Charvel Pro-Mod San Dimas Bass PJ IV Bass Guitar $499 + free s/h

Post Date	Sold By	Sale Price	Activity
08/02/25	Adorama	$550 Popular	8
06/20/25	Adorama	$550 Popular	9
01/10/25	Adorama	$499 Frontpage	32

Selman

Mar 21, 2025 9:43 PM

4.3K Comments

Joined Jul 2010

SelmanMar 21, 2025 9:43 PM

4.3K Comments

Fair warning that these are hit or miss in quality. If you get a bad one, return it and just buy a new one. Adorama will screw you over sending you a defective unit that was "expertly" repaired by their incompetent guitar staff if you exchange it.

They took $50 off for a few dings on the second used one they sent me, but I regret not just returning for a correct one. The first didn't have level frets. The second is sitting at a Fender repair center having the overcut nut replaced. The pickup and control cavities aren't shielded, so you'll have to get a $10 roll of shielding tape off Amazon too. The 4 string sounds better than the fiver. The neck is incredible if you can get a playable one.

Last edited by Selman March 22, 2025 at 02:52 PM.

7

iandunn24

Mar 22, 2025 8:44 PM

23 Comments

Joined Jan 2013

iandunn24Mar 22, 2025 8:44 PM

23 Comments

Quote from Selman

:

Fair warning that these are hit or miss in quality. If you get a bad one, return it and just buy a new one. Adorama will screw you over sending you a defective unit that was "expertly" repaired by their incompetent guitar staff if you exchange it.

They took $50 off for a few dings on the second used one they sent me, but I regret not just returning for a correct one. The first didn't have level frets. The second is sitting at a Fender repair center having the overcut nut replaced. The pickup and control cavities aren't shielded, so you'll have to get a $10 roll of shielding rape off Amazon too. The 4 string sounds better than the fiver. The neck is incredible if you can get a playable one.

I agree with this for mine and the truss rod is very stiff but I love it so much I just kept it. It sounds amazing even unshielded.

Selman

Mar 22, 2025 8:45 PM

4.3K Comments

Joined Jul 2010

SelmanMar 22, 2025 8:45 PM

4.3K Comments

Quote from iandunn24

:

I agree with this for mine and the truss rod is very stiff but I love it so much I just kept it. It sounds amazing even unshielded.

Yeah, the truss rods are terrible. They do seem to work, but it's so stiff it nearly feels like you are breaking it. I do love a heel mounted spoke wheel, but they did a terrible job there. In my opinion, Indonesia is doing way better than the junk out of Mexico.

Last edited by Selman March 22, 2025 at 03:31 PM.

2

1

IndigoCaribou938

Mar 22, 2025 8:54 PM

40 Comments

Joined Nov 2024

IndigoCaribou938Mar 22, 2025 8:54 PM

40 Comments

Quote from Selman

:

Fair warning that these are hit or miss in quality. If you get a bad one, return it and just buy a new one. Adorama will screw you over sending you a defective unit that was "expertly" repaired by their incompetent guitar staff if you exchange it.

They took $50 off for a few dings on the second used one they sent me, but I regret not just returning for a correct one. The first didn't have level frets. The second is sitting at a Fender repair center having the overcut nut replaced. The pickup and control cavities aren't shielded, so you'll have to get a $10 roll of shielding rape off Amazon too. The 4 string sounds better than the fiver. The neck is incredible if you can get a playable one.

I'd expect this to be better in the shielding department as this is the revision 2 of this model. You can tell that by the colors pickup covers. The black covers indicate rev 2, which are also shielded.

2

Selman

Mar 22, 2025 9:43 PM

4.3K Comments

Joined Jul 2010

SelmanMar 22, 2025 9:43 PM

4.3K Comments

Quote from IndigoCaribou938

:

I'd expect this to be better in the shielding department as this is the revision 2 of this model. You can tell that by the colors pickup covers. The black covers indicate rev 2, which are also shielded.

I've seen this conjecture in comments, and I know it to be incorrect. I know what shielding paint looks like, but doing a continuity tests on the control cavities was the real proof. I hope some are shielded, but both my 4 strings from Adorama had the issue, and my 5 string from Franklin Guitar Works had the issue. The Fender P pickup on the 5 string certainly hissed the worst, but both required shielding. The 4 string was noticeably better, and a person that usually cuts treble, or does not use a tweeter/horn, probably wouldn't be bothered much. But, there was clearly a huge difference between touching the strings and not touching the strings. It's an easy enough fix, but it just shows why these "$1000" basses are selling for $400-500.

Last edited by Selman March 22, 2025 at 03:33 PM.

2

1

IndigoCaribou938

Mar 22, 2025 10:20 PM

40 Comments

Joined Nov 2024

IndigoCaribou938Mar 22, 2025 10:20 PM

40 Comments

Quote from Selman

:

I've seen this conjecture in comments, and I know it to be incorrect. I know what shielding paint looks like, but doing a continuity tests on the control cavities was the real proof. I hope some are shielded, but both my 4 strings from Adorama had the issue, and my 5 string from Franklin Guitar Works had the issue. The Fender P pickup on the 5 string certainly hissed the worst, but both required shielding. The 4 string was noticeably better, and a person that doesn't have or use a tweeter/horn probably wouldn't be bothered much. But, there was clearly a huge difference between touching the strings and not touching the strings. It's an easy enough fix, but it just shows why these "$1000" basses are selling for $400-500.

That at definitely makes sense. I would expect touching the strings to dampen the noise for such a hot preamp, regardless of the shielding. The preamp is just way too hot and it's probably causing some distortion. Luckily, i can actually check that with an oscilloscope and report back when I get mine!

Selman

Mar 22, 2025 10:23 PM

4.3K Comments

Joined Jul 2010

SelmanMar 22, 2025 10:23 PM

4.3K Comments

Quote from IndigoCaribou938

:

That at definitely makes sense. I would expect touching the strings to dampen the noise for such a hot preamp, regardless of the shielding. The preamp is just way too hot and it's probably causing some distortion. Luckily, i can actually check that with an oscilloscope and report back when I get mine!

That's not the case either. The preamp being hot is an overblown issue. It has a trim pot. It can be turned down to where it is not noticably higher output than a passive pickup. Just turn the trim screw fully clockwise.

Touching the bridge, touching the knobs, or touching the strings all quiets it down, so it's definitely related to a grounding/shielding issue, and it was solved in both cases by a dollar of copper tape.

Last edited by Selman March 22, 2025 at 03:34 PM.

1

Navin.R.Johnson

Mar 23, 2025 3:43 AM

160 Comments

Joined Apr 2017

Navin.R.JohnsonMar 23, 2025 3:43 AM

160 Comments

Quote from Selman

:

That's not the case either. The preamp being hot is an overblown issue. It has a trim pot. It can be turned down to where it is not noticably higher output than a passive pickup. Just turn the trim screw fully clockwise.Touching the bridge, touching the knobs, or touching the strings all quiets it down, so it's definitely related to a grounding/shielding issue, and it was solved in both cases by a dollar of copper tape.

Had one with a way hot pre amp, and had to replace it. The necks on these are soooo nice tho. Might be worth the price just for the neck

1

Selman

Mar 23, 2025 4:27 AM

4.3K Comments

Joined Jul 2010

SelmanMar 23, 2025 4:27 AM

4.3K Comments

Quote from Navin.R.Johnson

:

Had one with a way hot pre amp, and had to replace it. The necks on these are soooo nice tho. Might be worth the price just for the neck

When I turned the preamp trim screw down, it was basically the same volume as the passive pickup.

1

SteveH7958

Mar 23, 2025 4:37 AM

36 Comments

Joined Nov 2013

SteveH7958Mar 23, 2025 4:37 AM

36 Comments

Returned mine. Incredibly bad fret work

2

TenseMitten8647

Mar 23, 2025 6:15 PM

304 Comments

Joined Feb 2021

TenseMitten8647Mar 23, 2025 6:15 PM

304 Comments

Quote from Selman

:

Yeah, the truss rods are terrible. They do seem to work, but it's so stiff it nearly feels like you are breaking it. I do love a heel mounted spoke wheel, but they did a terrible job there. In my opinion, Indonesia is doing way better than the junk out of Mexico.

Interesting cuz these are from China?

2

Selman

Mar 23, 2025 7:23 PM

4.3K Comments

Joined Jul 2010

SelmanMar 23, 2025 7:23 PM

4.3K Comments

Quote from TenseMitten8647

:

Interesting cuz these are from China?

No, that's wrong. Fender Mexico.

Last edited by Selman March 23, 2025 at 12:28 PM.

2

iandunn24

Mar 25, 2025 3:34 AM

23 Comments

Joined Jan 2013

iandunn24Mar 25, 2025 3:34 AM

23 Comments

Quote from Selman

:

Yeah, the truss rods are terrible. They do seem to work, but it's so stiff it nearly feels like you are breaking it. I do love a heel mounted spoke wheel, but they did a terrible job there. In my opinion, Indonesia is doing way better than the junk out of Mexico.

Truth. Indonesia has something special

2

kmanrz

Mar 25, 2025 6:35 PM

139 Comments

Joined Nov 2013

kmanrzMar 25, 2025 6:35 PM

139 Comments

Also, got $50 off my purchase from the last deal cuz of some minor dings but it took some doing. I turned the gain pot all the way down and it's fine. Frets need to be polished still.

dgstan

Mar 25, 2025 11:17 PM

415 Comments

Joined Nov 2008

dgstanMar 25, 2025 11:17 PM

415 Comments

Do you still get much boost from the active circuit if you turn down the trim pot or does it basically sound the same as the passive circuit, but (I assume) you would still get to use the tone controls?

Second question: In order to not drain the battery, I understand you have to unplug the audio cable from the bass? Or can you simply pull out the active/passive knob to shut off the active circuit and save the battery?

Quote from kmanrz

:

Also, got $50 off my purchase from the last deal cuz of some minor dings but it took some doing. I turned the gain pot all the way down and it's fine. Frets need to be polished still.

Last edited by dgstan March 25, 2025 at 04:58 PM.

1

Charvel Pro-Mod San Dimas Bass PJ IV Bass Guitar $499 + free s/h

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