Charvel 475DLX, f-cked up in transit.

[ExodusAttack]

I just received my Charvel 475DLX. I got it from agresivo here in JCF. Turns out the double boxing wasn't enough to protect the poor little Charvie in transit.






Damn I'm pissed. The guitar seems awesome otherwise. [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

What do you guys think? Is it fixable? I'm definitely filing a claim for insurance, but if I end up keeping the guitar, would it be possible to fix it. The crack starts from the edge of the headstock and stops about an inch above the nut.

It's a damn shame. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[Sunbane]

Re: Charvel 475DLX, f-cked up in transit.

Ouch! [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
I feel for you bro. That happened to me with a Rhoads EX.
But, if properly glued, it should hold up very well I believe.

[JRTME]

Re: Charvel 475DLX, f-cked up in transit.

oh man. Shipping in the winter sucks.

[ExodusAttack]

Re: Charvel 475DLX, f-cked up in transit.

The electronics seem a bit odd. Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't there be some sort of active circuitry in a 475DLX? I played the guitar a little and noticed that the pickups sound really weak. Took off the rear cover and this is what I found.



Seems awfully empty. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]
The middle pot isn't even connected.

[Sunbane]

Re: Charvel 475DLX, f-cked up in transit.

I'm guessing the middle pot is the only one left stock in there. My Model 6 had small diameter pots in it.

[dg]

Re: Charvel 475DLX, f-cked up in transit.

Originally, it would have had the JE-1200 midboost. The small pot in the middle looks like the original tone pot. The volume pot is a replacement for the original, which was a 50k pot with an attached circuit board. The new tone pot is in the position originally occupied by the midboost control pot. Judging by the amount of solder on the pots, this one has gone through quite a few changes over the years. The midboost circuit is a matter of taste. Some like it, some don't. You're not missing out on very much without it. The J-200 stacked hums sound better with it, imo, but the Bridge hum should be fine without it.

Sorry about the damage! That really sucks! [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[vklobucar]

Re: Charvel 475DLX, f-cked up in transit.

No doubt about it, you are missing the mid-boost system with the circuit board and 9v battery clip.


For what it's worth my used Model 6 did not have one as well. Matter of fact I never did like the circuit anyhow so no loss there.


I think you'll find most guys here end up scrapping the system and just installing a good set of Duncans, Dimarzio's or EMG's.


The mid boost from what I recall of my older '86 Model 6 just made the pickups sound louder but a bit muddier as well so you be the judge.


For what you will likely spend in buying a used system you might just be better off hunting for some good aftermarket pups instead.


By the looks of things the guitar could stand a new set of pots, perhaps a three way and maybe even an output jack if the original stereo one is still being used.



Good luck to you and sorry about your shipping woes. I know how that feels too!

[ExodusAttack]

Re: Charvel 475DLX, f-cked up in transit.

Thanks for your input guys, much apprechiated!

I called my post office and they told me to bring the guitar over so that they can verify the damage and send out a damage report to the spanish post office.

[ QUOTE ]
The J-200 stacked hums sound better with it, imo, but the Bridge hum should be fine without it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh they are stacked hums, not single coils, eh? Well they mimic a single coil pretty good imo. Heh, that's funny because I think the "single coils" sound ok without the JE-1200, but the bridge hum (a J50BC?) sounds too weak for my tastes. Then again, I don't have anything to compare them to, since I haven't heard what they sound like with te JE-1200...

IF I end up keeping the guitar after the whole insurance thing, I think the bridge hum at least has to go.

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Charvel 475DLX, f-cked up in transit.

Damn that truly sucks. That was a very good looking piece.

I love my 475, they are fine guitars and the necks are excellent. Mine is a desert crackle finish, I wish it was white like yours...

[agresivo]

Re: Charvel 475DLX, f-cked up in transit.

Janne, I've just read your email today, I couldn't use the Internet yesterday.

I feel devastated after seeing what they've done to the guitar. For God's sake, I double boxed it and had it wrapped to survive an Earthquake. Those bastards at the Post Office! It happened to me 2 years ago with a Kramer I bought and I had no insurance (I had to glue it myself anyway). I hope you can get an economical compensation from this damage.

I agree with your opinion about the bridge pickup, though I haven't heard it either with the J1200 active system (I bought the guitar secondhand too). You can get a Duncan on it, I've got a Custom Custom on my 650XL and it rocks!

[agresivo]

Re: Charvel 475DLX, f-cked up in transit.

[ QUOTE ]
oh man. Shipping in the winter sucks.

[/ QUOTE ]

So, could it be the temperature contrast from Spain to Finland what broke the headstock? Here we had something like 15ºC last week...

I'm really sorry for what's happened

[ExodusAttack]

Re: Charvel 475DLX, f-cked up in transit.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
oh man. Shipping in the winter sucks.

[/ QUOTE ]

So, could it be the temperature contrast from Spain to Finland what broke the headstock? Here we had something like 15ºC last week...

I'm really sorry for what's happened

[/ QUOTE ]

I could be partly responsible for the incident. While you had 15c in Spain last week, we in Finland had the coldest week in a long long time. The temperature dropped under -30c at some parts of the country.

Well, I'm off to my post office with the guitar, hopefully I'll have a damage claim en route to Spain by the end of the day.

I really would like to get the thing repaired as soon as possible so that the crack won't run any deeper into the neck, but I'm not sure what I should do just yet. The post office could see the repair as some kind of loophole to get away with the situtation.
I think I'll send some photos with a repair quote request to some luthiers. I'd rather not do the repair myself.

[DonP]

Re: Charvel 475DLX, f-cked up in transit.

Beautiful axe!

FWIW I really like the J50BC in my Fusion by itself, but for the right type of music (Queensryche). Definitely not a high output pickup, strong bass, and deep mid cut. The weaker magnetic pull lets the strings ring out longer for better sustain. The J200's sound muddy to me, but with the use of the J1500 active "wah" I can clean them up nicely. The active stuff doesn't help the J50BC at all, unless you want a nasally tone like the first few Motley Crue albums. Maybe the mid-boost will help a J50BC by pumping up the mids.

[mogar]

Re: Charvel 475DLX, f-cked up in transit.

Hmm.....lemme know when you buy a new p-up. I got a project in the works that will need a pick up and I've been wanting a j50bc for a while.

[Jackson-Charvel]

Re: Charvel 475DLX, f-cked up in transit.

I hope the damage claim goes through a little easier than mine is still currently in process. I bought a Westone guitar and the neck split in the back of the neck right down the glued in joint of the 3 piece neck and through the 2 locking bolts that go through the neck. Long story short, FED EX took the neck (minus all hardware incase they lose the neck , keep it etc.) for inspection, a day later they return it to me by mistake and then I request to ship it back to me so I can get it repaired and then have FED EX re-imburse me. They said ok, and then when I call a few days later they say it will be sent back to the shipper and I was a little more than pissed as the shipper nor I wanted it going back to him, so he faxed a release form so I could settle the claim instead of the shipper with Fed EX. I have to call now actually as they said it was being shipped back to me 3 days ago and still nothing. TO BE CONTINUED...