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Post by sasquatch on Mar 11, 2011 19:45:35 GMT -5
I've been considering the purchase of a Charvel So Cal or San Dimas for a while now and have heard many good things about both the US and MIJ versions... especially good things about the detailed fret work on the MIJ necks. I went to a couple dealers today and managed to play 6 guitars. Two US and four Japanese. Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference between the necks, and I don't mean in a good way. Yes, the neck itself felt solid and fast, and the radius and so forth comfortable to play... but the edges of the frets were horrible. It seems like there might be a great deal of difference from batch to batch which makes me extremely hesitant to purchase one on line. The model and color options available on line are much more plentiful, but I'm feeling now like I should play as many as I can until I find a decent one. Any feedback would be appreciated. Also... any recommendations on authorized dealers (on line or out of my area) I might be able to count on to "hand pick" one for me that has a neck like the ones I've been hearing about? Thanks all!
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Post by Ayton(e) on Mar 11, 2011 22:33:02 GMT -5
I'm pretty sure our very own Chubtone is a Shovel dealer. I bet he'd handpick or send you closeups.
Still stunned there are ragged ones out there. I just took the cheapest I could find online. You've seen the pics.
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Post by sasquatch on Mar 12, 2011 11:11:50 GMT -5
I'm pretty sure our very own Chubtone is a Shovel dealer. I bet he'd handpick or send you closeups. Still stunned there are ragged ones out there. I just took the cheapest I could find online. You've seen the pics. Ya... yours looks like someone spent hours detailing the frets and that's what I went in expecting. I wouldn't be surprised by finding one or two like that... but all six? I think Chubtone is in Orange County which is about an hour and a half or so drive from where I'm at. I'll give him a call and see if he has a few and maybe make the drive down. Thanks Ayton(e)! |
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Post by Ayton(e) on Mar 12, 2011 12:31:03 GMT -5
Wonder if it's random from guitar to guitar, or if it's a batch thing, like Fender put a rush on the second lot and QC dropped. I'd be interested to know what range of serial numbers these rough ones are in. Might have to drop by the JCF forum to see if there's some info.
I'd certainly drive 90 minutes for a good one! If you don't have time though I do reckon Chub would send you pics.
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Post by sasquatch on Mar 12, 2011 12:41:56 GMT -5
Turns out the guy that runs the guitar dept. at one of the Sam Ash stores I visited to try out the guitars used to own a music store in my area and we have several mutual friends. He might be willing to help me out with the S/N thing. And yeah... a 1-1/2 to 2 hour drive would definitely be worth it.
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Post by sasquatch on Mar 12, 2011 18:00:08 GMT -5
Talked to Curt (Chubtone) and I'm driving down there Tuesday to play a couple of the MIJ's through a Splawn.
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Post by kabala on Mar 12, 2011 21:20:43 GMT -5
I just bought a MIJ San Dimas from Chubtone last week. Was a pleasure to deal with him....and the guitar, well, he ensured me before hand I'd get a winner or he'd nab another one in a short period of time, so either way, I was gonna be happy. I is. (=
The drive will be worth it. Hope you pick one up!
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kaptainzamatopf
Member
I wish my playing was as good as my amp..
Posts: 115
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Post by kaptainzamatopf on Mar 14, 2011 6:53:05 GMT -5
Hey dude, i got a MIJ San Dimas Pro Mod in december and it's beautiful. Really nice to play, frets are smooth as hell. Great guitar, great tone, and i've smacked the Floyd Rose to sh!t and it's never gone out of tune.
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Post by sasquatch on Mar 15, 2011 10:40:24 GMT -5
OK, update... I had to drive out to Ventura yesterday for work and thought I'd look up listed dealers in the area on the Charvel website. I stopped by the only one listed (Instrumental Music) during lunch and they had four Americans and one MIJ on the wall. First off... the necks on all five were stellar. Head and shoulders above the other guitars I played at the two Sam Ash stores. Makes me think it may have been a batch/lot thing. However, none of the guitars were equipped exactly (or close enough to it) the way I wanted. I really want a maple fretboard and only two of 'em had maple fretboards, both American, one a Ferrari Red So Cal (selling for only $699.00!), and a wild card "Flame Up" San Dimas 2H ($1,200.00). The Flame Up thing is a bit too wild for me and $1,200 is more than I want to spend. I was really tempted to pull the trigger on the So Cal, but in the end I figured out I prefer the sound of the San Dimas with Duncans to the DiMarzio loaded So Cal. The MIJ guitar was a wild card with some type of quilted yellow top, rosewood fretboard and recessed trem. I'm planning to block the trem, making it a dive only setup, so I'd prefer to avoid the recessed trem in addition to the rosewood fretboard. The remaining two guitars were a U.S. wild card San Dimas 2H with rosewood fretboard in candy tangerine ($1,099.00) and, IMHO the best sounding of the lot, a wild card San Dimas 1H with rosewood fretboard in Fiesta Red (looks like tomato soup ;D) priced at $799.00! The price on the orange 2H and the fact that two of the guitars I'll be keeping are that color or very close, along with the rosewood fretboard kinda ruled that one out... although it did sound and play good. Back to the Sam Dimas wild card 1H... it also had a rosewood fretboard, but something a bit different than the others... the Duncan pup was mounted directly to the body like the Pro Mods. I really liked the sound and feel of this guitar. It had that special vibe like one of those rare guitars where everything came together just right. Problem is I need a neck pup and really want the maple fretboard. Not to mention the funny color. Anyway, to make a long story longer... I'm off to visit Chubtone today to play a couple MIJ's and see if I can find the perfect match. Mostly wanted to let everyone know about the neck thing!
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Post by sasquatch on Mar 16, 2011 9:55:30 GMT -5
Picked up a white San Dimas Pro Mod from Chubtone yesterday. Beautiful guitar! Awesome neck and really nice setup fresh off the hanger. Got to play it through a QR and she sounds great. Can't wait to play it through my QR. I do want to block the trem to make it a dive only setup... does anybody have any suggestions? I don't need to go back and forth between blocked and non-blocked. I need to be able to tune down 1/2 step sometimes. We also do some stuff in drop D but I think I can just buy and add a D-Tuna to the existing trem.
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Post by Ayton(e) on Mar 16, 2011 12:04:27 GMT -5
That's good news! Glad you were able to source a good one. Chub have anything to say on this batch stuff? He might be better able to spot QC trends, being a dealer.
I've seen Pro Mods with D-Tunas on them, so I think you can drop it right in.
Now, just promise me you won't put pickup rings on it. ;D
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Post by Ayton(e) on Mar 16, 2011 12:04:51 GMT -5
Oh, and:
Pics, wtf?!
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Post by kabala on Mar 16, 2011 12:07:31 GMT -5
Congrats Sasquatch!
+1 on the pr0n!
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kaptainzamatopf
Member
I wish my playing was as good as my amp..
Posts: 115
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Post by kaptainzamatopf on Mar 17, 2011 10:01:22 GMT -5
Probably exactly the same as mine in my pic and they sure are beautiful! Let me know how you get on with the D-tuna. I did fit one on mine but it wouldn't go on properly and i couldn't pull it in and out without effecting the tuning. Might have just been me though as i'm a bit crap when it comes to anything more technical than sleeping...
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Post by sasquatch on Mar 17, 2011 10:35:07 GMT -5
That's good news! Glad you were able to source a good one. Chub have anything to say on this batch stuff? He might be better able to spot QC trends, being a dealer. I've seen Pro Mods with D-Tunas on them, so I think you can drop it right in. Now, just promise me you won't put pickup rings on it. ;D We talked a bit about my experience with the necks and that was one theory. Demand has been quite high and maybe they pushed some through. The white San Dimas Pro Mods are even on backorder. Another theory was neck shrinkage exposing the ends of the frets, which could be a batch thing. I'm just glad I found one that fits like a glove and sounds dynamite. I haven't been able to put it down. My PRS is getting jealous. Another interesting thing I noticed and we talked about. The neck on mine doesn't seem to have that yellow tint like all the Pro Mods I've seen so far. Curt said they seem to have backed that off somewhat, but when I got home and really got into some playing and closer inspection... it looks to me like someone at the factory hit it with .0000 steel wool. Either that or someone spent a lot of time breaking it in before shipping it  . There's some yellow tint on the front of the headstock and on the back just up to where the neck begins, then it stops and it looks and feels like a wet sanded finish. Pretty cool. I did snap some pic's last night but didn't want to post until I get a chance to take a few more with the pup rings... just kidding ;D! No rings in my plans at least at this time. I'll try to get some good pic's of the neck to show you what I'm talking about, but I don't know if my camera will be able to pick it up. |
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. There's some yellow tint on the front of the headstock and on the back just up to where the neck begins, then it stops and it looks and feels like a wet sanded finish. Pretty cool. I did snap some pic's last night but didn't want to post until I get a chance to take a few more with the pup rings... just kidding ;D! No rings in my plans at least at this time. I'll try to get some good pic's of the neck to show you what I'm talking about, but I don't know if my camera will be able to pick it up.