Hot or Not? Charvel
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Packerbacker
Grandpa Whine
I like it!
mystixboi1
Kick Henry Jackassowski
Very nice
BlockInlay
Octavate.band
always thought those looked great
Dogsinplastic
avuncular to no one
This is the first off-set that I actually wanted. Thinking about it, it's still my favorite of the off-sets. Actually I like the Off-set Special from Fender just a bit more, but prefer the bridge on this one.
Modern Saint
Starve your Fear, Feed your Dream!
I am somewhere in between on that one. With that thought taken, next would how does it play and sound.
Guitar Heel
Demented Trick
The pickguard doesn't work for me. Other than that, I like it.
ellengtrgrl
Guitar Old Timer
I had that exact same model, and color Surfcaster from late 1990- mid 1992. I bought it at Dave's Guitar Shop back in late 1990 (it was the first time I visited the place, and they were still at their original location). The Surfacster was my backup, and "other sounds" guitar. They're kind of built like a thinline Tele, and have a maple cap over a mahogany body with a routed out chamber, under the catseye soundhole. The neck on mine was slim and fast (one of the few slim necks that I've ever liked), and the neck heel had a bit bit of a cutaway, to provide better upper fret access. In the middle position, the pickups are wired together as a humbucker, and the tone control has a push-in detent to put the pickups out of phase with each other. It was a great guitar, and very well made to boot.
About the only problem I had with my Surfcaster, was that I got sick of the Chandler made lipstick pickups. Normally I like lipstick pickups (I've owned more than a few Danos). I like their unique sound, but the ones on the Surfcaster were weak sounding to say the least (this was especially the case during one gig, when I broke a string on my main guitar [a Peavey Generation, Tele clone w/ active humbuckers], and had to use my Surfacster to finish out the set - to say it sounded lame for playing "Seek and Destroy" was being kind). Unfortunately, aftermarket lipstick replacement pickups (especially those with some higher output) were basically non-existent back in the early 90s. I considered my Surfcaster to be too nice of a guitar to butcher by routing out the bridge position for a humbucker (although, Jackson [after they bought Charvel] ended up making the later model Surfcasters with that setup - bridge humbucker and lipstick neck pickup), and I couldn't afford to keep it around as a case queen, so it got traded towards a doublecut reissue Les Paul Junior.
I'd love to have another Surfcaster nowadays - especially since todays amps have so much more gain capability. I'd have a guitar that can do cool Danoesque tones, but could still kick out some decent grind, when the gain was cranked. I've spent a fair amount of time over the years looking to buy a used Surfacaster (new ones haven't been made since the late 90s), but they're going for stupid money (even the Jackson branded ones), that I'm not going to pay, for what would be a second guitar at best for me. Reissue/replica Surfcasters, called Kokocasters, are made by GRB guitars, of Madison, WI, but I'm kind of "eh" about them - I'd prefer an original. One of these days, I might just end up breaking down, and spending the coin needed to buy an original Charvel (or even Jackson) Surfcaster.
About the only problem I had with my Surfcaster, was that I got sick of the Chandler made lipstick pickups. Normally I like lipstick pickups (I've owned more than a few Danos). I like their unique sound, but the ones on the Surfcaster were weak sounding to say the least (this was especially the case during one gig, when I broke a string on my main guitar [a Peavey Generation, Tele clone w/ active humbuckers], and had to use my Surfacster to finish out the set - to say it sounded lame for playing "Seek and Destroy" was being kind). Unfortunately, aftermarket lipstick replacement pickups (especially those with some higher output) were basically non-existent back in the early 90s. I considered my Surfcaster to be too nice of a guitar to butcher by routing out the bridge position for a humbucker (although, Jackson [after they bought Charvel] ended up making the later model Surfcasters with that setup - bridge humbucker and lipstick neck pickup), and I couldn't afford to keep it around as a case queen, so it got traded towards a doublecut reissue Les Paul Junior.
I'd love to have another Surfcaster nowadays - especially since todays amps have so much more gain capability. I'd have a guitar that can do cool Danoesque tones, but could still kick out some decent grind, when the gain was cranked. I've spent a fair amount of time over the years looking to buy a used Surfacaster (new ones haven't been made since the late 90s), but they're going for stupid money (even the Jackson branded ones), that I'm not going to pay, for what would be a second guitar at best for me. Reissue/replica Surfcasters, called Kokocasters, are made by GRB guitars, of Madison, WI, but I'm kind of "eh" about them - I'd prefer an original. One of these days, I might just end up breaking down, and spending the coin needed to buy an original Charvel (or even Jackson) Surfcaster.
GreatDane
"up yours, baby."
i played and almost bought a surf green version of that same guitar back in the day, but i was broke as a joke back then and needed to be kicked out of most guitar shops i visited then since i was in no position to ever buy anything. if i came across one for the right price now, i might be tempted. i remember it being a pretty rad guitar.
