Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature vs Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut
Reasons to Get
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature over Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut
Reasons to Get
Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut over Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature
Other Key Differences
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature vs Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut
Shared Features
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature vs Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut
Common Strengths
- Locking Tuners
- High-Quality Nut
- Top Pickup Brand
- Expensive Wood
Common Weaknesses
- Neck-Through Build
- Weight Relief
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- High-Quality Frets
- Luminescent Sidedots
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Table of Contents
Price History Comparison
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Which One is Better Overall?
After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut is probably the better product overall with its final score of 77 compared to the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature's 73 score, although not by a lot.
The Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut wins when it comes to playability, build quality. On the other hand, the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature has the upper hand when it comes to sound, value for the money.
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?
If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut is the better choice.
The Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature meets only 4. 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.
New Player Friendliness
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable shape
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
New Player Friendliness
Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut- 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.
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature Overview
- From Reverend's 2021 Signature series
- Reeves Gabrels Signature
- Made in South Korea
- 6 strings
- 25.5"'' scale
- 12" Fretboard Radius
- Flame Maple top
- Korina body
- Roasted Maple neck
- Ebony fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Reeves Gabrels Signature Bridge (Humbucker/Passive)
- Neck pickup: Reeves Gabrels Signature Neck (Humbucker/Passive)
- 1 volume and 2 tone Dome knobs
- 3-way Switch
- Wilkinson WVS50 IIK Tremolo bridge
- Medium C Bolt-On neck
- 22 XL Jumbo frets
- Reverend Pin-Lock tuners
- Weight between 8.15lbs (3.7kgs) and 8.5lbs (3.9kgs)
- Compare Specs >
Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut Overview
- From Charvel's 2021 MJ series
- Made in Japan
- 6 strings
- 25.5"'' scale
- 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
- Figured Walnut top
- Mahogany body
- Wenge neck
- Streaky Ebony fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Full Shred SH-10B (Humbucker/Passive)
- Middle pickup: Seymour Duncan Custom Flat Strat SSL-6 (Single Coil/Passive)
- Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan APH-1N (Humbucker/Passive)
- 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
- 5-way Switch
- Gotoh Custom 510 Tremolo bridge
- Charvel Speed Bolt-On neck
- 24 Jumbo frets
- Gotoh 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
Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.
Woods Used in the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature
Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.
Limba is a relatively rare wood that shows exotic tight dark grain stripes. It comes in white or black. As a tonewood, it is comparable to Mahogany but with richer mids. Find out more about Limba.
Woods Used in the Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut
Wenge is a stiff wood that comes with straight and tight grains. Its color is dark brown and the tonality emphasizes the low and mid-ends (warm) frequencies, similar to Rosewood.
Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.
Winner: Tie.
Pickup Configuration
The Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature has an HH configuration while the Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut has HSH pickups.
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.
On the other hand, HSH is a versatile pickup configuration that will give you the high output, full tone, and quiet sound of humbucker pickups, but with the possibility of using a single coil for cleaner tones. The disadvantage is that the middle single-coil pickup will have a noticeable lower volume, so you might want to adjust the height of the pickups. Another problem is that if you set the middle pickup too high, it might interfere with your picking hand.
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 Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature 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 MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut'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: Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature.
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 MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut gives you 5 switch options while the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature gives you 3. This means that the Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve
Only the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature comes with some kind of pickup modification: Phase Out.
When the Phase Out option is activated, the pickups will ''work against each other'', meaning that they will cancel out their shared frequencies. The result is a very thin sound, instead of a full, rich tone. This is an interesting sound for genres like reggae or funk and has also been used in classic Hard Rock.
When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.
Winner: Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature.
Final Sound Quality Scores
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 Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature compares to the Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature is built in South Korea while the Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut is made in Japan.
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.
Japan has a long history of high-quality guitar building. Little has changed in terms of their manufacturing and quality control over the years. Many guitars made in this country can be compared—and even beat—others made in the US.
Winner: Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut
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 Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature has a Boneite nut. This is an artificial material made to imitate the favored type of nut: bone. This allows it to sound and feel pretty much like bone, but without the inconsistency of natural materials.
On the other hand, the Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut comes with a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.
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
They both have 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: Tie.
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:
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Boneite Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Phase Out Pickups
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- Made in South Korea
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut
- Locking Tuners
- Made in Japan
- Expensive Wood
- Ivory Tusq Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Tremolo
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Strap Lock
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
Final Build Quality Scores
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
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42.9mm (1.688''). This is a 0.1mm (0.0050000000000001'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.
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
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 Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature and the Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut 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
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 MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut 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 .
Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature:
Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut:
Fret Size
The Reverend Reeves Gabrels Signature has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Charvel MJ DK24 HSH 2PT E Mahogany with Figured Walnut's Jumbo 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.
