Jimmytwotimes
Experienced
I'll start by saying that this guitar wasn't even on my radar. What was originally my plan was to buy a Suhr Any Wood model - I liked the tele body shape, roasted maple neck, humbuckers ( I believe it comes with Thornbuckers). I had played one and really liked it. However, I just couldn't bring myself to pay $3700 for a black guitar. At that price, we're almost in the range of a PRS 10 top. I kept looking around and I have heard and read so many good things about Charvel MIM guitars and to my surprise they had come out with the So Cal Style 2. Tele body style, reverse tele head stalk, roasted maple neck, 24 frets, locking tuners, Fishman Fluence pickups, Gotoh 510 bridge. Called my Sweetwater guy - he said " I can do $850 on it" - Sold.....
Heres my experience in the past week with a guitar I had never played before and knew little about - (which is WAY outside my wheelhouse).
Set up out of the box - I have to say it was very good - action was a little higher than I like, but still very playable
Fretwork - I have been looking for some kind of blemish, sharp edge, glue - something. I can't find anything wrong with the fret work - its actually amazing. At this price - its REALLY amazing. The frets are all highly polished and smooth as stainless steel - zero complaints here
Bridge - it comes with the Gotoh 510, which is the same bridge on the Suhr. It came a little too loosey goosey for me - and was about an eighth to quarter inch above the body - I noticed fairly significant movement during bends and the tuning stability was not stellar - again, this is out of the box. The bridge came with 3 springs - when I did my setup, I added a spring, tightened it up, and lowered the bridge so its flush with the body ( there are pics below of this) - I have zero problems with tuning stability now and the trem works great.
Neck - This has a 12-16" compound radius neck - I have never had a compound radius neck, nor do I think I have ever played one - and now sorry I haven't, because it is awesome. It plays and feels great. I love the look of the roasted maple and the feel of the natural wood. Jumbo frets also feel great. Also the neck came almost perfectly straight out of the box. I had to do very little truss rod adjusting .
Does anyone know what the string radius should be on a compound radius guitar?? I could not find anything about it. I split the difference and going with 14 - seems to play great at all frets using 14 - but curious if anyone knows any different.
Body - Body is typical tele shape, but is ergonomic in all the right places - theres a very nice carve that allows for easy access to the higher frets. Very comfortable body.
Pickups - I have never been an active pickup guy and always associated them with very high gain - which why I was a little scared about these. I have read good things about the Fishman Fluences though - I have to say - these pickups are really really good - also considering they are about a third of the total price of this guitar.
They can pretty much do anything or any style of music. They are very clean, clear and a little bright. I found myself turning the treble down on a few of my patches on the axe fx. Not a bad thing at all. I do find that the have more clarity than pretty much any pick up I've had - all strings can be heard clearly when chords are played. I'm very impressed with these.
Overall - I really can't say enough about the quality of this thing for $850. Very impressed with Charvel and the Made in Mexico
Heres my experience in the past week with a guitar I had never played before and knew little about - (which is WAY outside my wheelhouse).
Set up out of the box - I have to say it was very good - action was a little higher than I like, but still very playable
Fretwork - I have been looking for some kind of blemish, sharp edge, glue - something. I can't find anything wrong with the fret work - its actually amazing. At this price - its REALLY amazing. The frets are all highly polished and smooth as stainless steel - zero complaints here
Bridge - it comes with the Gotoh 510, which is the same bridge on the Suhr. It came a little too loosey goosey for me - and was about an eighth to quarter inch above the body - I noticed fairly significant movement during bends and the tuning stability was not stellar - again, this is out of the box. The bridge came with 3 springs - when I did my setup, I added a spring, tightened it up, and lowered the bridge so its flush with the body ( there are pics below of this) - I have zero problems with tuning stability now and the trem works great.
Neck - This has a 12-16" compound radius neck - I have never had a compound radius neck, nor do I think I have ever played one - and now sorry I haven't, because it is awesome. It plays and feels great. I love the look of the roasted maple and the feel of the natural wood. Jumbo frets also feel great. Also the neck came almost perfectly straight out of the box. I had to do very little truss rod adjusting .
Does anyone know what the string radius should be on a compound radius guitar?? I could not find anything about it. I split the difference and going with 14 - seems to play great at all frets using 14 - but curious if anyone knows any different.
Body - Body is typical tele shape, but is ergonomic in all the right places - theres a very nice carve that allows for easy access to the higher frets. Very comfortable body.
Pickups - I have never been an active pickup guy and always associated them with very high gain - which why I was a little scared about these. I have read good things about the Fishman Fluences though - I have to say - these pickups are really really good - also considering they are about a third of the total price of this guitar.
They can pretty much do anything or any style of music. They are very clean, clear and a little bright. I found myself turning the treble down on a few of my patches on the axe fx. Not a bad thing at all. I do find that the have more clarity than pretty much any pick up I've had - all strings can be heard clearly when chords are played. I'm very impressed with these.
Overall - I really can't say enough about the quality of this thing for $850. Very impressed with Charvel and the Made in Mexico