how're the new mexican promod Charvels?

[rupe]

Fender bought Charvel back in 2002, they own them............... Many people still don't know this.

The sticker about the authorization of the headstock is more of a warning to others that permission has to be given to use it's likeness. Also keep in mind that although Charvel may have their own "management" team, they still answer directly to Fender Corporate, in-fact, they are in the same building and offices as Fender. And the MIM are made at the same factor, by the same workers as Fender guitars are made. Not exactly separate companies. On paper yes, but the money goes to the same place.

Fender bought Charvel/Jackson to try and get into he super Strat business. Most hard rock, metal, players always gravitated to the super strat over the standard strat. Yes guys do drop Floyds and humbuckers into Fenders, but hey are not the same. So Fender wanted to make money of this segment. Right now the super strat still really isn't popular anymore in mainstream music. So the margins are very thin.

The Price on the Charvels are higher because of Duncan pickups, Floyd tremolos and the fact Charvel/Jackson represents a higher end guitar. Fender parts are much cheaper and many are made buy them, where duncan pickups and a Floyd have a higher markup since other companies profit from this.


I have no problem with the 850-899 price tag, just sucks you have to pull the neck.

I assume this is addressing my comment regarding separate divisions under the FMIC umbrella and headstock licensing. While what you've stated may be true, it's completely irrelevant from a business perspective. I was speaking about how things look on a spreadsheet, not the realities of how/where they are made. While the Charvel and Fender brands are owned by the same company, there is still competition among those brands. Each of the brand managers has goals and objectives. If a Fender brand manager can add to his bottom line by taking away from the Charvel brand manager's bottom line, he's going to do it...in this case by licensing the headstock shape. I don't know if this is the case or not with the promods, but I know it was with the custom shop guitars prior to the introduction of the US promod line.

 

[Bob Savage]

"What brand is it?" they'll ask.

 

[Stramm8]

the material cost is basically $0.00...

Sweet fancy Moses... really?

It pains me to say it, but Americans deserve the quality they get with newly offshored/nearshored products (as opposed to once they get the hang of it). We want something for almost nothing and put zero consideration into the fact that a business needs to turn a profit to survive.

I'm not getting into an online battle over this, but I can tell you from experience that manufacturing costs a lot more than people think. Most Americans cannot stomach the true cost of products manufactured onshore.

I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.

That's not what I was implying at all. I was merely making an observation in response to another comment regarding the "slim margins" that Charvel had on these guitars. Seems like if there is no real material cost in the body, they're making some money on them. And god bless them for it!! I don't think any company should give anything away.

So in short...Go f$%k your yourself

 

[thiswaythatway]

Made in the USA by Mexicans, made in Mexico by Mexicans! What's the difference?

 

[The Gunslinger]

Made in the USA by Mexicans, made in Mexico by Mexicans! What's the difference?

180 miles and a fence.

 

[Bob Savage]

So in short...Go f$%k your yourself

Let's stick with the theme here, OK? Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time.

 

[charveldan]

So in short...Go f$%k your yourself

Let's stick with the theme here, OK? Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time.

I fart in your general direction...

 

[steve_k]

 

[baron55]

Just picked one of these up from Musician friend (San Dimas transparent blue)

They shipped in the same factory box that Fender Um I mean Charvel send out. Tiny, no padding or packaging, just cardboard retainers for the body and headstock. The guitar is simply wrapped in thin foam covering. Major disaster waiting to happen. The Floyd allen wrenches and Floyd arm were just floating around in the box.

199.00 Christmas starter guitars are packaged better than this. Makes the Les Paul copy in the other thread look like a champion expert packing job.

Since I don't live to far away, got the guitar the next day and had them hold it at UPS, no way was I going to let the driver destroy it.

Guitar was in good shape. The floyd arm had to have the paint sanded so it would fit into the socket , I have 4 Floyd guitars and have bought floyds and have never seen this.

Guitar has a 3 piece body, which is to be expected.

These guitars have no fingerboards, just frets right into the maple neck, cost cutting measure I am sure. Even the MIM Stars have a maple fingerboard. Probably the reason they don't offer these with rosewood boards because they don't have fingerboards.

Overall a decent guitar but no more so than a 500.00 MIM strat. The PRS SE guitar for example are less expensive, and superior in all aspects to these MIM more expensive Charvels. Definatley paying premium for the name.

 

[JDouglee]

These guitars have no fingerboards, just frets right into the maple neck, cost cutting measure I am sure. Even the MIM Stars have a maple fingerboard. Probably the reason they don't offer these with rosewood boards because they don't have fingerboards.

Thanks for the report, but actually a one piece maple neck can be a good thing.

 

[Bob Savage]

Thanks for the report, but actually a one piece maple neck can be a good thing.

My MIJ So Cal is a one-piece Maple neck. Love it.

 

[Stramm8]

So in short...Go f$%k your yourself

Let's stick with the theme here, OK? Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time.

I suppose I didn't stick with the theme because I'm more of a Threes Company kinda guy.

http://ask.metafilter.com/112098/Why-do ... on-so-much

 

[baron55]

Not saying anything wrong with it. Just was a little surprised.

Going to change the strings to 10's which means inotation and ....maybe neck adjustment...........

But overall a good guitar.

 

[stratotone]

My USA Charvels are all one piece maple necks too.

 

[Chubtone]

One piece maple necks rule. That's how most Charvel custom shops are made. That's how my Suhr Standard was made. That's exactly how you want your maple neck constructed. I have a wall full of $500 Fender MIM strats and tele's and for someone to not see and feel a difference between these Charvels and those makes me

Does an MIM strat have a compound radius fretboard? Does it have jumbo frets? Does it have rolled fretboard edges? Does it have Grover tuners? Does it have Seymour Duncan pickups? Does it have a Floyd Rose? Does it have this neck shape?

An MIM strat or tele is a decent guitar. These Charvels definitely feel like a much better guitar in my opinion. And I can't stand the way the PRS SE's feel and sound. Total plastic feeling and sounding.

 

[Shiny_Surface]

Guitar has a 3 piece body, which is to be expected.

Are the USA/Japanese Charvel's 3 piece bodies as well? Just wondering.

 

[Chubtone]

Guitar has a 3 piece body, which is to be expected.

Are the USA/Japanese Charvel's 3 piece bodies as well? Just wondering.

Yes, they are.

 

[rupe]

They shipped in the same factory box that Fender Um I mean Charvel send out. Tiny, no padding or packaging, just cardboard retainers for the body and headstock. The guitar is simply wrapped in thin foam covering. Major disaster waiting to happen. The Floyd allen wrenches and Floyd arm were just floating around in the box.

Gil Yaron was recently hired as Director of Shipping

 

[Anonymous]

the material cost is basically $0.00...

Sweet fancy Moses... really?

It pains me to say it, but Americans deserve the quality they get with newly offshored/nearshored products (as opposed to once they get the hang of it). We want something for almost nothing and put zero consideration into the fact that a business needs to turn a profit to survive.

I'm not getting into an online battle over this, but I can tell you from experience that manufacturing costs a lot more than people think. Most Americans cannot stomach the true cost of products manufactured onshore.

I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.

I second these farts!

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

These guitars have no fingerboards, just frets right into the maple neck, cost cutting measure I am sure. Even the MIM Stars have a maple fingerboard. Probably the reason they don't offer these with rosewood boards because they don't have fingerboards.

How is having a separate maple fretboard instead of a one piece maple neck and fretboard better? All of my expensive Charvel custom shop maple necks are one piece and the guitars sound great. What value would it bring to me to have a separate maple fretboard on a maple neck? You're reaching here, man...

Steve