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Charvel

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Charvel Guitars
Company typePrivate
IndustryMusical instruments
FoundedAzusa, California (1974)
FounderWayne Charvel
HeadquartersGlendora, California
Area served
Global
ProductsElectric guitars
OwnerFender Musical Instruments Corporation
ParentKaman Music Corporation
WebsiteCharvel Guitars.com

Charvel is a brand of guitar originally founded in the 1970s by Wayne Charvel in Azusa, California and then later, Glendora, California. Charvel guitars became popular in the 1980s due to their association with famous rock and heavy metal guitarists such as Edward Van Halen (Van Halen), Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi), Warren DeMartini (Ratt), Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee (Ozzy Osbourne), Vinnie Vincent (KISS), Eddie Ojeda (Twisted Sister), George Lynch (Dokken), Criss Oliva (Savatage), Allan Holdsworth, Shawn Lane and others.

History

1970s

Having worked at Fender for three years in the early 1970s, Wayne Charvel originally started "Charvel's Guitar Repair" in 1974 to refinish and repair out-of-warranty Fender instruments. The shop earned a solid reputation among performing artists for its repair work, custom finishes, and upgraded parts manufacturing. When Asian companies began copying Charvel's parts and selling them at a discount, Wayne decided to begin building complete guitars. Charvel guitars were originally constructed from wood components outsourced to Boogie and Schecter bodies, and various Charvel and aftermarket hardware.[1] Wayne Charvel sold the company to Grover Jackson in 1978, and ceased all working associations with the brand name from that point forward.

After purchasing the company, Grover Jackson tooled to produce guitar bodies, which were sold to Mighty Mite and Dimarzio. The proceeds were used to fund an expansion into crafting necks. During this time BC Rich, SD Curlee, and Music Man approached Charvel with prospects of contract manufacturing of various wood parts. The income from these sales provided the Charvel shop with additional tooling and experience that would give Grover the footing required to grow the Charvel brand into a market contender.

Beginning in the late 1970s, Charvel popularized custom revamps of the Fender Stratocaster design - often consisting of a Strat-shaped body with a single humbucking pickup and Fender style tremolo bridge systems. This modernized Stratocaster configuration (commonly referred to as the superstrat) was particularly well suited to the heavy metal style of music that was very popular at the time. Charvel guitars became renowned for its use of creative graphics, unfinished maple necks, and various innovative appointments.

1980s

In 1980, Grover Jackson was introduced to Randy Rhoads, who had recently secured the job of guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne's new band. They worked together to develop a guitar to complement the polka-dotted Flying V built for Randy by Karl Sandoval. The initial prototype was not angular enough for Randy, but the second design resulted in a shape that Randy referred to as the Concorde. Grover was concerned that the radically styled, neck-through guitar was too different from Charvel's familiar 'Superstrat' theme, so he decided to label the instrument with his own name on the headstock in case the design proved unpopular. Contrary to Grover's concerns, the visual impact of this guitar would spawn the "Rhoads Model" that would soon become iconic in the industry, and served as the impetus that inspired Grover to found Jackson Guitars.

Charvel (and Jackson) guitars continued to be manufactured at the Gladstone Street shop in the city of Glendora, California until 1986. In 1986, the manufacturing facilities were relocated to Ontario, California, and the production of U.S.-built guitars carrying the Charvel name ceased shortly thereafter.

The success of Charvel in the 1980s led to Grover's planning to mass-produce popular configurations in Asia. Whereas each Charvel guitar produced in California was essentially a hand built, custom instrument, the Japanese assembly line versions that appeared in 1986 would be categorized into model numbers. Grover eventually sold Charvel/Jackson to the Japanese manufacturer IMC (International Music Corporation) in 1989, and Charvel guitars were produced exclusively in Japan from 1986 to 1991.[2]

The Japanese made Charvels that appeared in 1986 could be easily identified from the San Dimas instruments by several distinct differences:

  • Neck plates circa 1982-1986 stamped "San Dimas, CA"[3] (then briefly "Ontario, CA") were changed to a plate that read "Ft. Worth, TX", the location of IMC's U.S. offices. This was confusing to many consumers, as all guitars with the "Ft. Worth" neck plate were made in Japan, without exception.[4]
  • The gold logo labeled "Charvel - Made in USA" that was affixed to the headstock of the San Dimas era (U.S. made) instruments was changed to a white logo that read "Charvel - By Jackson/Charvel".[4]
  • The unfinished maple bolt-on neck that was a hallmark of the U.S. instruments was replaced by a Japanese neck with a clear satin finish.

2002 - The rebirth of Charvel

Charvel was bought by Kaman Music Corporation in 2002, and the Charvel brand entered a renaissance, with several U.S. made "San Dimas" models—so-named in order to recapture the original association of the Charvel name with high-quality, American made professional guitars.

Charvel presently offers several series of guitars, including both lower-priced Japanese and boutique-priced American made instruments, and operates a full-service custom shop.[5] Perhaps the most notable product of Charvel's present custom shop is the Eddie Van Halen signature model - a short run of which are actually paint stenciled by Eddie himself.

Guitar models

Current Charvel guitars

San Dimas Pro-Mods[6]
Mexican built guitars in various styles and colors
Production Models[7]
Current guitars in various styles and colors http://www.charvel.com/guitars/
USA Warren DeMartini Models[8]
U.S. built reproductions of Warren DeMartini's original custom San Dimas guitars from the early 1980s
USA Custom Built[9]
Built to order and limited run custom guitars
Skatecaster

Past Charvel guitars

San Dimas Pro-Mods[6] Japanese built guitars in various styles and colors

Route 66
In 1984, Charvel made a limited run of around 100 guitars called Route 66[citation needed], which consisted of a Fender Telecaster style body in black, red, or sunburst, and fitted with chrome or black hardware and dice as volume knobs. The flashy styling and steep price tag ($1200) proved to be unpopular, and this basic style was later revived for Korean production under the Jackson brand.
Surfcaster
See Charvel Surfcaster.
Japanese Charvel Guitars 1986-1991
Model 3
The Model 3 was released in 1986. It consisted of a Stratocaster style basswood body, 22 fret maple neck with rosewood fretboard and mother of pearl dot inlays, and a Khaler Fulcrum tremolo. Pickups consisted of a humbucker at the bridge and single coil pickups located at the middle and neck positions. Controls consisted of a 5 way switch and volume and tone controls.
Model 3A
Like the Model 3, the Model 3A consisted of a Hardwood Stratocaster style body, maple neck with rosewood fretboard ans 22 frets, however the Model 3A had 2 humbuckers with a 5 way switch to include coil tap. 1986 Model 3A's had a scratch plate, whereas later Model 3A's did not. 1986 Model 3A's had Khaler tremolo, but 1987 models had a Jackson JT6 Floyd Rose licensed tremolo
Model 3DR
In 1988 the Model 3DA was released. Similar to the Model 3A, the Model 3DR was easily identifiable by the fact it had a Humbucker at the bridge and a single coil at the neck position, with a single volume control, no tone control was present. The neck was a Jackson Dinky with a reverse headstock. Model 3DR's used the Jackson JT6 Floyd Rose licensed tremolo.
Model 4
The Model 4 consisted of a full size Stratocaster-style body made of American basswood, 22 fret maple neck with rosewood fretboard, and mother of pearl dot inlays. There was a version with maple fretboard and black dot inlays that was called the Model 4M. The Model 4 originally featured the Kahler 2300 tremolo. After 1986, the Model 4 came equipped with a licensed Floyd Rose style tremolo (Jackson JT-6) and sharkfin pearl inlays.
Model 5
The Model 5 was neck-through guitar very similar to the USA Jackson SL-2 Soloist. It featured thin profile 25.5" scale maple neck and poplar body, rosewood fingerboard with jumbo frets, and mother of pearl dot inlays. In early 1986 the guitar was offered with a Kahler 2300 series Pro tremolo with steel roller saddles, as well as Jackson J80C pickups with an active mid-boost control (Jackson JE-1200). Other controls include master volume and tone controls, as well as a five way switch which offered coil tapping. By late 1986 the Model 5 was redesigned with a Kahler 2315 Standard series tremolo with brass roller saddles. Larger pickup covers appeared by late 1986. After 1986, the Kahler was replaced with a non-recessed, licensed Jackson JT-6 tremolo that was similar to a Floyd Rose. The color options for this guitar were cobalt blue, red, black cherry, pearl white, and black. The Model 5 is one of the rarer Charvel imports.
Model 5A
Identical to the Model 5, but fitted with a single humbucker in the bridge position and equipped with a single volume control and no tone control.
Model 5 FX
The Model 5 FX featured the same construction than Model 6, the only differences being the scale (without shark fin inlays) and the pickups (one single coil and one humbucker). Also, some model 5FX had a slightly recessed tremolo.
The Model 5 FX were essentially Model 5A that were fitted with a neck single coil on arrival at the Fort Worth facility in an attempt to increase the guitar's market acceptance.
Model 6
The Model 6 was basically import version of the Jackson Soloist, but under the Charvel name, and featured neck-through construction with a maple neck and poplar body. The neck has 24 jumbo frets on a bound rosewood fretboard. The Model 6 also featured a bound neck/headstock, and shark fin mother of pearl inlays. Model 6s came with Kahler 2300 Tremolos in early 1986, as well as an extra thin neck profile. The tremolo was later replaced with a non-recessed JT-6 Jackson unit, and the neck profile became a little larger. The pickups were a Jackson J50BC humbucker at the bridge, two Jackson J-200 stacked single coils, and an on-board mid-boost (Jackson JE-1200). The control layout consists of a one volume, one tone, a control for the mid boost, and an on/off mini toggle switch for each pickup.
Model 7
The Model 7 was released in 1988, and was a Telecaster shaped guitar. The transparent colors had ash bodies, while the solid colors were made with Basswood. Pickups consisted of a bridge and neck single coil, while the neck was maple with 22 frets and a reverse headstock. Controls were made up of a 3 way switch and 1 volume and 1 tone control. The bridge was fixed on this model.
Model 88
The Model 88, introduced in 1988, was similar to the Model 5A, with a single humbucker in the slanted bridge position and a maple neck with rosewood fretbord and 22 frets. The body was made from African Ribbon Mahogany and the tremolo was a Jackson JT6 Floyd Rose. Controls were a single volume control.
Model 8
Also introduced in 1988 was the Model 8. Pickups consisted of 3 single coils, with a 5 way switch. The neck was maple with a maple or rosewood fretboard and 22 frets, with a reverse headstock. The control layout consisted of 1 volume, 1 tone and a J-1200 mid-boost.
Model 650 XL
Similar in specification to the Model 6, the 650/750 XL series represented the high end of the Charvel import line at the end of the 1980s. The instrument featured bound headstock and neck, neck-through construction, Schaller locking tremolo system, two Jackson J200 single coil pickups (neck and middle), one Jackson JC50BC humbucker at the bridge, JE-1200 mid-boost, "Toothpaste Logo" headstock, and sharkfin inlaid position markers.
Model 750 XL
The 750XL featured two humbuckers, arched top, optional string-through body or Schaller tremolo construction, and reversed sharkfin inlays on the fretboard.

Other import models

In 1989, the Charvel line was expanded into a number of different series, including the Classic, Fusion and Contemporary. The Classic series included the 275, 375, 375 deluxe and 475 models. The Fusion series had shorter scale necks and included the Fusion Deluxe and Fusion Custom models. The Contemporary range included the Predator and Spectrum models. The Spectrum guitar was inspired by a Jackson guitar custom built for Jeff Beck, and was based on a Stratocaster style body, but with a reversed pointed headstock, an early 50s Fender P-Bass-inspired pickguard, wild colors, and an active tone circuit that produced a wah effect. The three single-coil pickups were in fact stacked humbucking coils. Most of the guitars at the time were equipped with Schaller hardware, including a licensed Floyd Rose locking tremolo. The Korean-made Charvette brand also came into being to service the entry-level. In the 1990s, the Charvel CX series was imported as a lower priced instrument.

Fake Charvels

The collectible status and escalating market prices of 1970s-80s U.S.-made Charvels have spawned a rash of fake 'San Dimas' Charvels, many of which conspicuously appear in online auction listings or elsewhere, and are misrepresented as genuine originals. These fakes are often created by swapping necks and/or "San Dimas" stamped neck plates onto Asian-made Charvels or other inexpensive guitars,[10] and completing the project with a reproduction San Dimas era "Charvel - Made in USA" headstock decal.[11] In recent years, the problem has become widespread enough such that it remains a frequent topic of discussion amongst knowledgeable collectors of San Dimas era Charvel guitars.[11][12] Some fakes are convincing enough such that independent, expert confirmation is strongly recommended before considering the purchase of an instrument claimed to be original San Dimas era Charvel.

Wayne Charvel since 1978

Wayne Guitars
Company typePrivate
IndustryMusical instruments
Founded1978
FounderWayne Charvel, Michael Charvel
HeadquartersParadise, California
Area served
Global
ProductsElectric Guitars
WebsiteWayne Guitars.com

Wayne Charvel has resurfaced in the realm of guitar manufacturing with varying degrees of success several times since selling the brand in 1978.

Wayne created a namesake model offered through Gibson, the "Gibson W.R.C. Signature Model" - of which only a limited number were made, but this saw little recognition and was short-lived due mainly to a lawsuit filed by Jackson. The Gibson W.R.C. models were made from 1987–1988 and were offered in three standard colors: red, black, and white. Of several hundred produced, 200 were 'show case' models that featured Wayne Charvel's signature on the bell and were accompanied by a letter from Wayne.[13] The WRC model came with a tan faux leather case with hot pink interior and combination locks. The earlier models were equipped with a Kahler Spyder tremolo, while later models featured a Floyd Rose Original. All featured a maple bolt-on neck with ebony fingerboard.

Today, Wayne and his son Michael own and operate Charvel Music, a full line music store in Paradise, California, and currently manufacture guitars as a joint venture under the name Wayne Guitars.[14]

References

  1. ^ Thomas sabo charms jewellers (2011-06-01). "16.) Wayne Charvel History « Wayne Guitars – Custom guitars made by Michael & Wayne Charvel". Wayneguitars.com. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  2. ^ "History". Jacksoncharvelworld.net. 1978-11-10. Retrieved 2011-12-11.
  3. ^ http://www.sandimascharvel.com/parts/neckplate.jpg
  4. ^ a b "Identify your Jackson/Charvel". Jacksoncharvelworld.net. Retrieved 2011-12-11.
  5. ^ [1][dead link‍]
  6. ^ [2][dead link‍]
  7. ^ [3]
  8. ^ [4][dead link‍]
  9. ^ [5][dead link‍]
  10. ^ "Jacksoncharvelworld.com". Jacksoncharvelworld.com. Retrieved 2011-12-11.
  11. ^ a b "The Ultimate Resource for Vintage Charvel Guitars". San Dimas Charvel. Retrieved 2011-12-11.
  12. ^ Your resource for vintage San Dimas Charvel guitars!
  13. ^ "Charvel : Gibson WRC". Museumstuff.com. Retrieved 2011-12-11.
  14. ^ [6][dead link‍]
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