Charvel/non-recessed floyd experts give me your .02

['63-Strat]

So my Charvel arrived. It came with a chrome non-original tremolo arm (wasn't mentioned, and not end of world but I like it to match ) and with a big brass block already installed (wasn't mentioned in the ad, don't think they knew), which is cool. Also came with an skb hardshell case just like my jackson came with. It also came with what looks like just a finish crack around one of the tremolo posts which is a bit of a concern. I had my tech friend look at it and he agreed he thought it was probably just a finish crack, not too serious he thought. But he said hard to know for sure without taking it apart etc. The seller has agreed they'll take the guitar back and pay for return shipping as the finish crack around the post wasn't visible in the pictures (they say they didn't know about it, who knows) which is honestly pretty cool of them. If it's just cosmetic (likely) it's not the end of the world, there is also a pretty good ding down to the wood on the back but they disclosed that and it's just cosmetic so that doesn't bother me.

Now I'd assumed (due to playing an american production model tele style and a cs charvel etc) that this thing would've been setup for dive only as I was sorta planning on putting a d-tuna on it. But it came setup for floating but with strings slack (of course) but fine tuners not balanced out and springs on back not loosened so it also made a little dent in the body from the spring loaded part which again isn't end of the world but could've easily have been prevented IMO. Admittedly I dunno, maybe that's how they all come, not a big deal to get it setup different. Once I got it tuned up and balanced with the posts angle etc. the thing does play and sound great though honestly (currently has 9-42s on it and I'm usually a 10-52 guy though so feels like rubber bands lol).

Questions:

1) Should I be concerned about that finish crack around the post? The posts also look pretty slanted to me but maybe that's on purpose I guess. As said I can return this no prob, but I don't see any other US san dimas's available in classifieds/ebay/craigslist right now, either.

2) Assuming I get it setup to be dive only how different is the feel gonna be? I assume part of why I like it now is due to the steep angle it currently has.

Any other Charvel knowledge you guys wanna share is welcome too, thanks.

 

[Bob Savage]

Are you saying the posts that the knife edge of the term rests in are angled, and not at a perfect right angle to the body?

 

['63-Strat]

Are you saying the posts that the knife edge of the term rests in are angled, and not at a perfect right angle to the body?

Yes. It's sort of visible in the horizontal pic. I kind of assume that's also related to the finish crack. The posts are nearly parallel to the neck angle (but looks even tilted a bit more than that). I kinda assume it was done so bridge and posts were parallel to neck angle at rest vs. being at 90 deg to the body.

 

[Anonymous]

Are you saying the posts that the knife edge of the term rests in are angled, and not at a perfect right angle to the body?

Yes. It's sort of visible in the horizontal pic. I kind of assume that's also related to the finish crack. The posts are nearly parallel to the neck angle (but looks even tilted a bit more than that). I kinda assume it was done so bridge and posts were parallel to neck angle at rest vs. being at 90 deg to the body.

I've never seen trem posts that were intentionally at an angle that was not perfectly 90 degrees to the face of the guitar body.,.. I'd say maybe send this one back and get your cash man... that looks bad to me...

Steve

 

['63-Strat]

Ok that's kinda what I feared. Definitely seemed odd.

 

[Bob Savage]

Are you saying the posts that the knife edge of the term rests in are angled, and not at a perfect right angle to the body?

Yes. It's sort of visible in the horizontal pic. I kind of assume that's also related to the finish crack. The posts are nearly parallel to the neck angle (but looks even tilted a bit more than that). I kinda assume it was done so bridge and posts were parallel to neck angle at rest vs. being at 90 deg to the body.

The experts will need to chime in but that doesn't sound right. Also, am I just seeing things or is the bridge not parralel with the neck? Hard to describe... Is the high string/bottom of the bridge slightly further back than the low end/top? It looks like it to me on both the picture of the top and the picture of the spring cavity.

 

[Erock]

that doesn't look right at all man, the post shouldn't be angled. That looks like the post movement caused the crack in the finish and probably wood.

 

['63-Strat]

Are you saying the posts that the knife edge of the term rests in are angled, and not at a perfect right angle to the body?

Yes. It's sort of visible in the horizontal pic. I kind of assume that's also related to the finish crack. The posts are nearly parallel to the neck angle (but looks even tilted a bit more than that). I kinda assume it was done so bridge and posts were parallel to neck angle at rest vs. being at 90 deg to the body.

The experts will need to chime in but that doesn't sound right. Also, am I just seeing things or is the bridge not parralel with the neck? Hard to describe... Is the high string/bottom of the bridge slightly further back than the low end/top? It looks like it to me on both the picture of the top and the picture of the spring cavity.

Yes it looks that way to me too. That's why i figured best to confirm with you guys, argh leaning towards sending it back i guess. Sounds great but i dont wanna deal with problems with this down the line when i can get my $ back now either.

 

[Bob Savage]

Yes it looks that way to me too. That's why i figured best to confirm with you guys, argh leaning towards sending it back i guess. Sounds great but i dont wanna deal with problems with this down the line when i can get my $ back now either.

Send it back. The trem installation is a hack job.

 

['63-Strat]

Yes it looks that way to me too. That's why i figured best to confirm with you guys, argh leaning towards sending it back i guess. Sounds great but i dont wanna deal with problems with this down the line when i can get my $ back now either.

Send it back. The trem installation is a hack job.

Thanks for your help, man.

 

[Erock]

Bob is right, it should go back. That crack is telling you it's not just a bent post, but rather the whole anchor/sleeve has moved.

 

[Greazygeo]

The bass side trem post looks like it has shifted, it should be straight up and down. Id take the bridge pickup out and look in the pickup route. I bet the wood is cracked there.

 

[RG955TT]

Sorry to say but yeah, send it back. That stud is toast, only real fix is new body or at least drill out, new wood plug, redrill and reinstall the stud and even then. I had one guitar do this and a wood guy was able to fix but it wasnt a just purchased guitar either.

 

['63-Strat]

Thanks guys, emailed the seller.

 

[The Traveller]

Yep send it back. Looks like it was dropped face first. I'm thinking that's why it didn't come with an original trem arm. It probably broke in the fall.

 

[guitarmike]

The post and insert on the low E side moved closer to the pickup, that is why you see the crack. This is a fairly expensive repair that will have to be made if the guitar is going to be played. The post insert needs to be removed, the hole drilled out and plugged. Then the post insert and post can be reinstalled. I had this happen to me on an old Kramer Pacer and a Jem 555 but never on a newer guitar. Get your money back and buy a different guitar. I doubt this happened in shipping but it isn't worth fighting if the seller is refunding your money.

 

[ronjhoser]

There's a slime green USA San Dimas on the GC used site right now if you are worried about finding a replacement. They are getting scarce, though.

 

[BYTOR]

I've got a baby blue USA San Dimas that I put a black So Cal pick guard on! Looks & plays killer!! I'm not selling it though. lol

Yeah, send that guitar back!! It's good of them to take it back but I'm not buying the fact that they didn't know about it beforehand!!

 

[rupe]

The bass side trem post looks like it has shifted, it should be straight up and down. Id take the bridge pickup out and look in the pickup route. I bet the wood is cracked there.

This ^^^

Send it back...it will be trouble down the road.