Damn, are Surfcasters...

[JSett]

...really this much now?!?

I should have snapped one up a decade ago.

[SignoftheDragon]

Finally getting the attention they deserve... now that I'm down to only 2.

I have a bucket-list goal to own a surf12 in all 6 original colors. I've owned all the colors, just not at the same time. Almost had it once, but times & economies have risen and fallen since then. If you search on here for "surfcaster" and go back far enough you'll find the whole sad story.

My 2 current ones are hanging out in the basement in the harem of XII:

[Veitchy]

Gear is certainly more expensive than it's ever been, but that feels optimistic to me.

Edit: I just realised that's in Pounds. I feel like that's got to be taking the piss a bit.

[Larry Mal]

It's like everyone decided that guitars cost a thousand more of whatever currency than they did before Covid.

[Fiddy]

Maybe, not a $1000, but worse.. Either double or triple...

There's a Squier Affinity listed locally for $280, those have always been around $100-$120, or even less in the used market.

[iainmayfield]

hmmm.... I have one of these and a xii in sea foam - thought i'd get a matching pair at the time.... nice to see they have maintained their value!

[UlricvonCatalyst]

I always say the asking price is one thing but it's only the sold price that actually means anything.

I'd reckon on them being in the same ballpark as CIJ Jazzmasters, personally, with maybe a 10-20% bump for comparative rarity value. Pity whoever owns the Charvel name nowadays didn't reissue them rather than letting Eastwood get their mitts on them.

[SignoftheDragon]

hmmm.... I have one of these and a xii in sea foam - thought i'd get a matching pair at the time.... nice to see they have maintained their value!

SUPERJELLY!

Of all the Surfcasters I've been forced to sell, my surf green 12 still hurts the most.

Followed by the orange one.

And the burst one.

[Fiddy]

I always say the asking price is one thing but it's only the sold price that actually means anything.

I'd reckon on them being in the same ballpark as CIJ Jazzmasters, personally, with maybe a 10-20% bump for comparative rarity value. Pity whoever owns the Charvel name nowadays didn't reissue them rather than letting Eastwood get their mitts on them.

Nah, the market is saturated with cij/mij jazzmasters. Surfcasters are rare. CIJ/MIJ jazzmasters aren't.

[CivoLee]

I always say the asking price is one thing but it's only the sold price that actually means anything.

I'd reckon on them being in the same ballpark as CIJ Jazzmasters, personally, with maybe a 10-20% bump for comparative rarity value. Pity whoever owns the Charvel name nowadays didn't reissue them rather than letting Eastwood get their mitts on them.

Charvel did do a reissue of sorts as the "Skatecaster", part of the "Desolation Series" in the mid '10s, but like everything they have done since their mid-2000s revival they were very hard rock/metal-focused; solidbody/HH/EMGs/Floyd Rose/tunamatic bridges. And now Jackson has the "Shadowcaster" signature model for one of the guitarists in Volbeat. I honestly can't tell which one of them owns the design now, because neither Charvel nor Jackson have it listed as a body option on their Custom Select order forms...

When Eastwood released their reissue, I emailed them to ask if an HT (the one like Scott Ian from Anthrax played) reissue would be available but didn't get a reply. When I first started playing, the Surfcaster HT (or even the Jackson SC-1) was my dream guitar.

[SignoftheDragon]

I always say the asking price is one thing but it's only the sold price that actually means anything.

I'd reckon on them being in the same ballpark as CIJ Jazzmasters, personally, with maybe a 10-20% bump for comparative rarity value. Pity whoever owns the Charvel name nowadays didn't reissue them rather than letting Eastwood get their mitts on them.

Charvel did do a reissue of sorts as the "Skatecaster", part of the "Desolation Series" in the mid '10s, but like everything they have done since their mid-2000s revival they were very hard rock/metal-focused; solidbody/HH/EMGs/Floyd Rose/tunamatic bridges. And now Jackson has the "Shadowcaster" signature model for one of the guitarists in Volbeat. I honestly can't tell which one of them owns the design now, because neither Charvel nor Jackson have it listed as a body option on their Custom Select order forms...

When Eastwood released their reissue, I emailed them to ask if an HT (the one like Scott Ian from Anthrax played) reissue would be available but didn't get a reply. When I first started playing, the Surfcaster HT (or even the Jackson SC-1) was my dream guitar.

Yeah, the Skatecaster did absolutely nothing for fans of the originals- just sort of a nod in the general direction with the body shape. I've picked up 2 of them- a SC-1(Neck-thru) and an SC-3 (bolt-on) at bargain prices and they are actually terrific guitars if you're looking for a basic HH shredder or punk-rock machine.

Jackson's custom shop also put out several one-off Surfcasters, but missed the mark just as badly- Just hot-rodded HH superstrats that happened to have offset-shaped bodies.

The Eastwood re-issue is a passable guitar, actually a pretty great guitar- (I've had 3 of the 12-strings now) but it definitely could never be mistaken for an original. SOO many major differences that a 'tribute' is only marginally applicable.

[vistavision]

Pity whoever owns the Charvel name nowadays didn't reissue them rather than letting Eastwood get their mitts on them.

Fender owns Jackson/Charvel. The king of reissuing stuff. Go figure. But the Surfcaster was always so outside of Charvel's wheelhouse that a modern reissue would never have made sense with the size runs FMIC would need to do. Even Eastwood did it as part of their crowdfunded reissue program. (And then they put a 6 screw Strat trem on it. )

[UlricvonCatalyst]

Having completely missed the Skatecasters I just did an image search and it really drives home how right Charvel got the aesthetcs with the Surfcasters (if you skip past the pointy headstock ones); largely tasteful solid finishes with only the sunburst variant falling down the tiger-stripe/flame rabbit-hole.

I guess if Rickenbacker introduced a semi-hollow offset body shape - right after Nelson gets his eye back courtesy of a flying pig - it'd be the go-to placeholder for those who long for a proper Surfcaster.

[JSett]

In case anyone hadn't noticed, this has been gradually chipped down from the initial £2500 to now just £1300

I'd buy it but I KNOW the neck is gonna be too thin for my taste. Might be a good deal for someone here

[UlricvonCatalyst]

down from the initial £2500 to now just £1300.... Might be a good deal for someone here

TELL HIM HE'S DREAMIN'!!!