Tweet
I got into Charvel guitars through the pro mod series of guitars. First there were the USA models and then there was the move to Japan where quality actually improved. I’ve had about 10 of the Pro Mod guitars, both USA and Japanese models and my favorites out of the 10 I’ve owned are the Slime green USA SD, a red Jap. SoCal, and the Grey Primer Wildcard SD. Currently, my collection of Pro Mod’s is down to 5. They include the previous ones mentioned as well as a blue SoCal and a Purple SD tele. I only really play the Wildcard and the red SoCal on a regular basis and use the green one because it looks cool. The other two pro mods just kind of sit. I also picked up a Jackson PC1 on a whim late this year and it gets a lot of play time from me.
So, I’m thinking of selling the guitars I don’t play, consolidating my collection and possible getting a better quality guitar.
I’ve been thinking of guitars to get and I have 5 or 6 options. I wanted to get some opinions on choices for a new guitar. Lately I’ve been interested in “the right combo of wood”. Mahogany can sound great, but it depends on thickness and quality. A maple of koa cap, also helps it to sound good. Padouk is a great sounding wood, but it has to be custom ordered. Alder is very hit or miss. Then there’s neck shapes- the Primer Charvel Wildcard, EBMM Axis and PC1 are my favorite neck shapes. I also like the feel of a smoothly polished Ebony fingerboard, but I love the look of Maple fingerboards. Here’s my shortlist of guitars I’ve been thinking about. I wanted to get some feedback and opinions about the following-
1) Jackson Chris Broderick Soloist-
2) Jackson PC1
3) Carvin DC135 or C66
4) GMW Flying V
5) GJ2
6) Caparison TAT
1) The first guitar that came to mind when I though about upgrading gear was the Jackson Chris Broderick Soloist. I played it at what used to be Manny’s Music in NYC, but is now a Sam Ash store. I thought the neck felt great and it was an exceptional guitar overall. In fact, it wowed me. I didn’t really care for the PU’s and thought the guitar sounded a little dark. I’m not sure how the Mahogany will sound with my amps (I demoed it on a L6 Spider amp). The Quilted maple tops also seem a little too plain for this expensive of an instrument and its at the top of my budget. However, The controls and input jack are recessed, it has SS frets, a Floyd Rose Pro and played like a dream.
2) The second guitar would be an additional Jackson PC1. I love mine, but its kind of a beater. A new one would give me what I love about my guitar and then some. I could also chose a cool finish like the pink or Chameleon.
3) Next would be a Carvin of some sort. I used to have an all mahogany Ultra V and it sounded great, but I hated the neck shape, which was the reason I sold it. If I got another one, there’s no grantee that I’d bond with the neck. That said, I can pretty much design one the way I’d want- Koa body, Mahognay neck, Birdseye Maple fingerboard with SS frets, Piezo Floyd Rose. It would also be the cheapest option with the worst resale value.
4) Choice 4 would be a GMW. I miss having a Flying V and think it’s the shape I’d choose. I’d also request Padouk as the wood for the body and neck. I’d also request this cool ½ Maple/½ Ebony fingerboard the they do. I’ve heard GMW’s are great, but having never played one, I can’t really judge. Also, this would likely be the most expensive option as custom guitars and paintjobs get pricy fast and my budget is in the low $2k range.
5) Next there’s GJ2. I like the idea of having a new Grover Jackson guitar, but think the prices are way too high for what you get. Also, like the carvin and GMW, I can't play them beforehand.
6) Finally, there’s the Caparison TAT. I feel that it out classes a normal soloist in almost every way. In contrast to the Broderick model, it doesn’t have the SS frets, the low profile trem or recessed controls.
This is pretty much what I’m thinking about right now. I'm leaning towards the Boderick model, but my opinion could always change. Which guitar would you go for and why?
I apologise if I've written a lot, I just wanted to put all options on the table. Thanks in advance for helping me out.
Peace~
So, I’m thinking of selling the guitars I don’t play, consolidating my collection and possible getting a better quality guitar.
I’ve been thinking of guitars to get and I have 5 or 6 options. I wanted to get some opinions on choices for a new guitar. Lately I’ve been interested in “the right combo of wood”. Mahogany can sound great, but it depends on thickness and quality. A maple of koa cap, also helps it to sound good. Padouk is a great sounding wood, but it has to be custom ordered. Alder is very hit or miss. Then there’s neck shapes- the Primer Charvel Wildcard, EBMM Axis and PC1 are my favorite neck shapes. I also like the feel of a smoothly polished Ebony fingerboard, but I love the look of Maple fingerboards. Here’s my shortlist of guitars I’ve been thinking about. I wanted to get some feedback and opinions about the following-
1) Jackson Chris Broderick Soloist-
2) Jackson PC1
3) Carvin DC135 or C66
4) GMW Flying V
5) GJ2
6) Caparison TAT
1) The first guitar that came to mind when I though about upgrading gear was the Jackson Chris Broderick Soloist. I played it at what used to be Manny’s Music in NYC, but is now a Sam Ash store. I thought the neck felt great and it was an exceptional guitar overall. In fact, it wowed me. I didn’t really care for the PU’s and thought the guitar sounded a little dark. I’m not sure how the Mahogany will sound with my amps (I demoed it on a L6 Spider amp). The Quilted maple tops also seem a little too plain for this expensive of an instrument and its at the top of my budget. However, The controls and input jack are recessed, it has SS frets, a Floyd Rose Pro and played like a dream.
2) The second guitar would be an additional Jackson PC1. I love mine, but its kind of a beater. A new one would give me what I love about my guitar and then some. I could also chose a cool finish like the pink or Chameleon.
3) Next would be a Carvin of some sort. I used to have an all mahogany Ultra V and it sounded great, but I hated the neck shape, which was the reason I sold it. If I got another one, there’s no grantee that I’d bond with the neck. That said, I can pretty much design one the way I’d want- Koa body, Mahognay neck, Birdseye Maple fingerboard with SS frets, Piezo Floyd Rose. It would also be the cheapest option with the worst resale value.
4) Choice 4 would be a GMW. I miss having a Flying V and think it’s the shape I’d choose. I’d also request Padouk as the wood for the body and neck. I’d also request this cool ½ Maple/½ Ebony fingerboard the they do. I’ve heard GMW’s are great, but having never played one, I can’t really judge. Also, this would likely be the most expensive option as custom guitars and paintjobs get pricy fast and my budget is in the low $2k range.
5) Next there’s GJ2. I like the idea of having a new Grover Jackson guitar, but think the prices are way too high for what you get. Also, like the carvin and GMW, I can't play them beforehand.
6) Finally, there’s the Caparison TAT. I feel that it out classes a normal soloist in almost every way. In contrast to the Broderick model, it doesn’t have the SS frets, the low profile trem or recessed controls.
This is pretty much what I’m thinking about right now. I'm leaning towards the Boderick model, but my opinion could always change. Which guitar would you go for and why?
I apologise if I've written a lot, I just wanted to put all options on the table. Thanks in advance for helping me out.
Peace~
Comment