Charvel Custom Shop USA San Dimas BT

Charvel Custom Shop USA San Dimas BT review

The Charvel Custom Shop USA San Dimas BT is a U.S.-made, limited-run electric guitar with an alder body, a maple neck and fingerboard, two DiMarzio humbuckers, and a Floyd Rose tremolo. Its specifications describe a traditional San Dimas format with a 648 mm scale, 22 jumbo frets, and a five-way pickup switch. The listed price is $4,899.

No customer reviews are available for this model, so there is no basis for claims about its playability, sound, setup quality, or reliability in real-world use. This assessment is limited to the supplied specifications. The instrument is listed as available since November 2025, with item number 601149 and the designation "LTD 2024." The provided information does not explain how that limited-run label relates to the availability date.

Body, neck, and fretboard

The body is alder, with no separate top. The neck and fretboard are both maple. The neck is bolted on, and its listed thickness is 20 mm at the first fret and 22 mm at the twelfth. Those measurements provide a useful reference for the neck's dimensions, though they do not specify its complete profile or how it will feel in hand.

The 648 mm scale is also given as 25.51 inches. The fretboard has 22 jumbo frets and 1/4-inch mother-of-pearl dot inlays. Charvel identifies the body shape and model as San Dimas. The combination of a maple fingerboard, jumbo frets, and a familiar scale length is clearly defined on paper, but the supplied data gives no fretboard radius, nut width, or detailed neck-profile name. Those omissions matter to players comparing precise fit and setup requirements.

Pickups and controls

The pickup set pairs a DiMarzio Super Distortion humbucker at the bridge with a DiMarzio PAF Pro humbucker at the neck. Both have black bobbins. These are specific pickup models rather than generic descriptions, giving buyers a clear starting point for researching their output and tonal characteristics. The specs alone, however, do not establish how the pair sounds in this guitar or how it responds to an individual amplifier and playing style.

Controls comprise a 500 kΩ master volume, a 250 kΩ tone control, and a five-way switch. The listing does not provide a switching chart, so the exact pickup combinations available at each switch position should be confirmed with Charvel or a dealer before purchase. A black, white, and black pickguard completes the stated control-area hardware.

Tremolo and other hardware

A Floyd Rose tremolo is specified, along with black hardware and Gotoh tuning machines. The strings are listed as.009 to.042 gauge. The supplied details do not identify the Floyd Rose unit's exact model, locking-nut configuration, or setup, so those points are worth checking if they are important to your choice. The presence of a named tremolo system does not, by itself, describe its adjustment range or maintenance requirements.

The guitar includes a case and a certificate, but no gig bag. It is identified as made in the USA. These are concrete purchase details, although the specifications do not say what type of case is included or provide further information about the certificate.

Finish details and buying considerations

There is a discrepancy in the supplied color fields. The general color entry says red, while the detailed specification names the finish "Root Beer Trans." Those descriptions are not identical, so buyers should ask for photographs or written confirmation of the finish on the available instrument rather than relying on the broad color field alone.

At $4,899, this is a high-priced, limited-run Custom Shop instrument. The listed hardware and pickup models make its core configuration easy to identify, while several practical details remain unspecified, including the neck radius, nut width, exact tremolo model, and five-way switch layout. The available information is enough to compare its main materials and components, but not to judge craftsmanship, setup, or value against other guitars through hands-on testing.

Specifications at a glance

• Model: Charvel Custom Shop USA San Dimas BT
• Body: Alder, with no separate top
• Neck and fingerboard: Maple, bolted-on neck
• Scale and frets: 648 mm scale, 22 jumbo frets
• Pickups: DiMarzio Super Distortion bridge humbucker and DiMarzio PAF Pro neck humbucker
• Controls: 500 kΩ master volume, 250 kΩ tone, five-way switch
• Tremolo and tuners: Floyd Rose tremolo, Gotoh tuning machines
• Included: Case and certificate; no gig bag
• Origin and listed price: Made in the USA, $4,899