Is anyone not satisfied with their new Charvel?

[Rayneman]

It'll sound brighter, have more harmonics, and sound less "dull" once you swap it.

OK, I'm sold. Now, can I just snag a 500K Pot from Stew Mac (they even have a 1M K pot), or is there a specific brand or whatever that I should look for. I assume that if I'm fairly handy with a soldering iron I can do this.

Thanks!

 

[MrDan666]

OK, I'm sold. Now, can I just snag a 500K Pot from Stew Mac (they even have a 1M K pot), or is there a specific brand or whatever that I should look for. I assume that if I'm fairly handy with a soldering iron I can do this.

Thanks!

Yup a 500K Audio taper pot is what you want. StewMac sells em. Just swap it in and solder!

 

[Code001]

It'll sound brighter, have more harmonics, and sound less "dull" once you swap it.

OK, I'm sold. Now, can I just snag a 500K Pot from Stew Mac (they even have a 1M K pot), or is there a specific brand or whatever that I should look for. I assume that if I'm fairly handy with a soldering iron I can do this.

Thanks!

1M is a bit too much, IMO. You can try it, though. The parts are cheap. For brands, CTS is generally the one everyone loves, but I find that they feel fairly stiff when turning. Alpha is generally considered slightly less quality, but I find they tend to turn a touch easier. In the end, it's all personal preference, IMO. Pots don't last forever, and they're a wear item. I usually just try to find the cheapest and buy those.

Installation is EXTREMELY easy, especially on the Charvels. Simply duplicate the wiring to the 250k pot. If you wanna get fancy and add some sort of treble bleed circuit (when you lower the volume, the guitar will retain its high end), feel free to visit the link below:

https://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/I ... _Pots.aspx

And if you run into any problems, just post on the forum and we'll walk you through it.

 

[Rayneman]

It'll sound brighter, have more harmonics, and sound less "dull" once you swap it.

OK, I'm sold. Now, can I just snag a 500K Pot from Stew Mac (they even have a 1M K pot), or is there a specific brand or whatever that I should look for. I assume that if I'm fairly handy with a soldering iron I can do this.

Thanks!

1M is a bit too much, IMO. You can try it, though. The parts are cheap. For brands, CTS is generally the one everyone loves, but I find that they feel fairly stiff when turning. Alpha is generally considered slightly less quality, but I find they tend to turn a touch easier. In the end, it's all personal preference, IMO. Pots don't last forever, and they're a wear item. I usually just try to find the cheapest and buy those.

Installation is EXTREMELY easy, especially on the Charvels. Simply duplicate the wiring to the 250k pot. If you wanna get fancy and add some sort of treble bleed circuit (when you lower the volume, the guitar will retain its high end), feel free to visit the link below:

https://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/I ... _Pots.aspx

And if you run into any problems, just post on the forum and we'll walk you through it.

You, sir, rock. THANKS.

 

[daver101]

So, where other than Music Zoo are these Charvels sold?

 

[Chubtone]

So, where other than Music Zoo are these Charvels sold?

I sell them in my store Dave.

 

[Digital Jams]

So, where other than Music Zoo are these Charvels sold?

I sell them in my store Dave.

I think Dave is speaking of the Natural series that the Zoo has, there is another thread floating around here speaking of those.

 

[daver101]

So, where other than Music Zoo are these Charvels sold?

I sell them in my store Dave.

I think Dave is speaking of the Natural series that the Zoo has, there is another thread floating around here speaking of those.

No, I was looking at the Socal ones. I'm fickle right now, because I have no money right now.....

 

[daver101]

I do like that tangerine colored one with the black pickguard.....

 

[Digital Jams]

So, where other than Music Zoo are these Charvels sold?

I sell them in my store Dave.

I think Dave is speaking of the Natural series that the Zoo has, there is another thread floating around here speaking of those.

No, I was looking at the Socal ones. I'm fickle right now, because I have no money right now.....

Doh, sorry Dave.


I have the So-Cal in that color, I like it alot. Talk to Curt........

 

[grimmchaos]

I bought a black So-Cal on Wednesday. Still in the honeymoon period but damn . The neck is awesome and plays effortlessly. I'm not sure I'm sold on the Dimarzios, but those are easy enough to change.

 

[Rayneman]

Hmmm, this thread reappears.

Since I posted last in this thread, I took my San Dimas Tele to my guy and he did a few things:

- put in a 1meg volume pot
- replaced the stock floyd block with a big ol' heavy brass one
- polished and evened out some frets on the top and the sides where a few stuck out
- removed the string retainer on the headstock (he has done this on some of my guitars...he says some need it some don't, I don't question him).

He was really impressed with the guitar, esp. for the price. It does sound a lot better with the different volume pot (brighter and just took away a lot of what I didn't like about the JB), and I believe there is a marked difference in the sustain with with the new trem block.

Its a great guitar, so I still dig the one I bought awhile back.

 

[Marshall Freak]

I changed out the tone zone for a Custom 5, and that's all I've done so far.

I'm putting in an HSH pickguard with a 5 way switch and tone pot, adding a Tremol-no, and maybe changing out the trem block for a bigger brass block. I still haven't decided which pickups I'm going to use in it though.

I like the neck, and I like how resonant this guitar is, so I'm going to mod it the rest of the way to what I want.

 

[grimmchaos]

I noticed that every one of the SoCals my local shop had (4 total) were very resonant. Resonant and lively.

Pickup change is definitely in the works, maybe an Aldrich for the bridge. And since you guys have been raving about the trem block, I might swap that out too. Will a brass one fit the import Floyd?

 

[tnourse]

Hmmm, this thread reappears.

Since I posted last in this thread, I took my San Dimas Tele to my guy and he did a few things:

- put in a 1meg volume pot
- replaced the stock floyd block with a big ol' heavy brass one
- polished and evened out some frets on the top and the sides where a few stuck out
- removed the string retainer on the headstock (he has done this on some of my guitars...he says some need it some don't, I don't question him).

He was really impressed with the guitar, esp. for the price. It does sound a lot better with the different volume pot (brighter and just took away a lot of what I didn't like about the JB), and I believe there is a marked difference in the sustain with with the new trem block.

Its a great guitar, so I still dig the one I bought awhile back.

I changed the p-ups and slapped in a 550K pot. My frets are fine.

I also changed the floyd block to a titanium block. Sounds killer!!

What size block did you put on your Floyd?? I see there are a few different sizes available. I have one of the natural series Charvels (Koa body with birdseye maple neck).

 

[dougiefresh]

I got the Slime Green & am digging mine as well.
Have not changed the pot yet, maybe that is why I'm liking the JB?
I had planned on changing it before I had even received the guitar.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Hmmm, this thread reappears.

Since I posted last in this thread, I took my San Dimas Tele to my guy and he did a few things:

- put in a 1meg volume pot
- replaced the stock floyd block with a big ol' heavy brass one
- polished and evened out some frets on the top and the sides where a few stuck out
- removed the string retainer on the headstock (he has done this on some of my guitars...he says some need it some don't, I don't question him).

He was really impressed with the guitar, esp. for the price. It does sound a lot better with the different volume pot (brighter and just took away a lot of what I didn't like about the JB), and I believe there is a marked difference in the sustain with with the new trem block.

Its a great guitar, so I still dig the one I bought awhile back.

Sounds killer!!

Until you plug in your LP

 

[daver101]

So, where other than Music Zoo are these Charvels sold?

Dave,

I'm told Fazio's has some. Support your local dealer.

As far away as Fazio's is, it doesn't seem so local anymore.

Want to go out there next Saturday and look around?

 

[Fiesta Red]

I bought a black one. I had the entire wiring changed out, put in a CTS pot, replaced the tuners, the vol knob, and the pickup rings, replaced the JB with a 59, and had the cavity shielded. It was too light and didn't sound all that well. My tech wasn't impressed with it either -- he said the quality of the insides and some of the parts was like something he's find in a Squire. Eventually I sold that one. I found another one - this time in red. Much heavier than the first. I had everything upgraded like the first and it sounds much better.

This is a pic of the first one pre upgrades.

 

[bunghole]

i think they look really cool except for the non-recessed floyd!!!

the non-recessed floyd just kills it for me