Charvel Surfcaster review

[flatfiver]

Hey guys - I know that these pop up in conversation now and again, and I had a chance to play my buddy's original Surfcaster yesterday, so...

Very nicely made, I don't know if they were making these in the US or in Japan, but the build quality was definitely up there.  The trem is basically a Strat-styled 2-point unit but the saddles look like they came from a miniature Mustang.  Kind of cool.  The nut is a gigantic roller bar thing.  I didn't get a chance to give the trem a workout because it needs a really small drop-in bar which my pal doesn't have.  Bummer, but on to the rest...

The 3 original lipsticks were replaced with DiMarzio SC-size rail humbuckers.  They sounded okay, but weren't very tight on the low end.  Could have had something to do with the very old strings on it, but I'm not sure.  The tone overall was pretty cool, reminiscent of my Jazzmaster, but definitely unique.  I liked the middle pickup A LOT and the 2nd and 4th in-between positions on the selector were nice as well.  The 'buckers still quacked a bit, but it was a little tamed down from your typical Strat quack, which I liked.  There wasn't a whole lot of sustain available (again - old strings?) but notes had a good, solid quality to them, with a nice percussive attack on the front end - similar to a JM or Jag, but with a little less snap to it.

The neck: Wide.  Flat.  Thin.  And yet, I didn't mind.  It seemed to have a typical shredder profile, but a little enlarged and rounded off a bit on the edges.  It took a little getting used to, but it was comfortable if you didn't try to wrap your thumb all the way around it.  The frets were definitely jumbo something.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised.  I would have liked to try the trem out, and hear it with the lipsticks, but that's the way my friend got it.  I was real worried about the neck, seeing that these are the product of a shred guitar company, but it was comfy with a little adjustment to my hand position.  I'll be keeping a lookout for one of these in the future.

[burker]

yessss....
These guitars are so nice, sort of a dano meets ric meets mosrite vibe.. My uncle owns one, with the original pickups, which I must say sound quite good. The one you played had 3 pickups? thats cool, his only has 2. But I have to agree on your whole review  (except the sound,  as 3 rail pickups, and 2 lipsticks are gonna sound pretty different), excellent instruments.

anyone know what they seem to go for these days?

[Tweez]

Bilinda Butcher played one - that's good enough for me

[tremolite]

I love the original Surfcasters. The 12 string version is really cool too. I really wish I would have picked one up back in the day.

[daydreamdelay]

being a huge Jazzmaster and Rickenbacker fan I've always been quite curious about these guitars.. there's a shop an hour away that has them so I really need to get down there

I love them in black 

[flatfiver]

anyone know what they seem to go for these days?

My friend paid $350 for his from a private party - a steal if you ask me.  I think they normally go for about twice that, give or take a couple bucks either way.

[JazzBlaster]

there was a beautiful one on ebay awhile back for $350 buy it now, unfortunatly I just bought an amp 

[quonset]

I love them in black

Hm...isn't that Andrew Prinz from Mahogany?  I guess I'll be able to get a closer look at it in NYC this weekend. 

[manwith2brains25]

http://cgi.ebay.com/GRB-Kokocaster-with ... wItem  heres one with a humbucker in the bridge it looks alright

[manwith2brains25]

o wait its a copy ha sorry i dident see that at first