MusicRadar Verdict
The looks will probably typecast this guitar, but it's way more versatile than you might imagine.
Pros
- +
Versatile.
Cons
- -
Looks will put some off.
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Like the other two recently-reviewed guitars from this line-up (the San Dimas 1 HH FR and the So-Cal), the Pro Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH HT features an alder body, the two-piece bolt-on maple 'Speed Neck' with graphite reinforcement and a pair of Seymour Duncan humbuckers, aka the 'HH' in the model name.
Charvel has spec'd the most popular rock pickup partnership of them all: the Seymour DuncanSH-4JB 'Jazz Blues' (aka the 'Jeff Beck') at the bridge and the Seymour Duncan SH-1 '59 at the neck.
The 'HT' part of the San Dimas' name signifies that this guitar is a hardtail model, in this instance teamed with a set of Charvel-branded locking tuners.
The Speed Neck has a compound radius and feels a bit slimmer than the example on the So-Cal model. The radius runs from 304.8mm (12 inches) over the first few frets to 406.4mm (16 inches) as you get closer to the 22nd fret.
That means open and barre chords are easy to fret, while you get an effortlessly low action, and a buzz-and choke-free string bending experience above the 12th fret.
Where the So-Cal trades in brutality, the San Dimas HT offers a more versatile setup when you introduce it to your amplifier.
Overall, the hardtail format gives this San Dimas a bit more bottom- end than a Floyd-equipped version.
The bridge JB has plenty of grunt, but back off the gain and you'll reveal classic rock tones and some actual jangle when you go clean.
The split-coil settings take the guitar into classic blues territory - Jimi, Rory Gallagher, SRV - especially in the neck position, where you'll find a satisfying 'woody' tone.
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