OPINION: Newer Charvels are not very good. Neither are SD JBs

  • Thread starter Thread starter BigGuitars
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I'm a pretty big Charvel fanboi and gotta say that I've loved the neck on every one I've played but the electronics, frets, tuners, etc. varied.

I have a MIM Charvel that I love but the tuners and bridge were replaced. My USA DeMartini is awesome. I get what you are saying with the JB. Definitely not as flexible as my Motor City pickups, etc.
 
I think its honestly the flat radius I don't like. It makes your fingers have to curl around and really reach inward to press on the frets, rather than the fretboard coming to you. Takes more effort
 
For years I played Hamer USAs and had an Ibanez RG550 as my backup. When I tried my first Charvel USA I was home. Perfect profile for me. I never fought the guitar again.
 
If you don’t like Charvel necks, what do you think of Ibanez Wizard necks ? Do you find them comfortable or too small ?
 
I have a purple ProMod from last year. It is pretty great for an $800-$900 guitar. I did chunk the JB and put a Gibson BB3 and an 80s OFR with large brass tone block. Killer.
 
I think I'm going to go with the pariah set like I said. Maybe I can salvage this guitar
 
I thought the neck was thick too. Sanded it down to what I liked, rolled the edges, gunstock oil like EBMM and its great now.
 
I'm also a Charvel/Jackson fan boy, besides my Les Paul and My GMW which is basically a Charvel clone, that's all I play these days.
I used to own several of the "Real San Dimas "Charvels from back in the early 80's and the MIJ runs they did from 2009-2011
IMO come closest in playability/tone etc. I have not played a MIM Charvel yet that has made me pull out the Credit card.
I currently own 3 of the MIJ Charvels and I've owned 3 others in the past and the necks are almost all identical to each other
and feel very close to the old originals. I'd sell the one you have it you dislike it so much and hunt one of those down or save up for a USA Select.
I can adapt to different fret board radius pretty easily, I've been an Ibanez player as well and have no problem with those either (my favorite 7's)
but I can't play Fender strats , too sloped the 9" radius feels very awkward to me. My Les Paul is basically my slide guitar, if I don't have to use it I don't.

I've also bought several JB's over the last couple of years and they sound pretty consistent to my ears. Maybe the wiring is messed up in yours
 
Good advice all around. It's probably all just in my head. Probably can solve the problem with amps settings and different pups.
 
Just so we’re clear, I’m a Charvel fanboy too, but this MiM one I’ve got just doesn’t feel or sound quite like the ones I’ve played of my buddy’s that were 2008 USAs.

Btw, this is off topic but do you guys ever experiment with variacs on your amps? I’ve got a lunchbox ii and it’s too loud for my room. I’d like to be able to dial it down. Should I get a variac?
 
BigGuitars said:
Just so we’re clear, I’m a Charvel fanboy too, but this MiM one I’ve got just doesn’t feel or sound quite like the ones I’ve played of my buddy’s that were 2008 USAs.

Btw, this is off topic but do you guys ever experiment with variacs on your amps? I’ve got a lunchbox ii and it’s too loud for my room. I’d like to be able to dial it down. Should I get a variac?
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You would want to look into an attenuator.
 
Racerxrated said:
The MiMs I’ve tried have felt like a cheap copy of the the two 08/09 USAs I own. That said, the neck profile should be identical between all of them so clearly you aren’t a fan of those necks.
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I had a 2016/17 MIM San Dimas and I have to fully agree on Racerxrated's assessment. :yes:

For the price it was a good value but it is no way equal to a USA or custom shop Charvel.

A substantially lower priced guitar usually is a lower quality guitar and if you have to convince yourself that is is the equal to a USA made Charvel then it's quite possible that it is not. As long as you understand that it's quality is on par with it's price they are good guitars for beginner or mid level players IMHO.
 
I know what you mean. I have a 2010 MIJ So-Cal I have always fought with. The neck is right on the verge of being OK for me. I have always thought it was hard to play. I have tried tiny strings, extra light springs, changed the pickups, etc.... I never knew if it was the wide fretboard, neck shape, top mounted Floyd, etc.... Mine has the stock Dimarzio Tone Zone and Evolution neck, so very different sound than the SD models. I have kept it because I love the feel of the guitar overall, but have always fought with the neck.

I think I have come to the conclusion that is is mostly the wide neck and the C / verge of D shaped neck. It just makes it hard to play with someone with smaller hands/fingers. In contrast my Wolfgang guitars feel similar, but are narrower and more C shaped, and are WAY easier for me to play. Oh, I do think the newer Charvels are slightly flatter on the back of the neck than mine, which moves them closer to a D shape than a C shape.
 
I checked, and the little Kramer I've got has "medium jumbo" frets and a 12" radius. That makes all the difference. The medium jumbo frets are perfect. They're not like this big bulging walls my finger has to jump over to do pinky slides. It's almost impossible for me on this guitar. I also like the 12" radius.
 
For the longest time I had only tried MIJ, MIM and non-custom USA Charvel’s. Tried lots of them, was unimpressed and never got the hype as to why Charvel is so popular until I got a Custom Shop one and now I have 5 Charvel’s (2 recent Custom Shops and 3 vintage San Dimas’s). Mine all sound and play great. My 2019 Custom Shop Sassafras I think is my best playing and sounding of the bunch. That being said my very best playing guitars I have are my Ronin, 2 Novo’s, and ESP Custom Shop Korina V. The Ronin is probably the 2nd best guitar I’ve ever had behind my ‘57 Les Paul Jr and hands down the best non-vintage guitar I’ve played
 
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