Charvel: DX-1 ST

Kramer, Jackson & Charvel are the landmark names you need to know if you are into guitars for some sleek performance. 'Sleek' here would encompass both technical flair as well as menacing delivery. Since Charvel's withdrawal from Japan, we are generally bothered by Charvel's QC probabilities especially after knowing they would originate from China. This spells then end for you (as far as interest & beliefs are concerned) if you believe in the fact that doomed guitars come from China.

Build/ fit/ finish

That's a narrow conclusion considering some outstanding workmanship come from China as well but let's not cite specific brand names to propel belief, we have the Charvel DX-1 ST here for scrutiny. Adversity report- zilch. Yes, nothing's amiss with the test model save for the fact that the strings & general hardware were tarnished over time. Please be informed that the DX-1 is a bolt-free instrument & one would expect a smooth transition at the neck heel but this is perhaps the guitar's Achilles heel as the instruments two different finishes converge. The DX-1 neck is simply an oil-stained unit to preserve that very inviting wood feel but its body receives colour treatment as well as a gloss overcoat so there exist a 'bump' at the heel due to this difference. The unspoken objective, in terms of feel, of a through-neck construction is the seamless feel at the heel but that's not observed here. Rest assured, this 'bump', is well managed; it's visually pleasant & proved to be of little bother throughout play. The rest on offer in this area of consideration is nothing short of pleasant. (Rating: 85%)

Playability/ tone

As you would have realized, the heel bump issue discussed above was a necessary pre-empt in our understanding of the DX-1's playability. The neck profile is a compound radius type, we get both a rounded & flattened feel in one serving. Let's not get picky & dwell on that slight bump mentioned earlier; the neck proved to be very playable even at the upper fret area. The stained finish would mean the DX-1 neck promotes grip & nimble movements without the yucky, dirt-induced stickiness from a finished unit (think Gibson necks... well, majority of them). Shred fans would be pleased to know that this neck manifests a degree of flatness necessary for finger technicalities but it's not an Ibanez Wizard-type. So, flat- yes, relatively so, but thin- not quite. Nothing to complain about the curved body top; all's good in terms of a comfortable arm placement. (Rating: 85%)

Tone- a pair of EMGs at the helm so nothing deficient when it comes to distortion but you know how it is with cleans coming from active pickups- bland but nothing too repulsive. We don't embrace actives for their cleans, yes? Prior to this, I had the chance to test a DST with the same pair of EMGs on board (85 neck + 81 bridge) & there was more bottom end coming from that guitar compared to this DX-1 implying that the amount of wood (as opposed to this more aerodynamic Soloist outline) tampers inherent tone frequencies. In this regard, I'd urge potential buyers to establish some perspective tone wise (if it's within your time allowance) & hear the difference because it might matter to some of us. We'd be splitting hairs if we are to debate the tonal qualities of an EMG because we know, in any guitar, the EMG takes over whatever the guitar's tone wood has in store for definition in general. However, this doesn't spell bad in any way, the clarity & cutting edge of active pickups are beyond what passives have to offer so if this is your thing, embrace EMGs; they are different from passive pickups, not 'better'. (Rating: 80%)

Conclusion

We have a well-made guitar before us, that's right. We also have a visually attractive instrument before us, that's right too. However, this guitar will not serve all in terms of tone. Players who are after playing nuances, that somewhat crucial dynamics coming from every emotional bend & digging into stubborn frets, will most likely walk away from active pickups. If they were microphones, we wouldn't give them to Elvis but Tom Araya would benefit from such an implement. So the selling point for the DX-1 is its absolute quality in construction & overall presentation in terms of feel & visual aesthetics but looks alone won't win trophies. As far as instruments go, there need to be a balance of physical, visual & tonal goodness to become a real winner. However, if you truly appreciate what this DX-1 has to offer keeping in mind what it could not deliver was intentional anyway, you'd probably like it more than question its purpose. (Final rating: 80%)

Charvel: DX-1 ST

Availability: Citymusic

Price: $540 (SALE till 31-12-2013)

Bag not included