Fender Produces a Better Tele - the Charvel

[bluescube]

Feels about like the Classic Vibe thickness with the 12-16 compound radius

 

[jageya]

I know, the title is edgy, controversial, and click bait. But seriously, check out this Charvel.

This is a very versatile guitar in quasi-Tele format. And it still does Tele.

1000.00 is alot man....

 

[Telenator]

Warming up for Pat Travers circa 1986 with my Charvel Model 4.

 

[Telenator]

Here's another tune using my Model 4. I played the guitar solo using this guitar too. (3:00 mark) Played it through a Marshall MKII 50 watt Master Lead Series amp. 4 x 12 cabinet.

https://youtu.be/ecWY7dsh8lE

 

[Chicago Matt]

I don't need another guitar, I don't need another guitar!
I really didn't want to like it but went ahead and watched the video anyway.

 

[bluescube]

I know the traditional butterscotch crowd doesn't like a modern interpretation of the classic, but there's enough room in the "T" style crowd for a Super Tele (like a Super Strat) with modern features and pizzaz

 

[Wetwired]

I've had one for about six months. It's a really well built versatile instrument.
Is it a Telecaster? No, but it's a great general purpose do just-about-everything guitar.
Mostly, I got it for the pickups. It can handle humbucker and single coil sounds while remaining hum-free. IMO, it's a great utility instrument. It might not be a master of any one thing, but at my age, carrying one guitar to a jam session or gig to handle a bunch of different styles of music is a huge plus.

 

[NoTeleBob]

1000.00 is alot man....

Agreed. Especially in the Tele type market. These days I shoot for $125 guitars that need work.

 

[brashboy]

That's an ugly guitar.

I like it, looks like a big ice cream bar.

 

[chris m.]

I totally dig it. I had a Charvel Tele style HH that had a Floyd, but I don't really like Floyds anymore.
A regular vintage tremolo works fine for me and has good tuning stability once a few tricks are applied...
(see Tuning the Frudua Way on YouTube).

I was looking at the DK24 Strat style Charvels, but the active Fluence pickups take this one to the front of the line
for me. I never used to like active pickups, but since installing the EMG David Gilmour Strat loaded pickguard into my
Strat I've been converted. I just wish it had stainless steel frets, and I would prefer the tuners on top.

I could see going for the version that has a Gotoh 510 tremolo bridge, probably in black. Posting the ash version since
the black doesn't show up well in the photo--

 

[Redspruce]

I like the deep cutaway, the florescent side markers, and the range of tones.

 

[Maguchi]

There’s really no comparison. I can’t believe they’re made in the same factory. The quality on the Charvel stuff is so much higher than the MIM “Fender” branded stuff it’s like they came from different planets. Makes no sense at all. But it’s true.

It's twue, it's twue!

 

[jthore]

If only it didn't have that stupid reverse peghead. I would be a buyer.

As one who owns this guitar, I must say the peghead does suck. It is uncomfortable and the individual tuners are way too closely spaced.

 

[jageya]

As one who owns this guitar, I must say the peghead does suck. It is uncomfortable and the individual tuners are way too closely spaced.

the reverse tuners are lame

 

[Reedo]

Does absolutely nothing for me, to each their own.

 

[barnbustud]

i tried my first charvy yesterday, loved the neck!

 

[old wrench]

Nothing wrong with that guitar at all

Just looks like a high-performance Tele to me.



Lot's of features that make sense to me from a performance view point -

Balanced out break angle behind the nut

Spoke wheel truss rod adjuster at the heel

Nice contour at the neck and body joint

Improved access to the higher frets



Some of the same features I incorporate into my builds


.

 

[jthore]

I have a Charvel/Jackson from 1990. I love that thing. I have 2 teles that are lifers. I don't like mixing food groups- this does not interest me at all. Kotzen shreds just fine on a normal tele (albeit one with a humbucker in the bridge).

Humbucker in the bridge is not a normal tele. (What was that about mixing food groups?...

 

[chris m.]

Over time I've shifted my GAS to the DK24s, but haven't pulled the trigger. Must control GAS!

 

[jthore]

Yeah, I'm not much for active either. But there are some nice sounds in this one and they aren't really metal IMHO. Still, you could swap those out and go more conventional.



FWIW, I don't even like tuning on my 3x3 headstock's bottom side. But you get used to it. Takes a couple minutes for muscle memory to re-orient.

I resisted active pups for a long time myself - but after 10 minutes of playing the
Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 2 24 HH HT CM, I was completely sold. (Now if they could just do something about the interminable model name...