Calling Charvel Experts. Japanese Charvel So Cal pro mod Neck finish. Happy Ending..

kipple

I bought a Japanese Made Charvel So Cal Pro Mod from Ebay and when It turned up yesterday I Found the Neck was finished with a High gloss Varnish. Proper High Gloss Mirror finish Poly type varnish ?

I have owned maybe a Dozen or More of the Japanese made Charvel So Cal and San Dimas Pro Mod guitars and every single one of them without Exception had Unfinished Necks 
I still own a Japanese Charvel So Cal Pro Mod and that also has an unfinished Neck.
Has Anyone EVER seen a Japanese Charvel So Cal Pro Mod with a Neck that has a High gloss varnished Neck ??

The seller is adamant it has not been refinished and is telling me I know Jack shit about Japanese charvels blah blah whatever.. But I have not EVER seen this before on a Japanese Pro Mod..

All of Charvels Own website Specification info on the Pro Mods State the necks are unfinished and I could not find any reference anywhere to a Varnished Neck. 

Call me picky but I do not like it and it is not what I want or expect from a charvel pro Mod I actually want the unfinished feel....

To make things worse in places the Varnish finish on the neck is rubbish it is freckled like orange peel in places and the wood is also roughly finished in places under the varnish. Plus the Edge of the fretboard is not rolled as It has been on Every other Japanese pro mod I have owned..
Also the Fretwork is very poorly done compared to the So Cal I currently own especially on the fret ends... 
I suspect the guitar is either a Ringer or has a Replacement neck or has been very badly refinished.

I even asked the seller before buying if the neck had been refinished And I told him I thought I could see Reflections on the headstock in the listing pics and he told me it was a satin Finish same as all other charvels but... It is a mirror finish high Gloss varnish .
I feel like I've had my pants pulled down a bit on this one.  

So... Has ANYONE ever seen a Japanese Charvel So Cal Pro Mod with a High Gloss finish Varnished neck ?? Is it just me ? 

Bidley

Raise a claim, get it returned for a full refund. The Pro Mods are specifically known for their 'unfinished' necks.

It's a shame because proper Pro Mods are amazing guitars (I love my So Cal).

kipple

Bidley said:

Raise a claim, get it returned for a full refund. The Pro Mods are specifically known for their 'unfinished' necks.

It's a shame because proper Pro Mods are amazing guitars (I love my So Cal).

The Claim bit is Already under way .
This post is more of check my Sanity Type thing as The Seller is SO Insistent That these guitars Came with A varnished Poly type finish  

Bidley

kipple said:

Bidley said:

Raise a claim, get it returned for a full refund. The Pro Mods are specifically known for their 'unfinished' necks.

It's a shame because proper Pro Mods are amazing guitars (I love my So Cal).

The Claim bit is Already under way .
This post is more of check my Sanity Type thing as The Seller is SO Insistent That these guitars Came with A varnished Poly type finish  

Seller is a joker. It's like insisting that all teles came with a floyd rose.

Your sanity is intact

guitars4you

I can't say I've seen every single model etc etc but in my experience the unfinished vibe on the neck is part 'n' parcel of the Charvel experience for that played in vibe - To be fair to him, he might have purchased it like that (used) and the previous owner, or somewhere down the line had it finished, so his ignorance is more at fault - But either way it is not what you expected

StormshadowGuitars

I've taken about 7 or 8 Jap ones in p/x and the odd first run USA one, all were unfinished.

breakstuff

All the Japanese Pro Mods I've seen have also got a yellowish tint to the necks too.

Sounds like he's sold you a partscaster which he's trying to pass on as the real deal.The Pro Mod necks are sublime and the one on mine is absolutely flawless which yours obviously isn't.

Funkfingers

kipple said:

Found the Neck was finished with a High gloss Varnish. Proper High Gloss Mirror finish Poly type varnish

High gloss poly is what I associate with the Eighties MIJ "Model" series and the Nineties CX series. 

Gizmo

Sounds like a cut and shunt,Does it have a real compound radius fretboard ? There are a lot of Chinese fake charvel/ so cal's kicking about and one thing they never get right its the mixed radius and they always have a thick/crappy poly finish, got any pics?

kipple

Gizmo said:

Sounds like a cut and shunt,Does it have a real compound radius fretboard ? There are a lot of Chinese fake charvel/ so cal's kicking about and one thing they never get right its the mixed radius and they always have a thick/crappy poly finish, got any pics?

I Will put some pics up Tommorow. 
I'm Pretty sure The Charvel Decal On the Headstock Is Fake.
I never realised There were Fakes out there... I can't Believe I fell for it...
  

professorben

Do tell Us, What the End ReSult is, As wE don't WAnt you to BE Out of pOCket. 

breakstuff

/\ wiS'D.

kipple

professorben said:

Do tell Us, What the End ReSult is, As wE don't WAnt you to BE Out of pOCket. 

I will keep you informed.
My Thanks to everyone for their input.

jeztone2

They were unfinished bare wood. Mine was!

Gizmo

Look forward to pics/update,One other thing if it is a fake ebay/paypal may just refund you and tell you to destroy it!

kipple

SHIT...
Checked the fretboard Radius And.. It is not a compound radius 12" - 16" 
It is a 12" radius the whole length of the fretboard

Here are some pics one is showing the High Gloss finish.
I took a pic of Headstock to demonstrate this as it was easiest to show the golss reflections.It shows the gloss reflection just behind the nut on the headstock

I have also done a pic to show the shitty charvel Decal.
The Decal is missing the bottom parts of the letters
I also did one pic to show how uneven the plinth/nut shelf is for the locking nut.

https://i.imgur.com/Dng3g6w.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/cRMncqg.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/auLNBn8.jpg



 

Elwood

How is the case progressing? The seller dragging their feet?

underdog

I'd inform PayPal/eBay that you now have strong reasons to believe that it's a fake, not just not as described

professorben

 I've not a huge experience with these guitars, but guys like @guitars4you know their onions, as you seem to, raise a case as a fake and see what they do. 

clarkefan

Personally I wouldn't be too quick to claim fake, the guy might not know and could end up out a guitar and getting banned. I'd need to be very sure someone is trying to rip me off before dropping that on him.

kipple

clarkefan said:

Personally I wouldn't be too quick to claim fake, the guy might not know and could end up out a guitar and getting banned. I'd need to be very sure someone is trying to rip me off before dropping that on him.

I am convinced the Neck is fake ...No compound radius Dodgy decal . High Gloss thick poly finish..It's fake 

But... I don't think He scammed me
I believe it is more likely he was scammed himself as he has now told me he bought it used.
So I think it is more likely he inadvertantly passed it onto me.

He has granted a return and Ebay are paying for the shipping so I am not going to lose money it's now just a hassle and a disappointment really. plus I feel like a bit of a mug for not noticing the headstock in the listing pics.. 

Now I just have to be more careful and find a real one...