For that price,the DK24 Pro Mods are unbeatable,you get a lot of guitar for for your money. I just wished they would offer more colour options and maybe some nice flame/quilt veneer tops,like on the San Dimas or H-H Pro Mods. If the H-S-H version came out in a nice Aquamarine burst or Amber,like the new Jackson Soloist SL-3 Pro Series models,I would get one immediately.
greekfreak1980 I agree, but limited colors and no veneers allows things like the Gotoh Bridge, Duncan Pickups and the roasted neck for $999. As the line expands they will likely be able to do that, but every finish means more spray booth time and the veneers, obviously are more manufacturing, etc. So they went for features over esthetics. But with the popularity how it is, it's likely the sales volume will allow for more of those features. 🤘🏻
Tremendous review. Very objective and liked the side by side playing as well as the discussion after. I got the Orange Crush one this week and love it! I kept hearing how similar it is to the GG signature and up popped your video - perfect! Thanks for doing this!
What a fantastic review! I especially enjoyed how upgrading the dk24 for about $500, would yield a comparable Guthrie Govan signature. So, basically a savings of a $1,000 bucks. Well done sir!
Yup! And thank you! You're getting higher output pickups. And you won't get locking bridge saddles, but you get a very comparable instrument and you won't miss the idiosyncrasies of the Govan. But...if you CAN swing the Govan, it's...🤤
Thank you so much for such a great and detailed demo. I have the grey HSS Charvel and it’s a fabulous instrument. Came to the store to get the Fender Elite strat,but this was no brainer,especially half the price))
Great in depth review. Ordered the DK24 HSS in Shell Pink {I will name her Pinky Tuscadero}, it's arriving tomorrow. Super stoked. Great playing, thanks for the great info.
I just bought a Charvel DK24 HH and it is simply the best guitar I've ever played - at any price point. Mexico is churning out some fantastic instruments these days. If I knew who built mine, I'd buy him a cerveza or two for sure.
Yeah, the Mexican plant is making incredible stuff. When I had these, I'd considered keeping them and just refretting with stainless steel frets and swapping out the pickups. As I didn't like the stock Duncans. But because I have the Guthries, I never played them, so it didn't seem viable to invest that much into them. But if these had stainless frets, nobody would need to even try out an Ibanez AZ. When those came out, I was so excited, then I played them at NAMM. I've played them at NAMM every year and they still do nothing for me. They're "fine". "Well-made", even. But the prestige models don't feel like $2000+ guitars. And the premium feel like entry level guitars. The Mexican made Charvel dk models feel way better to me. A couple months ago I got the Rick Graham MIJ model. I love it. It's what I'd have wanted to do to the dk: stainless steel frets and the Bareknuckle pickups in it are stellar.
@@RandyWillcox Not really true is it? There's a ton of guitar players - many of them some of the best in the world playing AZ guitars - if the necks sucked they wouldn't do that. Even if you think well Ibanez, Charvel etc make an offer Guthrie or Tom Quayle can't refuse they're still not going to play something that's bad. A lot of Suhr owners struggle with the idea that Guthrie plays a Charvel now and have to convince themselves the Suhr was better and Guthrie somehow sold out. Here you're doing the same as them. You're deluding yourself a little bit to suggest a guitar is better when you give a long list of things you have to change to the supposedly better one, like changing frets and pickups on top of the other changes you've already done in the video. All you're really saying is someone with an illness to habitually keep buying variations on exactly the same guitar is going pick up a different guitar brand and the neck will feel different to them. The same would be true if you were obsessively buying Ibanez AZ models. The bottom line is : you know SS frets are better. They are on a plethora of guitars now at price points from £600 upwards (e.g Cort G300, Yamaha Revstar standard) as well as all Ibanez AZ - and that makes these guitars less attractive because there is no saving money buy buying one - in a few cases you're paying more. The only real reason, perhaps, is that Fender haven't got the Mexicans the equipment to use SS. Charvel had an opportunity to make the MIJ SS frets - at least then there'd be a few models at a middle price range you could pick. But they didn't, except, again for Guthrie's sig model (which, like the Rick Graham one are vastly overpriced and not that available anyway) So you're left with a guitar brand that there's a big premium to pay for SS frets. Which seems to have made you convinced that SS frets must be considerably more cost to work with but that's simply not true. What is more typical is that guitar techs that buy cheap tools find they're not up to the job to do SS frets. But why would you use a tech that bought cheap tools? With good tools the job is the same. Bear that in mind before you start getting these guitars fretwork done - if the guy is trying to charge you more or complains that they ruin his tools he's a cheapskate - find a better luthier.
Bought a shell pink 8 months ago. It is absolutely fantastic. When I first played one I immediately sold. My USA strat to grab the dk24. The strat was a. Sick guitar but the the dk24 was just right for me and my play style.
Les Harrison thank you! I love it. I've made some mods on them both. Both received new Gotoh HAPM height adjustable post locking tuners. The orange one got the Graphtech Ghost Acoustiphonic system installed and the pink one got a non-fine tuner Floyd Rose. They're great guitars!
@@RandyWillcox Thank you for the response, Randy. I'm really blown away by your technique. You do so much with incredibly hand efficiency. I also appreciate the comments elsewhere about these MIMs compared to the Ibanez AZs. These are exactly what I'm trying to decide between. I've now heard the quality on the AZs is so hit or miss. Between that and their odd colors, I just need to figure out which Charvel is best for me. Thanks again. Best to you.
This video is just soooo well done. While the musicianship is top-notch, the vid is also technically oriented and insightful. Very helpful to the end of trying to figure out the best option for a roasted maple neck, do-it-all guitar, moving into 2020. There are several excellent options on the market now including all the guitars listed here in addition to the Ibanez AZ2204 and the Ernie Ball Music Man Cutlass. In this viewer's opinion the Guthrie Govan is the king of the heap but that price tag even on the used markets...ouch! Anyway, super vid! Thank you!
Having read a lot of comments you made I agree with you so much. Sold an American tele for an Epiphone Sheraton pro which plays like a dream but inside of me I know the quality makes a big impact on me. Anyone’s choice but I like expensive stuff so much.
Randy Willcox Nice! I really admire your playing and it was inspiring when I saw that you had become a Chapman artist! I hope to maybe also rock one one day, but anyways keep up the great music and I’d love to see more videos in the future!
The orange DK24 is a BEAST. I hate too admit it but I prefer it. Now the clean passages go to both Guthries. I just purchased the Laser Frost Blue DK24 HH with GOTOH 510 and its incredible. I've been an Ibanez only guy for 20+ years and I'm officially converted. Just an unbelievable guitar at any price point.
Fantastic. Thank you for sharing this and for your excellent playing. Thanks no thanks for making me want one of these even more than I already did :) Also, SUMMERLAND!!
Thanks for the review Randy! I also have the GG Sig and wanted to get a similar guitar to use as a daily companion. I love the GG, but I'm always worried it will get stolen at the jam sessions (happend to me once already) or that I'll end up beating the crap out of it through daily wear and tear. Just got the orange DK24 in the mail today and I'm so happy with it! Not only a cheaper alternative to the GG, but an awesome guitar in general! This is one I'll keep for the ages.
@@RandyWillcox Thanks! It's the perfect sister guitar to the GG. Btw any tips for the coil split mod on the GG? I'm a Fender man my self and would love the SC sound on the GG. Can you pls link me to any resources? Thanks for the awesome content again!
@@RandyWillcox first vid - spotted straight up. Transcribed the solo years ago and Ty was quite interested in it. Most underrated band in history… great video - will check out more… x
Been looking at reviews on the orange GAS monster for a few days and your video was very well done. Great content, killer licks, to the point and not blowing smoke. I really wish they had included SS frets. I've never had a fret job done before but I may look into it.
James Brock thank you. Yeah, I won't lie, I'd have easily paid more for these with ss frets, but I totally get the idea of wanting to meet the $999 price point for all the players who couldn't care less about the metal the frets are made from.
Thank you for showcasing these monsters. I actually modded mine a bit and it actually is my #1 now over my $3400 CS Fender strat(which I'm now selling to fund an amp). I put those blue anodized staggered Sperzel tuners, KTS titanium saddles, Kluson brass block and claw with screws, and the white Noiseless F-U Tone springs. I can't express to you in words what those upgrades did for my tone. I literally was speechless and just laughed uncontrollably from being overjoyed. And was still well under $2000. It's truly one of the best guitars out there. Love the Guthrie's by the way.😍🥰🥰👍
@@RandyWillcox Oh no Randy. I didn't enjoy it. Its was rather expensive actually. I did it to achieve optimal tone. Also to make it as good as it deserves to be. My bad. Should've clarified.
@@finlayfatknees Well. It kinda depends. If your guitar lacks that whole "sparkling highs" and that naturally compressed sound and you've already changed the nut, block, claw, and so on?? I'd say yes they are. And I chose the block ones just for the comfort. The bent ones are substantially less money but will dig into your palm. And I'd say there's a slight tonal characteristic difference. But one thing I did gett out of them I wasn't expecting was unmatched clarity. Like with distorted chords and double stop bends. The clarity rivals my custom shop guitars. It's kinda like J. Bonamassa said,..."were just trying to unlock or find that extra 10% in a guitar". I think that sums it up very well on expensive upgrades. I'll say this in closing. That Charvel DK24 I started with had a little something extra before I modded anything. So I felt pretty good about dropping extra coin to attempt unlocking that 10%. It worked out wonderfully and I technically saved thousands,...because it rivals much more expensive guitars I own. But you just need to start with one that has good bones to start with. Which is difficult to surmise sometimes. Hope my feedback helped you out my friend. And yes,...I think they are worth it(KTS saddles). Dont settle for the "knockoff" ones. Good luck with all you guitar modding adventures Finlay H.
Great comparison and playing. Well done. Wasn't planning to, yet, I bought a Grey H-S-S model. In person, the grey slate has a blue tinge and is very appealing. Seriously, when I picked it up the first time, it felt like I've been playing it for the past 5 years or so. The SD's go together have a great bass to treble. This doesn't do the Strat quak, at least for me. And I have found that this is a good versatile pickup combination and does more than shred. Next up, I hate Fenders .... strats, teles, jazzmaster...... the twang, the neck radii, the scale length, basically everything about them, except their finishes - Fender has nice Sunbusts. The small local store just got it in and I thought, its new, why not try it, and I was ready to hate it. And in less than 5 minutes playing time, I bought it. Lastly, I bought the guitar last year when it first came out. And since then, I've done nothing to it except change strings. There is nothing on this guitar that I need upgraded. Nothing.
Decided to pull the trigger on the pink HSS today! How would you say it's held up over the last year or so?! Awesome video man! Keep it up, cheers from Southampton UK
Alfie Bowers I think you're going to be plenty happy with it. I sold my DK24s last year. But the pink one went to a friend of mine who still absolutely loves it! In fact, I installed a non-fine tuner Floyd Rose on it before selling it. Basically, if I didn't have the Guthries, they'd have been great. But I never played them. They were great, but with the Guthries hanging right alongside them, I just always played the Guthries. So I'm spoiled that way. I sold the DK24s to help fund my Tom Anderson Guardian Angel Player. I needed the HSS fix, so I had to get a guitar that was on par with the Guthries. But had I not had the Guthries, I'd still have those DK24s. The pink DK24 when I sold it: reverb.com/item/27213646-charvel-pro-mod-dk24-hss-2pt-cm My Tom Anderson. It made their Guitar Tales feature in December just before they shipped it to me. www.andersonguitarworks.com/guitar-tales/2019/12/9/december-9-2019
@@RandyWillcox thanks for the reply man! Really looking forward to getting my hands on it. I've head some mixed reviews in regards to tuning stability, did you have any troubles if you can recall? Any tips on how I can dodge them if so? Thanks man 🤘
Alfie Bowers sorry, I didn't get a notification about this. The tuning stability was as good as any non locking tremolo. That's just life. But I'll say this, for mild trem usage from subtle to Jeff Beck, I had no issues. It wasn't until you went pretty far in one direction or another. My advice would be to get the Wilkinson tremolo with the locking saddles. They are the same saddles used on the Suhr Pete Thorn model. I have them on a strat and they're phenomenal. You can't put the saddles on the Charvel bridge because the string spacing on the Charvel is slightly narrower. But you can order the Wilkinson bridge with locking saddles from the Wilkinson Reverb store. Email them for eta. But I always stretch my strings plenty. I've played for 33 years and I can tell you, most people swear to me they stretched their strings and when I pull on them, they go out. So stretch them well and use Big Bends Nut Sauce. You'll be fine.
Fantastic playing and demo... If I were to tell what I am hearing, the GGs sound so much fuller. And it sounds like it is more than a difference in body wood types (Basswood/Alder?), and more like a difference in overall quality, tell my magic ears.
Emre Emre thank you. As for the tone difference, I'd say the bulk of it lies in the pickups. The Full shreds are a high output pickup and it's evident. The Guthrie pickups are custom made by Michael Frank Braun and are lower output and much more open. They love nuance and take well to boosting later in the signal path. The basswood is definitely a flatter eq, which is why it's such a great tone wood. Also the differences in he Birdseye and Flametop (blue) Govans is also noticeably different. And that is the fact that the Birdseye is the very first run. The Flametop has a baked basswood body and the Birdseye does not. The baked body is lighter and noticeably more resonant. Overall, the Govans win. They'd better at 3 times the price. But I could EASILY play one of the DK24s instead without feeling I was missing out. Thought the Govans are superior, the DK24 2PT models are absolutely stellar and if you didn't HAVE the ability to compare the two, you wouldn't need to. I highly recommend the DK24s...unless you can swing the Govan, in which case...DO IT! 🙌🏻
I have a dk24 army green, set up with gig bag I am looking to sell, it actually is a wonderful guitar, and stays remarkably in tune, however i am going toward more of a hollow body jazz sound.
Thanks for this awesome comparison video. I've had my eye on the Shell Pink or the Matt Army Drab Green (HSH). I love both but unsure on what pickup configuration to go for. Ill stop by a shop and hopefully get to try them out. Great playing Randy! Subbed!
I actually just ordered the orange one. Always wanted a Charvel guitar and finally took the chance. I'm still really into the Hair Metal music, but i HATE setting up floyd's. I am really hoping i like this guitar cause the choice was between this one and another DK model that was the Purple Phaze, but this one had that neck joint that was a great deal better to play with. Also the neck seems alot better on this one also..
I have to note that the Orange hsh DK24 neck pickup, while an Alnico 2 Pro, if you notice it has double hex pole piece screws, just like the Full Shred. I can’t find any information on this exact pickup, but rumor is that an A2Pro neck is a Jazz neck with an Alnico 2 magnet and the Full Shred neck is almost like a Jazz neck with double rows of hex pole screws instead of slugs and fillister screws. So I’m thinking this is something like an Alnico 2 Full Shred Neck. Either way, I like how it has a warm midrange with a sharp pick attack. The HH DK24’s Full Shred neck is kind of a cheese grater in comparison.
ConspireToConspire I've reached out to Duncan, but my experience is that for most OEM use, especially guitars made in mass out of the country, the pickup is made as an OEM part for the guitar manufacturer. It is likely it was done for either cost (not having both solid slugs and flat head screws means just making two identical bobbins and using all the same hex head poles vs having to differentiate the two) and for esthetics (both pickups match). But those are just examples of what I've encountered in my experience. I'll follow up when I get a response from Duncan.
What is the tuning stability on the dk24 for more insane whammying action like divebombs and such? I love the fun sounds of a Floyd but hate setting them up lol
First of all i want to say that this video is absolutely amazing, good job! I have seen it several times. I also own DK24 HSH in satin orange and i wanted to ask for help. I undarstand that Guthrie model is san dimas body but DK24 is Dinky, do you feel much difference where your picking hand sits between both models. I'm a strat player but i also wanted a good super strat and of course Charvel is my first choice because i am a Fender fan. I don't know but somehow i think san dimas body would be more comfortable, so that's why i've been looking to Justin Aufdemkampe sig model which is san dimas and also mahogany. Thinking about selling dk24 and buy Justin Aufdemkampe sig. Of course i can't afford Guthrie Model. Maybe it's not worth it, pls help decide... And second question is about Dk24 bridge pickup... Full Shred trembucker seems too hot, what would be your opinion on what pickup would be good in there? Maybe alnico 2 Pearly Gates trembucker? Thank you very much Randy Wilcox.
Hello Edgar, thank you very much. Here are my honest thoughts. The dinky looks more different than it feels. Esthetically, I'm very partial to the Guthrie because it really is a strat body that's been cut to accommodate 24 frets. I like the look of the more rounded edges of the strat. Yes, it's super comfortable. But the difference in feel when holding the two guitars is entirely in how the finish feels. Because of the contours, there's no difference I how it sits under your arm. The scale length, bridge and pickup positions are all the same. Fit-wise, going back and forth was seamless. The JA model would give you the strat look, but you will have far less pickup combination versatility and no trem at all. So you really have to consider which you'd rather have. For me personally, the sacrifice would be too great, but you have to make that choice for yourself.. As for the pickup, I agree. The Full Shred are fine for balls out distortion, but they lack the subtlety and nuance you get with the MFB pickups in the Guthries. I used to suggest to people to get whatever Suhr pickups Guthrie had in his Suhr guitars because, logically speaking, they'd be the closest to what Guthrie was looking for before having Michael Frank Braun custom make his. However, I replaced my pink HSS Charvel with my Tom Anderson Guardian Angel Player. When doing a short demo of the bridge for a friend, I recorded a short clip of both the Guthrie and the Anderson and then chopped them up and spliced them together. Tonally, I couldn't hear the difference. So I have the Tom Anderson HC2 in the bridge of that guitar. The HF2 would be the same pickup without the nickel cover. I even measured the output and they're almost identical. So similar eq curve and output. That's a safe recommendation. I hope this was useful. Good luck!
@@RandyWillcox Thank you very much Sir for your time and answer, it was more than helpful. I think i'm gonna keep my DK24 and experiment with bridge pup in the future. In the past i had Jackson Pro Dinky with JB/59 combo and also Jackson Pro Soloist with Duncan Distortion set and i remember that when i played Dinky my right hand was hitting neck pup and i kinda hated it but with soloist placemanet of my right hand was different and felt more comfortable. Either way i sold both Jacksons and bought my first Charvel which happens to be DK24 HSH. IMHO I think Charvels are definetly one of the best super-strat style guitars out there, they are stunning instruments and have that Strat snap. I guess i just need to save up and also get San Dimas Charvel. Thx again, you're doing an amazing job! Subscribed ;)
@@RandyWillcox Wonderful Randy! Btw What Tom Anderson pickup would you recommend for a super strat trying to get close to all the 3 MFB pickups on Guthrie's Expensive Charvel?
Hey Randy, amazing review! really informative (and great playing as well) I'm almost sold in the HSH model, I just aint sure about the bridge pickup... I tend to like a mid hump, smooth, warm and dark lead tone (like Guthrie's) but I just don't know if this particular "Full shred" pickup is designed for that type of tone. Do you think that tone is achievable just by rolling a bit of the tone knob or would you suggest to replace the bridge pickup with something like a Seymour Duncan custom custom? Once again, thankyou for the review, all the best!
matmartinelli thanks! I'd replace it. The full shred is a different animal. I'm not as familiar with the custom custom, but I'd definitely go with something less aggressive. The full shred is definitely for more aggressive tones. But yeah, I always think of pickups very clearly, they're easily swappable. The structure of the guitar is most important, the rest you can tweak to your heart's content. I'm thinking about swapping the pickups in the pink one. I actually put an original, non-fine tuner Floyd Rose on it and routed the recess. I'm thinking about a JB in the bridge and a more classic strat style Duncan single for the neck and middle.
@@RandyWillcox You're right! This sort of things are no where near a deal-breaker characteristic. I'll do some research on other pickups and if I find anything interesting that fits my needs, I'll post ir here.
Amazing playing! I have the US Select DK 24 HSS. While I love the feel of playing the guitar I just can‘t seem to bond with the pickups- especially the single coils seem to have a high mid spike. What pickups would you recommend to use instead? I am used to EMG 85/SA/SA in all my other guitars (Valley Arts and Valley Arts style made by local German luthiers). Thanks! Best, Christian
Christian, thank you so much. I believe they are using the same Duncan pickups in the USA DK models, correct? I'm surprised. I leaned towards Duncan pickups for most of my life, yet I really don't dig these particular ones either. I actually found the single coils were quite lifeless. They lacked the spank I like in single coils specifically. I sold off my DK24s and replaced them with Tom Andersons. Haha. And I am in love with he Anderson pickups. That IS after all what Tom was known for originally back in his Schecter days. I now have 4 Andersons and am so pleased with the entire range. And they're so helpful in helping you pick the right pickups. You can call and speak to Roy or Tom and get all the advice necessary. But having said that, I bought the MIJ Rick Graham Charvel DK24 last spring and I love it. His signature Bareknuckle pickups in it are great. They are powerful but dynamic and articulate. They aren't on the Bareknuckle website, but I bet if you reached out to Bareknuckle, Tim (Mills, the man behind Bareknuckle), could fill you in on whether they could be made available or if he has a similar set in the lineup. My favorite HSS configuration in my own arsenal is my Anderson set: H3 humbucker with 2 VA7.2 single coils. They are voiced like their vintage single coil with more output to balance against the humbucker in the bridge.
@@RandyWillcox Randy, thank you very much. I remember back in the days friends of mine had several Tom Anderson pickups installed in their Schecter or even Tom Anderson Strats. I forgot all about them. Thanks for directing me to them. I‘ll do some more research into Tom Anderson Pickups. I am not familiar with Barenuckle pickups though. I really can’t understand why Charvel are using such bad Seymour Duncan pickups. Best, Christian
@@CC-vf1yl you're very welcome! Yes, definitely check out the Tom Andersons. I don't know why those Duncans are the choice for those models either. I have spoken to several people who feel as we do about them.
@@RandyWillcox wish i was goin had an invite last year but its a bit of a trip from here in the UK . I was looking at a GG a few years back but ended up getting a MM JP15 .
I have the Orange DK24 and it is amazing. I compare it to the EB MM JP16/15 so for $1500 less. It really is that good. I did change the bridge pup to a Seymour Duncan '78 for a medium output.
Elliot Serrano yeah, that's how I feel. At this price point it's ridiculous! And with a few bucks worth of mods it closes the gap even more. The Full Shred HBs certainly are hotter. They're definitely edgier than the Guthrie also. Those have much more sensible and dynamic pickups. But I'm happy with the articulation of the Full Shred for being so hot.
Thank you so much! I'm writing and recording a project now, but I need to produce more music. If you go to the "About" section of my RUclips channel, there are links. Soundcloud probably has the most material to listen to. Thank you again!
Ben Craig they're alnico. But the output is considerably lower than the Duncans. The Duncans are harsher and don't clean up as well with the volume control. And the GG pickups are.uch more open. When I split the neck, I get a great single coil sound which doesn't usually happen when splitting a humbucker. And the 2 and 4 positions are much more present and clear. Those pickups are beautiful.
Hey man, what's that blue guitar? Is it a charvel GG USA 2014? Did you refinish it? Can you share your experience? I'm an considering a similar mod. Cheers!
I’ve played the DK24 and I agree that they are excellent guitars. Sure there are some comers cut to bring the price down below a grand. But in the end its all subtle and nothing to get concerned about.
@@RandyWillcox Wow…so the Blue Guthrie is baked basswood, but the only difference on pink DK to the orange is the neck pickup…yet they sounded vastly different to my ears! Still enjoying them? Did you ever try the Ibanez AZ for comparison? Thank you
Great review and some great playing! I'm looking to buy and it's a toss up between the Drab Green with a humbucker in the neck position or the Primer Grey with a single coil in the neck position. Unfortunately I can't try before I buy and no returns so any suggestions? Thanks heaps!
Chris Flabouris thanks man! Ok, my suggestion is this: if you aren't so drawn to either the single coil or the humbucker, I suggest the humbucker. You can add a coil split to make it behave like a single coil.
Thanks man, much appreciated! Looks like it's going to be a humbucker...I've got a few strats with single coil hum and it's going to great to grab a new axe with no hum whatsoever! @@RandyWillcox
If that doesnt get a thumbs out of you, you don't have a pulse! Flaming Fretboards! I am in lust with the army drab green - the Orange Crush's , seen here, brother.. However, I've never seen the blue GG, that is Gorgeo! It might be the same to a blind man - but I ain't blind! That thang pretty! AAA+ Video, brother, you slayed it!
Rock and Roll to the metal..............I think I´m in love, ps. the next time I would love to see all the recording just from the frontal cam, the gorgoeus view is mesmerazing
flashbak01 Sorry it took so long to get back to you, bet here it is: The neck pickup pole pieces are: Low E: 1/8" High E: 3/32" The middle pickup is cranked down but the measurement is the same on both sides: 5/32" The Bridge pickup is the same on both sides as well: 1/16"
Thank you! Yes you can. You have a couple options. I didn't want a bridge single coil on its own, so the easiest option was to replace my tone knob with a push pull to split the neck. This gave me the standard wiring which was: Neck hb, neck SC & middle, neck SC & bridge SC, middle & bridge SC, Bridge hb PLUS I could pull the knob up and get the neck SC alone. So I could toggle between HSH and HSS. If you want to be able to split both humbuckers, you might have to forfeit the middle position neck hb & bridge hb tele sound. There may be a way around it, but I'm not sure. Or you could get close and wire it to do series/parallel of the humbuckers so you get a single coil-like sound. This is what the newer Guthrie Govan models have.
@@RandyWillcox Hey man, I read your description, and I'm really interested in grabbing this guitar and adding that push pull knob for the Neck SC alone. Do you recommend any wiring diagram in particular to make that small change so that I could keep it HSH and then when needed, HSS? Thanks!
Really good review -- thanks a ton; this is the 3rd time I've come back to this video! In it, you mentioned that for around $500 you could customize the guitar to rival the GG signature guitars. As beautiful as the GGs are, I kind of feel like the orange/pink guitars are more my style. But the GGs sound noticeably better to me. Do you have any thoughts on what the biggest contributing factors are to the GG's (subjectively) "better" sound might be? As in, could replacing the pickups on the DK24 yield a comparable sound or something like that? Or is it mostly due to the wood? (I don't know much about what contributes to tone, to be honest)
Thank you, I'm glad you found the video useful. As for the upgrades, yes, that estimate is based on features: Having stainless steel frets installed, perhaps staggered tuners, that sort of thing. The neck on the Guthrie is, of course, highly figured and the body is also roasted basswood vs. Alder. That certainly affects the tone. Basswood is a much more even tonal response and the roasting process affects the way the wood resonates. I would definitely recommend less aggressive pickups for the DK since the Guthrie doesn't use particularly hot pickups. The fit and finish will never come close, BUT, if you DO have the stainless frets installed by a really good tech, that's most of the battle right there. People don't realize how much a really well performed fret level and dress improves the overall feel of a guitar.
Dennis de Lange thank you! Well, here's my two cents: buy the one that has the features you want. Build quality is exceptional. Like I said, I played the Mexican made EVH and it was so impressive, I decided I had to try these. It was based on build quality. Materials and actual build finish. Essentially, it was just a matter of what I wanted. 24 frets. Roasted (Charvel call it caramelized) maple neck and board. No locking nut (I'll be making a video about why I love the non fine tuner Floyd Rose with locking tuners in lieu of a locking nut) and the floating bridge vs having it sitting on the body. I love the Wolfgang, but when I get one it will be to have for fun. For my primary playing it doesn't have the feature set I prefer. So that's my advice. Decide which guitar has the features you want and go with it
Just pulled the trigger on the GG maple one. Since I never owned a guitar w Floyd I have no idea how to change strings on that 😅 can you help me out? Do we change them one at a time? Total noob regarding locking tuners too and the tremol-no. If any good soul comes across this here’s a nice video you can’t find on RUclips regarding GG models. Edit: cannot live without a well crafted guitar w stainless frets. My fender had them too.. another note: my all time fav player including all genres guitar players from jazz to rock and back is Guthrie. Attended his workshop 2 years ago, was 1 week from being hospitalized but couldn’t miss that so I went and it was worth every minute. He played fives.
Congrats! Change strings like any other guitar. Since it has locking tuners, I go one at a time. The technique is painfully obvious: loosen the screw that locks the string in the saddle then tighten it when you've replaced the string. If I have to remove all the strings, I use a cloth folded up to wedge under the back of the bridge to keep it from sinking into the body. This is helpful when restringing so you don't have too much string wrapping around the posts of the tuners. That defeats the purpose of locking tuners. Use a lubricant like Big Bends Nut Sauce on the nut slots and STRETCH YOUR STRINGS WELL! Everyone swears they do this, but 99% don't. Then they complain about tuning problems and blame the bridge, or the nut, or the tuners, or the cosmos. As for the tremol-no, it should be set when you get it. If you change string Guage, you have to adjust it like any standard spring claw to get the bridge level. Just MAKE SURE the claw remains perfectly parallel to the trem block. If it isn't, the guide rod will be crooked and create friction. You'll hear it rubbing when you use the bridge. This will make returning to zero impossible and you won't stay in tune. Out of curiosity, what fender did you have with stainless steel frets? To my knowledge, it wasn't until the Luxe strat last year that they FINALLY put stainless steel frets on a production guitar.
@@RandyWillcox thank you very much mate! This will be very helpful and thank you again for having the care to answer me. By the way you play fantastic! Very enjoyable and subbed. 💯❤️
@@RandyWillcox I had a Fender American series Telecaster from 2003. They were called American Series from 2001 Until 2004 if I correctly recall then the name American Standard came. Bought it from a friend that played in a blues band thought perhaps he had it for a fret job. Honestly I though it was a feature… 😅 from American series and he never told. I will do some research to see if I can find anything but I am sure they were stainless steel.
the radical kindness lightly finished guitars resonate better than unfinished guitars. That said, there is a lacquer finish on both. The "unfinished" model is just a hand-rubbed gel application that prevents the finish from feeling like a shell. It's basically satin. The "raw" feeling is an illusion. But yes, having just that extra little but of a sprayed finish makes a difference. And they do outshine the DK24s. But at 3x the price, they absolutely should.
@@RandyWillcox Totally agree on the finishes and thickness. I have a Novo and a thin skin tele and they both resonate for days. Sadly, I haven't played any of the Guthries yet, although that caramelized one has been calling my name.
Mark I got the Gotoh HAPM height adjustable locking tuners. They're the same tuners Ibanez puts on the AZ. It's the one AZ feature I like. They don't use a knurled knob to tighten the string and the height adjustment means you can set the height of each tuner individually which is great for compensating for the string trees. I'm doing all the mods soon and I'm going to chronicle as much as I can in a video.
Haha, thanks man! I'm definitely NOT rich, just really different priorities. I have a roommate, I almost never buy takeout food. I don't smoke so that saves me almost $6,000 a year (my parents were smokers who could never understand how people could afford vacations. They were mad when I pointed out that their cigarettes annually equalled a vacation AND new car payments). I don't have a Playstation or online gaming addiction (again, I mention this because I have friends who don't realize what they spend a month in games could get them a Guthrie Govan in a year or less). My clothes and shoes come from places like Century 21 and Burlington. So it's just about choices. My "vacation" every year is the NAMM show in LA instead of Greece, or Italy, or... So it's just choices I've made. Rich would be nice though, then I could still go to Greece and Italy and... :)
This is how all demos should be. Extremely well done
Thank you so much!
For that price,the DK24 Pro Mods are unbeatable,you get a lot of guitar for for your money.
I just wished they would offer more colour options and maybe some nice flame/quilt veneer tops,like on the San Dimas or H-H Pro Mods. If the H-S-H version came out in a nice Aquamarine burst or Amber,like the new Jackson Soloist SL-3 Pro Series models,I would get one immediately.
greekfreak1980 I agree, but limited colors and no veneers allows things like the Gotoh Bridge, Duncan Pickups and the roasted neck for $999. As the line expands they will likely be able to do that, but every finish means more spray booth time and the veneers, obviously are more manufacturing, etc. So they went for features over esthetics. But with the popularity how it is, it's likely the sales volume will allow for more of those features. 🤘🏻
This is what I call a perfect comparison demo video. Great playing too!!!
Eric Casper thank you so much!
Stunning review, it doesn't get any better than that! 👍🏻
Trevor John Merrilees many thanks!
Tremendous review. Very objective and liked the side by side playing as well as the discussion after. I got the Orange Crush one this week and love it! I kept hearing how similar it is to the GG signature and up popped your video - perfect! Thanks for doing this!
Thank you so much! 🙌🏻
What a fantastic review! I especially enjoyed how upgrading the dk24 for about $500, would yield a comparable Guthrie Govan signature. So, basically a savings of a $1,000 bucks. Well done sir!
Yup! And thank you! You're getting higher output pickups. And you won't get locking bridge saddles, but you get a very comparable instrument and you won't miss the idiosyncrasies of the Govan. But...if you CAN swing the Govan, it's...🤤
Not only are these great guitars but in the hands of a great player they all sound amazing! Very useful and enlightening demo,
Thank you so much! I appreciate that!
Thank you so much for such a great and detailed demo. I have the grey HSS Charvel and it’s a fabulous instrument. Came to the store to get the Fender Elite strat,but this was no brainer,especially half the price))
David Tal thank you! I'm glad you liked it. And yeah, for that's a deal, especially for the money! I'm happy you found that guitar!
Just the comparison I was looking for. Thanks
Ariel Lopez most welcome!
This guy really knows how to make a review. One of the best I’ve had seen
Thank you so much! 🙌🏻❤️
What a great video on those cool Charvels. Thanks for doing such a good job.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that!
Great in depth review. Ordered the DK24 HSS in Shell Pink {I will name her Pinky Tuscadero}, it's arriving tomorrow. Super stoked. Great playing, thanks for the great info.
G Thank you so much! AND...killer name choice! I wish I'd thought of it first! I hope more people recognize the reference! 🙌🏻💕🎸
Lol. I just bought the DK24 HSS shell pink and the Infinity blue DK24 HSS. I named them Pinky and Leather Tuscadero.
The orange guitar has the best tone for me
I just bought a Charvel DK24 HH and it is simply the best guitar I've ever played - at any price point. Mexico is churning out some fantastic instruments these days. If I knew who built mine, I'd buy him a cerveza or two for sure.
Yeah, the Mexican plant is making incredible stuff. When I had these, I'd considered keeping them and just refretting with stainless steel frets and swapping out the pickups. As I didn't like the stock Duncans. But because I have the Guthries, I never played them, so it didn't seem viable to invest that much into them. But if these had stainless frets, nobody would need to even try out an Ibanez AZ. When those came out, I was so excited, then I played them at NAMM. I've played them at NAMM every year and they still do nothing for me. They're "fine". "Well-made", even. But the prestige models don't feel like $2000+ guitars. And the premium feel like entry level guitars. The Mexican made Charvel dk models feel way better to me. A couple months ago I got the Rick Graham MIJ model. I love it. It's what I'd have wanted to do to the dk: stainless steel frets and the Bareknuckle pickups in it are stellar.
@@RandyWillcox Not really true is it? There's a ton of guitar players - many of them some of the best in the world playing AZ guitars - if the necks sucked they wouldn't do that. Even if you think well Ibanez, Charvel etc make an offer Guthrie or Tom Quayle can't refuse they're still not going to play something that's bad. A lot of Suhr owners struggle with the idea that Guthrie plays a Charvel now and have to convince themselves the Suhr was better and Guthrie somehow sold out. Here you're doing the same as them. You're deluding yourself a little bit to suggest a guitar is better when you give a long list of things you have to change to the supposedly better one, like changing frets and pickups on top of the other changes you've already done in the video. All you're really saying is someone with an illness to habitually keep buying variations on exactly the same guitar is going pick up a different guitar brand and the neck will feel different to them. The same would be true if you were obsessively buying Ibanez AZ models. The bottom line is : you know SS frets are better. They are on a plethora of guitars now at price points from £600 upwards (e.g Cort G300, Yamaha Revstar standard) as well as all Ibanez AZ - and that makes these guitars less attractive because there is no saving money buy buying one - in a few cases you're paying more. The only real reason, perhaps, is that Fender haven't got the Mexicans the equipment to use SS.
Charvel had an opportunity to make the MIJ SS frets - at least then there'd be a few models at a middle price range you could pick. But they didn't, except, again for Guthrie's sig model (which, like the Rick Graham one are vastly overpriced and not that available anyway) So you're left with a guitar brand that there's a big premium to pay for SS frets. Which seems to have made you convinced that SS frets must be considerably more cost to work with but that's simply not true. What is more typical is that guitar techs that buy cheap tools find they're not up to the job to do SS frets. But why would you use a tech that bought cheap tools? With good tools the job is the same. Bear that in mind before you start getting these guitars fretwork done - if the guy is trying to charge you more or complains that they ruin his tools he's a cheapskate - find a better luthier.
Thank you for the effort and detail you put into this video. First class, just like the guitars.
Thank you, I appreciate that.
@@RandyWillcox . . The pleasure was all mine Randy. . Take care.
Bought a shell pink 8 months ago. It is absolutely fantastic. When I first played one I immediately sold. My USA strat to grab the dk24. The strat was a. Sick guitar but the the dk24 was just right for me and my play style.
Sounds excellent!! :)
CAMERON!!! Thanks man, I didn't see you had seen this vid!
Exceptional demonstration! Much appreciated man
Jacob Ferguson thank you, I'm glad you like it.
Fantastic and in-depth review. Thank you. The orange HSH looks pretty sick.
Les Harrison thank you! I love it. I've made some mods on them both. Both received new Gotoh HAPM height adjustable post locking tuners. The orange one got the Graphtech Ghost Acoustiphonic system installed and the pink one got a non-fine tuner Floyd Rose. They're great guitars!
@@RandyWillcox Thank you for the response, Randy. I'm really blown away by your technique. You do so much with incredibly hand efficiency. I also appreciate the comments elsewhere about these MIMs compared to the Ibanez AZs. These are exactly what I'm trying to decide between. I've now heard the quality on the AZs is so hit or miss. Between that and their odd colors, I just need to figure out which Charvel is best for me.
Thanks again. Best to you.
Love the King’s X thrown in there.
ConspireToConspire my favorite band! They usually sneak into my videos. Haha. 🙌🏻
Summerland in my past...
Amazing guitars and playing.
Thank you so much!
This video is just soooo well done. While the musicianship is top-notch, the vid is also technically oriented and insightful. Very helpful to the end of trying to figure out the best option for a roasted maple neck, do-it-all guitar, moving into 2020. There are several excellent options on the market now including all the guitars listed here in addition to the Ibanez AZ2204 and the Ernie Ball Music Man Cutlass. In this viewer's opinion the Guthrie Govan is the king of the heap but that price tag even on the used markets...ouch! Anyway, super vid! Thank you!
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that!
Excellent demo. I've been all over RUclips trying to find an in depth video on the DK and this was all that and more. Thanks so much.
Very welcome!
Having read a lot of comments you made I agree with you so much. Sold an American tele for an Epiphone Sheraton pro which plays like a dream but inside of me I know the quality makes a big impact on me. Anyone’s choice but I like expensive stuff so much.
I've never seen the blue guthrie! I would love that guitar
Joe Heisler I had a luthier do the paint because I needed some color in my gig. 😁
Amazing playing! Love the tones too!
TheGoldenChicken thank you so much! I used my Victory Amps and the Analogman King Of Tone. ❤️
Randy Willcox Nice! I really admire your playing and it was inspiring when I saw that you had become a Chapman artist! I hope to maybe also rock one one day, but anyways keep up the great music and I’d love to see more videos in the future!
Great playing, they all kind of sound awesome! Wanting the HSS or HSS single coil version.
The orange DK24 is a BEAST. I hate too admit it but I prefer it. Now the clean passages go to both Guthries. I just purchased the Laser Frost Blue DK24 HH with GOTOH 510 and its incredible. I've been an Ibanez only guy for 20+ years and I'm officially converted. Just an unbelievable guitar at any price point.
Fantastic. Thank you for sharing this and for your excellent playing. Thanks no thanks for making me want one of these even more than I already did :) Also, SUMMERLAND!!
Thank you, I really appreciate that! And yes, King's X is 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
Thanks for the review Randy! I also have the GG Sig and wanted to get a similar guitar to use as a daily companion. I love the GG, but I'm always worried it will get stolen at the jam sessions (happend to me once already) or that I'll end up beating the crap out of it through daily wear and tear. Just got the orange DK24 in the mail today and I'm so happy with it! Not only a cheaper alternative to the GG, but an awesome guitar in general! This is one I'll keep for the ages.
Nelson Fleig exactly! I'm glad you went with it and are enjoying it!
@@RandyWillcox Thanks! It's the perfect sister guitar to the GG. Btw any tips for the coil split mod on the GG? I'm a Fender man my self and would love the SC sound on the GG. Can you pls link me to any resources? Thanks for the awesome content again!
Man you are an incredible guitarist!
Thank you so much!
Excited for the new Natural finish DK24!
It looks pretty sick!
thanks for the "boring" part. I dug it. Informative!
Elliot Killian Music cool, I'm glad. Yeah, I live for the "boring" bits myself, so I appreciate it when others do too.🤘🏻
Forget the content - anyone demoing a guitar using Summerland has sold it already. Great job - I really want the pink one!
Haha! Thank you so much! I'm always glad when someone picks up the King's X tunes. 🤘🏻
@@RandyWillcox first vid - spotted straight up. Transcribed the solo years ago and Ty was quite interested in it. Most underrated band in history… great video - will check out more… x
Been looking at reviews on the orange GAS monster for a few days and your video was very well done. Great content, killer licks, to the point and not blowing smoke. I really wish they had included SS frets. I've never had a fret job done before but I may look into it.
James Brock thank you. Yeah, I won't lie, I'd have easily paid more for these with ss frets, but I totally get the idea of wanting to meet the $999 price point for all the players who couldn't care less about the metal the frets are made from.
Thank you for showcasing these monsters. I actually modded mine a bit and it actually is my #1 now over my $3400 CS Fender strat(which I'm now selling to fund an amp). I put those blue anodized staggered Sperzel tuners, KTS titanium saddles, Kluson brass block and claw with screws, and the white Noiseless F-U Tone springs. I can't express to you in words what those upgrades did for my tone. I literally was speechless and just laughed uncontrollably from being overjoyed. And was still well under $2000. It's truly one of the best guitars out there. Love the Guthrie's by the way.😍🥰🥰👍
I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed modding yours! I completely understand!
@@RandyWillcox Oh no Randy. I didn't enjoy it. Its was rather expensive actually. I did it to achieve optimal tone. Also to make it as good as it deserves to be. My bad. Should've clarified.
@@theariesexperiment4642 do you think the titanium saddles were worth the hefty price tag? also, were they the block style saddles or bent?
@@finlayfatknees Well. It kinda depends. If your guitar lacks that whole "sparkling highs" and that naturally compressed sound and you've already changed the nut, block, claw, and so on?? I'd say yes they are. And I chose the block ones just for the comfort. The bent ones are substantially less money but will dig into your palm. And I'd say there's a slight tonal characteristic difference. But one thing I did gett out of them I wasn't expecting was unmatched clarity. Like with distorted chords and double stop bends. The clarity rivals my custom shop guitars. It's kinda like J. Bonamassa said,..."were just trying to unlock or find that extra 10% in a guitar". I think that sums it up very well on expensive upgrades.
I'll say this in closing. That Charvel DK24 I started with had a little something extra before I modded anything. So I felt pretty good about dropping extra coin to attempt unlocking that 10%. It worked out wonderfully and I technically saved thousands,...because it rivals much more expensive guitars I own. But you just need to start with one that has good bones to start with. Which is difficult to surmise sometimes. Hope my feedback helped you out my friend. And yes,...I think they are worth it(KTS saddles). Dont settle for the "knockoff" ones. Good luck with all you guitar modding adventures Finlay H.
Great comparison and playing. Well done. Wasn't planning to, yet, I bought a Grey H-S-S model. In person, the grey slate has a blue tinge and is very appealing. Seriously, when I picked it up the first time, it felt like I've been playing it for the past 5 years or so. The SD's go together have a great bass to treble. This doesn't do the Strat quak, at least for me. And I have found that this is a good versatile pickup combination and does more than shred. Next up, I hate Fenders .... strats, teles, jazzmaster...... the twang, the neck radii, the scale length, basically everything about them, except their finishes - Fender has nice Sunbusts. The small local store just got it in and I thought, its new, why not try it, and I was ready to hate it. And in less than 5 minutes playing time, I bought it. Lastly, I bought the guitar last year when it first came out. And since then, I've done nothing to it except change strings. There is nothing on this guitar that I need upgraded. Nothing.
Western rider 100 thank you! Yup, you get it! 🙌🏻
Decided to pull the trigger on the pink HSS today! How would you say it's held up over the last year or so?! Awesome video man! Keep it up, cheers from Southampton UK
Alfie Bowers I think you're going to be plenty happy with it. I sold my DK24s last year. But the pink one went to a friend of mine who still absolutely loves it! In fact, I installed a non-fine tuner Floyd Rose on it before selling it. Basically, if I didn't have the Guthries, they'd have been great. But I never played them. They were great, but with the Guthries hanging right alongside them, I just always played the Guthries. So I'm spoiled that way. I sold the DK24s to help fund my Tom Anderson Guardian Angel Player. I needed the HSS fix, so I had to get a guitar that was on par with the Guthries.
But had I not had the Guthries, I'd still have those DK24s.
The pink DK24 when I sold it:
reverb.com/item/27213646-charvel-pro-mod-dk24-hss-2pt-cm
My Tom Anderson. It made their Guitar Tales feature in December just before they shipped it to me.
www.andersonguitarworks.com/guitar-tales/2019/12/9/december-9-2019
@@RandyWillcox thanks for the reply man! Really looking forward to getting my hands on it. I've head some mixed reviews in regards to tuning stability, did you have any troubles if you can recall? Any tips on how I can dodge them if so? Thanks man 🤘
Alfie Bowers sorry, I didn't get a notification about this. The tuning stability was as good as any non locking tremolo. That's just life. But I'll say this, for mild trem usage from subtle to Jeff Beck, I had no issues. It wasn't until you went pretty far in one direction or another. My advice would be to get the Wilkinson tremolo with the locking saddles. They are the same saddles used on the Suhr Pete Thorn model. I have them on a strat and they're phenomenal. You can't put the saddles on the Charvel bridge because the string spacing on the Charvel is slightly narrower. But you can order the Wilkinson bridge with locking saddles from the Wilkinson Reverb store. Email them for eta. But I always stretch my strings plenty. I've played for 33 years and I can tell you, most people swear to me they stretched their strings and when I pull on them, they go out. So stretch them well and use Big Bends Nut Sauce. You'll be fine.
Did I just hear you bust out some Kings X at 16:23?! Good stuff man!
D. Szarko thank you! King's X is my favorite band. Summerland or Goldilox will always appear here and there. 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
@@RandyWillcox then you have good taste! Mine too! Been listening to them since I was born lol
Fantastic playing and demo... If I were to tell what I am hearing, the GGs sound so much fuller. And it sounds like it is more than a difference in body wood types (Basswood/Alder?), and more like a difference in overall quality, tell my magic ears.
Emre Emre thank you. As for the tone difference, I'd say the bulk of it lies in the pickups. The Full shreds are a high output pickup and it's evident. The Guthrie pickups are custom made by Michael Frank Braun and are lower output and much more open. They love nuance and take well to boosting later in the signal path. The basswood is definitely a flatter eq, which is why it's such a great tone wood. Also the differences in he Birdseye and Flametop (blue) Govans is also noticeably different. And that is the fact that the Birdseye is the very first run. The Flametop has a baked basswood body and the Birdseye does not. The baked body is lighter and noticeably more resonant. Overall, the Govans win. They'd better at 3 times the price. But I could EASILY play one of the DK24s instead without feeling I was missing out. Thought the Govans are superior, the DK24 2PT models are absolutely stellar and if you didn't HAVE the ability to compare the two, you wouldn't need to. I highly recommend the DK24s...unless you can swing the Govan, in which case...DO IT! 🙌🏻
I have a dk24 army green, set up with gig bag I am looking to sell, it actually is a wonderful guitar, and stays remarkably in tune, however i am going toward more of a hollow body jazz sound.
You got some serious chops Randy
Jon Authier thank you so much!
Wow awesome demo and review! I just subscribed. Love the Guthrie’s but was interested in the DKs.
ponsau thanks man! Yeah, I love these guitars. You won't be disappointed.
AWESOME VID!!!!....i've always wanted an old mary kay pink strat....but now i'm jonesing for that pink charvel!!!!!
larry dickman thanks! Yeah, I was crushing on a shell pink Anderson and when I saw this I got all squishy!
Don’t do it, poor quality.
Been eyeing the dk pro mods pink and matte green. Awesome review bro and sick chops
Imagine8 thanks so much, man! Much appreciated!
I got the pink pro mod. Worth every penny.
@@morky_mork also on the wall about the HH lmao so hard when there is such good gear lmao
@@DiegoHenaoV lol you can't really go wrong buddy, I want the new HH one as well haha
@@morky_mork lmao touche my dude
Incredible demo!
Kevin James thank you so much!
The single coils on the hss sound quite dark, quite similar to the humbucker variants
Absolutely. I didn't find them "stratty" enough.
Thanks for this awesome comparison video. I've had my eye on the Shell Pink or the Matt Army Drab Green (HSH). I love both but unsure on what pickup configuration to go for. Ill stop by a shop and hopefully get to try them out.
Great playing Randy! Subbed!
LifeisGuitar thank you so much! I'm glad you dig it! I hope you find the one for you!
Let us know which config you went for hsh or ssh .
Superb video and very informative. I have my eye on the orange DK24 which i will be trying out tomorrow. Cheers buddy!!
Hugh Caldwell thanks! Excellent, you won't be disappointed!
sadly in europe it is around 1200 usd for the dk24, but still I really like the specs, sound, look and all the reviews. I might save up for one
Cheers to u my friend for an awesome comparison. Ive been eyeballing that DK 24 for a few mos now.
Triple S thanks man! Yeah, when they were first revealed I became immediately intrigued. I had to get my hands on them.
Recently got the shell pink Charvel. Its one of the best guitars I've ever played on. Probably the best imo so far.
Excellent! That whole Charvel line is fantastic!
HSS is my pick (also, I mean, it's pink, awesome), but they all sound awesome. Killer playing, wow!
Thank you so much!
Thank you for such a detailed review this was awesome. Subscribed!
Thank you! I appreciate that!
that's some kick ass playing
Thank you so much!
I like the orange Charvel man nice , & sounding 👍🎸🤟 . Thanks TroyFrost / Troyster 😎 CoolRiffs 😎 Cool 🎸 🤘🤘 🤘
Troy Frost thanks man! 🙌🏻🤘🏻🙏🏻
I actually just ordered the orange one. Always wanted a Charvel guitar and finally took the chance. I'm still really into the Hair Metal music, but i HATE setting up floyd's. I am really hoping i like this guitar cause the choice was between this one and another DK model that was the Purple Phaze, but this one had that neck joint that was a great deal better to play with. Also the neck seems alot better on this one also..
robert powers good choice. I can't imagine you won't be pleased!
When I watch you play it makes me wish I could play Ran.
mistrcoffe thank you, it feels really great to hear that. Love you, brother.
I have to note that the Orange hsh DK24 neck pickup, while an Alnico 2 Pro, if you notice it has double hex pole piece screws, just like the Full Shred. I can’t find any information on this exact pickup, but rumor is that an A2Pro neck is a Jazz neck with an Alnico 2 magnet and the Full Shred neck is almost like a Jazz neck with double rows of hex pole screws instead of slugs and fillister screws. So I’m thinking this is something like an Alnico 2 Full Shred Neck. Either way, I like how it has a warm midrange with a sharp pick attack. The HH DK24’s Full Shred neck is kind of a cheese grater in comparison.
ConspireToConspire I've reached out to Duncan, but my experience is that for most OEM use, especially guitars made in mass out of the country, the pickup is made as an OEM part for the guitar manufacturer. It is likely it was done for either cost (not having both solid slugs and flat head screws means just making two identical bobbins and using all the same hex head poles vs having to differentiate the two) and for esthetics (both pickups match). But those are just examples of what I've encountered in my experience. I'll follow up when I get a response from Duncan.
Really nice demo Randy!
Thank you so much!
What is the tuning stability on the dk24 for more insane whammying action like divebombs and such? I love the fun sounds of a Floyd but hate setting them up lol
Really enjoyed this review. Found this and you via Cameron Cooper channel 👍
I plan to try those dk24 at some point 😃
Killer playing and review! Thanks for sharing
Thank you so much!
Sounding glorious dude
Riley IoAcura aw, thank you so much, I appreciate that!
Thanks for the very interesting video Randy !
Kurt Vereecke you're very welcome!
First of all i want to say that this video is absolutely amazing, good job! I have seen it several times. I also own DK24 HSH in satin orange and i wanted to ask for help. I undarstand that Guthrie model is san dimas body but DK24 is Dinky, do you feel much difference where your picking hand sits between both models. I'm a strat player but i also wanted a good super strat and of course Charvel is my first choice because i am a Fender fan. I don't know but somehow i think san dimas body would be more comfortable, so that's why i've been looking to Justin Aufdemkampe sig model which is san dimas and also mahogany. Thinking about selling dk24 and buy Justin Aufdemkampe sig. Of course i can't afford Guthrie Model. Maybe it's not worth it, pls help decide... And second question is about Dk24 bridge pickup... Full Shred trembucker seems too hot, what would be your opinion on what pickup would be good in there? Maybe alnico 2 Pearly Gates trembucker? Thank you very much Randy Wilcox.
Hello Edgar, thank you very much.
Here are my honest thoughts. The dinky looks more different than it feels. Esthetically, I'm very partial to the Guthrie because it really is a strat body that's been cut to accommodate 24 frets. I like the look of the more rounded edges of the strat. Yes, it's super comfortable. But the difference in feel when holding the two guitars is entirely in how the finish feels. Because of the contours, there's no difference I how it sits under your arm. The scale length, bridge and pickup positions are all the same. Fit-wise, going back and forth was seamless.
The JA model would give you the strat look, but you will have far less pickup combination versatility and no trem at all. So you really have to consider which you'd rather have. For me personally, the sacrifice would be too great, but you have to make that choice for yourself..
As for the pickup, I agree. The Full Shred are fine for balls out distortion, but they lack the subtlety and nuance you get with the MFB pickups in the Guthries. I used to suggest to people to get whatever Suhr pickups Guthrie had in his Suhr guitars because, logically speaking, they'd be the closest to what Guthrie was looking for before having Michael Frank Braun custom make his. However, I replaced my pink HSS Charvel with my Tom Anderson Guardian Angel Player. When doing a short demo of the bridge for a friend, I recorded a short clip of both the Guthrie and the Anderson and then chopped them up and spliced them together. Tonally, I couldn't hear the difference. So I have the Tom Anderson HC2 in the bridge of that guitar. The HF2 would be the same pickup without the nickel cover. I even measured the output and they're almost identical. So similar eq curve and output. That's a safe recommendation.
I hope this was useful. Good luck!
@@RandyWillcox Thank you very much Sir for your time and answer, it was more than helpful. I think i'm gonna keep my DK24 and experiment with bridge pup in the future. In the past i had Jackson Pro Dinky with JB/59 combo and also Jackson Pro Soloist with Duncan Distortion set and i remember that when i played Dinky my right hand was hitting neck pup and i kinda hated it but with soloist placemanet of my right hand was different and felt more comfortable. Either way i sold both Jacksons and bought my first Charvel which happens to be DK24 HSH. IMHO I think Charvels are definetly one of the best super-strat style guitars out there, they are stunning instruments and have that Strat snap. I guess i just need to save up and also get San Dimas Charvel. Thx again, you're doing an amazing job! Subscribed ;)
@@RandyWillcox Wonderful Randy!
Btw What Tom Anderson pickup would you recommend for a super strat trying to get close to all the 3 MFB pickups on Guthrie's Expensive Charvel?
What a great demo Awesome
reacteur84 thank you so much!
really good comparison and some great playing too. thanks
Hey Randy, amazing review! really informative (and great playing as well)
I'm almost sold in the HSH model, I just aint sure about the bridge pickup... I tend to like a mid hump, smooth, warm and dark lead tone (like Guthrie's) but I just don't know if this particular "Full shred" pickup is designed for that type of tone. Do you think that tone is achievable just by rolling a bit of the tone knob or would you suggest to replace the bridge pickup with something like a Seymour Duncan custom custom?
Once again, thankyou for the review, all the best!
matmartinelli thanks! I'd replace it. The full shred is a different animal. I'm not as familiar with the custom custom, but I'd definitely go with something less aggressive. The full shred is definitely for more aggressive tones. But yeah, I always think of pickups very clearly, they're easily swappable. The structure of the guitar is most important, the rest you can tweak to your heart's content. I'm thinking about swapping the pickups in the pink one. I actually put an original, non-fine tuner Floyd Rose on it and routed the recess. I'm thinking about a JB in the bridge and a more classic strat style Duncan single for the neck and middle.
@@RandyWillcox You're right! This sort of things are no where near a deal-breaker characteristic. I'll do some research on other pickups and if I find anything interesting that fits my needs, I'll post ir here.
Amazing playing!
I have the US Select DK 24 HSS. While I love the feel of playing the guitar I just can‘t seem to bond with the pickups- especially the single coils seem to have a high mid spike. What pickups would you recommend to use instead? I am used to EMG 85/SA/SA in all my other guitars (Valley Arts and Valley Arts style made by local German luthiers).
Thanks!
Best,
Christian
Christian, thank you so much. I believe they are using the same Duncan pickups in the USA DK models, correct? I'm surprised. I leaned towards Duncan pickups for most of my life, yet I really don't dig these particular ones either. I actually found the single coils were quite lifeless. They lacked the spank I like in single coils specifically. I sold off my DK24s and replaced them with Tom Andersons. Haha. And I am in love with he Anderson pickups. That IS after all what Tom was known for originally back in his Schecter days. I now have 4 Andersons and am so pleased with the entire range. And they're so helpful in helping you pick the right pickups. You can call and speak to Roy or Tom and get all the advice necessary. But having said that, I bought the MIJ Rick Graham Charvel DK24 last spring and I love it. His signature Bareknuckle pickups in it are great. They are powerful but dynamic and articulate. They aren't on the Bareknuckle website, but I bet if you reached out to Bareknuckle, Tim (Mills, the man behind Bareknuckle), could fill you in on whether they could be made available or if he has a similar set in the lineup.
My favorite HSS configuration in my own arsenal is my Anderson set: H3 humbucker with 2 VA7.2 single coils. They are voiced like their vintage single coil with more output to balance against the humbucker in the bridge.
@@RandyWillcox Randy, thank you very much. I remember back in the days friends of mine had several Tom Anderson pickups installed in their Schecter or even Tom Anderson Strats. I forgot all about them. Thanks for directing me to them. I‘ll do some more research into Tom Anderson Pickups. I am not familiar with Barenuckle pickups though. I really can’t understand why Charvel are using such bad Seymour Duncan pickups. Best, Christian
@@CC-vf1yl you're very welcome! Yes, definitely check out the Tom Andersons. I don't know why those Duncans are the choice for those models either. I have spoken to several people who feel as we do about them.
GREAT Video!!! Great playing!!! Great sound!!!
beannie60 thank you!
i got my pink DK24 Last week i love it
paulcuban they're unbelievable! I can't wait to see the new ones at NAMM! 🙌🏻
@@RandyWillcox wish i was goin had an invite last year but its a bit of a trip from here in the UK . I was looking at a GG a few years back but ended up getting a MM JP15 .
@@RandyWillcox Forgot to mention Great playing ....
Exceptional review, and stellar playing!
Thank you so much!
I have the Orange DK24 and it is amazing. I compare it to the EB MM JP16/15 so for $1500 less. It really is that good.
I did change the bridge pup to a Seymour Duncan '78 for a medium output.
Elliot Serrano yeah, that's how I feel. At this price point it's ridiculous! And with a few bucks worth of mods it closes the gap even more.
The Full Shred HBs certainly are hotter. They're definitely edgier than the Guthrie also. Those have much more sensible and dynamic pickups. But I'm happy with the articulation of the Full Shred for being so hot.
For 2 minutes, this guy was a god to me
Awesome playing, awesome guitars
Thank you!
Links to other things you play? Bands, tracks? You write very well.
Thank you so much! I'm writing and recording a project now, but I need to produce more music. If you go to the "About" section of my RUclips channel, there are links. Soundcloud probably has the most material to listen to. Thank you again!
i wonder if the gg models are ceramic magnets in the pickups. That could explain the gritty vs shimmer character difference i notice
Ben Craig they're alnico. But the output is considerably lower than the Duncans. The Duncans are harsher and don't clean up as well with the volume control. And the GG pickups are.uch more open. When I split the neck, I get a great single coil sound which doesn't usually happen when splitting a humbucker. And the 2 and 4 positions are much more present and clear. Those pickups are beautiful.
I've never seen a GG Charvel with a blue top? Looks nice. Great playing and review. Thanks alot :-)
Lee Logan thank you! Yeah, I needed to add a little color for the stage. I'm thinking of redoing it a little more turquoise. Time will tell.
Hey man, what's that blue guitar? Is it a charvel GG USA 2014? Did you refinish it? Can you share your experience? I'm an considering a similar mod. Cheers!
I’ve played the DK24 and I agree that they are excellent guitars. Sure there are some comers cut to bring the price down below a grand. But in the end its all subtle and nothing to get concerned about.
Agreed. That's why I made the video. I think the bang for the buck is ridiculously good.
Loved the Blue Guthrie and the Pink HSS…what are the spec differences? Did I miss that somewhere??
Thank you. Starting at about 4:30 I run down the comparison.
@@RandyWillcox Wow…so the Blue Guthrie is baked basswood, but the only difference on pink DK to the orange is the neck pickup…yet they sounded vastly different to my ears!
Still enjoying them? Did you ever try the Ibanez AZ for comparison?
Thank you
Great playing and video!!! :)
Thank you so much!
Great review and some great playing! I'm looking to buy and it's a toss up between the Drab Green with a humbucker in the neck position or the Primer Grey with a single coil in the neck position. Unfortunately I can't try before I buy and no returns so any suggestions? Thanks heaps!
Chris Flabouris thanks man! Ok, my suggestion is this: if you aren't so drawn to either the single coil or the humbucker, I suggest the humbucker. You can add a coil split to make it behave like a single coil.
Thanks man, much appreciated! Looks like it's going to be a humbucker...I've got a few strats with single coil hum and it's going to great to grab a new axe with no hum whatsoever! @@RandyWillcox
Seriously sweet licks. In terms of vibrato, how does the 510 compare to the non-fine tuner floyd?
The non fine's got more range upwards and downwards, while the 510 much more like a strat bridge with a fr functionality but with less range
If that doesnt get a thumbs out of you, you don't have a pulse! Flaming Fretboards!
I am in lust with the army drab green - the Orange Crush's , seen here, brother.. However, I've never seen the blue GG, that is Gorgeo! It might be the same to a blind man - but I ain't blind! That thang pretty!
AAA+ Video, brother, you slayed it!
Luey Sixty-six thank you! The Blue Guthrie started its life as a natural Guthrie. I spruced it up.
Randy Willcox Ooh! For realz?! Extraordinary job, Man!! Looks like you put binding on it. Did you just colour it not quite to the edges?
Fantastic playing and demo, thank you.
Thank you very much!
Very awesome review! Thanks
Thank you, I appreciate that! You're most welcome!
Rock and Roll to the metal..............I think I´m in love, ps. the next time I would love to see all the recording just from the frontal cam, the gorgoeus view is mesmerazing
🙏🏻😉
Hi Randy, Very nice comparison! Could you post your pickup height settings for the DK24 Pro Mod HSS model? Appreciate it! :)
flashbak01 Sorry it took so long to get back to you, bet here it is:
The neck pickup pole pieces are:
Low E: 1/8"
High E: 3/32"
The middle pickup is cranked down but the measurement is the same on both sides:
5/32"
The Bridge pickup is the same on both sides as well:
1/16"
@@RandyWillcox
Thanks for taking the time to do this for me Randy, I appreciate it!
Nice review and incredible playing!
Dan Stringer thank you so much.
It's one of the best dk24 review here in the tube!!! One question: could it be possible to add a push/pull on the hss or hsh to a more straty sound?
Thank you! Yes you can. You have a couple options. I didn't want a bridge single coil on its own, so the easiest option was to replace my tone knob with a push pull to split the neck. This gave me the standard wiring which was: Neck hb, neck SC & middle, neck SC & bridge SC, middle & bridge SC, Bridge hb PLUS I could pull the knob up and get the neck SC alone. So I could toggle between HSH and HSS. If you want to be able to split both humbuckers, you might have to forfeit the middle position neck hb & bridge hb tele sound. There may be a way around it, but I'm not sure. Or you could get close and wire it to do series/parallel of the humbuckers so you get a single coil-like sound. This is what the newer Guthrie Govan models have.
@@RandyWillcox Hey man, I read your description, and I'm really interested in grabbing this guitar and adding that push pull knob for the Neck SC alone. Do you recommend any wiring diagram in particular to make that small change so that I could keep it HSH and then when needed, HSS? Thanks!
Really good review -- thanks a ton; this is the 3rd time I've come back to this video!
In it, you mentioned that for around $500 you could customize the guitar to rival the GG signature guitars. As beautiful as the GGs are, I kind of feel like the orange/pink guitars are more my style. But the GGs sound noticeably better to me. Do you have any thoughts on what the biggest contributing factors are to the GG's (subjectively) "better" sound might be? As in, could replacing the pickups on the DK24 yield a comparable sound or something like that? Or is it mostly due to the wood? (I don't know much about what contributes to tone, to be honest)
Thank you, I'm glad you found the video useful. As for the upgrades, yes, that estimate is based on features: Having stainless steel frets installed, perhaps staggered tuners, that sort of thing. The neck on the Guthrie is, of course, highly figured and the body is also roasted basswood vs. Alder. That certainly affects the tone. Basswood is a much more even tonal response and the roasting process affects the way the wood resonates. I would definitely recommend less aggressive pickups for the DK since the Guthrie doesn't use particularly hot pickups. The fit and finish will never come close, BUT, if you DO have the stainless frets installed by a really good tech, that's most of the battle right there. People don't realize how much a really well performed fret level and dress improves the overall feel of a guitar.
Great review Randy... how bout the Charvel vs the EVH?
I'm about to bite the bullet on one of these two....
Dennis de Lange thank you! Well, here's my two cents: buy the one that has the features you want. Build quality is exceptional. Like I said, I played the Mexican made EVH and it was so impressive, I decided I had to try these. It was based on build quality. Materials and actual build finish. Essentially, it was just a matter of what I wanted.
24 frets. Roasted (Charvel call it caramelized) maple neck and board. No locking nut (I'll be making a video about why I love the non fine tuner Floyd Rose with locking tuners in lieu of a locking nut) and the floating bridge vs having it sitting on the body.
I love the Wolfgang, but when I get one it will be to have for fun. For my primary playing it doesn't have the feature set I prefer.
So that's my advice. Decide which guitar has the features you want and go with it
Brilliant video. Subscribed!
Macaroon thank you! 🤘🏻
Just pulled the trigger on the GG maple one. Since I never owned a guitar w Floyd I have no idea how to change strings on that 😅 can you help me out? Do we change them one at a time? Total noob regarding locking tuners too and the tremol-no. If any good soul comes across this here’s a nice video you can’t find on RUclips regarding GG models. Edit: cannot live without a well crafted guitar w stainless frets. My fender had them too.. another note: my all time fav player including all genres guitar players from jazz to rock and back is Guthrie. Attended his workshop 2 years ago, was 1 week from being hospitalized but couldn’t miss that so I went and it was worth every minute. He played fives.
Congrats! Change strings like any other guitar. Since it has locking tuners, I go one at a time. The technique is painfully obvious: loosen the screw that locks the string in the saddle then tighten it when you've replaced the string. If I have to remove all the strings, I use a cloth folded up to wedge under the back of the bridge to keep it from sinking into the body. This is helpful when restringing so you don't have too much string wrapping around the posts of the tuners. That defeats the purpose of locking tuners. Use a lubricant like Big Bends Nut Sauce on the nut slots and STRETCH YOUR STRINGS WELL! Everyone swears they do this, but 99% don't. Then they complain about tuning problems and blame the bridge, or the nut, or the tuners, or the cosmos.
As for the tremol-no, it should be set when you get it. If you change string Guage, you have to adjust it like any standard spring claw to get the bridge level. Just MAKE SURE the claw remains perfectly parallel to the trem block. If it isn't, the guide rod will be crooked and create friction. You'll hear it rubbing when you use the bridge. This will make returning to zero impossible and you won't stay in tune.
Out of curiosity, what fender did you have with stainless steel frets? To my knowledge, it wasn't until the Luxe strat last year that they FINALLY put stainless steel frets on a production guitar.
@@RandyWillcox thank you very much mate! This will be very helpful and thank you again for having the care to answer me. By the way you play fantastic! Very enjoyable and subbed. 💯❤️
@@RandyWillcox I had a Fender American series Telecaster from 2003. They were called American Series from 2001 Until 2004 if I correctly recall then the name American Standard came. Bought it from a friend that played in a blues band thought perhaps he had it for a fret job. Honestly I though it was a feature… 😅 from American series and he never told. I will do some research to see if I can find anything but I am sure they were stainless steel.
Great demo! The Guthries just sound better to me (especially the light finish one), more open sounding, more rich, less harsh.
the radical kindness lightly finished guitars resonate better than unfinished guitars. That said, there is a lacquer finish on both. The "unfinished" model is just a hand-rubbed gel application that prevents the finish from feeling like a shell. It's basically satin. The "raw" feeling is an illusion. But yes, having just that extra little but of a sprayed finish makes a difference. And they do outshine the DK24s. But at 3x the price, they absolutely should.
@@RandyWillcox Totally agree on the finishes and thickness. I have a Novo and a thin skin tele and they both resonate for days. Sadly, I haven't played any of the Guthries yet, although that caramelized one has been calling my name.
You mentioned installing staggered tuners and removing the string trees. What brand of staggered tuners are you using?
Mark I got the Gotoh HAPM height adjustable locking tuners. They're the same tuners Ibanez puts on the AZ. It's the one AZ feature I like. They don't use a knurled knob to tighten the string and the height adjustment means you can set the height of each tuner individually which is great for compensating for the string trees. I'm doing all the mods soon and I'm going to chronicle as much as I can in a video.
@@RandyWillcox Cool! I've got a pink DK24 inbound and have heard issues about the string trees and tuning on these.
Very cool.... now I want one.
God dang man! you freaking amazing on guitar and must be rich af lol. Great vid man
Haha, thanks man! I'm definitely NOT rich, just really different priorities. I have a roommate, I almost never buy takeout food. I don't smoke so that saves me almost $6,000 a year (my parents were smokers who could never understand how people could afford vacations. They were mad when I pointed out that their cigarettes annually equalled a vacation AND new car payments). I don't have a Playstation or online gaming addiction (again, I mention this because I have friends who don't realize what they spend a month in games could get them a Guthrie Govan in a year or less). My clothes and shoes come from places like Century 21 and Burlington. So it's just about choices. My "vacation" every year is the NAMM show in LA instead of Greece, or Italy, or... So it's just choices I've made. Rich would be nice though, then I could still go to Greece and Italy and... :)