I brought this home on Friday. I would've posted sooner, but was really busy all weekend until now, now that I'm back in the truck.

So anyway, it's a really good used Charvel Wildcard #6 Dreamsicle....it even still has the case candy . One of the shops I go to had it for awhile, and everytime I've been in there it has caught my eye. So, finally, last month I said screw it and put it on layaway. They had it about $100 cheaper than I could find them online for, so the price was right as well.

This thing is as good, if not better than my USA made Jacksons. Great neck, and it plays really smooth. This is also the first guitar that I've had without a tone control, so I've been getting to hear another side of the JB and STK-1 pickups that I hadn't heard before. I may end up bypassing the tone controls on all of my guitars, if I still like this after the honeymoon wears off.

The only thing I don't like is the drastic volume drop between the bridge and neck, which is something I've noticed on my Jacksons with the same pickups. But since it's an example of a very limited run, I may just leave it, and it could come in handy when using the volume knob to clean up an amp.

And it's great to have a Charvel again. my first electric was a Charvel Dinky (not sure of the exact model), so this is kinda like welcoming an old friend back home.

Interesting color. I bet it looks even better in the sunlight.

Thanks!

It does, but the didn't think to take pics. The metal flake is fine and it looks like there's a little bit of pearl to it. Whoever came up with the paint recepie knew what they were doing.

Can you can balance out the pickup volume by adjusting the PU heights?

Love the color.  I want to lick it.

Thanks! That paint is one of the main reasons I bought it, behind that sweet, sweet neck.

I probably could adjust the pickup heights, but without a tone control, that JB is plenty bright as it is, and it's in the sweet spot. Actually, they're both in the sweet spot. But like I said, it would be handy for cleaning up an amp with volume, and I could employ one of my overdrives for the neck as well.

And this problem is nothing new for me, I have a couple HSS Dinkys with the same pickups, and the same problem. Oh well.....

Nice!

Looks great!
Man I hear you there, I am already thinking of figuring out something to tame the JB on my new Charvel.  It fucking rips on my 6505.  Either EQ pedal, or perhaps a volume pot/switch with a fixed tone circuit?

A shunt resistor is all you need, and it would be the easiest way to go about shaving off some highs.
http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/24053-mod-garage-taming-highs-with-virtual-tone-controls

But you could also try a magnet swap. To shave off top end, try either an Alnico 2 or Alnico 8 magnet in it. Stock, the JB comes with an Alnico 5, which has sharper highs, and isn't as strong in the mids.
http://www.addiction-fx.com sells them cheap. Both A2 and A8 magnets yield a rolled off top end, and both are stronger in the mids. The difference between the two is that the A8 is tighter and the A2 is more loose, more vintagey sounding.

And thanks, everybody!

My Charvel is a 90's MIJ toothpaste logo 275 dinky I think
looks like this, bought new on 48th St.

Haven't played it in years

as I understand it the "Chainsaw" Case is worth a few bucks

Nice! My first electric was a guitar shaped logo Charvel Dinky of some sort. I don't know the exact model. It had a regular humbucker and a slanted single in the neck with a Floyd and had the Rainbow Desert Crackle finish. So I like seeing old Charvels like yours, thanks for posting it!

Hmm I'd like it to be fixed like that, just switchable on and off.  Will have to study some diagrams for it to make sense to me.

Not really sure about swapping magnets on the pickups, how reversible or potentially destructive is that?

All you would have to do is put the switch between one of the resistor legs and the wire you want to solder it to.

And magnet swaps are completely reversible. All you do is carefully peel the covering tape off of the bobbins, and carefully slide the magnet out the opposite side from the bobbin wires (you don't want to break them) by using a small non metallic utensil to push from the side with the wires. Then simply slide the new magnet in place and put the bobbin tape back on. Also, some have been able to do this by simply pushing the bobbin tape up on the bottom just enough to get the magnets in and out.

Another method is to remove the baseplate, as detailed in this blog post.
http://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/the-tone-garage/tinkering-with-pickups-102-the-humbucker-magnet-swap

Hmm, the magnet swap doesn't sound too complicated, but still a little bit of risk if you are a complete mongo.

A semi-local guitar shop sends out a weekly email with one of their fancy guitars,  thought you might like this week's:
https://www.riffcityguitaroutlet.com/products/jackson-sl2h-jcs-sl-floyd-rose-electric-guitar-black-green-crackle

Yeah, magnet swaps aren't too hard, the main thing is being careful with those tiny little wires coming off of the bobbins.

And yeah, that's a cool guitar. A little out of my price range, though.



On another note, I finally got around to playing the Dreamsicle through my Marshall JVM and Splawn Pro Mod. It sounded great. I A/B'd it against my DK2M that has a JB & Jazz in it, and wow is there a difference between having a tone circuit and not having one. This is the first time I've really had a chance to compare the two, and like I said earlier, I may still yet start modding my other guitars to go without a tone circuit. This is also the first time I've been able to describe a JB as being articulate. Although, it still doesn't have the balls that the Custom has in my Les Paul, but that's a different animal.

Mmmmm.... looks yummay G_S. Those Charvels are pretty much the only non-Anderson guitars that I ever look at anymore. I will get one eventually, and I like the hardtail bridge (no Floyds for me!).

Thanks! The neck on that thing has really spoiled me. I've been taking it in the truck with me, so it's the guitar I play the most. When I get home the necks on my Jacksons feel weird, and last time I tried to play my Les Paul my left hand was completely uncoordinated, which was strange because I play that thing everytime I plug in at home (a Duncan Custom in a Les Paul has a really ballsy tone).