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Charvel built its name in the early eighties on fast, no-nonsense guitars that could keep up with whatever a player threw at them, and the San Dimas was the shape that started it. The new American Neo-Classic San Dimas Style 1 is Charvel going back to those 1980 specs and building them again in the USA, with a few modern touches the originals never had. If you came up on eighties rock, or you just want a guitar that plays like it wants to be pushed, this one is worth a close look.
The Neo-Classic comes in two versions of the same guitar: one with a Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo, and one with a fixed hardtail bridge. Same body, same neck, same pickups. The only real question is whether you want a whammy bar. Both come in a run of finishes, from classic black and white to bright blue, red, and purple.
The body is alder, cut to the San Dimas shape Charvel has used since the beginning. Alder is the classic choice for a reason. It is balanced from top to bottom, with a warm midrange and a clear high end that helps the guitar cut through a loud band instead of getting buried, and it works for clean parts and high-gain alike.
Pickups are a Seymour Duncan JB and '59 set with parchment bobbins, about as proven a rock pairing as there is. The '59 in the neck gives you warm, vocal lead tones and rich cleans, while the JB in the bridge is hotter and aggressive, the pickup behind countless rock and metal records. Between the two you can cover a lot of ground without ever touching the amp.
The neck is where you feel the care that went into this. It is a one-piece quartersawn maple neck reproduced from authentic 1980 specs, with graphite reinforcement added for stability the early ones did not have, so it stays put through weather and travel. The maple fingerboard uses a 12 to 16 inch compound radius, which means it is rounder down by the nut for comfortable chording and flatter up high so you can set a low action and bend without fretting out. You also get 22 jumbo stainless steel frets that stay smooth for years, rounded fingerboard edges that feel broken in right out of the case, a truss rod wheel at the end of the neck for quick setup changes, and Luminlay side dots that glow on a dark stage.
The wiring is kept simple on purpose: a single low-friction volume knob and a 5-way blade switch. Nothing to get in the way, nothing to fuss with mid-song, just the sounds where you expect them.
Which brings it back to the one decision worth making. The Floyd Rose version uses a top-mount Floyd Rose 1000 series double-locking tremolo, so you get everything a Floyd does: dive bombs, flutter, and tuning that holds even after you lean on the bar all night. The hardtail version drops the trem for a fixed Charvel bridge, which means simpler string changes, a little more directness, and tuning that never moves. Players who live on the bar will know which one they want. If you never reach for a whammy, the hardtail keeps things clean and simple.
This is an American-made Charvel, and the details back it up. Flip it over and the neckplate is a reproduction of the old San Dimas plate, a nod to where these guitars came from. It is the kind of build that holds up to nightly use and only feels better the more you play it.
The American Neo-Classic San Dimas Style 1 is a focused, fast, well-built rock guitar that honors the original without feeling like a museum piece. Floyd Rose or hardtail, you are getting a USA Charvel that is set up to be played hard.
Come try the Charvel American Neo-Classic San Dimas Style 1 in Wheaton, or find it at ChuckLevins.com. Give us a call and we will help you sort out the right finish and bridge for the way you play.