GUITARGUITAR | 6 years ago

https://gtrgtr.uk/Charvel-ProMod-So-Ca

What we say:

Beginning in the 70s in the Sunshine state of California, Wayne Charvel began what became known as the Original Custom Shop. Starting out in his San Dimas workshop, he repaired guitars and sold high quality replacement parts. As his reputation grew this developed into full instruments beloved of high octane players, most famously a young Eddie Van Halen.

These days, Charvel’s home is with Fender and their speciality is still hot rodded, locking whammied Strats and Teles that harken back to the halcyon days of hair metal whilst keeping both feet firmly on the here and now.

The Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 1, made in Mexico, has a Stratocaster body shape and headstock but is completely revised for acrobatic playing styles. It features a bolt-on hard rock maple neck with a speed-freak friendly 12”-16” compound radius fretboard (it’s pretty flat to begin with and gets even flatter as it goes up to encourage ultra-fast playing) and jumbo frets.

The body has some shred-friendly scoops in the back of the lower bout and heel to facilitate easy access to the upper frets. Even the input jack has been thought about and improved: it now faces up the way and is found on a bevel on the back: out of the way and the perfect angle to accept your jack cable after it’s slung behind your strap.

The hardware are here is first class: a proper Floyd Rose locking tremolo, which is essential for pyrotechnic playing, and high output Duncan Distortion humbucking pickups (mounted directly into the body) with a push/pull coil tap to ease out some slinkier tones amid the brutal sonic debauchery that these Charvels so ably provide.

A Metallic Black finish provides the final part of the hard rock package: gunslingers, shred heroes and headbangers unite!

Specification

Series: Pro Mod
Body Shape: So-Cal®
Body Material: Alder
Body Finish: Gloss Polyurethane
Neck Material: 2-Piece Maple with Graphite reinforcement
Neck Shape: Speed Neck
Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8 cm)
Fingerboard Radius: 12" to 16" Compound Radius (304.8 mm to 406.4 mm)
Number of Frets: 22
Fret Size: Jumbo
String Nut: Plastic
Nut Width: 1.6875" (43 mm)
Truss Rod Nut: Heel-Mounted Spoke Wheel Adjustment
Neck Plate: Charvel® 4 bolt
Neck Finish: Hand-Rubbed Urethane
Fingerboard: Maple
Position Inlays: Black Dot
Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan® JB™ Humbucking
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan® 59™ Humbucking
Controls: Volume with push/pull coil split, Tone Control
Pickup Switching: 3-Position Blade: Position 1: Bridge Pickup, Position 2: Both inner coils, Position 3:Neck Pickup, (split engaged) Position 1: Bridge outer coil, Position 2: Both outer coils, Position 3: Neck outer coil
Pickup Configuration: HH
Bridge: Floyd Rose® FRT-O2000 Double-Locking Tremolo (Recessed)
Tuning Machines: Charvel® Branded Die-Cast
Orientation: Right-Hand
Pickguard: 1 Ply
Control Knobs: Knurled Flat-Top
Strings: NPS, .009-.042 Gauges