Tag Archives: Charvel

When players demand the ultimate in shred-ready features, the Charvel line of guitars is the clear choice. Feel the difference Charvel quality makes.

1981 Charvel San Dimas “Hot Rod Flame”

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1981 Charvel San Dimas Hot Rod Flame
An original 1981 Charvel San Dimas “Hot Rod Flame”.

A remarkable early production Charvel San Dimas Guitar from the San Dimas era, featuring a breathtaking “Hot Rod Flame” finish! This 1981 Charvel San Dimas Model guitar includes two additional switches that have been disconnected, alongside a “kill switch” that remains connected to the circuit, all while being in otherwise outstanding and original condition.

Equipped with a pair of DiMarzio pickups, it produces the intense lead tones one would anticipate from a super strat of this period, and the maple neck offers comfortable, low action, ideal for rapid runs that complement this striking graphic. These guitars are becoming increasingly rare, particularly in custom finishes, making this a perfect addition to any collection.

Named after its origin in San Dimas, California, the San Dimas® Style 1 emerged from a vibrant new wave of incredibly skilled and technically proficient Southern California guitarists in the early ’80s, who were on the lookout for instruments packed with high-performance features. Even now, our Charvel San Dimas Style 1 guitars are at the forefront of modern technology and innovation, and they continue to be the preferred choice for some of the best players around the globe.

Grab attention and blow minds with this boldly awesome modern day Super Stock Charvel San Dimas Style 1 – a high-energy throwback that seems like it’s been making waves since neon was all the rage. The worn black nitrocellulose finish, decked out with a striking yellow diamond design, hints at a history of endless late-night sessions and packed club shows that never really took place (but definitely could have).

John E. Davis is a Texas Rock Guitarist offering FREE guitar lessons videos and covers guitar equipment, concert, destination and music news. Visit the website for information on Guitar Lessons, Guitar Repair and Live Music Performance videos.

Charvel Pro-Mod DK22 Guitar Neck

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Charvel Pro-Mod DK22 Guitar Neck
The Charvel Pro-Mod DK22 Guitar Neck features an innovative 12″-16″ compound radius design.

The Charvel Pro-Mod DK22 guitar neck offers high performance playing combined with standout style and full-spectrum tone. The Pro-Mod DK22 SSS 2PT CM is a sleek new instrument designed especially for a new breed of player whose musical versatility knows no boundaries.

Likewise, the Charvel innovative 12″-16″ compound radius neck has a caramelized maple fingerboard. The fretboard flattens toward the heel from its more rounded profile at the nut. This makes for comfortable and natural-feeling chording and riffing near the nut, with optimal shred articulation and bending nearer the heel.

Charvel Pro-Mod DK22 Guitar Neck

Charvel is raising the bar for modern high performance. By blending exceptional style and a full range of tones, the Pro-Mod DK22 has playability. This guitar is crafted specifically for a new generation of players whose musical creativity and adaptability know no limits.

Pro-Mod DK22 Guitar Neck shapes are designed to be slimmer and narrower than traditional guitar necks. Furthermore, featuring comfortably rolled fingerboard edges that enhance high performance. The bolt-on neck includes two graphite-reinforcement rods to prevent bending and warping due to environmental factors. A deep, scalloped lower back bout provides easy and unrestricted access to the upper frets.

The Pro-Mod DK22 Guitar tone control features a “no-load” design that functions like a standard tone control from positions one through nine, but completely bypasses the tone circuit when set to 10, delivering the brightest guitar tone possible.

Charvel Pro-Mod DK22 Guitar features a Gotoh® 510 tremolo

A Gotoh Custom 510 tremolo bridge is a premium and comfortable two-point tremolo that can flutter like a standard floating locking bridge. The body is recessed in the body, creating lower string-height action on the fingerboard for comfortable fretting.

John E. Davis is a Texas Rock Guitarist offering FREE guitar lessons videos and covers guitar equipment, concert and music news. Visit the website for information on Guitar Lessons, Guitar Repair and Live Music Performance videos.

Charvel Desolation Skatecaster SK-3 Hardtail

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Charvel DesolationSkatecaster SK3
The Charvel DesolationSkatecaster SK-3 Hardtail in champagne color.

The Charvel Desolation Skatecaster SK-3 Hardtail is an affordable, contemporary version of the 90s Charvel Surfcaster. The guitar boasts a unique offset mahogany body and a speedy, compound-radius neck. However, while it provides excellent value with high-output passive humbuckers and solid build quality, it can sometimes have a slightly dark, “woolly” tone.

Key Features & Performance

  • Body & Neck: It has a solid mahogany body (usually with a flat finish) and either a bolt-on or set-neck construction (depending on the specific SK-3 variant), along with a comfortable, fast-playing compound radius rosewood fingerboard.
  • Pickups & Electronics: The guitar is equipped with dual high-output passive Charvel humbuckers that are designed for high gain, often resulting in a “thick” or “woolly” sound instead of sharp clarity. It typically includes a single volume control and a 3-way toggle switch.
  • Hardware: It features a hardtail bridge for excellent tuning stability and sustain, often combined with locking tuners. Tone: This guitar is best for heavy rock, punk, or metal genres. The tone can be on the darker side, which might need some EQ tweaks for better clarity.
  • High Value: It delivers high-performance features (like locking tuners and 24 jumbo frets) at a beginner-friendly price.
  • Playability: The neck profile is often praised for being fast and comfortable, frequently described as “amazing” or “thin.” Aesthetics: It has a unique, modern offset design.

Charvel Desolation Skatecaster SK-3 Hardtail Review:

So this isn’t precisely a high-end Charvel; it’s a Desolation Skatecaster SK-3 that I purchased new from Musician’s Friend. I didn’t have high expectations, but I believe it’s a fantastic guitar! The neck is absolutely fantastic, and so far I like the passive pickups too. Moreover, the finish is a deeper red, although the flash made it appear brighter. It features locking tuners, and the neck is incredible. I paid $99.99! They were on sale for about an hour before they sold out. The original price was $399.99. Unbelievable.

John E. Davis is a Texas Rock Guitarist offering FREE guitar lessons videos and covers guitar equipment, concert and music news. Visit the website for information on Guitar Lessons, Guitar Repair and Live Music Performance videos.

Charvel Desolation Skatecaster SK-1

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Charvel Desolation Skatecaster
The Charvel Desolation Skatecaster plays off of the original Charvel Surfcaster legacy from the 1990s. Featuring solid Mahogany everything, neck through design.

Musicradar reviewed a Charvel Desolation Skatecaster SK-1 FR and is encouraging metal players to check one out. According to the review, the SK-1′s mahogany body mates well with its pickups, resulting in an excellent tone.

“The Skatecaster’s sheer mass of mahogany helps round off any inherent abrasion from its EMG humbuckers,” said Music Radar. “And we’d suggest it gives a great Kirk Hammett-style scorching lead tone.” The review ends by giving a little background on the model and inviting metal-heads to sample the model. The Desolation series is far removed from the hot-rodded custom S-types for which Charvel is loved historically,” concludes Music Radar. “But we concede that most metal teenagers won’t care too much about that. Try one.”

Desolation Skatecaster SK-1 Key Features and details:

  • Design & Build: The SK-1 models feature a distinct offset mahogany body with a neck-through-body design and a bound mahogany neck.
  • Electronics: Active EMG 81 (bridge) and 85 (neck) pickups are standard, providing high-output, aggressive tones.
  • Hardware: Options include a solid mahogany body and neck-through design (ST) or a Floyd Rose locking tremolo (FR).
  • Fingerboard: 24 jumbo frets on a 12″-16″ compound radius rosewood fingerboard.
  • Legacy: While the original 1990s Surfcaster was designed for surf music with lipstick pickups, the Desolation series (introduced in 2011) was aimed at modern rock/metal players.

The series was generally well-regarded for its value, with many models featuring a gloss finish and a “fast” neck profile. The Desolation Skatecaster SK-1 represents a contemporary interpretation of the iconic Charvel Surfcaster from the early 1990s, featuring a solid mahogany body and a neck-through construction.

Charvel Desolation Skatecaster Neck Comments:

The Charvel Skatecaster boasts a bound mahogany neck, a rosewood fingerboard equipped with 24 jumbo frets and abalone keystone inlays, as well as abalone binding on the body and headstock. In addition, the guitar is outfitted with EMG 85 (neck) and EMG 81 (bridge) active humbucking pickups, which are controlled via a three-way toggle switch and a single volume knob.

Additionally, the Skatecaster includes a specific Charvel bridge specifically designed for compound-radius fingerboards, black nickel hardware, three-on-a-side locking Charvel tuners, and is available in solid and trans finishes with a matching headstock.

John E. Davis is a Texas Rock Guitarist offering FREE guitar lessons videos. Visit TexasRockGuitarist.com for information on Guitar Lessons, Guitar Repair and Live Music Performance.