NGD: Charvel 7-string San Dimas

[cardinal]

Had this for a few months. Wasn't sure if a Charvel "masterbuild" was on the same level as a Fender. Well, it is. This is definitely one of, if not the, nicest guitars I've ever played. Love it.

Mahogany body. 1-piece quarter sawn maple neck. Floyd had a tungsten block. Pickups are Duncan Custom and Full Shred. The Custom gave me fits for a while but I got it sorted out and really like it. Good balance of cut and chunk.

 

[JeF]

First one I've seen. Congratulations! How long did it take? Are you able to compare the tungsten block to brass.....

 

[mniel8195]

Do you have to take the neck off to adjust the truss rod?!?

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

That thing is sweet

 

[PeteLaramee]

Awesome. I love strathead 7 strings.

 

[Rexxyboy]

That would play nice.. Does it weigh a ton? Full shred =

 

[cardinal]

Thanks guys!

First one I've seen. Congratulations! How long did it take? Are you able to compare the tungsten block to brass.....

I bought it from dealer stock, so I don't know what their lead times are. Brass blocks seem to just make the guitar warmer. The tungsten block makes the guitar's attack different to me. More immediate and snappier. I guess because it's just sooo much heavier than the brass.

Do you have to take the neck off to adjust the truss rod?!?

Yup. But it's a quick process with the Floyd. Leave everything locked. Pull off the trem springs. Pull off the neck and tweak the rod. Reinstall the neck and springs, and then check the relief again. It'll be essentially in tune when you put it back together.

That would play nice.. Does it weigh a ton? Full shred =

It's a good weight. Not sure how many pounds it is, but it strikes me as neither light nor heavy. It's a very nice playing guitar. Then Full Shred is a great neck pickup. I don't seem to see much love for it? I guess because of the name, but it's not a one-dimensional shred tone.

 

[cardinal]

Awesome. I love strathead 7 strings.

Thanks! I love Strat heads! Here are a few of my other ones, though none are as fancy as the Charvel:

 

[Stealthtastic]

Awesome. Congrats man. I don't think there any many 7 string charvel around!

 

[cardinal]

Thanks! It's not the engineering marvel that many of your guitars are, but I'm very impressed with it.

 

[Racerxrated]

Congrats! The custom I had was the best guitar I've owned. Miss it. Replaced it with a USA production that is nice, but not the same....

 

[cardinal]

Congrats! The custom I had was the best guitar I've owned. Miss it. Replaced it with a USA production that is nice, but not the same....

From what I understand, the USA production stuff was like Fender's Am Std line, which are pretty nice guitars. But Charvel's custom shop guitars are "masterbuilt" like the very best of Fender's stuff. If you've ever played a Fender masterbuilt guitar, they are absolutely phenomenal. I had hoped the Charvel customs would be in the same ballpark, and this one definitely is.

Hard to see how one guitar with a maple neck screwed to a body could be so much better than another maple neck screwed to a body, but somehow there are differences.

 

['63-Strat]

 

[Racerxrated]

Congrats! The custom I had was the best guitar I've owned. Miss it. Replaced it with a USA production that is nice, but not the same....

From what I understand, the USA production stuff was like Fender's Am Std line, which are pretty nice guitars. But Charvel's custom shop guitars are "masterbuilt" like the very best of Fender's stuff. If you've ever played a Fender masterbuilt guitar, they are absolutely phenomenal. I had hoped the Charvel customs would be in the same ballpark, and this one definitely is.

Hard to see how one guitar with a maple neck screwed to a body could be so much better than another maple neck screwed to a body, but somehow there are differences.

Yup. I've had 2 mij charvels from 2010..one was better than the other. Then this USA is a bit of a step up from those..but the custom was special. Great guitars...

 

[the4thlast1]

you dont need to take the springs out of the trem to do the truss rod adjustment....Just block the trem or use a trem plate underneath to keep it from retracting.

 

[cardinal]

you dont need to take the springs out of the trem to do the truss rod adjustment....Just block the trem or use a trem plate underneath to keep it from retracting.

How do you pull the neck just by blocking the trem? i wouldn't want to pull the neck without slacking the string tension, and pulling the springs is much faster than blocking the trem and detuning followed by having to retune.

 

[Metlupass2]

Sweet guitar, but that seems like such a pain in the ass to make the truss rod adjustment.

 

[PeteLaramee]

Awesome. I love strathead 7 strings.

Thanks! I love Strat heads! Here are a few of my other ones, though none are as fancy as the Charvel:

Cool.

I had a strathead neck w/maple board made to IBZ RG7620 specs and love it. I may have another made soon.

 

[cardinal]

Sweet guitar, but that seems like such a pain in the ass to make the truss rod adjustment.

doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me. The vast majority of Charvels and vintage-spec Fenders are this way. Head adjust or those little wheels at the butt of the neck definitely are more convenient, that's for sure.

 

[Caulk Rocket]

Really liking the new Charvels. Please make a hardtail tele, Charvel.