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James... « Honestly a really good deal »
Published on 12/20/11 at 07:53I believe these are USA or Japan made. I've heard conflicting stories. This basically your protypical super strat design. 22 frets. Alder body and maple neck. Basic strat body design. Original Floyd bridge. Dimarzio pickups. White finish. Grover tuners. Speaking purely in terms of specs this is a top notch guitar.
UTILIZATION
I honestly have never been a fan of these 80's super strats. But I got a real deal on this Socal so I decided to give it a shot. My primary gripe has always been that the neck on the Socal feels a little too beefy for shredding with my hands. These are definitely a modified fender spec neck radius rather than a smaller Jackson or something. Still, the playability is great. I am not a huge fan of Floyd rose bridges and usually prefer Ibanez Pro trems, but as Floyd Roses go this one is great. If you are usually comfortable on these style guitars, this one will feel like an old friend.
SOUNDS
The pickup choice for this guitar was well thought out. The Tone Zone compliments the Alder body and maple neck very well, staying thick even on leads. The Evolution is a great solo pickup because it cuts through so heavily. Be warned though if you aren't familiar with these pickups. They are very high gain. If you are thinking you'll get an overwound PAF, you're in for a lot of heat. They fit this guitar fine though because it's obviously a shredders axe and should only be used for metal or hard rock.
OVERALL OPINION
I don't think I can ever get really comfortable with these old super strats. I think the radius on the Charvel necks are not friendly with my hand. Still, for quality this guitar gets high marks. The price is amazing for all the features you get. If you want a great sub $1000 super strat this is THE guitar.
UTILIZATION
I honestly have never been a fan of these 80's super strats. But I got a real deal on this Socal so I decided to give it a shot. My primary gripe has always been that the neck on the Socal feels a little too beefy for shredding with my hands. These are definitely a modified fender spec neck radius rather than a smaller Jackson or something. Still, the playability is great. I am not a huge fan of Floyd rose bridges and usually prefer Ibanez Pro trems, but as Floyd Roses go this one is great. If you are usually comfortable on these style guitars, this one will feel like an old friend.
SOUNDS
The pickup choice for this guitar was well thought out. The Tone Zone compliments the Alder body and maple neck very well, staying thick even on leads. The Evolution is a great solo pickup because it cuts through so heavily. Be warned though if you aren't familiar with these pickups. They are very high gain. If you are thinking you'll get an overwound PAF, you're in for a lot of heat. They fit this guitar fine though because it's obviously a shredders axe and should only be used for metal or hard rock.
OVERALL OPINION
I don't think I can ever get really comfortable with these old super strats. I think the radius on the Charvel necks are not friendly with my hand. Still, for quality this guitar gets high marks. The price is amazing for all the features you get. If you want a great sub $1000 super strat this is THE guitar.