CHARVEL PRO-MOD DK22 SSS 2PT CM

first play
13
AUGUST 2020 GU ITARIST
CHARVEL PRO-MOD DK22 SSS 2PT CM
’heads provides faultless tuning stability.
The slippery Graph Tech Tusq XL top nut
helps out, too.
Before we plug in, there’s the electrical
stuff to contend with. The DK22 is a SSS
format guitar. In actual fact, it has two
regular single coils and a single-coil-
sized humbucker. The bridge pickup is
a Seymour Duncan SHR-1B Custom Hot
Rails humbucker. The middle unit is a
Seymour Duncan SSL-6 Flat Strat single
coil. The neck position is occupied by
another SSL-6, this time ‘Reverse Wind,
Reverse Polarity’ (aka RWRP) to cut hum
when used in conjunction with one of the
other pickups. Controls include the fast
and loose 500k EVH Bourns Low-Friction
master volume, a No-Load master tone, and
a five-way pickup selector blade switch.
Feel & Sounds
The DK22’s neck is slim. We measured
it at 19.7mm at the 1st fret and 21.1mm at
the octave. Despite that snake-hipped
demeanour this Charvel has just about the
most stable neck we’ve ever come across.
That’s obviously a consequence of the
caramelisation process and the graphite
reinforcement, but we’re still impressed.
This thing is built for comfort and speed.
The rolled fingerboard edges and the
compound radius mean you almost feel like
the guitar is playing itself.
You can dive-bomb on the DK22 if
that’s what you’re into. The vibrato recess
also allows for a decent amount of pull-
back. That said, we enjoyed the shimmer
and sustain that comes with gently
manipulating the vibrato arm back and
forth. Using more of a Jeff Beck approach
than, say, Steve Vai makes the most of the
Gotoh Custom 510’s travel. Again, tuning
stability never disappoints.
Let’s get our heads around the pickup
switching options. Position one is the bridge
3. Upper-fret access is
fantastic thanks to a
scoop on the rear of
the treble side cutaway
and the rounded neck
heel. There’s also
some contouring on
the back of the body
to accommodate your
ribcage or belly…
whichever comes first
4. The Dinky comes spec’d
with a sculpted area on
the rear bottom body
that accommodates a
Strat-style recessed jack
plate. What makes this
so cool is the fact it’s
angled upwards to direct
your guitar cable over
your strap button or into
a wireless transmitter
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GIT461.rev_charvel.indd 13 11/06/2020 09:42