Duel between a Charvel 650XL and a Jackson SL-2H...

[rodrigo_echeverri]

I just want to share some impresions...

I guess I am one of the people in this board that owns/has owned the least amount of Jackson guitars in his life. Right now I only have two of them, one is a Jackson Soloist SL-2H snakeskin that I recently got from e-bay (remember?) and the other one is a 1990 Charvel 650XL in platinum finish.

Yesterday I was finally able to bring the soloist home and sit her next to the charvel (I was in california for a while). Before I owned these two guitars I was convinced that the SL-2H would brutally kill the Japanese Charvel.

Well, you know what?... I think the Charvel holds together pretty good in front of the soloist!... sustain seems to be pretty much the same, tone is not all that different (soloist is a bit better), playability is also similar... I mean, the Soloist is a US$1200 animal and the poor Charvel is like US$380-450!... and she still puts up a fight pretty good!... she is a brave little warrior and I love her for that.

I love my two guitars but I appreciate more the early Japanese models now than I did before... they are great guitars for the price!...

This is probably just a dumb conclusion but it is different when you are told than when you actually verify it by yourself...

[VitaminG]

Re: Duel between a Charvel 650XL and a Jackson SL-2H...

that's cool, Rodrigo. Now let's see some PICS!!!! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[charvel750]

Re: Duel between a Charvel 650XL and a Jackson SL-2H...

The early Professional Jacksons from 1990 to about 1993 are easily on par with their USA made brothers. However, there are subtle differences. Brad Kelly has described the Pro models as "feeling like plastic" since they lack the solidity of the USA models. The late 80's early 90's Charvel imports are also very nice. I have yet to find a better tone monster than the infamous Charvel 750. While the components are identical in these Japanese made instruments, wood choice was not. And, for those who care, American craftsmenship and pride are lacking in the Oriental models. Nonetheless, Jackson ended the Japanese line when sales began cutting into the USA models. Today's Pro series is NOTHING like the original. If you can find a good condition original Pro or a high end Charvel import you will love it forever.

[makovai]

Re: Duel between a Charvel 650XL and a Jackson SL-2H...

I will be able to give a real good opinion soon. I just ordered a new SL2H and I have a Charvel ?????? (my other post is "please help me identify my Charvel) I think its a 375 deluxe, but i cant get any firm answers. I will say this, I've been playing for 20+ years, and I have never played anything that even comes close to my Charvel. I am left handed so I dont get to just walk into the stores and play everything, however I've owned at least 30 factory left handed guitars, including a 1976 USA strat, a 1993 les paul standard, and a few other top-o-line guitars, as well as a lot of pieces of $hit. Nothing is even close to this Charvel. So we'll see if this new SL2H was worth the $1.2 million dollars I gave for it [img]graemlins/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]
Later

[charvel750]

Re: Duel between a Charvel 650XL and a Jackson SL-2H...

While we are all free to express our beliefs and opinions, please don't insult the integrity of this Board. A Charvel 375 will never rival a Jackson SL2H. Now come on.

[Soloist1]

Re: Duel between a Charvel 650XL and a Jackson SL-2H...

Those Japanese Charvel's are what got me hooked on Jackson Charvel. I agree with Joe that the main differences are a slight difference in build quality and the difference in wood and the plastic covers. But!!!! The '91 and older Japanese ones are as playable as the USA stuff though IMO. And the new Pro's don't have anything over the '91 and older ones also.

[ April 15, 2003, 02:14 PM: Message edited by: Soloist1 ]

[Budman68]

Re: Duel between a Charvel 650XL and a Jackson SL-2H...

Originally posted by jsullysix:
but in his hands....it just may.

sully

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">How true!!

[makovai]

Re: Duel between a Charvel 650XL and a Jackson SL-2H...

Originally posted by charvel750:
While we are all free to express our beliefs and opinions, please don't insult the integrity of this Board. A Charvel 375 will never rival a Jackson SL2H. Now come on.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">It turns out that I play a 475 deluxe and as far as insults go. Each guitar has hand crafting in it, and you can play 2 identical guitars and 1 will play great while the other plays awful. This Charvel is one of those that just was well crafted. You've never played this guitar, so why would you say that. I played a new Les Paul custom that was not as smooth as my LP standard.

I used to work in a gun factory, and whenever we made left handed version of the same model as a right, they always used the best wood for the stocks, and the best components, and they would still have the same model #.
An old band I was in many years ago, myself and the other guitar player thought it would be cool to order identical Ibanez Roadstar II guitars. I paid 15% more for the lefty, When we got them, the lefty was far superior in many ways.
No insults here but until my new SL2h is here and I've played it......I'm sketical
Lates

[roodyrocker]

Re: Duel between a Charvel 650XL and a Jackson SL-2H...

The old import upper end Charvels were great guitars. I bought a Model 6 brand new and still have it to this day. I never really cared for the Jackson pickups so those got replaced with an EMG SA/SA/81 set early in its life and I can echo the sentiments of many others on here in that it does indeed stack up well among other upper end guitars. I wish they still made the Model 6 today.

Rudy

[diablomozart]

Re: Duel between a Charvel 650XL and a Jackson SL-2H...

hmm...i don't remember the 650 xl's going for 350 when they were new...they listed pretty high...d.m.

[charvel750]

Re: Duel between a Charvel 650XL and a Jackson SL-2H...

Yes, makovai, you do indeed have a Charvel 475, not the 375. However, the build quality and difference between it and the SL2H is so different. I haven't seen or played your guitar, but I'm telling you, dude, it cannot hold up against the SL2H, and that's all I'm going to say. I can't believe all those reading my reply aren't wholeheartedly agreeing, but then again, look at Syria and ask yourself who stands up when the music is loud...Or something like that!

[makovai]

Re: Duel between a Charvel 650XL and a Jackson SL-2H...

well my 475 is a killer guitar, so if the SL2H is better, than I'm even more excited about receiving it. Unfortunalty it looks like late June, early July until I get it. Thats still better than the 6 months I was told origanally. Being Left handed sucks.

[rodrigo_echeverri]

Re: Duel between a Charvel 650XL and a Jackson SL-2H...

Vitamin G: Here you go (copy and paste to your browser, you know geocities doesnt like to be linked from forums and will give you an error if you dont do this):

Charvel:
http://www.geocities.com/rodrigo_echeverri/baby_sky.jpg

Baby snake:

http://www.geocities.com/rodrigo_ech...l-2h_front.jpg

EDIT: Can anybody please host these pictures so that it can be seen on the thread?

Ok, I am going to have to confess that the 650XL had to get a bit of a push to out up the fight... the stock pickups have been replaced with an SA/SA/81 set and an EXG circuit was set to replace the second tone knob. I can CLEARLY see how you guys support SD's so much because they are sweet. However, I wouldn't own two guitars that are stup the same way.. I feel there would be no point. I also felt that I had to keep the 650XL being active just to respect the way she was intended to be setup.

I do notice some differences that maybe I should state:

1) It is harder to setup the action low in the charvel with no fretting. However, once set currectly she has nothing to envy in this department WRT the SL-2H.

2) The charvel is very flexible. By this I mean that when I get carried away playing, I can hear how I go out of tune because I bend the guitar (or am I just going crazy?) this happens as well with the SL-2H but in a smaller scale.

3) The ebony on the SL-2H is NICE, I repeat, NICE!... makes the rosewood on the Charvel shake in fear. However, since I have the EXG circuit I feel somehow I am compensating for the lost brightness in the tone.

4) Both guitars weigh the same!... I always thought the SL-2H would be heavier but I am pretty convinced it is not...

As for the lack of homogeneity in production, I thought Jackson never really had this problem. I read that article about Gibsons that somebody ponted out here in the board that was going aroung and I found it pretty scary. However, I never found a Jackson or Charvel dog (in the top of the line series I mean)... have you ever come accross any?... I haven't...

I also announce that due to financial reasons the charvel might end up in the classifieds here in the board. That would be one of the most painful experiences in my life but I am afraid it could happen within the next couple of weeks... [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] If you are interested and harass me a little you might end up owning her as long as you promise to take good care of her and give her a good warm home like I have.

[ April 15, 2003, 10:43 PM: Message edited by: rodrigo_echeverri ]

[VitaminG]

Re: Duel between a Charvel 650XL and a Jackson SL-2H...

thanks Rodrigo. I love that finish. Great looking axe [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[hollow08]

Re: Duel between a Charvel 650XL and a Jackson SL-2H...

Here you go.