoke any Charvel or Jackson I've played (not that I've had the 100's that other's have) in the quality department as well as playability. Strangely, both were much cheaper as well... Lesson learned.
Hell, the $600 dollar Schecter 7 String I have plays better and is on par fit and finish wise with the 3 new Charvel/Jackson products I bought in 2005 (RR1, 2 x San Dimas reissues).
On the other hand, my brother has a 1986 Model 4 that is awesome and still looks new. That guitar has been gigged heavily too... I played it again Easter Sunday and was impressed as usual by it.
I really wanted a DK2M... they look sweet! I've played about 10 of them and they all sucked... just felt cheap, IMO, and all had poorly finished fret ends.
In 2005, I was all excited about the new Charvels and was fortunate enough to buy two of them. One was sight unseen from a large mailorder house. Either the trem cavity was routed too far back or the trem posts were drilled too far forward, but the trem would not pull up due to the bar mount underneath hitting the body. After getting the run around from my local dealer (In their defence, I didn't buy the guitar from them) and to some extent Jackson/Charvel, I had to pull out he dremel and rout it myself. The fretwork wasn't all that great, so I had to get them leveled. I lightly bumped the headstock of the guitar against something, now the clear coat on it is bubbling. The locking nut screw holes were drilled offset and are into the truss rod cavity, prohibiting the nut from being firmly seated. I have to put about five wraps on the string to keep the nut down. These issues are inexcuseable on an import, let alone a $1600 USA made guitar. I suppose I should have sent it back, but again, I just HAD to have a USA Charvel. I still have it, but that is only because I could probably only get $300 for it due to the issues. I hardly every play it.
On the other hand, I have a two USA Strats: one is Custom Shop Pro, and the other is a USA Deluxe FMT. Both kick more ass than Chuck Norris and smoke any Charvel or Jackson I've played (not that I've had the 100's that other's have) in the quality department as well as playability. Strangely, both were much cheaper as well... Lesson learned.
Hell, the $600 dollar Schecter 7 String I have plays better and is on par fit and finish wise with the 3 new Charvel/Jackson products I bought in 2005 (RR1, 2 x San Dimas reissues).
On the other hand, my brother has a 1986 Model 4 that is awesome and still looks new. That guitar has been gigged heavily too... I played it again Easter Sunday and was impressed as usual by it.
Comment