MIJ Charvel Guthrie Govan

[RockDebris]

Saw this one announced yesterday. I think it's great they are making an MJ version of this guitar. I'd really like it if they'd do a few more colors like the Britannica Red limited run they had put out.

The differences that I can tell besides finiah are a different combination of wood, different locking tuners, less attractive fretboard markers and it's not clear yet if the pickups and electronics are exactly the same or not. The price difference is $600 ... it's still a pretty expensive guitar. I'm not personally a big fan of the traditional burst finish on a strat, but it beats a lot of the other color choices in Charvel's lineup for my tastes. I'd still like to give it a try and compare it to my #1 (USA Guthrie Govan)

Guthrie Govan Signature MJ San Dimas® SD24 CM, Caramelized Maple Fingerboard, Three-Tone Sunburst

As a preeminent modern virtuoso, U.K. guitar master Guthrie Govan dazzles all who hear his playing and experience his artistry. Charvel® worked meticulously with Govan on the development of his signature lineup to create superior guitars in distinctive Charvel form.

www.charvel.com

 

[chrisrocksusa]

Hard pass

 

[thebeebs]

Looks sick but seems a touch over priced. I really wish they’d make a mexican version. I love my DK24, and a Mexican govan with the same pickups would be killer.

 

[mystixboi]

yeah... what's the point of that? just get a used USA at that point

 

[ATLClassicRockGuy]

Saw this one announced yesterday. I think it's great they are making an MJ version of this guitar. I'd really like it if they'd do a few more colors like the Britannica Red limited run they had put out.

The differences that I can tell besides finiah are a different combination of wood, different locking tuners, less attractive fretboard markers and it's not clear yet if the pickups and electronics are exactly the same or not. The price difference is $600 ... it's still a pretty expensive guitar. I'm not personally a big fan of the traditional burst finish on a strat, but it beats a lot of the other color choices in Charvel's lineup for my tastes. I'd still like to give it a try and compare it to my #1 (USA Guthrie Govan)

Guthrie Govan Signature MJ San Dimas® SD24 CM, Caramelized Maple Fingerboard, Three-Tone Sunburst

As a preeminent modern virtuoso, U.K. guitar master Guthrie Govan dazzles all who hear his playing and experience his artistry. Charvel® worked meticulously with Govan on the development of his signature lineup to create superior guitars in distinctive Charvel form.

www.charvel.com

This one looks like an ash body - right? Beautiful finish...

 

[RockDebris]

Looks sick but seems a touch over priced. I really wish they’d make a mexican version. I love my DK24, and a Mexican govan with the same pickups would be killer.

Yeah, I use a DK24 as my backup for the GG. Great guitars for the price.

I think the deal is, an MIJ Charvels are more in line with the "USA Select" or Custom Shop builds in terms of fit and finish. A couple years ago I got through to the Japanese Charvel website and I was impressed by the line of guitars there. The prices weren't that much more attractive than USA Select models, especially if you need to ship or import. Anyway, I never looked at the MIJ as a "less than" line of guitars compared to USA. I dunno, that was just an impression I got, I haven't owned any to put that to the test.

I could see that the difference in price between the two GGs may just be down to changes in the guitar more than anything else. If they did an exact MJ version of the current GG, the price might be just about the same. Now if they did a MIM Govan, I'd expect it to cost about what the premium MIM models cost, perhaps a little more if they stick in the same electronics.

 

[D K Souther]

Those are too expensive. I’ll rather pony up the extra $600 and get the USA model.

 

[RockDebris]

This one looks like an ash body - right? Beautiful finish...

They are saying Ash top on Basswood body. So something different than the USA models, which are either Maple top on Basswood body or solid Ash. I'd actually be really tempted if the finish appealed to me more (I'd also be going after another USA GG if they had other finishes ... every now and then a Britannica Red shows up on the second hand market, but because it was a limited run the prices tend to be too rich for my blood just to have a different finish .... I got my USA GG for just under $1900 in excellent condition, I do try to be cost concsious though I like the more expensive guitars.).

 

[bobeau]

Interesting how it has an ash top and basswood body.

Oddly enough, I prefer the tone of the maple/basswood to the ash version and not a fan of basswood of all.

 

[ATLClassicRockGuy]

They are saying Ash top on Basswood body. So something different than the USA models, which are either Maple top on Basswood body or solid Ash. I'd actually be really tempted if the finish appealed to me more (I'd also be going after another USA GG if they had other finishes ... every now and then a Britannica Red shows up on the second hand market, but because it was a limited run the prices tend to be too rich for my blood just to have a different finish .... I got my USA GG for just under $1900 in excellent condition, I do try to be cost concsious though I like the more expensive guitars.).

Nice, you got a great deal on your USA model! I have the poor man's version - the DK24 ProMod HSH but really like it a lot! Apparently they make these at the Mexico Fender factory.

 

[RockDebris]

Nice, you got a great deal on your USA model! I have the poor man's version - the DK24 ProMod HSH but really like it a lot!

There was a brief period of time when finding these in excellent shape below $2000 wasn't unusual. After I bought mine, I kept tabs and it went on that way for a few more months (I thought if they took a dip I'd grab another). Then when I really wanted to see about pulling the trigger on a second one with the different wood, it was too late. I watched for like a year with no luck. Haven't seen them below $2500 in good condition for a while. I ended up getting the DK24 Red Ash, and I do really like it a lot too! I certainly didn't mind saving that money.

 

[59Bassman]

Might be in…

 

[mouzer]

Love my Charvel GG, MIM DK24 and DK22, as well as my MIJ DK24.

I'm sure it'll be a great guitar.

Waiting for Charvel to issue a USA DK22...

 

[CapnRex]

I would probably get it if I didn't have an Ibanez AZ. Very similar guitars. Looks cool though for sure. Love Japanese guitars in general.

 

[RockDebris]

The SD style body on this new GG isn't doing much for me personally, although I'm sure it'll be a great guitar.

The GG has always been San Dimas Style 1 though, or am I missing something?

 

[s2y]

Looks ok. I kinda agree that it's not exactly a smoking deal and I'd be inclined to consider the US model. MIM makes more sense if someone is to save money.

 

[mouzer]

The GG has always been San Dimas Style 1 though, or am I missing something?

Edit: On second thought you might be right. I'm retracting my nonsense

 

[Tri7/5]

The original GG looks (to me) more like the DK style. SD's (if I'm not mistaken) are usually 22 fret guitars and have the more full strat-style body. The GG and the DK series bodies look like they're based off the Dinky, which is the 7/8's body size. They also have some additional contouring and deeper cutaways.

I'll be happy to be wrong though, might be my eyes playing tricks on me!

The Dinky's have a more pointy shape than the USA GG. I'm unsure if the USA GG is a full size strat body or just has it's own unique contour. To me it looks much more like the classic S shape and fuller size like it.

 

[mouzer]

The Dinky's have a more pointy shape than the USA GG. I'm unsure if the USA GG is a full size strat body or just has it's own unique contour. To me it looks much more like the classic S shape and fuller size like it.

You're right. Not sure how I missed that. The GG does have some extra contouring on it that (at the time) was unique to the model.

Thanks!

 

[GMGM]

Add me to the camp that says, "just go for the US version".


Pictured: my ash GG (the photo is much lighter in color than the actual guitar).

The Dinky's have a more pointy shape than the USA GG. I'm unsure if the USA GG is a full size strat body or just has it's own unique contour. To me it looks much more like the classic S shape and fuller size like it.

I made a quick mockup of a GG on top of a standard strat. I used stock images for each, so I can't say the source images were 100% accurate - but it seems to be fairly close based on my personal comparisons.

Note: Both are 25.5" scale length, so I scaled each image to align the frets on top fo each other. You can see that the GG does use a "shrunken" body design (which I normally hate). But it doesn't change the wasteline dimension or the upper horn (unlike most other 24 fret designs). So it doesn't feel shrunken.

Again: this is NOT a perfect overlay. Just intended to be an approximation.