I found a used Charvel today. I can't figure out what kind it is....the headstock is different than Charvels I can find on the net. The thing plays incredibly good, stays in tune incredibly good, and has a very cool distinctive sound to it.
The 2 pickups that make up the 'humbucker' retain some of that single coil tone when used together, and that sounds f-ing cool as hell through the JSX. I'm working on clips now so you can see what I mean.
Anybody have any ideas what flavor and where this thing was made? If it is not American, it has to be the best made/sounding foreign guitar I have played to date. I LOVE this thing!! Check out the pics...
It's kind of ugly to me, but I still like it. I don't know why that is. Maybe I'm just a sucker for a pearloid pickguard.
I'm glad it's kicking for you Johnny, especially after all you've been through...
Tripper
That's like no Charvel I've ever seen Johnny - USA or Japanese :-? Are you positive its a bona-fide Charvel? Are there any designations or serial number on it anywhere?
Here's a quick take....you can hear the single coil type tone. Sounds better in my room :)
voxman — Oct 14, 2008That's like no Charvel I've ever seen Johnny - USA or Japanese :-? Are you positive its a bona-fide Charvel? Are there any designations or serial number on it anywhere?
Yep....serial # 351054 on the chrome plate on the back where the neck bolts on.
Talked to a buddy of mine who is a Charvel nut. He said it was what had been the Jake E. Lee model. After Jake switched to Kramer, Charvel kept the basic model in production (thus the slanted pickups). It was also when they were transitioning to the Fenderish headstock.
If you have any questions, let me know and I can give you his email address so he can shed more light on it.
That's interesting, Dearth. I did a Google pic search for Jake e. Lee Charvel, and all of what I found were pics of him playing Charvels with Strat-like headstocks. I'd love to get some more info from your buddy if I could.
Aside from the five way selecter switch, it also has a 3 way selecter. This thing adds 3 different tones to each of the 5 available on the 5-way switch. Curious, I opened it up. There are more wires in this thing than a 1978 supercomputer. Obviously still in factory form.....everything was soldered beautifully and all of the wires were grouped and clamped. Very, very clean.
What I like most though, is how the 2 single coil pups that make up the 'humbucker' config sound. I don't know the correct terminology (in-phase, out of phase, whatever), but together they have the punch of a humbucker, but with the clarity of single coils.
And after a few hours of playing and tweaking the JSX tonight, I have to say I have the coolest, most unique tone I have ever had. I can die happy now :)
And remember...I am NOT good at recording. If Charger were recording these samples, they would sound WAY better. Anyhoo....I'm happy :)
Sounds pretty usable to me. :)
Congrats Johnny, Definitely and odd find I have seen a Japanese Fender with a similar headstock, was a star-shaped body with a skinny ass neck, and the triangle headstock, but never seen a Charvel with one.
Sound pretty good to me.
Great looking ax. Good luck with it.
When I first saw that guitar the ohter day the first thing that popped into my head was Jake E. Lee.
My issue is that damn headstock. I wonder IF it's really a Charvel or some one snapped a neck and slapped that thing on it.
Fenderbender — Oct 17, 2008When I first saw that guitar the ohter day the first thing that popped into my head was Jake E. Lee.
My issue is that damn headstock. I wonder IF it's really a Charvel or some one snapped a neck and slapped that thing on it.
Honestly....my thoughts as well when I bought it.
But I've pretty much taken the thing apart trying to figure it out. I can tell you the neck IS an original neck. Nothing pieced together about it. The pups are Charvel pups. The Trem is a Charvel Trem. The inside wiring and soldering is INCREDIBLY clean. If it wasn't done by a factory, it was definatlely done by a professional.
Either way....this guitar feels GOOD. It is WAY heavy. Pretty much as heavy as a Les Paul, easily. But it also SOUNDS good. And has so many tonal options to boot.
It's a mystery gitter. But it plays and sounds fantastic. I suppose that is what matters :)
Sounds like it was meant to be! Looks be damned. 8-)
Hrmmm...
Some poking around led me to... '90's "post-lawsuit" Charvel strat? (I'm assuming that's because San Dimas was making them with Fender headstocks)...
http://www.rickresource.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=380078
