how're the new mexican promod Charvels?

[baron55]

Well the MIM Fender Strats are 450 to 500, but they sell quite a few of those so the price point is lower. The MIM Charvels have Duncan pickups, and a Floyd, so that drives the price up a bit.


But if Fender priced the guitars too low, they would be perceived as really cheap, but at 850 to 900 street price, they aren't too bad, except for the adjustible truss rod access.......baaahahahahw

 

[Rock Bodom]

Charvel discussions are always awesome...old San Dimas guitars are the best, imports suck....no wait, old MIJ are good too...no, only some models...USA pro mods were great...no, the maple boards were too pale...every pointy headstock would look better as a strat head...would be cool if it didn't have 21 frets...no, that's how they originally came...don't let Mexicans build them unless they are North of the border...

I think they should make them in San Dimas, strictly illegal Mexican labor, shipped to Japan for final assembly and QA, half with German Floyds half with Korean ($100 off if you can tell which one if you try it out in person). Chinese gig bag optional upgrade.

 

['63-Strat]

Mine stay fine, no tuning issues, none.

You're lucky, I never had one that stayed in tune that well and I've owned 30 or so guitars with those behind the nut locks. Even the USA Jacksons from that era had the crappy locks too. Maybe I just use the trem more than you do.

Are you just talking about that era I assume? I never had a problem with my sl2h or my us charvels staying in tune and the style 2 is a production model and has the korean made floyd. I *wish* I could get my 335 to stay in tune that well argh!! lol.

 

[scriptphase]

Charvel discussions are always awesome...old San Dimas guitars are the best, imports suck....no wait, old MIJ are good too...no, only some models...USA pro mods were great...no, the maple boards were too pale...every pointy headstock would look better as a strat head...would be cool if it didn't have 21 frets...no, that's how they originally came...don't let Mexicans build them unless they are North of the border...

I think they should make them in San Dimas, strictly illegal Mexican labor, shipped to Japan for final assembly and QA, half with German Floyds half with Korean ($100 off if you can tell which one if you try it out in person). Chinese gig bag optional upgrade.

Love it!

 

[stratotone]

Mine stay fine, no tuning issues, none.

You're lucky, I never had one that stayed in tune that well and I've owned 30 or so guitars with those behind the nut locks. Even the USA Jacksons from that era had the crappy locks too. Maybe I just use the trem more than you do.

Are you just talking about that era I assume? I never had a problem with my sl2h or my us charvels staying in tune and the style 2 is a production model and has the korean made floyd. I *wish* I could get my 335 to stay in tune that well argh!! lol.

It was the Japanese Charvels and USA Jacksons that came with these nuts in the mid to late 80s:

Two different things - they didn't clamp well to begin with, and even if they did, you still had a nut in front to get the string hung up in. Total fail. A floyd rose nut not only clamps better but it also is it's own nut, so to speak.

 

[romanianreaper]

I've been playing so long (and I'm sure a lot of you are the same) that I can tell if I'll like a guitar without even plugging it in.

That is what I loved about the "under $1000" U.S.A. Charvels. I got mine from Chubtone in the mail when I was in Hawaii, and even with the shipping, humidity changes, and fact it was in just a gig bag and cardboard box, it sounded awesome without touching a thing.

 

[luxxtone]

So I got to play and dial in the first MIM Charvel today, it was pretty awesome. The neck profile is the same as the US and MIJ models, no difference. The neck finish was more similar to the US necks, more Tru Oil feeling and pretty blonde like the US made. Frets were nicely finished, very smooth and shiney. Frets were leveled decent, about as good as all the others. A little buzz like expected, but low action and very nice. These can always use a light fret dress out of the box, but it's not a necessity at all to play well. The fret ends were nicely rounded and did not have any sharp ends or fret sprout at all. The logo just said "Charvel" and did not have any "made in mexico" on the front, which was really cool.

The body was medium weight. Not sure if they all have it, but this one had a recessed floyd. So that's a personal preference thing. The finish was a custom color for the guy from Weezer, so I can't really comment on the finish since this wasn't standard. But this one was in surf green and looked KILLER. Sounded as expected with Duncan pickups, can't really go wrong there. So all in all, based on this one, these are simply awesome for the price. They remind me more of the US made than the MIJ. I don't think you can go wrong with these!

 

[GRANKOR]

what store has them?

*edit*

just saw 'custom color for guy from weezer' so I'm guessing this wasn't in a store

 

[luxxtone]

what store has them?

*edit*

just saw 'custom color for guy from weezer' so I'm guessing this wasn't in a store

Yeah, not at a store. They're "supposed" to be shipping in July sometime I heard, but I'm not 100% sure about that.

 

[Hemi113]

I assume they're excellent, just overpriced as fuck.

 

[Bob Savage]

I assume they're excellent, just overpriced as fuck.

What kind of value are you looking for at this price point? Seems to me that these are as good a value as most others.

 

[stratotone]

I assume they're excellent, just overpriced as fuck.

What kind of value are you looking for at this price point? Seems to me that these are as good a value as most others.

Respectfully disagree. Here's the fender version of the Charvel:

http://www.samash.com/guitars/guitars/f ... f481005xxx

And a close charvel IMHO...

http://www.samash.com/charvel-so-cal-st ... c70008xxxx

Things that could make a pricing difference:

1) pickups
2) you get a hardshell case with the Charvel
3) floyd rose special on the fender vs whatever the floyd rose is on the Charvel, as mentioned earlier in the threads

I'm reasonably sure that Fender's cost on that stuff is WAY less than the $400 price difference.

Then, to complicate matters further, here's a USA Fender for $899!

http://www.samash.com/guitars/guitars/f ... f570030xxx

Maybe it's just because I'm an older guy (early-mid 40s) but I don't see paying $899 *new* for a MIM guitar as a good deal.

For total disclosure, I recently traded some stuff to a guy on CL for a mexican strat from 2003 and it's been upgraded but is a good playing and sounding guitar. I'm not saying the MIM is a piece of crap, just that it seems overpriced in comparison with many other offerings from the same company (FMIC).

 

[bigdaddyd]

it is because you are jaded, not old. Take the MIM out of the statement and then reasses. $899 Retail for a new guitar with those features is a lot to you? You couldn't even part a guitar and buildmit yourself for that much. As long as the quality is there, why do you care that it is mim? would $1500 for the same guitar made un CA by Mexicans be better?

 

[Rock Bodom]

It's like the 5153, lots of people have complained about the price for MIM, but the amp's overall been really successful and it's hard to really argue it isn't a good value. Plus all pure Charvel guys (with an open mind to imports, a semi-oxymoron) myself included are mostly going to judge on one thing...does it have that "feel" to the neck, the classic Charvel characteristic. If they nail that...then the addition of good Duncans, at least a Korean Floyd, the case, the no pickguard option all point to a potential good value.

 

[stratotone]

it is because you are jaded, not old. Take the MIM out of the statement and then reasses. $899 Retail for a new guitar with those features is a lot to you? You couldn't even part a guitar and buildmit yourself for that much. As long as the quality is there, why do you care that it is mim? would $1500 for the same guitar made un CA by Mexicans be better?

So what are you paying for when you compare the fender with floyd I posted and the charvel? That's a $400 street price difference ($500 msrp) and it's nowhere near that in materials used such as pickups, the better? floyd, and case. Is the charvel 'name' worth that?

 

[stratotone]

It's like the 5153, lots of people have complained about the price for MIM, but the amp's overall been really successful and it's hard to really argue it isn't a good value. Plus all pure Charvel guys (with an open mind to imports, a semi-oxymoron) myself included are mostly going to judge on one thing...does it have that "feel" to the neck, the classic Charvel characteristic. If they nail that...then the addition of good Duncans, at least a Korean Floyd, the case, the no pickguard option all point to a potential good value.

What if Fender made another amp - call it the 5163, whatever... for $400 less and it had the same basic feature set?

 

[GRANKOR]

those blacktops feel like junk, I bet the Charvel has way more finishing work done on it. The quartersawn neck costs too

 

[stratotone]

those blacktops feel like junk, I bet the Charvel has way more finishing work done on it. The quartersawn neck costs too

A quartersawn maple neck costs an additional $40 from warmoth RETAIL, I bet if it costs Fender more than $10 I'd be amazed. Fender mexico probably uses more maple in a few weeks than warmoth does all year.

 

[Rock Bodom]

It's like the 5153, lots of people have complained about the price for MIM, but the amp's overall been really successful and it's hard to really argue it isn't a good value. Plus all pure Charvel guys (with an open mind to imports, a semi-oxymoron) myself included are mostly going to judge on one thing...does it have that "feel" to the neck, the classic Charvel characteristic. If they nail that...then the addition of good Duncans, at least a Korean Floyd, the case, the no pickguard option all point to a potential good value.

What if Fender made another amp - call it the 5163, whatever... for $400 less and it had the same basic feature set?

I would completely recant what I said and jump on that wagon, hell yeah. And then the year after the 5163 mini would take its place, and then someone would post a Kemper 5163 clip and I'd think about going digital again...

No, seriously, it's a good point...if I was shopping for a good value super strat (wasn't wed to the Charvel name on the headstock or wanting a rear-loaded model), and I actually could try both out and neither hugely stood out over the other as a player, it's hard not to argue the price difference (and I actually love the one Mexi strat in my collection, so I'm really just playing devil's advocate).

But buy the same token, if this hypothetical 5163 was good, but as a previously experienced 5153 user I demo'd it and was only getting about 80% of the sound I liked/was used to, yeah, I'd likely opt to shell out the extra cash. Obviously all conjecture, the proof will ultimately be in the product they put out.

 

[bigdaddyd]

it is because you are jaded, not old. Take the MIM out of the statement and then reasses. $899 Retail for a new guitar with those features is a lot to you? You couldn't even part a guitar and buildmit yourself for that much. As long as the quality is there, why do you care that it is mim? would $1500 for the same guitar made un CA by Mexicans be better?

So what are you paying for when you compare the fender with floyd I posted and the charvel? That's a $400 street price difference ($500 msrp) and it's nowhere near that in materials used such as pickups, the better? floyd, and case. Is the charvel 'name' worth that?

You are paying for the better hardware and a strathead charvel...if you like them. I am not arguing with you, but the price is fair if you like what it comes with. Face it, if if you paid 3k for a custom shop Fender, most people replace shit anyway. I have a lot of high end gear. I still like the MIM stuff and replace the hardware and put in what I like. This is like cutting out the middle man for a lot of people. The Roadworns are a lot like that too. Even better, I buy this shit used and save even more money. I just picked up a MIM Jazz bass with a badass bridge, basslines and basslines preamp for $200. If that bass were $800, it would have been a fucking steal.