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Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova
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Playability
67
Sound
72
Build
70
Value
55
Score
70
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Playability
73
Sound
78
Build
74
Value
70
Score
75
FIND IT ON:
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Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic vs Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova

Reasons to Get
Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic over Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs South Korea
Built with higher quality standards
Type of Frets
Medium vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Pickups
P90P90 vs HH
Vintage tone with decent versatility
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.875'' (47.6mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Paint Finish
Aged vs Poly
Paint has been artificially aged

Reasons to Get
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova over Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic

Release Year
2019 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Compound Radius
12" to 16" vs 9.5"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HH vs P90P90
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.875'' (47.6mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Paint Finish
Poly vs Aged
Resistant paint that ages well
Value Score
70 vs 55
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic vs Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova

Bridge Pickup
Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound Jazzmaster vs DiMarzio The Tone Zone 7
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound Jazzmaster vs DiMarzio Air Norton 7
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Basswood
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs R6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Bone vs Black Tusq XL
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic vs Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova is probably the better product overall with its final score of 75 compared to the Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic's 70 score, although not by a lot.

The Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic in every aspect.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic Overview

  • From Fender Custom's 2018 Time Machine series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • 2-Piece Select Alder body
  • Rift Sawn Maple neck
  • Round-Laminated Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound Jazzmaster (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • RSD Jaguar/Jazzmaster bridge
  • 1962 Jazzmaster Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Medium frets
  • Vintage Style tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova Overview

  • From Charvel's 2019 Artist Signature series
  • Angel Vivaldi Signature
  • Made in South Korea
  • 7 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Basswood body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: DiMarzio The Tone Zone 7 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: DiMarzio Air Norton 7 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Gotoh Custom 7-String 510 Tremolo bridge
  • Angel Vivaldi Custom Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Jumbo frets
  • Charvel-Branded Die-Cast Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Woods Used in the Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Woods Used in the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova

Basswood wood pattern used for guitar building
Basswood

Basswood is a lightweight type of wood that isn't as expensive as other popular choices for guitar building. It gives more power to the mid-range frequencies. Its color can vary from pale white to light brown. Find out more about Basswood.

Winner: Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic has an P90P90 configuration while the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova has HH pickups.

P90P90 gives you two P90s for a crunchy vintage tone. The tone sits somewhere in the middle between typical single-coils and humbuckers. They also produce less hum than single-coils, but they don't cancel it completely like humbuckers.

On the other hand, Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

However, the Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova's online:

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

The Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova gives you 5 switch options while the Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic gives you 3. This means that the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic's switch options
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 72
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 78

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic compares to the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic is built in United States while the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova is made in South Korea.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

South Korea was for many years the number one choice for mass-producing semi-premium guitars. They can build excellent guitars for a cheap price. Now, it's less common to find Korean guitars because Indonesia has proved capable of building guitars just as well, but likely for cheaper.

Winner: Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic has a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

On the other hand, the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova comes with a Black Tusq XL nut. TUSQ nuts are usually the highest quality you can get. Black TUSQs are made from a special slippery material that helps the strings get back to its original position (one of the keys to tune stability).

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

Both come with a similar bridge: Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

The Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova has the best tuners of the two because they are locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

Winner: Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova
  • Locking Tuners
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic
Quality of materials 56
Features 55
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 70
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova
Quality of materials 61
Features 80
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 74

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic Nut Width
Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic Nut Width
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova Nut Width
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova has the wider nut with 47.6mm (1.875'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 5.7mm (0.225'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic and Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic Neck Profile
Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic's neck profile
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova Neck Profile
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic and the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic Fingerboard Radius
Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic's Fingerboard radius
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova Fretboard Compound Radius
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova's Compound Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic Frets Size
Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic's Frets Size
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova Frets Size
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova's Frets Size

The Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic's Medium frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 67
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic vs Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova
General Fender Custom '62 Jazzmaster Journeyman Relic Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova
Brand: Fender Custom Charvel
Year: 2018 2019
Configuration: P90P90 HH
Strings: 6 7
Made in: United States South Korea
Series: Time Machine Artist Signature
Colors: Sunburst, Blue, Red Black Satin, Green Satin
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: 2-Piece Select Alder Basswood
Bridge: RSD Jaguar/Jazzmaster Gotoh Custom 7-String 510 Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage Style Charvel-Branded Die-Cast Locking
Fretboard: Round-Laminated Rosewood Maple
Neck Material: Rift Sawn Maple Maple
Decoration: Vintage Clay Dot Cascading Black Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: 1962 Jazzmaster Angel Vivaldi Custom
Frets: 21 Medium Nickel Silver 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 12" to 16"
Nut: Bone Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 47.6mm (1.875'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound Jazzmaster (Single Coil / Passive) DiMarzio The Tone Zone 7 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound Jazzmaster (Single Coil / Passive) DiMarzio Air Norton 7 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1