Charvel Pro Mods VS. Rasmus Guitars

[Tone Zone]

I might be in the market for either one of these guitars and thought it'd be appropriate to post a thread to get input from you guys on one which one you'd go with. More than anything, I'd really like to hear what you guys think about each one. Both guitar lines seem to make for a really good comparison. They have similar price points and similar features. As most already know, Rasmus Guitars are an import line (China) developed by Suhr, while the Charvels are made in Japan. The Charvels have been documented in the other thread quite well. Here are some key features of the Rasmus Guitars: They are based on Suhr "Standard" and "Modern" models; Body/neck woods alder/maple from North America...Indonesia rosewood fretboards; same Suhr pickups found in Suhr instruments; Japanese-made Gotoh Floyd/510 bridges (although, instead of steel block, use zinc instead); same German-made fret wires (nickel) found on Suhr instruments; sent to USA Suhr factory to be plek'd, set up, and final QC check. Here is their website: http://www.rasmusguitars.com/ Here are the available models and specs: http://www.rasmusguitars.com/Rasmus_10_ ... nsumer.pdf The Charvels come with hardshell cases, while the Rasmus guitars come with gig bags. I do believe that the Charvels are about $100 less, except for the San Dimas Wildcard which would be about the same price as the Rasmus guitars. Unfortunately, I have yet to play the Rasmus guitars as they are just now suppose to be getting to some dealers. Although, I am a big Suhr fan and kind of know what to expect to a degree as far as playability goes.

Opinions?


EDIT: One thing I forgot to mention: The Rasmus guitars have some type of off-brand locking tuners instead of the Sperzel locking tuners found on Suhrs.

 

[Tone Zone]

Anyone?

 

[Dave L]

Well, I guess it´s simply hard to tell yet... there are only a very few guys that have played the Rasmuses and the japanese Charvels, and I´m not sure if anyone has tried both yet. It´s all guess work at this point, as far as I know... later in the fall I suppose the verdicts will start coming in.

 

[Chubtone]

Sah5150 and I played the Rasmus Guitars at NAMM and I have to say they were beautiful but I honestly was not impressed with the way they felt. Especially for the money. AND they are made in China for that amount of money? The street price was supposed to be around $900 and people were scoring made in USA Charvels for around that same price. It seemed ludicrous to me. Two minutes after I played the Rasmus guitars I went to the Buddy Blaze booth and played his imports that are made in Korea and will sell for $650-700 and they were killer. So I'm not just a blind Charvel > Everything guy.

It is certainly an interesting experiment to see how much people will pay for a Chinese built guitar that has no known name brand on the headstock.

 

[Chubtone]

Well, I guess it´s simply hard to tell yet... there are only a very few guys that have played the Rasmuses and the japanese Charvels, and I´m not sure if anyone has tried both yet. It´s all guess work at this point, as far as I know... later in the fall I suppose the verdicts will start coming in.

I've played both.

 

[Anonymous]

I played the Rasmus guitars at NAMM this year and I've also played a number of the USA Charvel Pro Mods (as well as own several Custom Shop Charvels). Curt (Chubtone here) has played the new Japanese Pro Mods and say they are pretty much identical to the USA versions. I believe him - he is reliable and he's played my guitars and I've played at least one he plays regularly and we have similar taste in guitars (Ok, maybe not cosmetically )... I'd own and be very happy with the USA Charvel Pro Mods...

Anyway, based on all this, I have to believe that I would prefer the Japanese Prod Mods... I played both the Rasmus Modern and Standard and wasn't thrilled with either. They are obviously very nicely built and finished, but playing-wise, I didn't dig them. It is way easier to bend notes on the Pro Mods and I prefer the neck shape. I did not get to hear a Rasmus through an amp, so I couldn't say how they sound... They are nice guitars, don't get me wrong, but I prefer the Charvels and I also preferred the import Buddy Blaze guitars I played at a booth right across from the Suhr/Rasmus booth at NAMM...

For reference, I've owned two Suhr Standards that I liked, but sold because I didn't dig the way they played as much as my Charvels and Charvel clones I'd build. I also currently own the Guthrie Modern which I LOVE and will never sell. The Rasmus look like the Suhrs, but as you might expect, they don't play like the real deal...

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

Sah5150 and I played the Rasmus Guitars at NAMM and I have to say they were beautiful but I honestly was not impressed with the way they felt. Especially for the money. AND they are made in China for that amount of money? The street price was supposed to be around $900 and people were scoring made in USA Charvels for around that same price. It seemed ludicrous to me. Two minutes after I played the Rasmus guitars I went to the Buddy Blaze booth and played his imports that are made in Korea and will sell for $650-700 and they were killer. So I'm not just a blind Charvel > Everything guy.

It is certainly an interesting experiment to see how much people will pay for a Chinese built guitar that has no known name brand on the headstock.

Well... I certainly could have saved some time as you basically have already covered everything I said in my post...

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

Well, I guess it´s simply hard to tell yet... there are only a very few guys that have played the Rasmuses and the japanese Charvels, and I´m not sure if anyone has tried both yet. It´s all guess work at this point, as far as I know... later in the fall I suppose the verdicts will start coming in.

I've played both.

Me too...

Steve

 

[Digital Jams]

I was interested in the Rasmus until Fender unleashed the USA Pro Charvels.......................

I have not played both, no need to either for me.

 

[Anonymous]

Two minutes after I played the Rasmus guitars I went to the Buddy Blaze booth and played his imports that are made in Korea and will sell for $650-700 and they were killer. So I'm not just a blind Charvel > Everything guy.

Yeah, not to mention that I scored an American made Buddy Blaze K2 for less than $900 that is absolutely killer...

I'm not a Charvel > Everything guy either, btw. I own and love Suhr, Nash, Creston, Buddy Blaze, Edwards etc...

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

I was interested in the Rasmus until Fender unleashed the USA Pro Charvels.......................

I have not played both, no need to either for me.

What's wrong with a little variety? If they were the goods and the price was similar, why not? You should at least play one and see what you think...

Steve

 

[Digital Jams]

I was interested in the Rasmus until Fender unleashed the USA Pro Charvels.......................

I have not played both, no need to either for me.

What's wrong with a little variety? If they were the goods and the price was similar, why not? You should at least play one and see what you think...

Steve

I have the same thing with my guitars that I have with amps, I have found what I like so no more interest in anything else Oh I like trying new gear but no real interest in buying.

 

[Anonymous]

I was interested in the Rasmus until Fender unleashed the USA Pro Charvels.......................

I have not played both, no need to either for me.

What's wrong with a little variety? If they were the goods and the price was similar, why not? You should at least play one and see what you think...

Steve

I have the same thing with my guitars that I have with amps, I have found what I like so no more interest in anything else Oh I like trying new gear but no real interest in buying.

Really? How about a nice strat for bluesy stuff or a Tele for twang or a Les Paul. I mean, they all sound really, really different. How about a different style amp - something Fendery or different gain style from 80s metal?

I dunno, I guess as I get older, I'm liking some more variety in the tones and feel I want. It just feels nice to plug my Tele into a clean Princeton and do some country B Bender licks some times...

Steve

 

[Digital Jams]

I was interested in the Rasmus until Fender unleashed the USA Pro Charvels.......................

I have not played both, no need to either for me.

What's wrong with a little variety? If they were the goods and the price was similar, why not? You should at least play one and see what you think...

Steve

I have the same thing with my guitars that I have with amps, I have found what I like so no more interest in anything else Oh I like trying new gear but no real interest in buying.

Really? How about a nice strat for bluesy stuff or a Tele for twang or a Les Paul. I mean, they all sound really, really different. How about a different style amp - something Fendery or different gain style from 80s metal?

I dunno, I guess as I get older, I'm liking some more variety in the tones and feel I want. It just feels nice to plug my Tele into a clean Princeton and do some country B Bender licks some times...

Steve

I have my Yngwie clone strat Building an andy summers clone tele as well

I would like to have an ac30 at one point, I love playing them!

But these are different, we were comparing superstrat to superstrat Of course range is very very nice

 

[Anonymous]

I was interested in the Rasmus until Fender unleashed the USA Pro Charvels.......................

I have not played both, no need to either for me.

What's wrong with a little variety? If they were the goods and the price was similar, why not? You should at least play one and see what you think...

Steve

I have the same thing with my guitars that I have with amps, I have found what I like so no more interest in anything else Oh I like trying new gear but no real interest in buying.

Really? How about a nice strat for bluesy stuff or a Tele for twang or a Les Paul. I mean, they all sound really, really different. How about a different style amp - something Fendery or different gain style from 80s metal?

I dunno, I guess as I get older, I'm liking some more variety in the tones and feel I want. It just feels nice to plug my Tele into a clean Princeton and do some country B Bender licks some times...

Steve

I have my Yngwie clone strat Building an andy summers clone tele as well

I would like to have an ac30 at one point, I love playing them!

But these are different, we were comparing superstrat to superstrat Of course range is very very nice

Ah... I see we are on the same page here...

Steve

 

[Tone Zone]

Thanks everyone for your replies...especially Steve and Curt. You helped me to decide on Charvel. I already own a couple of Suhrs anyway, so I really wanted to go with Charvel for the sake of having something different. But, I couldn't drop the idea of the Rasmus guitars, until your comments convinced me otherwise. I really don't like the idea either of paying $1K for a chinese-made guitar. Also, nice to hear that the Japnese-made Charvels seem no different to their USA counterparts in terms of workmanship.

 

[Dave L]

I was actually fairly surprised to see here that Buddy Blaze was still around, but which models are imports? The Shredder?

On the same note, has anyone tried the Gary Kramer Russian Roulette? It also looks like an asian/US co-op deal with good specs.

 

[Chubtone]

Yeah, not to mention that I scored an American made Buddy Blaze K2 for less than $900 that is absolutely killer...

Buddy got pissed that that store sold it so cheap. That's WAY below cost. I still want to check that thing out.

 

[Chubtone]

I was actually fairly surprised to see here that Buddy Blaze was still around, but which models are imports? The Shredder?

On the same note, has anyone tried the Gary Kramer Russian Roulette? It also looks like an asian/US co-op deal with good specs.

Buddy is still around and i became a dealer for his guitars at NAMM 2010. The USA stuff is sweet! And the import stuff hasn't been released yet.

 

[Dave L]

I was actually fairly surprised to see here that Buddy Blaze was still around, but which models are imports? The Shredder?

On the same note, has anyone tried the Gary Kramer Russian Roulette? It also looks like an asian/US co-op deal with good specs.

Buddy is still around and i became a dealer for his guitars at NAMM 2010. The USA stuff is sweet! And the import stuff hasn't been released yet.

Cool, I´ll definitely keep an eye out for info and specs on the imports. Unless you want to spill some selected beans, of course