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1995 Charvel Model I Koa USA Restored!

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  • Cutty1998
    replied
    Really stunning piece! Great job . I've had my eye on a USA on my local CL for a few months . He started at $1100 for months ,then just recently dropped it to $900 .Seems like it might be worth it .https://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/msg...483719353.html

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  • Jackson-Charvel
    replied
    Happy thread resurrection day!!! I’ve been tracking my brains wondering why I can’t find a picture of the oil rubbed natural finish of a San Dimas III or IV online. I’m only seeing translucent color versions. Can someone save my sanity? I know i played one at Sam Ash back in the day. That was what prompted me to buy the oil finished Ibanez SR585 bass in mahogany. Similar type finish.

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  • Black Shadow
    replied
    The '95 revival series must be some of the rarest production USA Charvels of all time. I know the next one I want, which is the San Dimas Model III with green quilt top (natural back), two rails + HB and Floyd. Not easy even finding good pics of that one! Must be rarer than my Koa Model I.

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  • john.w.lawson
    replied
    i've had the reissue SD usa. Necks were a bit thick for me, but were not talking the same guitars. i never saw the one's that were SD1, 2 and three's from the nineties, which is weird because ive seen alot of guitars.


    USA RE Issue San Dimas.jpg

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  • Black Shadow
    replied
    Originally posted by Nightbat View Post

    In my arsenal, the SD RI unplugged is the most vocal (loud) guitar
    Amplified it's raw, tight and cuts through
    Amplified, the USA is it its own class for clarity! Even the most heavily distorted chords have note definition at high volume. That's one area where you are getting your money's worth....

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  • Nightbat
    replied
    Originally posted by Black Shadow View Post
    They really have a unique feel and incredible precision and clarity.
    In my arsenal, the SD RI unplugged is the most vocal (loud) guitar
    Amplified it's raw, tight and cuts through

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  • kmanick
    replied
    Nice restoration!!! I always wanted to try one of these and missed out back around 2010 or so when you could easily pick one up for$800. Now?
    not happening

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  • Black Shadow
    replied
    I don't remember this series being rec'd anything less than warmly when they came out in '95. I know I wanted one instantly, but was just a broke kid back then. I forgot about them for a long time, then started a 4-5 year long ebay stalking campaign before snagging mine.

    They really have a unique feel and incredible precision and clarity. Truth be told, I like bigger bodies for max warm toan, although the dinky body is very comfortable and the 42mm FAT brass block warmed it up. Interestingly, mine came factory with a 42mm skinny block instead of the usual 32 mm. I like big blocks and I cannot lie. For guitars that need for thump, I go brass. When they need more edge, I go titanium (ebay titanium, not those ABSURD FU Tone blocks for $400!! ).

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  • Number Of The Priest
    replied
    Oh jeez, that's right, they were called "San Dimas" yet looked more like 24-fret Dinkys instead of San Dimas era Charvels. Thanks for the reminder. No wonder fans were confused and/or turned off. I would be too. Call it ANYTHING ELSE and it might have been accepted more warmly, especially since it looks more like a Suhr or Tom Anderson compared to an 80s Charvel.

    By the way, what gauge strings are you using? I noticed you installed five trem springs.

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  • Genebaby
    replied
    Oh for sure. When there is a new Made In USA Charvel being released called the San Dimas series you do not expect what we got in regards to body shap, number of frets or even the headstock as it would have been easy to do what the Bullseye Charvel run started and then became the norm.

    Now of course we don't care that these guitars are not historically correct to their namesake, we just realise they are amazing hand made instruments and some people get that, or they don't get in the boat at all. I decided it was worth a try and I'm glad I did. My first bolt-on guitar, but definitely not my last.

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  • Number Of The Priest
    replied
    Originally posted by Genebaby View Post
    These guitars were not well received at the time of release and took a decent dive in purchase price.
    I didn't start playing guitar until 2000, but it's not hard to imagine why this Charvel might not have been appreciated in the climate of 1995. It doesn't resemble a typical Charvel of a decade prior, and Charvel was always the more traditional of the two brands (compared to Jackson). 24 frets? 24-fret Dinky body? Gumby Strat headstock? Weird woods? The traditionalists and elitists in 1995 would probably have scoffed at this guitar, despite its USA pedigree and objectively exotic woods.

    Originally posted by Genebaby View Post
    As the years passed people began to realise, holy crap, these are amazing, well built guitars, and combined with some cool woods they have gone up in value.
    Hindsight is 20/20. It's difficult for guitarists (we tend to be somewhat traditionalist) to accept new innovations and advances in guitar design and aesthetics. While a "24-fret Charvel Dinky with a Stratty headstock" might have puzzled Charvel fans in 1995, these days there are Charvel 24-fret Dinkys (DK24) and we don't think it's unusual at all. Sometimes it simply takes time for us to reluctantly accept, or grow to love, certain things in the guitar universe.

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  • Genebaby
    replied
    Originally posted by Nightbat View Post
    That's a nice Axe,

    Back when I got my SD II, I rather wanted a Floyd as well, but it has remained the only guitar I have with a Wilkinson on it, so it fills a niche in my arsenal
    To this day I still wonder if mine is Koa or Mahogany, when I look at similar pictures, I suspect Koa
    Serial # is 951055, but can't find any info on it (and hasn't gotten any better with new 'Reissue' and 'San Dimas' models added to the google hits)

    All I do know is that it's the only guitar I have that went up in value, bought it for roughly $1200 back in 2001
    ...which is ironic, since they were the least desired USA Charvels, oh well, I guess I'll never understand guitarcollectors
    These guitars were not well received at the time of release and took a decent dive in purchase price. I bought mine greatly reduced 6 years or so after the shop got it.

    As the years passed people began to realise, holy crap, these are amazing, well built guitars, and combined with some cool woods they have gone up in value.

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  • slayer
    replied

    That is fantastic looking! Congrats.

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  • Nightbat
    replied
    That's a nice Axe,

    Back when I got my SD II, I rather wanted a Floyd as well, but it has remained the only guitar I have with a Wilkinson on it, so it fills a niche in my arsenal
    To this day I still wonder if mine is Koa or Mahogany, when I look at similar pictures, I suspect Koa
    Serial # is 951055, but can't find any info on it (and hasn't gotten any better with new 'Reissue' and 'San Dimas' models added to the google hits)

    All I do know is that it's the only guitar I have that went up in value, bought it for roughly $1200 back in 2001
    ...which is ironic, since they were the least desired USA Charvels, oh well, I guess I'll never understand guitarcollectors
    Last edited by Nightbat; 01-18-2021, 08:19 PM.

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  • Razor
    replied
    Very nice save!!!

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