Looking at a USA San Dimas. Need help evaluating it please.

[chingazo]

Local auction house has what appears to be a San Dimas made Charvel. I have been eyeballing Strat shape Charvel USA guitars for a few years and I think I can get this reasonably priced. I was wondering if I could get some help. Need to figure out when it was made, San Dimas or Corona. Really if this is authentic and what is/is not original and what is a reasonable price to purchase this. Not a Charvel expert. Fretboard is a little dirty and there is rust where his palm would have been, but I really, really want to own this guitar. Plays pretty good but wasn't in tune and allen wrenches were missing.

Any help would be appreciated!

https://imgur.com/a/53PTBYg

[Number Of The Priest]

Red San Dimas = First Batch Custom Color from July 2008: https://www.jcfonline.com/threads/14...=1#post1664989 (Custom Colors basically meant every batch color that wasn't black.)

Because it's post-2002 Fender takeover, it's a Corona-made guitar.

Everything about what I can see in your photos appears stock and original.

Rust will clean right up with a gentle-bristled toothbrush and 3-in-One Multi Purpose Oil.

Is that the pricing that I see in the third photo (600 clean, 400 as is)? If so, $400 (assuming US Dollars) would be a great deal for this guitar. They were originally USD$999 and the American releases never came with cases, only gigbags. So if you're getting the Jackson SKB case that's sitting under the guitar, that would also sweeten the deal if it actually fits the guitar. The Japanese releases of 2010-11 did come with Charvel-branded SKB cases.

One thing that's confusing me is that my 2009 So-Cal has a six-digit serial number, while your guitar has a four-digit Custom Shop number (I think). Since I've never seen a First Batch guitar in person (mine is Sixth Batch) I cannot say for certain what is the proper serial number format is for the earliest of 2008 Production Models. Maybe prototypes were four-digits and this is a very early example...? I really am shooting in the dark here. If you look at the following two 2008 San Dimas models, they have the standard six-digit serial number format.

https://reverb.com/ca/item/5127043-2...rkle-with-case

https://reverb.com/ca/item/528397-ch...mas-2008-black

[EntrailsOfU]

I would say $400 is an awesome deal for ANY USA made name brand (especially Fender) guitar. That rust and corrosion on the metal parts (frets pickup trem etc) will easily come off.

Even $600 is a decent price.

[chingazo]

Never noticed that sticker. Not the price or I would have bought immediately. It's at a local auction house. Bid is around $450 now with a 15% buyer's premium. I plan on making a pretty good bid on this. Even is in my favorite color

The Jackson case comes with it and it fits fine.

I really appreciate your help guys. Bidding ends tomorrow. Guitar market is very weak here. I've gotten some pretty smoking deals for USA guitars on cl.

Very curious why it has a 4 digit sn.

[chingazo]

Explanation of 4 digit 08 serial number.

https://www.jcfonline.com/archive/in.../t-138801.html

[Number Of The Priest]

Hah, my suspicion was partially correct... Custom Shop neckplate on a very early run Production Model guitar. Thanks for digging that up.

Best of luck with the bidding! I know you really want the guitar, but I'll remind you that these were USD$999 when brand new, so bear this in mind so you don't overextend yourself since your auction guitar is not mint condition. These USA guitars are not uncommonly found in Canada for cheap, around the same price as what your auction is currently priced (USD$450 + 15% buyer's premium). Comparables listed below:

https://www.jcfonline.com/threads/15...-Dimas-700-CAD

https://www.jcfonline.com/threads/15...imas-(CAD-650)

https://www.jcfonline.com/threads/15...-Cal-(CAD-700)

https://www.jcfonline.com/threads/15...-HSC-(CAD-550)

https://www.jcfonline.com/threads/15...ch-Ferrari-Red

https://www.jcfonline.com/threads/15...imas-(CAD-675)

https://www.jcfonline.com/threads/14...ea-sick-green)

http://www.jcfonline.com/threads/150...imas-(CAD-700)

[chingazo]

I'm passing on this one. I'll wait. Appreciate the info. Helped a lot.

[Number Of The Priest]

If the item doesn't receive any further bids and you can get it for USD$450 + 15% buyer's premium, the price would be in line with the comparables I listed and it's a worthwhile purchase. The trouble is the 15%, whose dollar value increases exponentially based on the final bid price. That's where the costs can sneak up on you, and the deal becomes less of a deal.

At $450, the premium is $67.50. Total is $517.50.

At $500, the premium is $75.00. Total is $575.00. This is probably where I would stop bidding, given the comparables I listed and the USD$600 I paid for my 2009 So-Cal.

At $550, the premium is $82.50. Total is $632.50.

At $600, the premium is $90.00. Total is $690.00.

If it wasn't for the darn premium, my bid would stop at $600, not $500. That $90 premium is hefty. I live in the Canadian province of Ontario, where our sales tax used to be 15% around the time I became old enough to buy things, so growing up with that rate I understand how hefty 15% can be to the bottom line.

Another issue is that these guitars were, at the time AND in retrospect today, quite underpriced for American guitars at $999 in 2008. I would happily jump on a used USA Jackson or other American guitar for $1000. But I would not buy a $1000 used USA Charvel Production Model because that's how they were originally priced at retail. See what I'm getting at? There's nothing wrong with these Charvels, I consider them worth every penny, and they are fabulous American guitars for a great price. It's just that the low original retail price makes me not want to spend much on a used one. My deal-hunting brain works funny that way...

Even if you don't buy this guitar, at least now you can identify a USA Production Model Charvel from 2008-09 and be ready to jump on the next hot deal.

[metalhobo]

$500 for a usa pro-mod AND hsc? since you're passing, do they only do local sales?

[chingazo]

Auction is over. Can't see what it sold for but it was hard since I've been wanting a US San Dimas for a while now. Final prices are not public. I'll post them if another pops up and help out anybody willing to trust a total stranger with their money haha, but I would help out, no problem.

[chingazo]

Probably open to anybody. The auction and payment is all done online. The auction house is willing to work with you on getting the item. Probably would even ship for you if you asked and were willing to pay for shipping. Very nice people.

[AngelDeVille]

$517.50 would have been too much, that was a good pass.

Auctions are a place to get a deal, not pay retail.

[chingazo]

Agreed. I was going to make a run at this if I could get a good deal on it.