Back to navigation


Hot-rodded 5 String Bass from Charvel





This article was


Written By





Our Product Research Team





Get to know them!





Taking inspiration from their classic 1970s bass designs, Charvel serves up a hot-rodded, thoroughly contemporary instrument for demanding bass players with the Charvel Pro-Mod San Dimas Bass PJ V. While the PJ V has a familiar feel, a slew of modern upgrades ? including a baked maple neck, a Charvel HiMass Bridge, and an active 3-band EQ ? take this instrument into stunning new sonic territories. This combination of old-school aesthetics and contemporary appointments is also represented in the Pro-Mod San Dimas Bass PJ V’s pairing of a DiMarzio Area J pickup and Charvel 5-string split-coil P bass pickup, which merges warm, vintage tones with pristine, hum-free operation. Onstage and in the studio, the Pro-Mod San Dimas Bass PJ V is an all-around excellent performer!





Related Videos: Pro-Mod San Dimas Bass PJ V - Platinum Pearl


Familiar look with modern flair





The Charvel Pro-Mod San Dimas Bass PJ V inherits its sleek body shape from Charvel’s 1970s San Dimas basses. With its classic contours, the Pro-Mod San Dimas Bass PJ V has a familiar feel, but with a deep cutaway for accessing the upper register. A rear-control cavity rout design and the absence of a scratchplate put the alder body’s gorgeous gloss finish on full display and highlights the sleek black pickup covers and glistening chrome hardware, including the rock-solid Charvel HiMass bridge.





Serial MC220142


Serial MC220142


Sweet-sounding DiMarzio pickup and active electronics





Underneath the Pro-Mod San Dimas Bass PJ V’s handsome black pickup covers rests a DiMarzio Area J and Charvel 5-string split-coil P bass Pickup. The vintage-voiced Area J provides an exceedingly warm and smooth tone that complements this bass's extended range. In comparison, Charvel's Split Coil P Bass Pickup delivers all the low-end, punchy tones you could ever ask for!





Immensely playable Charvel Speed neck





Charvel’s Speed neck profile is a favorite of bass players at Sweetwater for its comfortable feel and silky-smooth playability. The Pro-Mod San Dimas Bass PJ V takes the Speed neck formula to the next level by pairing it with baked maple for enhanced stability and an upscale look. On top of that, a 12-inch to 16-inch compound radius opens the fingerboard to upper-scale acrobatics, making it hard to resist slipping a ripping bass solo into every song! A hand-rubbed satin urethane finish completes the package, eliminating sticky-neck syndrome.





Serial MC220142


Charvel Pro-Mod San Dimas Bass PJ V Features:


Hot-rodded take on a classic bass style


Alder body with a stunning gloss finish


Eye-catching chrome hardware, including Charvel HiMass bridge, open-gear tuning machines, and vintage string trees


Comfortable Charvel Speed profile baked maple neck; 12-16-inch compound radius


Versatile tone machine with active electronics, 3-band EQ, and DiMarzio Area J and Charvel split-coil P bass pickups


Thumb wheel truss rod adjustment


GraphTech TUSQ XL nut prevents string binding