USA Production Series Appreciation Thread

[thetruthguy]

Nice pics of the geetar. Vids sounded good. Nice chops.

[Shawn Lutz]

good stuff Mario...welcome to the JCF. You guys sound like a fun cover band....

[Newc]

See, isn't this a much better welcome mat for new JCFers and Charvel owners than crying about how they achieved the cost reduction and rumors of inferior-quality trems?

[beachjammer]

I think that I've got a new Charvel So Cal convert on my hands! A buddy of mine came up yesterday to jam. He and I both have been avid players of the Music Man John Petrucci guitars for many years although I have my Charvels as well. I'd been telling him about the Pagan Gold So Cal I'd gotten and how great it was but I don't think he really believed me. Once he picked it up yesterday he couldn't put it down! Everytime he tried to talk about it all he could do was studder! HA HA! He's scoping them out hard and heavy now and told me that he's never felt a connection with a guitar like he did my So Cal! As picky as he is about his gear that says alot about the quality and craftsmanship of these new USA pros to me!

[jet66]

I'm hoping the next batch of limited colors is an SD1 in a pale/pastel blue. I'll be adding that to the stable if so.

[85 San Dimas]

See, isn't this a much better welcome mat for new JCFers and Charvel owners than crying about how they achieved the cost reduction and rumors of inferior-quality trems?

yeah, no sense telling the new recruits the truth Newc. I mean, seeing as how I'm not receiving any checks from FMIC to toe the company line I'd rather just call it the way I see it. Oh, and that rumor isn't a rumor.

That isn't to say we don't welcome newcomers, or that the So-Cals aren't good guitars. But the truth doesn't hurt and thats what the site is here for unless I'm way misunderstanding its purpose.

Welcome to all newbies....you'll love it here. great info, great people, great guitars.
Play what you like and like what you play. Again, welcome.

[beachjammer]

yeah, no sense telling the new recruits the truth Newc. I mean, seeing as how I'm not receiving any checks from FMIC to toe the company line I'd rather just call it the way I see it. Oh, and that rumor isn't a rumor.

That isn't to say we don't welcome newcomers, or that the So-Cals aren't good guitars. But the truth doesn't hurt and thats what the site is here for unless I'm way misunderstanding its purpose.

Welcome to all newbies....you'll love it here. great info, great people, great guitars.
Play what you like and like what you play. Again, welcome.

Man don't hijack this thread. You're point and views have already been taken in the "What corner were cut on the production models" thread. Enough is enough. Let the ones of us that have and love these guitars discuss our "appreciation" of them in peace....

[Grandturk]

I was appreciating my San Dimas earlier today after playing my Les Paul for a little while. I think its really my #1 guitar (the only competition right now in my stable is my Ibanez RG770DX).

[shreddermon]

Man don't hijack this thread. You're point and views have already been taken in the "What corner were cut on the production models" thread. Enough is enough. Let the ones of us that have and love these guitars discuss our "appreciation" of them in peace....

+1. You've beat that dead horse so much that it resembles dog food by now.

You're entitled to your opinion. (And that's all it is - not "truth" or "fact".) You've stated it repeatedly, over and over and over. Now please don't start spamming it into every thread on the JCF. Enough already.

[Newc]

I was appreciating my San Dimas earlier today after playing my Les Paul for a little while. I think its really my #1 guitar (the only competition right now in my stable is my Ibanez RG770DX).

Same here. I've been playing my Slimer and SoCals so much, when I finally went back to my NASL, it was like "WTF? Why's the neck so fat and the action so high!?"

I swear, my NASLs were my babies just a few weeks ago - best-playing, most comfortable, etc - but now it's like someone secretly swapped them with something else

Only competition the Charvels get now is from the Warriors.

[85 San Dimas]

Man don't hijack this thread. You're point and views have already been taken in the "What corner were cut on the production models" thread. Enough is enough. Let the ones of us that have and love these guitars discuss our "appreciation" of them in peace....

I haven't hijacked any threads, and not attempting to here. If posters want to repeatedly refer to those who disagree then at some point there will be a responding post. Nothing personal to you. As you will notice I haven't spent time here and don't plan to. As you say "why would I?" Just happened to see a post and respond to it as I'm doing now. As always, have fun with the thread Beachjammer (and all) and have a "peaceful" time.

[maltomario]

well just to clear something up.. i can understand the guys point about 'cutting corners' and what not..

While this is my second post, i don't want you all to think I'm some naive noob. i did do my due diligence here before purchasing. I talked with reps from FMIC about the tremolo, and even contacted APL international (floyd rose parent co.) about the specs of the FRT-0200 trem. I was assured it was manufactured with same hardened steel (they told me Rockwell scale measurement of 55). and for the record, APL sucks and they ignored me many times before i finally got an answer

i did my own research and concluded that the trems are similar, not identical as they would lead you to believe. however, that does not mean the korean floyds suck balls. guys talk about replacing parts on these to make them sound better.. not sure if I dig that much. spending another $100-200 for a marginal improvement isn't something I'm planning in near term.

My jackson SL1 sits right next to the SoCal and i can unequivocally state that the two trems are NOT identical.

That being said, for me personally, I feel that practicing more and improving my chops will have a greater impact than swapping out the trem or any other part(s) on this guitar.

[skintaster]

I bought my So-Cal because it's a great sounding and great playing American made guitar that has the features I need. I play aggressive music, and would never hit the stage with a $3000 + custom shop axe.

I realize that a lot of people are passionate about preserving their idea of what Charvel "is", and that's fine. I also respect and enjoy reading opinions that run counter to mine.My opinion is that the So-Cal is an awesome guitar, period.

As Maltomario put it, I think practicing and playing shows is going to produce better results for me than quibbling over minor "flaws" with the Pro Mods.

[nhspike]

Nothing short of a time machine can recreate the magic that was the 80's charvels.

That being said...

I'll be buying one of these new ones, since after playing a couple, I thing they are a good value.

Do I expect it to replace one of my San Dimas Charvels?

Nope.

Do I expect to enjoy it?

Yup.

[Grandturk]

Do I expect it to replace one of my San Dimas Charvels?

See to me, having never owned an old strathead, I never looked at the ProMod series as "replicas" of the early days - I only looked at them as superstrats with stratheads.