Pro Mods... get them while you can!

[surfreak]

OK, this thread is in praise of the Charvel Pro Mods, and specifically the San Dimas model.

I have owned *some* high $$$ original Charvel San Dimas, two EVH reissues and 4 TMZ Naturals, and they've all been good to great guitars. In particular, a TMZ and a 1984 Holdsworth have been true keepers in my guitar collection, and I thought I'd never sell them because they sounded and played just too good to let them go.

Throughout my Charvel-collecting years I admint I have been a bit of a snob, only a real '80s San Dimas would do, and once I've owned those, only a Custom Shop reissue would do as a modern replacement.
Hovewer, since they came out 2 yrs ago, I thought I'd try the new MIJ Pro Mods, basically expecting them to look, feel, play and sound inferior somehow, rather than just to see how they'd compare with the real deal, with a modern USA Custom Shop reissue and with their US-made Pro Mod counterpart.

Well, to say that I was surprised is a big understatement. The overall build quality is fantastic in absolute terms, not only for the money, however I did have to go through at least 10 of them to find a San Dimas Pro Mod that was truly exceptional, but in the end I did! My new San Dimas is the best FR-equipped, 2H guitar I own, and as a result I had no regrets in letting go of ALL my "real" San Dimas and USA Custom Shop pieces!

Will I regret it? Maybe. But these Pro Mods in my opinion really capture the essence of the original San Dimas better than any previous attempt. They are well built, lightweight (mine is 7 lbs even, and that is not common for an alder body), with a fantastic neck, they can be easily modded and upgraded and they don't cost a fortune.
To me this is the real Charvel hot rod spirit, not a high $$ recreation with unusual features which weren't offered back in the day (nitro finishes etc), but a well built, mod-friendly rock guitar with the best neck money can buy!


So, bottom line, now that these MIJ Charvels are no longer in production maybe the really good ones have already been snapped up, but if you haven't tried one you really should!

[TX-Joe]

I certainly hope they are as good as you say...I just ordered the Primer Scream #7 that everybody hated. Should be here Friday.

I've got a USA So Cal and San Dimas, they're my main guitars now.

I sold my 3 unplayed Ibanez RG 550 RI's and letting go of all my Prestige Ibanez guitars.

The plan is to replace them with more Charvels while I still can.

[RampantLion]

550

I own an original Ibanez RG550.... one of my favorite guitars of all time!

[HeWhoIs]

My Charvel hunt ended last night. After spending a week trying to find a white So-Cal without resorting to eBay, I caved and brought home a Charvel So-Cal Pro Mod in Candy Blue last night. The neck is awesome! I spent over an hour playing the Pro Mods that the store had in stock. Everyone one of them played great and in the end I picked the blue So-Cal because I didn't own any guitars with Dimarzios and I preferred the Candy Blue over the Candy Red. Great guitars!

[Chief_CrazyTalk]

I always considered the Jap Charvels the best of the best. I wish I had my old Model series back, but I love my SD promod. Candy blue too.

[LexLuthier]

I picked up a candy red MIJ So-Cal yesterday, I had played it a few times before at the dealer and knew it was a very special sounding guitar. I really wanted a candy blue So-Cal, but the red So-Cal sonically destroyed the blue one the dealer had. It's easily as good as any of my USA Charvels. Too bad they are discontinued now, because the new Indonesian/Chinese Charvels do nothing for me.

[KLNowak]

Why do they always discontinue the good shit? Why Jackson will never discontinue their shitty JS series yet they discontinue awesome shit like the So Cal will never cease to amaze me. They are like the Fox TV station of the music world (discontinue/cancel good shit, but continue to produce garbage like the JS series).

[Rich#6]

The factory that makes the JS didn't close the Japan factory did and since Fender didn't close it why blame Charvel or Jackson??

[Predator1]

The EVH Wolfgang Specials are going to be coming from Mexico. Perhaps the new pro Mods will too?

[TX-Joe]

The EVH Wolfgang Specials are going to be coming from Mexico. Perhaps the new pro Mods will too?

I hope there isn't a drop in quality if they do move to Mexico

A buddy of mine just bought a new Wolfgang Special. I liked everything about it except the tiny frets.

I have a post Wolfgang Peavey HP Special CT that I think is a better guitar but I'm going to try and sell it (and an Ibanez RG1570 MRR) to fund another Pro Mod or two.

I've got the fever.

[Chief_CrazyTalk]

Shit, I guess I better start buying some more Jap promods...

[horns666]

My main geets are '95 SD I and III. I had a chance to play one..it felt the same without all the eye candy. I'd buy one..but I don't play the ones I have much.

I had a white RG 550, and traded it long ago for a new HRR strat. It played great but I think it was basswood and just too "light" in weight and sound. I played Marshalls/Randalls and wanted something warmer. But brighter guitars sound great through darker amps like my Bogner. I play my FRC Strat mostly ..but it's a bit too bright with the Marshalls.

[straycat]

80% of the MIJ pro mods I have tried have been very good.A few were not that great but you have to fish to find the outstanding ones.
That happens with Les Pauls too so not a huge deal.

[jackhamer]

I would love to add a San Dimas style 1 2H to my collection, but I'm the kind of person that likes to tweak the truss rod, and that one scares me. Would a person have to take the strings off and loosen the neck to get at it?

[TX-Joe]

I would love to add a San Dimas style 1 2H to my collection, but I'm the kind of person that likes to tweak the truss rod, and that one scares me. Would a person have to take the strings off and loosen the neck to get at it?

You don't have to take the strings off but you do have to unlock and loosen them.
I did it just last night in fact.

I stick a folded up polish cloth under/between the trem and the body, loosen the lock nut bolts and unwind the strings some.
Loosen the 4 neck bolts and tilt the neck back to expose the truss rod.
Adjust the truss rod and reverse the steps.
The whole process took about 10 minutes. Maybe 15.

It takes me longer to change strings on one than it does to adjust the truss rod.

This is on a brand new MIJ Wildcard #7. It's settled in some and I think it'll be good to go for a while.

Once I got my other Charvels where I liked them I have not had to adjust them again and it's been well over a year.

A pain in the ass? Yes but not as big a deal to me as it is to others.