Pick guard, or pickup rings? Charvel opinions

KentC

Active member
So I'm in the mood to get one of these new Charvel guitars and I cant seem to understand exactly what my ears are hearing between the different models. I don't like the stock pickups that come with either of the model, but those can be changed. Its the way that they are mounted is where I'm hearing different...things

Anyway, what I'm hearing from the models with a pick guard is that they seem to sound a little brighter and more, fender-like I guess. Maybe that's just a characteristic of a guitar with a pick guard? But in addition to sounding brighter, they seem to sound clearer as well.
2967000576_frt_wlg_001.png


Now the models that have the pickups mounted with a ring :
2966000510_frt_wlg_001.png
seem to be darker, full, and smoother sounding. Like there is more low mids coming through. Granted this particular model has the maple on top, it still sounds rather dark to my ears.

These models are all pretty similar as far as as the woods and hardware that are being used. The guitar with the mounting rings comes with a JB in the bridge, and the one with the pick guard comes with a Distortion. Different pickups, but the pickups are pretty similar so the sound shouldn't change all that much. It's been years since I have owned a strat style guitar. All my guitars as LP types with mounting rings on the pickups. I'm really wondering if what my ears are hearing, really IS what the main difference between these guitars are. Right now my favorite sounding one is the maple top with the mounting rings, but I still like the clearness and snap of the model with the pick guard. I would be worried that the model with a pick guard might get too bright at times and i might have trouble finding the perfect pickup for it. But I still like it! :thumbsup: The model with the maple top sounds fuller and richer, but worried that it might not have the snap and attack that I hear from the model with a pick guard. But again, I still like that guitar! :doh: They seem to nice to actually hate either one.

Anyone else on here have one of these guitars,or any similar style and been through the process of trying to decide what configuration to go with?
 
I have three so-cals with pickguards and one graphic charvel without a pickguard. Here's a pic:

23537_1275628090007_5163229_n.jpg


I've noticed more of a difference between the pickups than whether or not there's a pickguard. My reason for liking the pickguard models better: You can mod it more easily. If you want to have a single bridge pickup, replace the pickguard. If you want H/S/H, replace the... you get the idea. Models without pickguards lock you into a certain configuration.

Unless you guitar a guitar that is just a dead piece of wood, you should be able to get a brighter or darker pickup to help compensate for any tonal considerations.
 
I hear the difference as the pickup rings no PG is more of the fundamental note, more meat to it if you will, the pick guard guitars have more harmonics or harmonic spread but less meat to the note if that makes sense. I had an American Charvel SoCal and then traded it in at GC and had them switch the necks so I had my neck (new guitar) on a San Dimas body and that's what I heard too-for me it was better. Actually I had both a SoCal and a San Dimas at the same time and that's what I heard too come to think of it.
 
Awesome! Thanks guys. I'm going to bump this for the Friday night crown. Maybe someone else has some input. I have considered the wildcard models since some of those that I have seen also have a single coil as well. But I'm leaning towards the pick guard models now since I guess it makes it easier to change configuration of the pickups by changing the pick guard style, as mentioned already. Didn't really think of that advantage, but it makes alot of sense. :thumbsup:
 
Back
Top