Charvel Pro Mod SoCal Style 2 - 6 months on.... still worth it?
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- Опубліковано 15 тра 2024
- I get a lot of questions about this guitar so I thought I would make a video review to share my thoughts 6 months since I bought it. I've included lots of clips showing the variety of different styles and tones that I get from it. If you enjoy then please subscribe to my channel for more videos featuring this Charvel!
00:32 Intro
00:50 Bridge PAF humbucker demo
01:04 Headstock & Neck
02:08 Neck modern humbucker demo
02:24 Tremolo
03:24 Mid position single coil demo
03:45 The Pickups
05:26 Bridge single coil demo
05:34 Battery Life
06:18 Mid position modern humbucker demo
06:30 Output Jack
07:11 Neck PAF humbucker demo
07:37 Overall setup
09:20 Bridge modern humbucker demo
09:42 Tremol-no...?
10:36 Bridge PAF humbucker demo
11:06 Conclusion
Outro music: 'Exemption Jam' from my EP Trip Hazard Sessions Vol. 1, available at andywatt.bandcamp.com or listen to the 'live' version on my UA-cam channel.
Check out more clips of this guitar here: ua-cam.com/video/QVtx07CGsvs/v-deo.html
im confused.. wouldnt the switch 'up' in the same direction as pos1 on teh pup switch? which would then be the vintage voice accdg to the charvel site..
It is so refreshing to get to hear everything this Guitar can do. So Damn tired of clean then Metal/Thrash Demos!
Really great review! Great demos of all the functions and great playing.
Great review! All tones demonstrated
Great review on this fantastic instrument! Thank you🙏🏻
Excellent review! I’ve been looking at this guitar for a while now. I may decide to get it now.
Thanks a lot for this review, so complete!!!
Just discovered your channel after looking for reviews of this guitar. Quality vid Andy. Subscribed 😊
Great sounding guitar and seems very versatile, t5hanks for the overview.
One of the best and most informative reviews I have watched. I played one of these yesterday and loved it.
As many others have said, what a fantastic review! Thank you for taking the time to put this video together. I’m seriously considering on of these charvels - I love the natural finish and the versatility. Subscribed.
You sold me on this! Already seen some straight metal demos and the fact that it pulls off these sounds as well I’m sold!
Great review Andy, I plan to pick up the blue version in a week, I am more convinced from your review, thank you!
Excellent information. I am currently looking at this model or something similar and it's very useful to see a review that's not metal etc. Good work
love ur review brother ..... love it
Great review! New to guitar playing and looking for my second guitar, thinking of buying this one or a player strat. Cant wait to test them both out.
Just got my hands on one like yours because of your amazing review of it! And I’m super happy with it! Thanks 😊
Been jonesin for one of these since they came out. You're a great player BTW
Damn this sis a great review, you definitely sold me on itn
Awesome playing, dude
Excellent review. Thanks.
Great review!
Great demo, awesome guitar
These guitars are underrated. Especially in the rock/metal sphere. Ive found them for as low as $600 usd. An absolute steal
Fantastic review.
Great video! I've been thinking about getting this guitar. I appreciate the thorough review.
Glad you found it useful! 🎸👍
Thank you for an awesome and informative video. Great work. Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it! 👌🎸🎵
Great review! I’m almost sold!
Let me know if you need any further encouragement to make the purchase.... 🤣🎸👍
That run around 6:15 was great
Just traded my PRS se and a violin for this Guitar yesterday on Craigslist… let’s just say I found my holy grail guitar. Your videos has brought me up to par with all the spec. Your playing show how versatile this guitar is..Thx bud be safe.
Love your reviewing style Andy! You've even got me thinking about buying one of these. The versatility is super-impressive. Thanks also, for pointing out the down-side of a floating tremolo. Great playing too. 👍👍👍
Thanks Lloyd, glad you enjoyed it! Let us know how you get on if you do buy one... 😁🎸👍
This review helped me choose this guitar over about 5 guitars I've been studying. This is the best of the bunch. Thank you for your review and honest critique of this instrument.
What are the others? How do you love it?
I just left a comment on another video of yours saying it was the best one on this guitar. No, this one is. Thanks so much for taking the time. I think I'm going to buy one.
Thanks, glad you found it useful! 😎🎸👍
Gracias por este vídeo 👍🏻
Excellent, review subscribed. I'm about to buy this exact guitar. But now I'm thinking about TREMELO bridge. I dont know witch one to buy
You can also use a Mag-Lok to keep strings from “bending out of tune”. It’s essentially a magnet system for your springs which allows you to adjust via a magnet when the tremolo “releases”. There are UA-cam videos and you could poke around and probably find one. I have two of these installed on my guitars and they work great and I highly recommend them. That way you don’t have to lock your entire trem system. Good luck
Your demo of this guitar convinced me, and now really love it. Also felt the need to rein in the trem to stabilize the pitch. Unfortunately, I got a defective Tremel-No, where they did not fully thread the adjustment screws on main carriage, keeping the knobs from screwing in far enough. After 2 unanswered emails, and calling the listed number that leads to an answering machine to mailboxes, am frustrated that Tremel-no won't respond to their manufacuring defects, and I have to try and fix. Seems like a great solution otherwise, but can't recommend.
I'm modifying a godin radiator with fishman fluence classic humbuckers. I'm psyched to see this charvel with fishmans. Your playing and demo are great! Thanks for the video
Ah nice one - Godin guitars are great, I have a ‘Freeway Classic’ that I put Seymour Duncan humbuckers in a while ago. Great quality for the price! Glad you enjoyed the video 😎🎸👍
Perhaps the thicker strings messed with tuning. Great tone!
I use a guitar nut buster on my Charvel DJ 24 2pot,once strings played in it stays in tune all the time . Great reviews on this Charvel I’m gonna have to get one !
Nice one Steve, I hadn't come across a nut buster before (sounds painful 🤣) - looks like a cool piece of kit!
Great review. I have been eyeing this guitar for a while. Still haven’t make a decision to buy or not. I like the versatility of it.
Glad you enjoyed the review! If you've got any questions about the guitar that I didn't cover in the video then let me know 👍🎸
@@AndyWattGuitar I think you covered a fair bit, I am into distorted sounds (heavy/rock) but also like to enjoy a clean sound and I thought those pickups are exactly for this. I am upgrading from a Pacifica 112. I am not particularly a fan of the shape and colors but everything else seems good (I like a tremolo but can't be bothered with the FR maintenance, and the neck looks awesome). Been look at ESP LTD and Schecter who I think look nicer but I keep reading good things about Charvel playability.
@@3rdfloorParis I haven't played the Charvel, but my ESP LTD is very nice to play.
Your quality doesn’t match your subscriber count great job and I’m absolutely in love with the guitar👍🏻
Thanks my friend! Have fun with that guitar 😎🎸👍
Getting one on Tues! Cannot wait! 😀Thanks for this great video - it's a brilliant run through! 🙂
I've just got the hardtail version and I really like it - pickups sound fantastic and tone knob is very responsive in taming highs without losing the definition of the lows.
The only thing I need to resolve are the bridge saddles are too long
Too long? I’m new so I really don’t know but why would that be an issue
I'm a millimeter away from buying one of these. And you sir have tipped me damn near over the edge.
Haha, glad to be of service! 🎸😎
"Nut sauce" 😂 Great review! Thank you
Yes, an unfortunate name for an otherwise excellent product…. 🤣
this video helps lot！
Thank you Andy so much. I am considering this guitar. You addressed my main concern about whether it was suitable for more traditional styles. Sounds great and you play well!
This video made me order this model (in black). Unfortunately, currently out of stock in many stores online. Oh and btw, new subscriber!
Great stuff, it looks ace in black - I was torn 50/50 when choosing mine.... Enjoy when it arrives! 🎸 🤘
@@AndyWattGuitar thanks, I will. I've been looking for a modern Tele style for quite some time and the Charvel ticks most boxes - with stainless steel frets it would've been perfect. Did the frets need polishing?
@@lukaslmguitarcorner I haven't polished - the frets feel great on mine. Stainless steel would have been a nice addition - perhaps a mod for when it comes time to refret!
Man,,,,you play realy good
This was a great video. Thank you for putting in the time and effort. My tastes in music are varied to say the least. I play in a church worship band and have been considering this guitar. The tele is my favorite type of guitar and the Fishman pickups seem pretty logical for all the ambient effects associated with modern worship music. I wish you had included some closeups of the body. Curious about the ash wood and the grain. If it is smooth or if you can feel the grain of the wood. No local stores carry these to check them out myself
Sounds like a good fit for you if your tastes are varied, though of course it's quite different to a standard tele! You can feel the contours of the wood grain on the body, it feels very 'organic' with the satin finish. Let us know what you think if you do get one!
@@AndyWattGuitar Thank you for the response. I will let you know how it goes.
I have the Black Ash model and the look and feel of the grain under the black coat is just so phenomenal!
Such a pleasant, tactile experience it is just to hold it, much less play!
@@DBStarr7 Thanks for the information. Much appreciated
Almost everything on this guitar is like my dream guitar setup build that will cost a lot of $$$ for a custom shop. Tele body w/ pickguard, reverse headstock, baked maple fretboard, humbuckers, gotoh floating tremolo, locking tuners. I think it's a bonus to get the Fishman Fluence pickup and actual Tele headstock! The only items i should have wanted are chrome hardware and Aqua Seafoam Green paintjob!
I got the black one and I'm pretty happy with it!
Maybe gold accessories would be cool and elegant?
Great review Andy!
Is this a heavy or lightweight guitar?
This is all the guitar you will ever need. 👍
I play a lot of Meshuggah and Haken. I doubt I could play it on that.
Which string trees did you buy? Did they fit right in? I am looking to do this mod. Thanks!
Hey bro, love your playing. You seem like you can kill it in any genre. Also, I bought this same guitar in large part because of these super insightful and helpful videos. I have a question for you though, have you noticed any issues because of the tremol-no? I ordered one and am waiting to install because I’ve heard some people say it makes causes a buzzy sound at times and that you can’t do flutters once installed, even in floating mode. Has any of that been true for you?
Like your playing! I play country to heavy rock on floating trems. I have always used a Hipshot Tremsetter. Easy to install. I set it stiff and I can still pull the trem up. You can feel a click at times but I like the tone. Chords sound better since even if you strum hard a floating trem moves a bit. There are better systems out there like the Tremol-No. That is what is in the Guthrie Govan signature Charvel. I may get one of those Style 2 Charvels like yours. I primarily play a Tele. Nice tones!
Thanks! I ended up fitting a Tremol-no to mine, a great bit of kit - made a video about it here ua-cam.com/video/A5TlVw5iQhM/v-deo.html
I have three guitars loaded with Fishman Fluence pickups. Two of them have some sort of Fishman rechargeable battery pack (one has the strat spring cover battery, the other the universal). I think the rechargeable battery packs are well worth it, just so that you don't have to keep buying 9V nor have to worry about a battery leak. However, the Fishman pickups don't drain batteries very quickly, nor does the sound quality deteriorate as the battery drains, so I don't find myself charging my guitars very often.
Thanks for the info! I've been impressed with how long batteries last in the Fluence pickups, but can see the attraction of a rechargeable pack too.
Was the tuning stability not good before you changed to 10-46? I just got one of these guitars, and the tuning stability is really good.
New subscriber.
Great video and wonderful playing.
I'm looking at buying a used on now.
Charvels are a grade up from Fender for me. The typical 2x4 heel joint on Fender is a big turn off.
I have a Charvel DK22 and it is really nice. It's lightweight, stays in-tune as well as anything else I own and the heel joint makes Charvel much easier to play over a Fender. I'm currently on guitar probation but perhaps the Mrs. will relent. Again.
Great video and analysis Andy!
I've been playing this guitar for almost 8 months my self.
Same model and color, but I think it is the latest one, the one without the chambering (yes first models had chambering, check under your pickguard!)
The body and the neck are fenomenal, some intonation issue on the high E, despite having properly lubricated the nut, the string trees and the saddles.
But the great question mark for me is related to its sound, especially of the neck pickup
I mean:
- the neck PAF voice is fine, but IHMO it has slightly too much bass and less definition than the bridge one (this might depend by setup, the height is stock, the strings are elixir nanoweb 09-46)
- the so called neck modern voice (switch down) seems so "nasal" and less trebly. might be perfect for vintage style jazz/blues probably.
- the only usage I have for the "modern voice" is in position two (both pickups active), this achieves a nice sonic balance.
- single coil is good though.
the bridge pickup:
- I really dig this one, in all three voices. no bass issues here, even with the bigger 09-46 strings.
Final consideration:
- it sounds good with my analog setup (rack, heads etc...), while with top notch digital neural dsp vst I struggle a lot to get a decent tone.
So as I said so far one day I think "this is awesome", other times not that much :)
Curious to read your thoughts on this :)
thanks again!
Thanks my friend! I knew about the chambered body but hadn't realised they'd stopped doing that - would be interesting to compare side by side to see if there's much difference in tone....
As for the pickups, I find I'm using single coil mode more and more - love both neck and bridge. Bridge isn't quite as twangy as a Tele, but I tend to like it slightly more mellow. I'm not using the modern voice so often, but I can imagine it would be useful almost as a built-in boost for solos in a live situation.
Most of my recent videos have been recorded with Archetype: Cory Wong or Archetype: Nolly plug-ins, very happy with the tones especially with a little EQ sculpting. Can't wait to play it through a loud valve amp though, now that gigs are gradually becoming possible again!
@@AndyWattGuitar yep I agree, the single coil mode is really special :)
thanks for sharing your thoughts!
These guitars sell like hotcakes 🥞 I have the black hardtail… just love it. Charvel has been knocking it out of the park. Fret work better then my Gibsons for sure! Playability off the charts. Cheers 🍻
Waiting for mine to come tomorrow, looking forward to it
I wish mine were a hardtail, but I couldn't resist the clear finish on the ash.
@@norfitz Lol… I felt the same way at first but not wanting the hassle won the day.
@@MSNGR415 Received? How does it work?
Damn. I am sold on this guitar. I need to start saving up. I've been wanting to get a Tele for years, but this scratches the humbucker itch at the same time. And I love that you can bend the tremolo up. Get those Jeff Beck kinds of sounds. I wonder if it would stay in tune better if you just took the string trees off? I don't have them on my Strat and it stays in tune fairly well.
www.zzounds.com/item--CHA2966511
I purchased a hardtail in September 2021. By January 2022 the frets have sprouted out the sides pretty significantly and I am going to have to file down all the fret ends on both sides of the neck.
So much for the "stability" of roasted maple. :(
I have a tremol-no on an Ibanez floaring trem. My .02 on the thing:
1. I recommend getting a professional to set it up, since you will want it to be aligned properly. They come with their own screws, and the holes for the spring plate might not match the ones on your guitar, depending on your current trem system.
2. The device works great, it allows you to have a full floating trem, a dive-only trem, or to just fix it completely. That being said, I think I could've just put a piece of wood in the back, between the bridge and the body of the guitar, because I don't find myself switching between those modes very often.
Haha, that's what I did. Piece of wood. Nice wood, though. Maple.
No, I use a right angle jack for my Charvel DK24 (for those who aren't familiar, it's the same sort of thing in an S shape.). I also use a wireless system in lieu of a lead sometimes, which is neither straight nor right angle, but on a hinge, and something in between.
Finally, I don't use my string trees at all. I was told that with 0.10 string guage or more...the added string tension will keep the strings in the nut. And so far, yeah, they were right. I've got 0.10's and they haven't come out yet.
But other than those fine points, great video. I love my Charvel! ✌️😎
Thanks, that's cool about the right angle jack - I'm always in the habit of threading the cable through the strap first, but I can see a right angle jack pointing down to the ground would be pretty secure!
I did try taking the string trees off when I was having tuning issues, but the reverse tele headstock doesn't give enough breaking angle to stop the 5th & 6th strings flapping about, sadly. A necessary evil!
Hello! Great video! I happened to pick this guitar up on a Black Friday deal after watching this video and I was wondering which rolling string trees did you get for yours? Thanks again!
Thanks! I just got mine on eBay ‘Strat style roller string trees’ was the listing I think. I’ve actually put the originals back on though, not using the trem as much at the moment and seems stable enough with a bit of lubricant in the nut grooves 👍
Great review. I must say. I don't understand that bridge. They put it on everything. Not just most caramelized necks but these are on Ibanez models too. I bought 3 separate Charvel DK 24 Pro Mod guitars with this bridge, I had high hopes but I was warned by a couple people who had these for a short time. I gave them to a trusted luthier that was Larry Carlton's traveling guitar tech and Production Manager for Valley Arts. He spent a ton of time trying to get all 3 of these guitars to stay in tune. From nut work, replacement, set ups, slight shims, leveling you name it. Nothing could keep these in tune. They all went back. 2 things that are a deal breaker for me. 1) Obviously the bridge. Given that Charvel has been renowned for Hot Rodded Strats I don't understand why they don't either put a Floyd Rose on one of these (to satisfy a lot of their core audience) that being said, I am not buying a over 1k axe to modify it because it needs it. If the bridge has issues which many people do with this guitar and the strat style, I am certainly not paying for a Tremolo No, if the bridge needs it then they should either supply it or get another bridge for the production models. It is ridiculous. It is one thing to WANT to do mods but you can't bend without this losing pitch. This is insane to me. The hardtail would be the only choice for me in this version. 2) I do like the pick ups however over the whole battery thing. I can manage but it is one more thing for me to obsess over as I gig. And one last thing, where are the stainless steel frets at this point? I love you Charvel but you can do far better.
Think of the price point tho.
Great video. Great looking guitar and fantastic playing. Thinking about picking one up, but I really like Floyd Rose trems for cheesy tricks. I hate the problems that come with Floyds though. Once you addressed the tuning stability, do think the guitar is capable of some of some heavy 80s metal cheesy antics?
Glad you enjoyed the vid! The Gotoh trem is definitely closer in function to a Floyd Rose than a traditional strat-style bridge - you can dive down until the strings are nearly slack, and it can pull up in pitch by a major 3rd. I guess the locking nut on a Floyd would always win for tuning stability, and it could probably take a bit more abuse than a Gotoh but it seems a good compromise to me. Worth trying one out if possible!
Great video ! Can you tell me the dimensions of the neck ? Thickness in the first fret and 12th ??? Thanks in advance !
Just got mine it’s been 2 weeks now and I love it. Tho I’m not a fan of the tremolo version, I bought it for the ash wood body. I did blocked my tremolo so I can tune down one whole step. It’s amazing so far!
Great stuff - I bet it sounds epic tuned down a whole step! 🤘🎸
Thank you for making this video. I'm thinking about getting this guitar as the "one that can do it all". I'm a bit of a minimalist and I like the idea of owning only a few versatile pieces of gear (HX Stomp allowed me to stop worrying about pedals). I have one question though. I've noticed that you use HX effects, and you're doing a fair bit of direct recording. In your experience, are those Fishman Fluence pickups more or less noisy than regular pickups? I'm not just talking about the interference (which, active pickups should be better at eliminating presumably) but the noise floor in general?
I'd also ask about the weight/ergonomics, but I'll probably get the hardtail version which is made out of different wood, so that will differ a bit. Anyway, thanks in advance for the answer!
Lynx, you didn't ask me, but the lack of noise and hum is what brought me to this guitar. I can't make it hum.
@@norfitz I appreciate the answer. I got the guitar a few months back (hardtail version) and the Fishman pickups are indeed a bit quiet in my setup than the passive pickups.
Beautiful playing and love the guitar!! What is the name of the short tune at 7:11? Mostly, I'm a rock style guitarist, but lately in my older years, I find myself being more drawn into this melodic jazz style.
Thanks! I made all the examples up myself so it doesn’t have a name - I think that one was basically all my favourite ‘expensive’ chords thrown together in one piece 😂👍
Great summary. I am concerned at your comment that if one string is bent the others go out of tune. Can you clarify please?
It happens with any floating tremolo - bending the string pulls the bridge down, affecting the pitch of the other strings. They all go back in tune as soon as you release the bend though.
Have you taken the pick guard off to see if it's chambered - I have one on order from sweetwater US - hope it's chambered seems some are and some not - great review
I haven’t, though I’d assumed mine is chambered as it’s pretty light for an ash bodied guitar…. One of these days I’ll have a look!
Try wrapping the G-string upwards next time you change strings, works like magic for me.
Thanks for the tip! 👌
@@AndyWattGuitar Hope it works for you. It works on my 3x3 headstock.
Hey Andy, thank you for the review of this guitar. I have a question. Well, actually 2 questions:
1- does the guitar nose dive? I have 2 telecasters that use locking tuners, and their headstocks were always too heavy for the body. I had to replace the runners for not locking ones.
2- How good is the fretboard? I tried a cheaper shredding Charvel, and the fret's endings were horrible. Very sharp, they could easily cut the palm of my left hand.
Looking forward to your feedback.
Hi, haven't had any nose dive, and the fretwork was remarkably smooth out of the box. I might have been lucky - some other comments suggest some others have had a bit of 'sprout' but mine his been great.
Can you provide some more of your experience with the bridge pickup in a single coil selection? How twangy does the guitar sound compared to a regular Tele with single coils?
I don't own a standard Tele so can't offer a direct comparison, but I'm certainly very satisfied with the bridge single coil twang from the Fishman Fluence pickups. There's some clips in some of my other videos too (my Tremol-no video features some twangy country licks towards the end) 👍
Great video. I have this model guitar also. Do you find that there is slight neck dive on yours? Mine is slight. I might add a bit of weight on the body side. Thanks.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video! Mine feels pretty well balanced, though I've mostly played it sitting down so far - it'll be good to use it for a 2hr+ standing gig (someday....) to test that out!
Mine (S shaped) feels balanced too, although I, too, play it seated most of the time.
I really enjoyed your video. I own a Charvel pro mod dk24 myself. Would you mind telling me where you purchased the roller string trees? I bought some but they don’t have the anti swivel peg.
I got generic ones on Ebay - they don’t have the anti-swivel peg either, I just screwed them in tight. I’ve actually switched back to the original trees recently - having had a professional setup the tuning stability seems pretty good 👍
@@AndyWattGuitar Thank you and I actually did the very same and switched back.
I’m really interested in buying this but I’m not so sure about the active pickups, what’s your opinion? And should I get the one with the fixed bridge or the tremelo... many choices.
Locking tuners dont have any impact on tuning stability they only allow faster string changing and a nicer finished look on the headstock. Still worth it imo but it won't do anything for stability that still lies in the bridge and nut.
Looking for help here: I use my So Cal thru an EVH Iconic and for the bridge pickup, I have to push the tone knob and high tone Wayyyyyyy down just so it doesn't sound like it's screaming in my high e string. Thoughts? Cherrs
I really hope to ask you whether this guitar can also play rock and metal in addition to retro styles such as jazz and blues?
08/29/2021: 6 Questions: (1) Is the whammy bar pop-in & pop-out, or just screw-in bar? (2) When switching to single coils, does the volume drop a lot? (3) Is the fretboard separate wood or all part of the neck wood? (4) Does the back have a belly cut? (5) Is there a hand comfort cut for the neck joint area? (6) With split single coils can you get a really good Telecaster Twang sound?
1) Screw in. 2) The output is about average for single coil - noticeably less than the humbucker voices, great for cleaning up an overdriven amp. 3) Seperate but the same type of wood. 4) it’s certainly more sculpted than a regular Tele. 5) it’s got the Charvel “shredder’s heel” - v easy access to upper frets. 6) see what you think: ua-cam.com/video/rJ3VPUvWcm8/v-deo.html and ua-cam.com/video/VZzDPptwNQo/v-deo.html
Hi Andy. What other guitars did you compare this against and what made you choose the Charvel (certainly no shortage of great features). Thanks again
Hi Lucas, I actually took a risk and bought this without trying it (in the middle of the first lockdown) purely because it ticked all the boxes (versatility, floating trem, roast maple neck, 24 jumbo frets). I was also quite tempted with the Sire Larry Carlton guitars, and had a good look at other Charvel models, Ibanez, even Godin and Reverend but kept coming back to this. Glad I did!
Hi, I have this guitar too. I like the fretboard a lot, but I found some very unpleasent issue with the tremolo tuning. Do you found the same problems? Is there some trick to solve that? Another thing I found is that when you use the mid position pickups the volume became lower and the sound seems to become like a little radio speaker. Did you noticed that?
Mine had a similar issue with tuning stability at first but applying ‘nut sauce’ lubricant helped a lot (as has getting it set up professionally). No problem with the mid position though - it sounds as though yours are out of phase? I’d get it checked out, possibly a wiring issue!
Many thanks for this! I'm loving this series of video's.
I don't like the reverse head at all or the colours but this guitar seems to be huge value for the money. How is the neck for small hands? Also, is the action nice stock from the factory on your guitar or did you need to adjust it? I have read varying reports on the fretwork as well. Some great and some not so good. I'm guessing you were happy with the fretwork though. I should mention that I'm interested in the fixed bridge version.
Thanks, glad you're enjoying the videos! I'd say the neck is about average thickness, and upper fret access is great. Action was pretty good on mine out of the box - had to adjust intonation, but haven't needed to touch the truss rod yet. Likewise, fretwork is pretty tidy on mine 😎🎸👍
Hey Andy. I've got a hardtail on order and wondering what type of battery are you using to get 5 months out of it? I've got a couple of rechargeable NiMh 250mAh in the house but noticed that the Fishman rechargeable add-on system that you mentioned is lithium-ion.
I just use Duracell 9v alkaline batteries (which is what it shipped with, I think). Would be interesting to see if different battery types change the tone at all (Eric Johnson style…. 😆)!
@@AndyWattGuitar I can't see the point in adding the Fishman battery system then. 5 months from an alkaline battery sounds ideal.
uhm..... I got to say I wasnt a fan of the moder voice my self....... and if i get one I would go for the hard tail bridge one and if at the end I don´t like the active pickups I might end up changing them for some old school PAF pickups tho, I would also change the strings like you did....... I think the guitar is badass indeed........ do you know if changing the pickups for passive ones is possible without any issues? cause it seems like the electronics are very modern.
Yeah I'm pretty sure I've seen a few people online who have swapped the Fluence pickups for passive humbuckers - shouldn't cause any problems 👍
Many-many thanks for demonstrating so many tones and genres - Charvels and Fluences typically get demonstrated in high gain environment, only
Glad you enjoyed! It's a versatile guitar, for sure 😎🎸👍
@@AndyWattGuitar Another good point on how string bending works in case of such a tremolo, very useful for someone like me only playing hard tail axes. Having listened to the additional sound samples in the other video, too, I wonder if the Fluences can compete with the dynamics of a passive single coil PU. I admit these are beautifully voiced, and they sound amazing through some high gain amps. I wonder how a top boost AC type of amp (or amp sim) would break up when you hit the strings harder in Voice 3. Would it live up to a Tele neck pu, or a P90? I currently have a SD PRail at the neck and I love the dynamics of the P90 coil. I would only change it for a Fluence classic HB if that's not only more versatile, but is comparable in dynamics, too. Do you happen to have experience or even another video that could help here?
The Fluence single coils certainly feel very dynamic to me - they're noticably lower output than than humbucker voices. I actually find myself using it in single coil mode most often, it's great with an 'edge of break-up' amp tone. I did do a blues duel between the Charvel and my Danelectro (one of my 'Wednesday Jams') where you can hear the difference between them. The Dano has a P90 style pickup in the neck position which sounded more gritty whereas Fluence was more smooth (hard to choose my favourite...). Both nicely dynamic 👍
@@AndyWattGuitar Just found and listened to that video. Thanks a lot, very useful!
Hi Andy. Your tone is so round and full spectrum. I'm playing the same guitar into a Mesa Express 5/50, and it is so bright and clear, but the lower end of the spectrum is pretty empty. Do you play with the tone mostly rolled off, or make significant notches with an external equalizer? I haven't been able to nail what I'm going for with only my amp's bass, mid, treble and contour. Advance thanks for any advice.
Most of these clips were just recorded direct with tone control up full.... I have since engaged the HFT filter on the pickups which makes them a little less bright (intended to mimic the sound and feel of a passive pickup) - it's subtle but a nice way to mellow the tone (I made a video about it which is on my channel somewhere). Might be worth a go?
@@AndyWattGuitar I just found The HFT on Fishman's site and watched your vid too. I'm going to try to simulate with a pedal EQ first so I can instantly revert. Also, I noticed you said you play with the guitar's tone and volume cranked, rather than the 40-60% of volume knob rotation that I use so as to retain headroom for solos, so I tried that and the tone is much rounder at 90-100%. My Duh moment, how embarrassing. I'll put a boost in my effects loop instead for significant volume changes, and I'm considering the HTF but with mini toggles. Thanks once again. Such a great guitar.
@@norfitz It's a feature you can engage on the Fishman pickups with a simple mod - video about it here ua-cam.com/video/5oZZSJ4ZnO4/v-deo.html . And yeah, I have tone control at 100% by default 👍
anyone know what specific string tree rollers he got? I've always had trouble finding quality ones
Hi Andy. Just bought one of these. Can I ask you about the trem arm? The gotoh 510 instructions say that you use the internal trem arm thread when winding the arm on as there is an Allen screw on the barrel that it winds onto. (I'm not talking about the little grub screw on the side to take up the slack). I've found that my arm will not screw on in order to lower the trem arm height, because it looks like the hole in the arm is slightly too small. Are you using the internal thread I'm talking about?
Yes, mine screws in just fine. Maybe contact Gotoh or Charvel?
Hi Andy, do you have an opinion on how well this guitar sustains compared to a full fat Les Paul style guitar?
I have a Schecter Solo-II Custom on back order, but this has really caught my eye and is objectively more versatile...
I don't have an LP-style guitar to compare with directly, so couldn't give a definitive answer.... But I've certainly never felt it was lacking in sustain. Mine has a slightly chambered body, whereas it sounds like Charvel are making them unchambered now, which I guess would have some kind of effect on sustain.
@@AndyWattGuitar Fair enough, but that's interesting insight. I may just save up and get one of these with a trem down the line, really wish they did the snow white on this variant, but otherwise I do like the Ash a lot. Incredibly verastile!
Another thought on sustain - when the pickups are in hotrod mod do you think it perhaps has an effect on sustain? I'm thinking the higher output will give a compression like effect.
Thanks
Dave
@@3rdtonefromthesun yeah definitely - the modern humbucker mode is almost like having an inbuilt boost pedal, especially when switching from single coil! Just been recording a tune using the bridge humbucker to play the melody all on one string with slides and no picking - I’ll upload on Wednesday, see what you think about the sustain/feedback 😎🎸👍
@@AndyWattGuitar That's brilliant mate thank you!
Where u been? I just subscribed
Cheers my friend! 😎 🎸
How do you like the reverse headset? Better with the longer e string length/. Does that feel better?
Can't say I've noticed any difference! Very minimal change in feel if at all.
'nut sauce' *cheeky smile*
Anyone using this with a wireless system? I am curious to see if it works ok with this style of output jack
How would this compare to a Jackson Dinky 2? More versatile but able to do the metal tricks? Cheers.
Yeah I think the main selling point of the Charvel is the versatility. Never tried it side by side with a Jackson so can't say for sure whether they would be equally good for metal - could be an interesting comparison! 🤘
@@AndyWattGuitar Jackson for sale. Charvel So Cal 2 on order...waiting for stock 😔