The new Rick Graham Pro-Mod DK24 is a modern take on the classic superstrat design, bringing together all the features the British virtuoso needs to stay on top of both his live performance and studio-based endeavours. Decked out in a beautiful Shell Pink finish, it’s sure to enamour any player with a penchant for the classic muscle car-inspired colours Fender was spraying on their guitars back in the ’60s.
Similar to the Henrik Danhage signature model that was released a few years ago, the Rick Graham DK24 features a relic’d finish designed to give the impression that this instrument has seen aeons of rough and tumble gigs on the road. Though relic’d finishes can be rather divisive, the Rick Graham manages to pull off this aesthetic in a manner that feels authentic, avoiding the pitfalls associated with some other relic’d finishes.
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Interestingly, Charvel has opted to finish this model in nitrocellulose lacquer. This would be a major contributing factor as to why the Rick Graham’s relic job looks more authentic than relic work often seen on other guitars. Nitro finishes date back to the golden days of guitar manufacturing and are much more prone to natural wear and tear than the common modern polyurethane finishes that we see on most production guitars these days. The body is made out of alder wood and comes in at a nice weight. Alder is a wood commonly associated with the traditional Strat and Tele, and in this case, traces of those classic Fender tones can be found here, due in part to the model’s handy 5-way selector switch and HSH pickup configuration.
This time around, Charvel has opted to go with their own pickups for this model, providing a custom-wound humbucker in the bridge, along with two single-coils wound for the neck and middle positions. These pickups left an excellent impression on me during my time spent with this guitar, offering everything from bell-like clean tones through to chugging death metal. Versatility is the name of the game when it comes to the Charvel Rick Graham DK24, and I was hard-pressed to find a musical scenario where this guitar didn’t fit in sonically. The maple neck on the Rick Graham DK24 is to die for – a lovely C-shaped maple number. Of course, the famous Jackson/Charvel 12″-16″ compound radius is present here, and an absolute dream to play. Offering easy and comfortable chording down by the nut, then flattening out as you work your way up the neck for the ultimate in shredding comfort.
As is relatively common for Charvel, the Rick Graham DK24 is equipped with a bolt-on neck with a satin finish. The satin finish goes a long way toward providing the utmost in playing comfort. Additionally, satin necks tend not to get sticky when performing under stage lights or in other scenarios where one’s hands may sweat – an ailment commonly associated with a lot of painted necks.
I must also credit the stability of the Rick Graham DK24’s neck, which never budged under even the most extreme of temperature changes. The graphite reinforcement that Charvel has opted to include on the majority of its models is paramount in maintaining this stability. However, if a player found a truss rod adjustment necessary, they could easily and quickly do so via the spoke wheel adjustment located at the top of the DK24’s neck, past the 24th fret. The neck is capped off with 24 jumbo frets, and I am pleased to report that I didn’t encounter any uneven or sharp frets during my time play-testing this fine instrument. Another feature I quite enjoy about this guitar is the inclusion of Luminlay side dots. These side position markers collect charge via UV light and glow in the dark – perfect for seeing your position on the fretboard when you’re gigging in those dark and dingy pubs and clubs. Interestingly, the Rick Graham DK24 follows the modern trend of forgoing the traditional double locking tremolo for a more traditional 2-point vibrato unit with locking tuners. The 2-point tremolo has come far since its inception, and units like the included Japanese-made Gotoh 510 Custom tremolo are capable of much of the same whammy bar antics associated with bridges like the Floyd Rose.
While testing the Rick Graham DK24, I didn’t encounter any instance of tuning instability. The Graph Tech TUSQ XL nut aids this stability by preventing any binding of the guitar strings within the nut slots while executing techniques such as vibrato and string bending.
The included Charvel® Multi-Fit Hardshell Gig Bag is also a nice addition to this package, providing an efficient solution for moving the guitar to gigs, lessons, rehearsals, not to mention being the perfect place to store the guitar.
With many manufacturers getting in on the modern non-locking tremolo superstrat craze, Charvel has once again distinguished itself from the pack. Collaborating with an esteemed artist to get to the bottom of what modern players want and need from their instruments, the Rick Graham DK24 is a guitar that is sure to appease even the most discerning players when it comes to playability, tone, and especially versatility.
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