Musikraft San Dimas replica

[jamiecramer]

Re: Musikraft San Dimas replica

For me it was replicating a guitar that I love. Playabillity. I was unwilling to pay $3,000 and up for somthing simalar to my 1984 San Dimas. Off the rack guitars dont come close. even if you spend what I did. What you call a knock off is a hand built quality guitar, as far as the logo goes it was ascetics. I play professionaly and it is important to me for the guitar to look good.

[MHGOLDTOP]

Re: Musikraft San Dimas replica

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I know that the Fender headstock is in demand. However, I always bought a guitar based on feel, not the headstock shape. I guess that's where I'm a bit mystified. If the neck feels right, the price is virtually the same, and you want a Charvel, why does the pointy headstock stand in the way?

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Strathead necks always feel different from pointies...I personally don't go for the logo thing...but I dig a strathead...hey and the pointy necks are cool, but we want Stratheads....with Floyd Rose Trems WITHOUT EVH stripes!! and of course we want 1-3/4" necks. My 25th anniv is being Floyded now...
You guys at Charvel are welcome to CNC my real Charvel necks anytime. John you read this stuff all the time, how bout getting your bosses to read it too...Strathead option would be very good marketing.
[img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[surfdork]

Re: Musikraft San Dimas replica

[ QUOTE ]
I know that the Fender headstock is in demand. However, I always bought a guitar based on feel, not the headstock shape. I guess that's where I'm a bit mystified. If the neck feels right, the price is virtually the same, and you want a Charvel, why does the pointy headstock stand in the way?

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Aesthetics for some I suppose, but let us not forget the benefit of straight string pull across the nut with the strathead when using a v-trem. (Which is what I would order along with a strat headstock....if I could) [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[Bengal65]

Re: Musikraft San Dimas replica

All very good points and I would like to add regarding the Strat head models currently available from Charvel/Jackson/Fender, the only model that replicates the San Dimas maple neck (wood) is the 25th Anniversary. Most if not all the early Charvels, I've seen use a very figured Birdseye and or some had flame depending on the year. If Charvel offered more of the options froim back in the day, I think you would have a more defined market. It will be hard to please everyone, since there were so many options back then and this is why the aftermarket has flourished. Even back in the day I saw what Charvel was doing, and built my own from Boogie Bodies, Warmoth, DiMarzio and Performance guitar parts.
As far as current production as an example, the EVH has what appears to be a stock run-of-the-mill maple neck. If it had a more figured wood neck it, I would purchase one. But as it is now I'm not interested.
From a marketing standpoint, the company could pick from some of the more popular options on Strat head Charvel's that were sold back in the day and go from there.

[Bengal65]

Re: Musikraft San Dimas replica

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About $1,100 and that included $240 for someone to assemble and set up.

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You mean you didn't set it up yourself Jamie? [img]/images/graemlins/poke.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] That's why you are a fantastic player and I need to sell my gear and just work on guitars. I need to play more and put less guitars together [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[XSSIVE]

Re: Musikraft San Dimas replica

[ QUOTE ]
I know that the Fender headstock is in demand. However, I always bought a guitar based on feel, not the headstock shape. I guess that's where I'm a bit mystified. If the neck feels right, the price is virtually the same, and you want a Charvel, why does the pointy headstock stand in the way?

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you are very right with feel..BUT...i won't even pick up a guitar that doesn't look good to me so feel goes out the door right at that point since i'll walk past it and pick up something that looks better to try before it. pointy heads aren't bad at all, just not my style. for me it must have a strat head if it has a strat shape body or it just looks odd to me. that's why i choose to go with replicas (for lack of a better term). until J/C and Fender let strat heads out the door on charvels i'll have to play custom built replicas (with no complaints from me). i'm not a name brand shopper, i don't care if the headstock says "monkey built" on it as long as it is a good quality comfortable playing good looking guitar that fits my needs....and it has the right headstock shape to go with the strat body (a strat head).

-Mike

[jamiecramer]

Re: Musikraft San Dimas replica

I wish I had you're gift of building. I like playing and I know what I want. But the technical side of intonation and neck shiming I leave to the pro's.

[paddok]

Re: Musikraft San Dimas replica

As someone who just bought one of the Custom Shop Greenies, and soon plans on building a musikraft mutt, I'd say it is mostly just getting what I want for the right price.

I'm willing to throw down ~200 for a Musikraft neck, ~150 for a Darkhorse mahogany charvel body off ebay, and whatever else for parts, simply because I can't get it anywhere else.

Say I plan on spending about ~700 on a parts guitar. If charvel came along and offered me a legit charvel strat head for ~1300 or ~1400, chances are I'd pay the extra and have a legit charvel.

But right now, the only way I could get close to what I want is through the custom shop, and it just isn't worth it over the musikraft.

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: Musikraft San Dimas replica

Yes, feel is very important but look is as well. The pointy headstock just isn't appealing anymore to me as it once was. I honestly doubt I'll buy another one. I'd love an EVH art series Charvel without the EVH stripes and an added neck hum [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Some people say if you don't want pointy necks and shark-fins to buy a Fender [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I do have couple USA Fender necks that are very nice. I just prefer the look and feel of the Jackson Strathead necks that I have.

[txcharvel]

Re: Musikraft San Dimas replica

I hope we didn't get Musikraft in trouble [img]/images/graemlins/eyes.gif[/img]

Most of my guitars are built from parts I've put together. All of my mutts are built from a combination of Jackson, Charvel, GMW, and Warmoth parts. All my used parts are vintage 80's stuff.

For me, it's about building guitars that I think look cool. Most of us grew up watching Ratt, Dokken, Keel...all these guys had killer Charvels that we all wanted. Now that we have real jobs and money, we can afford them [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Another point is that I enjoy building them. I just keep reminding my wife that I could be playing golf instead, this keeps me in the house [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

I think it's just getting what you want. The quality of the guitar (if built with quality parts) is on par with a new Charvel. Just like Jamie said, you end up with a hand built quality guitar that is exactly what you want. I looked into ordering a new Charvel pointy, but that's not exactly what I wanted.

[jamiecramer]

Re: Musikraft San Dimas replica

I would also like to point out I had the logo put on after recieving it from Musikraft. They won't finnish head stocks with logo's

[sully]

Re: Musikraft San Dimas replica

if only others would follow suit.

[XSSIVE]

Re: Musikraft San Dimas replica

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I hope we didn't get Musikraft in trouble [img]/images/graemlins/eyes.gif[/img]


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nope, they have had a Fender license to use the headstock and body shapes since 1994 (it says it big on the site) so they are doing nothing wrong. seeing as Fender owns Charvel and the "strat head" is a copy of a real fender strat headstock anyway i don't see any areas for "trouble".

-Mike

[txcharvel]

Re: Musikraft San Dimas replica

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I hope we didn't get Musikraft in trouble [img]/images/graemlins/eyes.gif[/img]


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nope, they have had a Fender license to use the headstock and body shapes since 1994 (it says it big on the site) so they are doing nothing wrong. seeing as Fender owns Charvel and the "strat head" is a copy of a real fender strat headstock anyway i don't see any areas for "trouble".

-Mike

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...but don't they come with a little sticker that says something like "this neck is made as a replacement for a Fender or Fender Squire guitar...ect..."

I realize that Musikraft has no control over who buys their necks, I was just being sarcastic [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

You know, I would bet that Fender makes some pretty easy money from licensing their headstock design, mmm [img]/images/graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

[Tune_Up]

Re: Musikraft San Dimas replica

When I buy a car I want something reliable and safe, but if I don't like the style, shape, color, interior, etc... I'll probably pass on it and look elsewhere.

It's the same with guitars. It's asthetics and to me I prefer the strat head Charvels. There is the demand for them but where's the supply.

I personally feel that Charvel (FMIC) is missing out on alot of sales because the strathead isn't an option for production models or the custom shop. I mean, if it's not going to be offered on production guitars then at least make it available as a custom shop option. The EVH, 25th anniversary, and limited runs are great but still doesn't have the option I want.

I have a few project necks/bodies being made as others here do, and if what I wanted was available through Charvel then they would've gotten my money instead. Unfortunately that's not the case. It looks as if Charvel is heading in the right direction but at this point in time I can't understand why Charvel stratheads aren't an option at least in the custom shop. Alot of guys here grew up listening to players that had killer strathead Charvels and now that we're older and have the funds to buy them, they're not available. I mean shouldn't FMIC take advantage of the situation while they can before all of us get too old. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]