Guess I'll be the guinea pig - MJ Charvel So Cal in route!

I dunno if that trem has been swapped, but my '09 MIJ So-Cal has a 1000 series...which really is fine. It's guitars with 'Licensed under Floyd Rose' shit that I avoid these days...besides, I'm more of a fixed bridge-person anyway; better tone and sustain.
 
+1 on the 1996.
Comfy and quality.

Speeddemon said:
I dunno if that trem has been swapped, but my '09 MIJ So-Cal has a 1000 series...which really is fine. It's guitars with 'Licensed under Floyd Rose' shit that I avoid these days...besides, I'm more of a fixed bridge-person anyway; better tone and sustain.
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Not sure about all the recent stuff, but Ibanez put out some nice licensed floyds in the 80s/90s.
 
Speeddemon said:
I dunno if that trem has been swapped, but my '09 MIJ So-Cal has a 1000 series...which really is fine. It's guitars with 'Licensed under Floyd Rose' shit that I avoid these days...besides, I'm more of a fixed bridge-person anyway; better tone and sustain.
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This one comes with the Gotoh from the factory - its brand new for 2024.

I have a love hate with the 1000's. They're either good, or shit. You get fine tuners that are a bitch to turn sometimes, inconsistent range, and other annoyances.. They typically need some TLC to work smoothly. The Gotoh is smooth as butter, and superior return to pitch.
 
This thread intrigued me, so I hopped on GuitarCenter.com to see some Charvels and was too busy laughing at the prices to even try and track down something that'd interest me.
 
Fiesta Red said:
Which color?
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This one..
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napalmdeath said:
Considering it's made in Japan, you get a softshell/hybrid case, and a Gotoh, I don't find it unreasonable. I paid less than $1599 even with tax, brand new.
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I paid $900 new for my 2009 white MIJ So-Cal with an SKB hardcase and quarter sawn neck, just sayin'.
Hence my comment about inflation. 😅
According to https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/ $900 in 2009 would be ~$1300 in 2024.
And Gotoh vs. FR 1000 better not be $300 (EDIT: found out that the Gotoh is cheaper!), not even adjusting for the 'better'/more desirable case and neck.

But hey, if at the end of the day it's a good guitar, at a price you were comfortable paying for, that's all that matters. (y)
I guess if I'm looking again, I either buy used or assemble a parts-caster (H-S config maybe) myself.
 
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NowYou'rePlayingWithPower said:
+1 on the 1996.
Comfy and quality.


Not sure about all the recent stuff, but Ibanez put out some nice licensed floyds in the 80s/90s.
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Yeah, I got an Ibanez S540 with a Low Pro Edge, which is very nice.
I was talking more about the cheaper stuff from the 80's and 90's...like Aria Pro II, Vester, Samick, etc. They came with some subpar Floyd copies.

I just found out that the FR1000 retail price is more than twice that of the Gotoh; I don't have any experience with the Gotoh, so I'll trust your (and napalmdeath's) word on it...but given that difference, it seems more like a happy accident that the manufacturer's cost-cutting resulted in something that's possibly better.
But like others have said, I think a whole bunch of manufacturers are crazy these days with those extreme prices. Maybe I'm getting too old, but for instance, paying $1200-1400+ for an Indonesian made guitar without premium woods or pickups feels off for me....
 
Speeddemon said:
Yeah, I got an Ibanez S540 with a Low Pro Edge, which is very nice.
I was talking more about the cheaper stuff from the 80's and 90's...like Aria Pro II, Vester, Samick, etc. They came with some subpar Floyd copies.

I just found out that the FR1000 retail price is more than twice that of the Gotoh; I don't have any experience with the Gotoh, so I'll trust your (and napalmdeath's) word on it...but given that difference, it seems more like a happy accident that the manufacturer's cost-cutting resulted in something that's possibly better.
But like others have said, I think a whole bunch of manufacturers are crazy these days with those extreme prices. Maybe I'm getting too old, but for instance, paying $1200-1400+ for an Indonesian made guitar without premium woods or pickups feels off for me....
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You aren't off at all, and it's definitely becoming a more $ for less world (shrinkflation is the recent buzzword for it). Lots of name riding, lots of basswood. Surprised we aren't seeing balsa wood guitars, yet. Still some manufactures brands are putting out "reasonable" deals. Reasonable meaning compared to others, but not to recent history.
 
Speeddemon said:
Yeah, I got an Ibanez S540 with a Low Pro Edge, which is very nice.
I was talking more about the cheaper stuff from the 80's and 90's...like Aria Pro II, Vester, Samick, etc. They came with some subpar Floyd copies.

I just found out that the FR1000 retail price is more than twice that of the Gotoh; I don't have any experience with the Gotoh, so I'll trust your (and napalmdeath's) word on it...but given that difference, it seems more like a happy accident that the manufacturer's cost-cutting resulted in something that's possibly better.
But like others have said, I think a whole bunch of manufacturers are crazy these days with those extreme prices. Maybe I'm getting too old, but for instance, paying $1200-1400+ for an Indonesian made guitar without premium woods or pickups feels off for me....
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I'll take the cheaper Gotoh Japan any day. The 1000's are made in Korea with shit material. You pay for the name. Overpriced.
 
napalmdeath said:
I'll take the cheaper Gotoh Japan any day. The 1000's are made in Korea with shit material. You pay for the name. Overpriced.
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are they fully interchangeable, or would the Gotoh require re-routing or something?
Also, given your negative view of the Floyd, are you sure you're not talking about the Special?

Most places that have some comparison notes about these, list the Special as the one to be avoided, but the 1000 is fine. Maybe not stellar, but fine.
 
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Speeddemon said:
Yeah, I got an Ibanez S540 with a Low Pro Edge, which is very nice.
I was talking more about the cheaper stuff from the 80's and 90's...like Aria Pro II, Vester, Samick, etc. They came with some subpar Floyd copies.

I just found out that the FR1000 retail price is more than twice that of the Gotoh; I don't have any experience with the Gotoh, so I'll trust your (and napalmdeath's) word on it...but given that difference, it seems more like a happy accident that the manufacturer's cost-cutting resulted in something that's possibly better.
But like others have said, I think a whole bunch of manufacturers are crazy these days with those extreme prices. Maybe I'm getting too old, but for instance, paying $1200-1400+ for an Indonesian made guitar without premium woods or pickups feels off for me....
Click to expand...
Its crazy because you have some guitars like this with the price going way up (I have a 2009 MIJ also), but then you have guitars like Harley Benton going for like $400 for Stainless Steel Frets and a Floyd 1000.
 
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