Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Charvel Pro Mod San Dimas worth it?
- Thread starter thorstiborsti
- Start date
Correct, it is thicker front to back, so yeah a bridge shim would work but at least on the Fender high mass bridge, the saddles have enough screw length to get high enough to compensate.
I have considered sanding down the heel thickness (if and only if, I decided to ditch the san dimas body) but it would be getting awful close to the truss rod wheel (not the rod itself I assume). There is a 2mm difference in thickness of the neck wood, plus the charvel neck plate is also thicker. I'll post all my measurements and weights later if they are of any use.
I have considered sanding down the heel thickness (if and only if, I decided to ditch the san dimas body) but it would be getting awful close to the truss rod wheel (not the rod itself I assume). There is a 2mm difference in thickness of the neck wood, plus the charvel neck plate is also thicker. I'll post all my measurements and weights later if they are of any use.
- Oct 3, 2004
- 536
- 616
- Disclosures
- Jackie endorses Sire guitars,EBS amps and pedals,Dunlop Strings,Evidence Audio cables,and iGiG cases
They look awfully similar, but I don't think the Charvel and MonoNeon Signature have the same neck specs...the MonoNeon neck has the same specs as the Lakland 55 series necks, along with the thinner frets like the Lakland basses. 10" to 14" compound radius. Charvel is 12" to 16"
He had Fender use those specs because of the Lakland I bought for him as a kid.
The Mono bass is also a roasted maple neck.
Last edited:
Uh… hang on, what now?
Love it, but don’t just drop stuff like that dude, let’s hear the story!!!
Edit: hey, is this you??
Jackie Clark
Edit 2: and maybe you don’t wanna brag, that’s cool, but MonoNeon is a huge talent, as you well know. Pretty cool that you know him personally and gave him that bass. I wish I had a hundredth - a thousandth - of his talent. “Invisible” straight up could have been a Stevie Wonder tune. Must have been cool knowing him.
Last edited:
Just for some more info for anyone looking at getting one of these.
I bought a really nice, lightweight fender player - also mim - p bass. It weighs less than the charvel - both body and neck, but that’s the only pro.
everything else on the charvel is so much better - the neck, obviously but even the body contours feel better. The hardware (not so much the tuners) but the strap buttons, screws and bridge screws are all better quality and bigger gauges, same for the neck screws and plate. I have two sets of the dimarzio model PJs and the ones on the charvel have nicer, chrome screws even.
So now I have Farvel? Chender? I put the neck, bridge and strap pins on the P body of the player, alongside the P pups from the charvel and new hipshot tuners (there was the slightest neck dive) Man it sounds good and looks amazing to me. It is so close now to the tone of the charvel with the same old strings I had on. Having said that, I actually prefer the reverse P tone, it really does reduce the bass nicely and the highs - both of which are worse on the standard P for me. Doesn’t matter so much in the mix but it is now more boomy than before.
I bought a really nice, lightweight fender player - also mim - p bass. It weighs less than the charvel - both body and neck, but that’s the only pro.
everything else on the charvel is so much better - the neck, obviously but even the body contours feel better. The hardware (not so much the tuners) but the strap buttons, screws and bridge screws are all better quality and bigger gauges, same for the neck screws and plate. I have two sets of the dimarzio model PJs and the ones on the charvel have nicer, chrome screws even.
So now I have Farvel? Chender? I put the neck, bridge and strap pins on the P body of the player, alongside the P pups from the charvel and new hipshot tuners (there was the slightest neck dive) Man it sounds good and looks amazing to me. It is so close now to the tone of the charvel with the same old strings I had on. Having said that, I actually prefer the reverse P tone, it really does reduce the bass nicely and the highs - both of which are worse on the standard P for me. Doesn’t matter so much in the mix but it is now more boomy than before.
- Oct 3, 2004
- 536
- 616
- Disclosures
- Jackie endorses Sire guitars,EBS amps and pedals,Dunlop Strings,Evidence Audio cables,and iGiG cases
Hey brother, how's it going?
I was a little nervous about hitting that link, but I saw it was to the No Treble site!
Yeah, that's me on that particular link.Wasn't trying to brag brother! Haha! I was just giving the guy the back story on Dywane's signature Fender, and the origin specs of the neck.
Shortest version is I met Dywane when he was 8(he possessed the same technical facilities even back then!)
His mom and I exchanged numbers, and we stayed in touch so I could check on him from time to time.
When he was 14, I was an artist with Lakland, and I knew he wanted a better 5 string bass, so I contacted Dan Lakin, founder of Lakland, and told him Dywane was gonna come by the Lakland factory, but I wanted to purchase a bass for him without him knowing.
Dan picked out a cherry 55-01 for him because I had a 55-94 the same color. I had Dan flip the straploks so Dywane could play it upside down. He sold it to me for only $250!
I told Dywane to stop by the shop and play for Dan, and Dan would give him a bass if he heard him play.
I didn't tell Dywane I bought that bass until about 3 years ago(when he turned 30!) I didn't tell him earlier because I didn't want him thinking he owed me anything.
That Lakland was the one he started putting the "MonoNeon" stickers on, and the rest is history!
When Fender approached Dywane, he asked them to measure the neck of the Lakland because he loved the feel of that bass...that's where the neck specs come from.
Here are a couple of pics of 14 yr old Dywane with the bass I got for him, a pic of us at his high school graduation, and from the day he gave me a prototype of his signature Fender July 2022!
I love that kid like a son!
Attachments
Last edited:
That’s cool as hell man, really awesome story!! The dude is so incredibly talented, what a pleasure it must be to have known him that way for so long, and to have also had the kind of impact on his life. I didn’t think you were bragging! It’s just very cool!Hey brother, how's it going?
I was a little nervous about hitting that link, but I saw it was to the No Treble site!
Wasn't trying to brag brother! Haha! I was just giving the guy the back story on Dywane's signature Fender, and the origin specs of the neck.
Shortest version is I met Dywane when he was 8(he possessed the same technical facilities even back then!)
His mom and I exchanged numbers, and we stayed in touch so I could check on him from time to time.
When he was 14, I was an artist with Lakland, and I knew he wanted a better 5 string bass, so I contacted Dan Lakin, founder of Lakland, and told him Dywane was gonna come by the Lakland factory, but I wanted to purchase a bass for him without him knowing.
Dan picked out a cherry 55-01 for him because I had a 55-94 the same color. I had Dan flip the straploks so Dywane could play it upside down. He sold it to me for only $250!
I told Dywane to stop by the shop and play for Dan, and Dan would give him a bass if he heard him play.
I didn't tell Dywane I bought that bass until about 3 years ago(when he turned 30!) I didn't tell him earlier because I didn't want him thinking he owed me anything.
That Lakland was the one he started putting the "MonoNeon" stickers on, and the rest is history!
When Fender approached Dywane, he asked them to measure the neck of the Lakland because he loved the feel of that bass...that's where the neck specs come from.
Here are a couple of pics of 14 yr old Dywane with the bass I got for him, a pic of us at his high school graduation, and from the day he gave me a prototype of his signature Fender July 2022!
I love that kid like a son!
Interesting new finish option. Wonder if there will be a 5 string version.
That looks awesome! I’d love to see one irl. Not so sure about the gold hardware myself. It looks much better on the green and red finishes, to my eye.
I asked a dealer about a 5er in this finish they said 4 for now. I would've def been into 5er
I have an early green PJ. Preamp was useless. I swapped for Nordstrand pickups and pre. Also changed the tuners and bridge. I intended to mod this bass. And took the awful string retainer off. Bass is killer. Gig it often. Grab one and enjoy. Btw, I have a thread on mine somewhere Too lazy to find it
Nice. I’ve had some trouble with the stock string retainer. I’ll look into round ones.
I currently own all 4 colors of the p/j. The blue and green were both noisy and the wiring in the cavity was a bird nest. The preamp was extremely high gain even with it turned all the way down. I have installed Darkglass Tone Capsule in them and truly love these now. All my other basses are jealous because I haven't played any since I got the Charvels
I have the blue and green PJ IV and a red JJ V. I've just started using the fiver again as my new band's singer requires some pretty extreme key changes, and now I'm waiting for Charvel to bring out some more colourful fivers so I can get a back up.
I've shielded and replaced the pre amps in all of mine; I had to file down the fret ends on one of them too. I got all three of them at a discount and I'm prepared to spend a bit of time and money on improvements as I love their look, the necks, rolled fretboard edges, luminlay dots and the truss rod wheel.
Lime green PJ IV in action:
I've shielded and replaced the pre amps in all of mine; I had to file down the fret ends on one of them too. I got all three of them at a discount and I'm prepared to spend a bit of time and money on improvements as I love their look, the necks, rolled fretboard edges, luminlay dots and the truss rod wheel.
Lime green PJ IV in action:
Bought my PJ IV spring of 2022 preamp was useless beyond noisy not grounded, installed Audere classic pre-amp vast improvement. But the pickups are still noisy at times. MY guitar tech explained its due to how it's wound and type materials used. Considering installing Relentless or Quarter Pounders. But first I'm trying Colbalt Flats to see if helps.
I shielded the control cavity on mine today. Nice afternoon of copper tape and listening to George Benson on LP.
