Charvel Pro-Mod Joe Duplantier San Dimas Style 2 Electric Guitar Review
Charvel is a brand known for creating high-performance electric guitars that cater to the needs of modern musicians. Their collaboration with Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier has resulted in the Pro-Mod Joe Duplantier San Dimas Style 2, an instrument that combines Charvel’s expertise in guitar design with Duplantier’s vision for a versatile and powerful axe. In this in-depth review, we’ll explore the features, sound, and overall performance of this unique electric guitar to help you determine if it’s the right choice for you.
Design and Construction
The Joe Duplantier San Dimas Style 2 guitar features a unique hybrid design that combines elements of classic T-style guitars with Charvel’s signature San Dimas body shape. The result is a visually striking instrument that retains the familiar feel of a T-style guitar while offering improved playability and balance.
The guitar’s body is made from solid mahogany, providing a warm and resonant tone with plenty of sustain. The bolt-on maple neck features a thin “speed” profile with rolled fingerboard edges, ensuring a fast and comfortable playing experience. The 12″-16″ compound radius ebony fretboard offers excellent playability across its 22 jumbo frets, with pearloid dot inlays for a touch of class.
The San Dimas Style 2 comes equipped with high-quality hardware, including a specially designed Fender 6-saddle hardtail bridge that provides improved intonation and sustain. The Charvel-branded sealed die-cast tuners offer reliable tuning stability, while the graphite nut ensures smooth string movement and reduces friction.
Aesthetically, the guitar is available in a variety of finishes, including Satin White and Natural Mahogany. The minimalist design is accentuated by black hardware and a simple single-ply black pickguard, giving the instrument a sleek, modern appearance.
Electronics and Sound
The Pro-Mod Joe Duplantier San Dimas Style 2 is designed to deliver powerful and versatile tones suitable for a wide range of musical styles. The guitar comes equipped with a DiMarzio Fortitude humbucker in the bridge position, offering a high-output, aggressive sound that’s perfect for heavy riffs and solos. The neck position features a DiMarzio PAF 36th Anniversary humbucker, which provides a warm, vintage tone with excellent clarity and dynamics.
The guitar’s electronics consist of a three-way pickup selector switch, allowing you to choose between the bridge, neck, or both pickups simultaneously. There’s also a single volume control and a no-load tone control, which bypasses the tone circuit when turned all the way up for a more direct, uncolored sound.
With its combination of high-output and vintage-style pickups, the Joe Duplantier San Dimas Style 2 is capable of producing a wide range of tones. From crushing metal riffs to smooth clean passages, this guitar can handle it all, making it an ideal choice for musicians who require versatility from their instrument.
Playability
The Charvel Pro-Mod Joe Duplantier San Dimas Style 2 is designed with playability in mind. The thin “speed” neck profile and rolled fingerboard edges make it easy to navigate the fretboard and execute complex techniques. The compound radius fretboard ensures comfortable chording in the lower frets while providing a flatter surface for effortless bends and solos higher up the neck.
The guitar’s unique hybrid body shape offers excellent balance and ergonomics, making it comfortable to play both standing and sitting. The T-style cutaway provides easy access to the upper frets, while the contoured heel allows for smooth transitions between the neck and body.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Unique hybrid design that combines T-style and San Dimas elements
- Powerful, versatile sound suitable for a wide range of musical styles
- High-quality construction and hardware
- Thin “speed” neck profile and compound radius fretboard for excellent playability
- Collaboration with Gojira’s Joe Duplantier ensures a guitar designed with the modern musician in mind
Cons:
- Lack of additional features or customization options compared to some other Charvel models
- The minimalist design may not appeal to everyone
Conclusion
The Charvel Pro-Mod Joe Duplantier San Dimas Style 2 is an impressive electric guitar that offers a unique combination of style, performance, and versatility. With its powerful sound, comfortable playability, and distinctive hybrid design, it’s an excellent choice for musicians looking for an instrument that can handle a variety of styles and techniques.
If you’re a fan of both T-style guitars and Charvel’s San Dimas models, the Joe Duplantier San Dimas Style 2 is a perfect blend of these two worlds. Its combination of high-output and vintage-style pickups, as well as its sleek, modern design, make it a fantastic option for players who want a versatile and powerful instrument built for today’s demanding musical landscape.
