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Adrian Smith Sig vs. Charvel Production Series

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  • #1

    Adrian Smith Sig vs. Charvel Production Series

    Ever since they announced the Adrian Smith sig, I've really been jonesin' for one. But, last weekend I got to play one of the new Charvels, and was pretty impressed. After that, I took a good look at the specs of these two guitars, and there ain't much difference. Both have alder bodies, DiMarzio pickups, and oiled, quartersawn, compound radius, maple necks with jumbo frets. I don't disagree the AS is a better guitar, made with better wood, and a better Floyd, and more attention to detail. It has to be. Nelli is the only one that's commented that it is a MUCH better guitar. I guess I'm curious what the differences are between the two, even if it's just intangible. So, anyone that's played them both, I'd like to hear some opinions!

    Thanks!
    Pat
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  • #2
    Ebony board on the White Models.
    And I thought the AS has a dinky body?
    Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day, set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Flatpicker View Post
      Ebony board on the White Models.
      And I thought the AS has a dinky body?
      Nah, its just called a Dinky but its a full size Strat body.

      I'm totally getting one - to me, its worth the extra $1K for the big Jackson logo on the strathead. I've been drooling over this guitar for years.

      This does beg the question - maybe McD can answer - who builds the Jackson signature guitars? Are they on the production line or built in the Custom Shop? Or is there an in-between.

      Won't affect my purchase either way, though.

      Also - I'm drooling for reviews - anyone else get their paws on one?
      -------------------------
      Blank yo!

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      • #4
        Anyone know what the neckshape is like? I thought nelli said it wasn't thick but wasn't thin. Someone else said they couldn't tell the difference between the AS and the Charvel. According to the website, it has the same measurements as the speed neck...I personally thought the Charvel felt a lot like the speed neck on my KV2, so this would make sense.

        For me, I think this is one of those situations where I would always regret NOT getting the AS over the Charvel, but I'm trying to be rational, hahaha!

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        • #5
          The AS profile is nothing like the speed neck, at least on mine. It's a great, Charvel strathead type feel, not a flattened D like the KV neck.

          Without intentionally repeating myself, the production Charvels are fine guitars for the money, but you pay for what you get, and that has been reflected in the feel of the ones I've tried (though I'm sure with a nice setup, they'd be great). The Charvels feel like a mass production guitar on which some corners have been cut to keep the price down.

          The AS feels like a handfinished, high end guitar. After 20 years of waiting, I kind of expected it to be an anticlimax, but happily that's not been the case at all...
          Popular is not the same as good
          Rare is not the same as valuable
          Worth is what someone will pay, not what you want to get

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          • #6
            I'm pretty sure they're extra-careful not to let a $1000 guitar slip out the door that's as good as a $2000 guitar again.

            Of course, even if the rough-cut AS bodies are being spit out the same line that the Charvels come off of, there's still the extra work done by hand on them. You're paying for labor as well as quality of labor. Quantity does not always equal quality, so just because they have more hands on it doesn't mean they have better hands on it.

            Time invested in getting something "just right" is visible in any product, and that time=money.
            I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood

            The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

            My Blog: http://newcenstein.com

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            • #7
              I wish Jackson would have put the Adrian Smith signature on the back of the head, like the Demartinis. Nothing against AS, he is a great player. However the guitar would be more attractive to me without the sig. on the front. Dang, I love that big Jackson logo on the strathead.

              Comment

              • #8
                Originally posted by Guitar Lawyer View Post
                I wish Jackson would have put the Adrian Smith signature on the back of the head, like the Demartinis. Nothing against AS, he is a great player. However the guitar would be more attractive to me without the sig. on the front. Dang, I love that big Jackson logo on the strathead.
                But then it would just be a white Socal...
                -------------------------
                Blank yo!

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                • #9
                  Nelli, or anyone else, can you compare the neck to anything that's readily available in a GC? Living in Iowa, my chances of ever playing one is damn close to zero...

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                  • #10
                    I've been told the AS neck is very close to the Warren D guitars, but it's been a while since I've played one of those. It's a smooth slightly flattened C shape. So probably as you might expect if you've played a recent custom Charvel with the 'strathead' profile.

                    Originally posted by Grandturk View Post
                    But then it would just be a white Socal...
                    Yeah, and an RR5 is the same as an RR1 apart from the logo...
                    Popular is not the same as good
                    Rare is not the same as valuable
                    Worth is what someone will pay, not what you want to get

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Originally posted by neilli View Post
                      Yeah, and an RR5 is the same as an RR1 apart from the logo...
                      U mean, teh RR5 and RR1zees is nawt teh same geetarus? Unpossibelz!

                      I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood

                      The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

                      My Blog: http://newcenstein.com

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                      • #12
                        Popular is not the same as good
                        Rare is not the same as valuable
                        Worth is what someone will pay, not what you want to get

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Originally posted by newc View Post
                          u mean, teh rr5 and rr1zees is nawt teh same geetarus? Unpossibelz!

                          rr5 rulze!!!
                          -------------------------
                          Blank yo!

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                          • #14
                            Nelli, I've never even seen a custom shop Charvel in real life, let alone played one, so I'm still in the dark as far as neck shape. Maybe once there's a few few more AS sigs out there, I'll have to road trip to try one out.

                            Thanks

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Grandturk View Post
                              This does beg the question - maybe McD can answer - who builds the Jackson signature guitars? Are they on the production line or built in the Custom Shop? Or is there an in-between.

                              Won't affect my purchase either way, though.

                              Also - I'm drooling for reviews - anyone else get their paws on one?
                              The AS is all custom shop. Killer, killer guitar.

                              Comment

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