What's the scoop on MIM Charvels these days?

[paisleywookiee]

Kinda interested in a couple of their fiddles, the DK22 SSS, and one of the others. Are they still struggling with QC, or has it gotten better?

 

[DrewJD82]

I know @la szum got a Jake E. Lee a couple years back he had to return, but I can’t remember if that was pre/post covid.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I have heard as good or better than the japanese ones

 

[Blix]

I've just played a couple in stores here and they seemed very well built. But my hands does not agree with the neck profiles.

 

[hemmelight]

^^^ THANK YOU! Agreed 1000%

 

[Jarick]

I had a DK24 2pt for a year and change. They are pretty decent guitars were pretty decent QC. I like the hardware and pickups they offer out of the gate. It took a few months of tweaking the guitar to get the tuning stability in order. A big part of that is me not really liking a floating tremolo.

Biggest problem for me was the super thin and flat neck, exactly as described above. It was so uncomfortable to play. I have small hands too because I'm only 5'6" but I prefer a medium neck instead.

 

[la szum]

I have 3.

 

[la szum]

I know @la szum got a Jake E. Lee a couple years back he had to return, but I can’t remember if that was pre/post covid.

Winter of 2022. It was a turd for some reason. Ok, for many reasons.

No one is right all the time.

 

[la szum]

I say try one, or a few. They make a lot of varieties of Superstrats. It may or may not
be your thing. I didn't like the Ibanez AZ I bought and had issues with it from a build
perspective. I have had some turdy Gibsons and Fenders, too.

I prefer the Charvels I have over my PRSes at the moment.

We all have to kiss a few Frogs to find our Princes of a guitar. Some of them are just frogs.
Others become something special. Maybe not to others, but to us. That's all the matters.

 

[jellodog]

@la szum So many times I have fallen to thinking, "We probably need a new Philosopher's Corner sub forum for la szum to inhabit"

Or perhaps even a hermitage, if we're going to run with the picaresque style.

 

[Stone]

I can say after the Usual MiM shit QC this is an absolute killer axe
So much so that ill be getting the DK-24 Soon
But I do love my DK-22 They do come with SD pickups but ill be swapping them for Dimarzio's soon
As for the Neck no its not a Ibanez Wizard II or III neck its 12-16 Compound super comfortable to play for me

Charvel neck shapes are slimmer and narrower than traditional guitar necks with comfortable rolled fingerboard edges, optimized for high performance

 

[Blix]

Charvel neck shapes are slimmer and narrower than traditional guitar necks with comfortable rolled fingerboard edges, optimized for high performance

Depends on you definition of traditional. Most Fenders up to like 1987 were 41.3mm wide, while Gibson stayed at 43mm mostly for the LP's and still does. Charvles are 43mm. (Or 42.86mm to be exact). I'm fine with slim, but not with the pronounced shoulders in their neck profile.
And they seem to use the same neck profile on every damn guitar they make.

 

[TSJMajesty]

Or perhaps even a hermitage, if we're going to run with the picaresque style.

Wut?

 

[jellodog]

Wut?

Good question. I had meant to type "picturesque"

More on the 18th century trend of picturesque hermitages can be found here:

The Strange, Short-Lived British Trend of Hiring Ornamental Hermits

For grand gentlemen of the 1800s, a hermit was the must-have garden accessory.

www.mentalfloss.com

 

[Eagle]

The Qc is mostly good. A modern MIM is actually better built than an 80s USA . Occasionally the edge of the fretboard is a little under or over beveled . If you’re ok doing a final inspection and trusting yourself to notice any issues there is no better guitar for this money.

 

[aivoryuk]

I had a Charvel so cal style 2 - QC was fine but ultimately I ended up selling it as the neck profile was little too flat for me and the pickups (fishman open core) were a little uninspiring.

A Schecter thin c neck is one of my favourite neck profile.

 

[la szum]

Depends on you definition of traditional. Most Fenders up to like 1987 were 41.3mm wide, while Gibson stayed at 43mm mostly for the LP's and still does. Charvles are 43mm. (Or 42.86mm to be exact). I'm fine with slim, but not with the pronounced shoulders in their neck profile.
And they seem to use the same neck profile on every damn guitar they make.

Really no telling how a particular profile will sit in any one individual's hands. All kinds of different players
like and enjoy all kinds of different neck profiles. I felt like the Ibanez Prestige AZ had a flatter profile with
broader shoulders than the Charvel Dinky neck profile. And Jarick here fells differently.

Just one of those things you kind of have to get into your hands and try for yourself over taking the yay or
nay from randos on Gear Forums.

 

[la szum]

@la szum So many times I have fallen to thinking, "We probably need a new Philosopher's Corner sub forum for la szum to inhabit"

Or perhaps even a hermitage, if we're going to run with the picaresque style.

Verbosity is a disease!

 

[la szum]

The one on the left is currently my fave.

 

[Warmart]

View attachment 11141


The one on the left is currently my fave.