Just played the 25th Ann. "Charvel" (not impressed) .....

[sully]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. \"Charvel\" (not impressed) .....

i played one again yesterday, after playing many american fenders as well, including the 50th anniversary stratocaster.

i honestly can't imagine how you can say that the anniversary charvel feels like a fender. the neck profile is WAY different, it's not thickly clearcoated, the frets are jumbo charvel style, and the fretboard radius is not like a fender's, either.

the 25th that was at summer namm 03 was more than likely a fender. the limiteds are not. i'm sorry, but they're not even close.

sully

[atomic charvel guy]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. \"Charvel\" (not impressed) .....

when i could play guitar, i would pick and choose my favorites through playing, but my first guitar was a '76
black strat routed for a humbucker and i loved it. bottom line is you can play just as well on one guitar as another you just have to get used to it. i'm not saying it will be your favorite, or worth the money you paid for it, which is the subject here, but i held that 25th in my hands at namm
and i know it is perfectly capable of screaming.

[Budman68]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. \"Charvel\" (not impressed) .....

[ QUOTE ]
when i could play guitar, i would pick and choose my favorites through playing, but my first guitar was a '76
black strat routed for a humbucker and i loved it. bottom line is you can play just as well on one guitar as another you just have to get used to it.

[/ QUOTE ]

<font color="aqua">I couldn't agree more Tommy. Well said. </font>

[JACKSONWOLF]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. \"Charvel\" (not impressed) .....

I've just got back from the BMF (UK's version of NAMM) and I was lucky enough to be able to try #56 (The Rep, true to his word had got hold of one for me to try). This guitar is awesome!!!!! I will say now that I can't stand Fender's and this Guitar to me felt nothing like one. It did remind me of my '84 San Dimas. The neck was truly stunning, both in looks and feel. I'm actually going to borrow it (Lucky Me!!!) for a week, next week and I suspect that I will end up buying it!!!! I'll post pics as soon as I get it.

[Spider Riff]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. \"Charvel\" (not impressed) .....

Well let's see where Fender/Charvel goes next. That EVH series...I wonder if it has the same neck specs?

[shreddermon]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. \"Charvel\" (not impressed) .....

I haven't played a 25th yet. And its been a long time since handling a SD strathead. But after reading many posts on the subject now, it seems to me that the 25th - or any guitar for that matter - is like a photo.

Ask people what they see and/or "feel" from it, and you'll get a wide range of answers. And, interestingly, some of those answers seem to reflect the individuals' own perceptions, biases, whathavenot, about the concept of new stratheads being built, the resurrection of Charvel and/or Fender's ownership of J/C, in general.

It's kind of funny, actually. You can see this in the fact that most responses either really love it or really hate it. There's not many in between.

[randyvanmalmsteen]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. \"Charvel\" (not impre

I had one, sold it got a GMW [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
the GMW is way more san dimas

[sully]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. \"Charvel\" (not impre

that's really strange, imo, considering the necks are from the same templates. i think it's somewhat of a mental thing, too.

heh, how hilarious would that be? i wonder if the "fender" comments would come up if the buyout never happened, yet the 25th anni strat was still released. betcha it wouldn't.

sully

EDIT: shred, i just read your post; i think we're singin the same song, pal.

[RR05xx]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. \"Charvel\" (not impressed) .....

[ QUOTE ]
i played one again yesterday, after playing many american fenders as well, including the 50th anniversary stratocaster.

i honestly can't imagine how you can say that the anniversary charvel feels like a fender. the neck profile is WAY different, it's not thickly clearcoated, the frets are jumbo charvel style, and the fretboard radius is not like a fender's, either.

the 25th that was at summer namm 03 was more than likely a fender. the limiteds are not. i'm sorry, but they're not even close.

sully

[/ QUOTE ]

Somehow I am not surprised that you would say that (thanks for not disappointing [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]).

Please do not get me wrong, beautiful guitar and I was very impressed with the fit/finish. Maybe I have to take another ride down the Matts this weekend and check it out again. However, there was definitely something "off" with way the production model felt from my perspective (and while it very well could just be me, I would note that am not alone).

I'm glad that you like the guitar.

Take care. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[shreddermon]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. \"Charvel\" (not impre

[ QUOTE ]
EDIT: shred, i just read your post; i think we're singin the same song, pal.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I think so, Sully. And I suspect many folks' negative vibes about the 25th may have less to do with the Fender buyout itself, and more to do with the (mis?)information about this series being "built by Fender".

I'm by no means an "insider" on the subject but, from what I've heard, they were 100% made by J/C employees to Charvel specs. I suspect there's a big misunderstanding/misconception/whatever rooted in the prototype's build and/or the transition of the custom shop to Corona.

Also, some folks seem to indicate that the neck "isn't Charvel". Well, first of all, AFAIK the SD necks were basically finished by hand. So, naturally, there was a fair amount of variation between specimens. (...Early stratheads? Holdsworths? etc.) Second, it's a HUGE leap to go from saying "it ain't completely true to a SD" (...which is a vauge statement due to the above) to "it's a Fender". It's pretty hard to equate "not true" with "it's a Fender". Something can be "not true" but still very much "Charvel", IMHO. Big distance between that and "Fender", methinks.

Not trying to criticize anyone or their opinions, mind you. Just hoping to open peoples' minds to others' different perceptions.

[diablomozart]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. \"Charvel\" (not impre

mike shannon was in charge of them...the necks werebuilt accd. to specs from one of his buddy's old charvels...i could never give you a description of the one i played at namm because it was a "place-holder" for the series...they wanted to make an announcement and had very little time to get the specs right...that particular guitar went to the head of fmic if i remember correctly...i had to bring my old stratheads up there so they could feel the necks (resulting in the unfortunate 1 3/4" vs. 1 11/16" nut width debate)...mike shannon was, shall we say, a genius...immediately after picking the guitars up he could tell me everything about them...nut width, thickness, approx. time he thought they were built...i can't see how the 25th production model could feel "wrong"...it more than likely, feels like a new one did back then...remember, the stratheads we have have been loved, played, and been "broken-in" for 20 something years...d.m.

[Oregon Jason]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. \"Charvel\" (not impressed) .....

I played the 25th ann guitar a while back...I was not overly impressed by them. There is no way i would spend that much on one of those.

And as many have already pointed out...A GMW feels way more like the real deal.

[randyvanmalmsteen]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. \"Charvel\" (not impre

[ QUOTE ]
I played the 25th ann guitar a while back...I was not overly impressed by them. There is no way i would spend that much on one of those.

And as many have already pointed out...A GMW feels way more like the real deal.

[/ QUOTE ]

[img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[eddyrox]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. \"Charvel\" (not impre

Yeah, I think so, Sully. And I suspect many folks' negative vibes about the 25th may have less to do with the Fender buyout itself, and more to do with the (mis?)information about this series being "built by Fender".

I'm by no means an "insider" on the subject but, from what I've heard, they were 100% made by J/C employees to Charvel specs. I suspect there's a big misunderstanding/misconception/whatever rooted in the prototype's build and/or the transition of the custom shop to Corona.

Also, some folks seem to indicate that the neck "isn't Charvel". Well, first of all, AFAIK the SD necks were basically finished by hand. So, naturally, there was a fair amount of variation between specimens. (...Early stratheads? Holdsworths? etc.) Second, it's a HUGE leap to go from saying "it ain't completely true to a SD" (...which is a vauge statement due to the above) to "it's a Fender". It's pretty hard to equate "not true" with "it's a Fender". Something can be "not true" but still very much "Charvel", IMHO. Big distance between that and "Fender", methinks.

Not trying to criticize anyone or their opinions, mind you. Just hoping to open peoples' minds to others' different perceptions.

[/ QUOTE ]

absolutely agree. based on discussions w/ fans, collectors and the Charvel guys at the January NAMM show, the tim wilson/mike shannon involvement coupled w/ the necks being based off of a few representative original prepros or early serial charvels, resulted in my ordering a Bullseye Strathead.

[White]

Re: Just played the 25th Ann. \"Charvel\" (not impre

I'm sorry, but what is GMW?