New Charvel Pro Mod Plus's - Indonesia now?

[BenoA]

Tariffs are probably having them shift production facilities.

Make sense.

 

[BenoA]

@napalmdeath really liking that eclipse color. Thanks for sharing

 

[napalmdeath]

what pickups are you guys putting in these? Franklin guitar works has been blowing out the MIM dk24s, and i picked up a new one for $650. I don't love the Full Shred in it

Duncan Nazgul and Sentient.

 

[Gitfiddler]

What don’t you like about it?

it seems a bit shrill

 

[Gitfiddler]

Thanks for the heads-up. Just bought the shell pink DK24 for $650. I’ve bought Charvels at blow out prices from Franklin before. They are great. I have the Full Shred in one or two other Charvels. I prefer the JB or Distortion but the Full Shred is decent as well.

I had my eye on the shell pink one as well but went with the blue frost. They are worth the $650, imo

 

[Shask]

Same.
Bough mine new in late 2010, for $800 or so...including an SKB case, quarter-sawn neck and fine alder body. None of that basswood crap.
Came with Dimarzio ToneZone (b) and Evo neck. Replaced them with a Super Distortion and Air Norton. Norton bridge was awesome too.
Impeccable finish and fret-work.

Added
-big brass FU trem block
-brass trem stopper
-EVH D-Tuna
-500k Push pull volume pot (parallel/series switching the Air Norton)
-mini toggle switch for coil split Super D.

This is one of those "I'm never selling it" guitars.

Yep, I got mine around the same time. I have changed the pickups through the years, but currently back to the stock pickups. I struggled with stiffness for awhile, but I have it in Eb, and that works well for this guitar.

 

[Speeddemon]

Mine's in Eb too, usually running 0.10-0.46 and sometimes 0.095-0.46 for live shows.
I found the stock Tone Zone too flubby in the lows. That pickup is now residing in my Ibanez S540 from '97 and there it works nicely. Maybe maple+mahogany allows the TZ to remain tighter than just an Alder body.

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

Guys: Sorry I was thinking Jackson

Jackson Pro Mods = Indonesia
Jackson Pro Mod Plus = China

In my experience, MII Jacksons over the past ~10 years are hit or miss. I bought a mahogany Soloist that was fantastic (still have it). Liked it so much, I bought another, but it was a train wreck, and I sold it less after than a year. My tech was able to correct the very sharp fret ends, but there was nothing to be done about the thin, lifeless tone and feel. I call it deadwood. I wouldn't buy another MII.

I have a MIM Charvel San Dimas that is also fantastic (killer fretwork), but I was burned by MII Jackson, so not convinced they can consistently make a decent Charvel, either.

 

[metalmaniac93]

I wouldn't buy the Mexican or Indonesian crap!!!

 

[skoora]

A month or so ago I played the purple Pro Mod Plus and thought it played really well. If it had come as a Floyd guitar I would have given it serious thought.

 

[guitarbomb]

I guess a well-set-up CNC machine will work anywhere in the world. Not sure about the quality of wood from different sources in various manufacturing countries, etc.

Indonesia has some pretty impressive guitar-making facilities in 2026, so it makes sense given tariffs, worldwide electricity costs, and employee pay.

I'm guessing the same cheap Floyd Rose and standard pickups on all of them.

 

[chumbucket]

Same.
Bough mine new in late 2010, for $800 or so...including an SKB case, quarter-sawn neck and fine alder body. None of that basswood crap.
Came with Dimarzio ToneZone (b) and Evo neck. Replaced them with a Super Distortion and Air Norton. Norton bridge was awesome too.
Impeccable finish and fret-work.

Added
-big brass FU trem block
-brass trem stopper
-EVH D-Tuna
-500k Push pull volume pot (parallel/series switching the Air Norton)
-mini toggle switch for coil split Super D.

This is one of those "I'm never selling it" guitars.

I loved these MIJ So Cals but hated the jack plate on top of the body.

 

[chumbucket]

I guess a well-set-up CNC machine will work anywhere in the world. Not sure about the quality of wood from different sources in various manufacturing countries, etc.

Indonesia has some pretty impressive guitar-making facilities in 2026, so it makes sense given tariffs, worldwide electricity costs, and employee pay.

I'm guessing the same cheap Floyd Rose and standard pickups on all of them.

I've got an Indonesian Jackson Adrian Smith that's pretty nice albeit a little on the heavy side. No other issues though.

 

[Shask]

I loved these MIJ So Cals but hated the jack plate on top of the body.

Only thing I have never liked is you have to take off the neck to adjust the truss rod.

 

[chumbucket]

Only thing I have never liked is you have to take off the neck to adjust the truss rod.

Yeah, that sucks.

 

[SonVolt]

I have a MIJ So Cal....

2010 MIJ. I think the original owner yanked out the Dimarzios and put in a Duncan Distortion set. While I like the Distortion in a Les Paul, it's kinda blah in a Superstrat. I'm considering a set of Gibson '70s Tributes, which are the same pickups Jim Decola designed for the Peavey Wolfgang. They kinda sound like a cross between a JB and a Super Distortion.

 

[SonVolt]

I wouldn't buy the Mexican or Indonesian crap!!!

Every Mexican Charvel I've owned have been fantastic players.

 

[Shask]

2010 MIJ. I think the original owner yanked out the Dimarzios and put in a Duncan Distortion set. While I like the Distortion in a Les Paul, it's kinda blah in a Superstrat. I'm considering a set of Gibson '70s Tributes, which are the same pickups Jim Decola designed for the Peavey Wolfgang. They kinda sound like a cross between a JB and a Super Distortion.

View attachment 459868

I had a Duncan Distortion in mine for years, and also an Invader, and Custom. At some point though I put it all back stock with the Tone Zone and Evolution Neck.

 

[SonVolt]

I had a Duncan Distortion in mine for years, and also an Invader, and Custom. At some point though I put it all back stock with the Tone Zone and Evolution Neck.

I bet the Tone Zone does sound good in it. I've got one in a basswood Ibanez and it sounds heavy, and tight. I don't find it muddy like a lot of people.

 

[Speeddemon]

While I like the Distortion in a Les Paul, it's kinda blah in a Superstrat.

I tried the Distortion in mine as well, and actually liked it, but purely as a 'thrash' guitar. It definitely lost some versatility that way.

To me, the ToneZone *was* flubby in the lows in the Charvel; the Evo Neck was fine, albeit a bit bright/direct. I changed that one for an Air Norton and that just works. More juicy lows and low-mids, while retaining plenty clarity. And I didn't want some mid-honky thing like a PAF Pro there. Been there, done that, not my pickup.