NGD Charvel

[Meathead]

Damn, now I want to try the strat shaped San Dimas with the SD JB/59 pickups.

 

[jet66]

I've currently settled on a JB in the bridge of my SoCal, with Muy Grande singles in the neck and middle. (Modified a Warmoth pickguard to fit, a Standard Strat guard won't work for a few different reasons.) I also have a master volume and tone, 250k pots. That combo has always seemed to work the best for me in an alder/maple guitar with the JB. With 500k's, the JB has a bit of shriek that I don't dig.

I've tried a Dimarzio Tone Zone (not the stock one, and older one I have in my parts box), Evo2, and Super Distortion in it as well. The TZ is a bit hotter and fatter than I wanted. The Evo2 and SD sounded really good, but the JB has been a long-time favorite of mine in Strats. I've got a 5-way switch set up to kill a coil on the JB when I am in the notch between bridge and middle, so I can have a little more traditional Strat tones.

Gallery of pics from stock to current. Well, pretty much current. The last pic has the Super Distortion in the bridge.

 

[Meathead]

I've currently settled on a JB in the bridge of my SoCal, with Muy Grande singles in the neck and middle. (Modified a Warmoth pickguard to fit, a Standard Strat guard won't work for a few different reasons.) I also have a master volume and tone, 250k pots. That combo has always seemed to work the best for me in an alder/maple guitar with the JB. With 500k's, the JB has a bit of shriek that I don't dig.

I've tried a Dimarzio Tone Zone (not the stock one, and older one I have in my parts box), Evo2, and Super Distortion in it as well. The TZ is a bit hotter and fatter than I wanted. The Evo2 and SD sounded really good, but the JB has been a long-time favorite of mine in Strats. I've got a 5-way switch set up to kill a coil on the JB when I am in the notch between bridge and middle, so I can have a little more traditional Strat tones.

Gallery of pics from stock to current. Well, pretty much current. The last pic has the Super Distortion in the bridge.

Great job man!
I dig pearloid type pickguards. I was actually thinking of changing out the black pickguard as well.

...and I hear you on smoothing the JB a bit with the 250 pot...I agree.

 

[jet66]

Great job man!
I dig pearloid type pickguards. I was actually thinking of changing out the black pickguard as well.

Thanks! The last I knew, nobody was making a replacement as a standard item, just a few guys doing small runs on other forums. I ordered a Warmoth in the color I wanted, with the Floyd bridge option, pickup config, 5-way, and no control pot holes. The neck pocket of the Charvel is a little wider than a standard Strat, so the opening needs to be trimmed to fit. The screw holes match up pretty close, but not exact. If you lay the stock one on top of the Warmoth, and line up the screw holes, you can mark the neck pocket opening and trim it. The body route on the Charvel puts the bridge pickup a little bit away from the bridge vs. the Warmoth guard. Most pickups will fit ok, they may rub a little bit, but still work. I routed between 1/16-1/8" of wood from the aft of the route, no more rubbing. The control rout of the body has a different shape than a Strat, so the stock Strat volume spot won't fit. I just measured and drilled my own holes. (Cheaper than ordering them in 'custom' locations.) When you screw the pickguard down, just start all of the screws part way to position it (since the holes don't match 100%) then tighten them all down.

I'm tempted to get one of the 2H style 1 San Dimas, or one of the single humbucker 'wild cards' and have it painted some god-awful big flake metallic sparkle finish. These things are definitely great bang-for-the-buck players.

 

[Meathead]

Great job man!
I dig pearloid type pickguards. I was actually thinking of changing out the black pickguard as well.

Thanks! The last I knew, nobody was making a replacement as a standard item, just a few guys doing small runs on other forums. I ordered a Warmoth in the color I wanted, with the Floyd bridge option, pickup config, 5-way, and no control pot holes. The neck pocket of the Charvel is a little wider than a standard Strat, so the opening needs to be trimmed to fit. The screw holes match up pretty close, but not exact. If you lay the stock one on top of the Warmoth, and line up the screw holes, you can mark the neck pocket opening and trim it. The body route on the Charvel puts the bridge pickup a little bit away from the bridge vs. the Warmoth guard. Most pickups will fit ok, they may rub a little bit, but still work. I routed between 1/16-1/8" of wood from the aft of the route, no more rubbing. The control rout of the body has a different shape than a Strat, so the stock Strat volume spot won't fit. I just measured and drilled my own holes. (Cheaper than ordering them in 'custom' locations.) When you screw the pickguard down, just start all of the screws part way to position it (since the holes don't match 100%) then tighten them all down.

I'm tempted to get one of the 2H style 1 San Dimas, or one of the single humbucker 'wild cards' and have it painted some god-awful big flake metallic sparkle finish. These things are definitely great bang-for-the-buck players.

I think the work was well worth it...looks great!

Thanks for the info, sounds like a bit of a project one day.

 

[jet66]

I have this disease, where I can't leave anything stock. Even if there is nothing at all wrong with it. It's like I always say, 'If it ain't broke, fix it anyways."

Resale value? What's that?

 

[Meathead]

I have this disease, where I can't leave anything stock. Even if there is nothing at all wrong with it. It's like I always say, 'If it ain't broke, fix it anyways."

Resale value? What's that?

It looks kind of Andersonish now...which is great. I don't know about resale value, but I'd buy it.

Actually if was was to get anal, I'd change all the hardware to chrome, install a pearloid type pickguard, paint it vintage white, put in a five way selector and split both pickups, have a volume and tone knob (but the American strat style knobs) then relic the whole thing.

 

[Meathead]

Talk about trashing resale value...it looks even more worn in since this picture.

 

[symbolic253]

how much for the charv?

 

[Meathead]

how much for the charv?

$600

The guy that owned it must have bought it and simply returned it. I'm still pulling plastic off the pickguard and the accessories bag with the allen keys and whammy bar wasn't even opened yet.

 

[yngzaklynch]

This gold Charvel looks fantastic with that pickgaurd. Very very cool!

I've currently settled on a JB in the bridge of my SoCal, with Muy Grande singles in the neck and middle. (Modified a Warmoth pickguard to fit, a Standard Strat guard won't work for a few different reasons.) I also have a master volume and tone, 250k pots. That combo has always seemed to work the best for me in an alder/maple guitar with the JB. With 500k's, the JB has a bit of shriek that I don't dig.

I've tried a Dimarzio Tone Zone (not the stock one, and older one I have in my parts box), Evo2, and Super Distortion in it as well. The TZ is a bit hotter and fatter than I wanted. The Evo2 and SD sounded really good, but the JB has been a long-time favorite of mine in Strats. I've got a 5-way switch set up to kill a coil on the JB when I am in the notch between bridge and middle, so I can have a little more traditional Strat tones.

Gallery of pics from stock to current. Well, pretty much current. The last pic has the Super Distortion in the bridge.

Great job man!
I dig pearloid type pickguards. I was actually thinking of changing out the black pickguard as well.

...and I hear you on smoothing the JB a bit with the 250 pot...I agree.

 

[Meathead]

This gold Charvel looks fantastic with that pickgaurd. Very very cool!

Alright just say it...the purple one makes you think grapes...which makes you think of hemorrhoids.

 

[gbsmusic]

Congrats! Thay are awesome guitars!!

 

[jet66]

Alright just say it...the purple one makes you think grapes...which makes you think of hemorrhoids.

I've never thought of hemorrhoids when I thought of grapes.

Until now...

 

[screamindemon]

Man I totaly agree I love mine.

I love the way it looks stripped. Sounds killer !

 

[fek]

I have the candy green SoCal. I swapped the TZ out for a JB. The TZ was too fat for me. Muddied up my tone a bit. I really want a San Dimas but being unemployed keeps my funds too tight for that at the moment.

 

[Meathead]

Man I totaly agree I love mine.

I love the way it looks stripped. Sounds killer !

That's what I was thinking...looks great like that!

 

[Meathead]

I have the candy green SoCal. I swapped the TZ out for a JB. The TZ was too fat for me. Muddied up my tone a bit. I really want a San Dimas but being unemployed keeps my funds too tight for that at the moment.

Jury is out on the tone zone for me too. Last night I found it could use a bit more highs, but I'm gonna live with it for a while, I do like the thickness it has.
The Evo in the neck sounds excellent....that's staying for sure.

 

[symbolic253]

how much for the charv?

$600

The guy that owned it must have bought it and simply returned it. I'm still pulling plastic off the pickguard and the accessories bag with the allen keys and whammy bar wasn't even opened yet.

i have a few guitars im gunna try and sell to buy this one

 

[Ancient Alien]

how much for the charv?

$600

The guy that owned it must have bought it and simply returned it. I'm still pulling plastic off the pickguard and the accessories bag with the allen keys and whammy bar wasn't even opened yet.

I'll give you $700