2016 Pro Mod Models

[mantis]

What's up everyone?
After checking out the videos about the 2016 models , I'm completely sold.
1)Truss rod Wheel- This is a feature I wanted since I got my 2013. I think this a valuable tool. I hate taking my guitar apart so this is golden to me.
2) HH design for the Hard tail model- Another thing I wanted since 2013. I switched out the Single Stack crappy pickup and put a lil 59 in it's place the the guitar sounds the world better. That Classic stack pickup sucks for what I do. I hated how thin and ear bleeding it sounded.
3) Maple Fret board on the Hard tail- Some models you can get a Maple Fret board, that is so cool.
4) Tone Knob- They added a Tone knob which at 10 it removes itself from the signal chain so you still get the clarity we all love about a single volume knob and thats it. 9 and down you get a tone knob for those who would like one, it's now there. I'm not a big tone knob guy so I can take it or leave it.
5) Blade Switch- I like Blades much better then rockers. So this is something I really like. Fender's been using them forever and so has Jackson. I prefer this.
6) Push Pull volume knob relocated- 2 features in one, this really makes the new models way more versatile. Charvel has been a one trick pony long enough. I think this is a very good move forward.
7) Sticking with all Seymour Duncan Pickups- I fully prefer Seymour Over anything else made. I have tried them all and always go back to Seymour. Nicely done here.
8) Direct mount pickups- I prefer Pick up rings as I feel they look better. I never thought there was any Tonal advantage to Direct mount vs Pickup rings. Think about the So cal, doesn't matter here as the pickups like Fender's are mounted into the Pick guard. They sound awesome so I don't see any advantage here. They still look fine as they have still stayed with the recessed Floyd Rose.
9) Recessed Floyd Rose- carry over from 2013 to present, this is more comfortable for me to play and way more control over the Floyd Rose. I don't care for the way it feels when they are top mounted. I don't see any advantages doing so. Not to mention the pickups have to stick out of the guitar so much more IMO loosing tone. I also hate the height of the strings over the body area.
10) All the new colors- Man just feels like the 80's all over again. Love all the new colors and it's very difficult for me to decide which ones to buy.

[shreddermon]

Man, after all that, and you couldn't post it to the correct forum? They're imports, dude, not USAs.

[shreddermon]

Seriously, I'm not completely sold. I think they're mostly for the better. But a couple of downers, too, though. Important ones, IMHO...

1) Truss rod wheel - Sure, a plus.
2) HH design for the hard tail model- Don't care, not a HT fan. But what's with the white pickups? Fugly choice.
3) Maple Fret board on the hard tail- Meh, rosewood's cool, too. Either is fine.
4) Tone Knob- Meh, again. But at least they made it a no-loader.
5) Blade Switch- Meh again. Either a toggle or a blade is fine. The placement is horrid, though. Very wrong.
6) Push Pull volume- Dig the coil split options, so a big plus. But the "6 pack of sound" doesn't include both PUs in full hum mode? Weird choice mistake.
7) Sticking with all Seymour Duncan Pickups- Meh. 'cans or 'zos are both cool.
8) Direct mount pickups- Meh. I prefer rings. I know direct-mount is a popular look now, though, so I'll give them a plus for it. And a double-plus for the zebra look.
9) Recessed Floyd Rose- No thank you. Not fatal, but I much prefer non-recessed. And just looks wrong on a Charvie.
10) New colors- I dig them, definite plus.
11) Volume knob placement - this never bothered me, so meh.
12) Flatsawn necks - BIG mistake! Heck, Fender's own website claims quartersawn necks are 50% stiffer than flatsawn. Even if you believe the carbon rod stiffening to counterbalance this, they just look ugly. And flat out wrong on a Charvel. And a flatsawn neck on a guitar that is priced right near a grand is just absurd. Sorry, that may be acceptable on a low-priced "budget" guitar. But EVERY guitar at $900-ish street price should have a quartersawn neck. This alone might stop me from buying one.
13) "Speed neck" - Again, just wrong on a Charvie. Hoping this is a just a spec mistake, though.
14) Black nickel hardware on the transparent models - Horrid. Doesn't anyone from J/C remember the satin chrome hardware debacle on the 90s? LOL
15) Quilt tops - Hmmm. The jury's out on this one. Is that real quilt? I hope so.

[metalhobo]

Seriously, I'm not completely sold. I think they're mostly for the better. But a couple of downers, too, though. Important ones, IMHO...

1) Truss rod wheel - Sure, a plus.
2) HH design for the hard tail model- Don't care, not a HT fan. But what's with the white pickups? Fugly choice.
3) Maple Fret board on the hard tail- Meh, rosewood's cool, too. Either is fine.
4) Tone Knob- Meh, again. But at least they made it a no-loader.
5) Blade Switch- Meh again. Either a toggle or a blade is fine. The placement is horrid, though. Very wrong.
6) Push Pull volume- Dig the coil split options, so a big plus. But the "6 pack of sound" doesn't include both PUs in full hum mode? Weird choice mistake.
7) Sticking with all Seymour Duncan Pickups- Meh. 'cans or 'zos are both cool.
8) Direct mount pickups- Meh. I prefer rings. I know direct-mount is a popular look now, though, so I'll give them a plus for it. And a double-plus for the zebra look.
9) Recessed Floyd Rose- No thank you. Not fatal, but I much prefer non-recessed. And just looks wrong on a Charvie.
10) New colors- I dig them, definite plus.
11) Volume knob placement - this never bothered me, so meh.
12) Flatsawn necks - BIG mistake! Heck, Fender's own website claims quartersawn necks are 50% stiffer than flatsawn. Even if you believe the carbon rod stiffening to counterbalance this, they just look ugly. And flat out wrong on a Charvel. And a flatsawn neck on a guitar that is priced right near a grand is just absurd. Sorry, that may be acceptable on a low-priced "budget" guitar. But EVERY guitar at $900-ish street price should have a quartersawn neck. This alone might stop me from buying one.
13) "Speed neck" - Again, just wrong on a Charvie. Hoping this is a just a spec mistake, though.
14) Black nickel hardware on the transparent models - Horrid. Doesn't anyone from J/C remember the satin chrome hardware debacle on the 90s? LOL
15) Quilt tops - Hmmm. The jury's out on this one. Is that real quilt? I hope so.

I'm with ya. Only thing I really really like is some of the colors on the new So-Cals. I'll stick with my USA pro mod!

Also, when did they stop doing the top-mounted football jack plate on the So-Cals?

[quadperson]

I'm currently trying to decide which one I want, I really don't like the control layout but I could live with it.

[mantis]

Seriously, I'm not completely sold. I think they're mostly for the better. But a couple of downers, too, though. Important ones, IMHO...

1) Truss rod wheel - Sure, a plus.
2) HH design for the hard tail model- Don't care, not a HT fan. But what's with the white pickups? Fugly choice.
3) Maple Fret board on the hard tail- Meh, rosewood's cool, too. Either is fine.
4) Tone Knob- Meh, again. But at least they made it a no-loader.
5) Blade Switch- Meh again. Either a toggle or a blade is fine. The placement is horrid, though. Very wrong.
6) Push Pull volume- Dig the coil split options, so a big plus. But the "6 pack of sound" doesn't include both PUs in full hum mode? Weird choice mistake.
7) Sticking with all Seymour Duncan Pickups- Meh. 'cans or 'zos are both cool.
8) Direct mount pickups- Meh. I prefer rings. I know direct-mount is a popular look now, though, so I'll give them a plus for it. And a double-plus for the zebra look.
9) Recessed Floyd Rose- No thank you. Not fatal, but I much prefer non-recessed. And just looks wrong on a Charvie.
10) New colors- I dig them, definite plus.
11) Volume knob placement - this never bothered me, so meh.
12) Flatsawn necks - BIG mistake! Heck, Fender's own website claims quartersawn necks are 50% stiffer than flatsawn. Even if you believe the carbon rod stiffening to counterbalance this, they just look ugly. And flat out wrong on a Charvel. And a flatsawn neck on a guitar that is priced right near a grand is just absurd. Sorry, that may be acceptable on a low-priced "budget" guitar. But EVERY guitar at $900-ish street price should have a quartersawn neck. This alone might stop me from buying one.
13) "Speed neck" - Again, just wrong on a Charvie. Hoping this is a just a spec mistake, though.
14) Black nickel hardware on the transparent models - Horrid. Doesn't anyone from J/C remember the satin chrome hardware debacle on the 90s? LOL
15) Quilt tops - Hmmm. The jury's out on this one. Is that real quilt? I hope so.

The Top mounted floyd's to me are uncomfortable. I played a few of them and none of them are to my liking. I guess it's because I'm so use to my Jackson SL3 which is also recessed.
I also prefer the look of Rings especially IF the Floyd is top mounted, but since it's recessed, the Pickups don't look like they are going to fall out of the guitar. I hate how high direct mounted pickups sit on a top mounted Floyd.

[jclogston]

I wonder if the necks will be the same as the previous years MIM? I have a MIM and MIJ but really like/prefer the MIJ. I love the new colors but if the necks the same, I'll just hunt down another MIJ.

Jeff

[mantis]

I couldn't tell you as I'm waiting for CMC guitars to get in enough of them for me to come down and play them. I think they have 2 right now which are not what I'm looking for.
They have a Orange Hard Tail and a Green So cal or San Dimas I forget what they told me. Once they get in more, I'm heading down to test drive.
I'm wanting a White San Dimas Hard Tail, So cal and a Floyd San Dimas. but I do like the Satan Blue Hard tail and the Yellow on the Floyd model.

[mantis]

Man, after all that, and you couldn't post it to the correct forum? They're imports, dude, not USAs.

Mexico is in the USA LOL

[Axewielder]

Mexico is in the USA LOL

Not after Trump builds his wall it won't be!

NR trems are the shit, but the high pickup situation can suck. They really needed to offer tall angled pup rings on those models and not the lame flat shallow ones.

EDIT: I get these custom made by FotN so it's a solved problem for me.

[mantis]

Not after Trump builds his wall it won't be!

NR trems are the shit, but the high pickup situation can suck. They really needed to offer tall angled pup rings on those models and not the lame flat shallow ones.

EDIT: I get these custom made by FotN so it's a solved problem for me.

That looks good. I hate how direct mounted pickups look on a top mounted floyd rose guitar.

[Axewielder]

That looks good. I hate how direct mounted pickups look on a top mounted floyd rose guitar.

Thanks. It's more than cosmetic as well. I've had a few where a high pup gets angled back nonparallel with the strings and it affects the tone. Once you level it out and get that rear coil slightly higher and the front coil slightly lower, some pups sound better. I noticed it quite a bit on a favorite guitar with a J80C after I increased the neck angle for more pull-up range. I just couldn't dial the tone back in quite like it was before.

I don't think it matters much on EMG's though.

[toejam]

but I do like the Satan Blue Hard tail

Satan Blue? I didn't think he was really a fan of the color blue.

[mantis]

Satan Blue? I didn't think he was really a fan of the color blue.

LOL Satin Blue. Typo my bad.

[toejam]

I just looked up Charvel's site. Didn't realize they had so many more new colors now. The truss rod wheel and the HT are definitely a nice touch.