“A hard-rocking Superstrat that harks back to the golden age of the genre”: Charvel Pro-Mod Relic San Dimas Style 1 Relic HH FR PF review

With a super-charged Strat vibe and a contrasting relic finish, Charvel’s San Dimas Style 1 is swapping Spandex for slippers as the ’80s blueprint reaches middle age

Charvel Pro-Mod Relic San Dimas Style 1 Relic HH FR PF
(Image: © Future / Olly Curtis)

Guitar World Verdict

Overall, it’s a hard-rocking double-cut that harks back to the golden age of the genre, and it does so very well.

Pros

  • +

    Great playability combined with classic looks.

  • +

    Familiar tones.

  • +

    Some modern appointments.

Cons

  • -

    Slightly limited in places when it comes to features.

You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

It’s a crowded table in the Fender household. Outside of the obvious Fender and Squier-branded instruments sit its ‘specialist’ brands, including Gretsch, Jackson, EVH and Charvel. 

Excluding the former, which wears its unmistakable niche indelibly, you might think that the latter three brands present quite the overlap: three very well-respected names that all have their roots in hard rock and metal. However, each one also has to fight for its place, and we think it’s pretty clearly delineated. 

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