What Charvel guitar is this?

[Cederick]

I just saw this guitar on Sweden auction site (I live in Sweden) and this guitar starts at like $50... Until somebody bids. It's a neck through Charvel with Kahler trem and two humbuckers, and 24 frets.

I cannot find ANY information about gutiars like this. The closest is Charvel Model 5, but the knob pattern isn't the same...

http://www.tradera.com/item/301965/224959370/charvel-elgitarr

 

[MikeW]

You're right Cederick. It's a Model 5 from '87-'88. Check out the database here. It's about 2/3 of the way down the top section in the second Model 5 listing.

 

[Kostas]

The logo is placed too close on the tuners, I haven't seen that before. A quick google search showed me pics like these.

 

[bagman67]

A couple possibilities seem likely:


1.  It's a fake.  I don't see the point in faking a guitar that will only go for a few hundred bucks, but weirder things have happened.


2.  It's a real Model 5, but not "to spec."  The decals or silkscreens were applied by hand and this is just natural variation.  Worker A liked 'em closer to the tuners, Worker B liked 'em closer to the edge of the headstock.  Or maybe it's a prototype.


Anyone else?

 

[Fat Pete]

Looks like a Model 5 to me. There were a few variations in knob positioning and the logo could just be a Friday afternoon job. I'm with Bagman fake-wise - it just doesn't seem very likely.

Real answer though is don't buy it unless you can get your hands on it first. Could be an awesome fake or a lousy real one.

 

[Cederick]

Yeah, it's too far away to go and try out, or look closer, and the seller wont ship it either, pick it up only.

So I'll pass on this one. But I did have an instant GAS for it; lately I've been wanting a neck-through 24 fret in white with HH and "soloist shape", so except not having a Floyd, it's pretty much THE guitar I've been wanting lately. The price is ridicolously low, too.

Eh, I can just skip it and save those few bucks until later

Thanks anyway guys :icon_biggrin:

 

[DocNrock]

Looks like the question has been answered, but the answer to your GAS, if you can find one near you, is a Jackson SL2H.  I have one, and it is awesome.

 

[Cederick]

Looks like the question has been answered, but the answer to your GAS, if you can find one near you, is a Jackson SL2H.  I have one, and it is awesome.

Those are however much more expensive than $50  :toothy12:

 

[DocNrock]

Looks like the question has been answered, but the answer to your GAS, if you can find one near you, is a Jackson SL2H.  I have one, and it is awesome.

Those are however much more expensive than $50  :toothy12:

My bad!  I admit I didn't look. Was the Charvel being sold for $50?

 

[Cederick]

Unfortunately no, it's still being bidded on. So I guess it will increase a bit until it's sold. But it certainly catched my attention!

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

If it's the one I remember friends having, the trem was pure crap.  The lowest quality pot metal that would make a HotWheels or Matchbox car feel like hardened steel.

 

[MikeW]

If it's the one I remember friends having, the trem was pure crap.  The lowest quality pot metal that would make a HotWheels or Matchbox car feel like hardened steel.

This is definitely true. I played a couple of those and the Kahler's that Charvel were using were really poorly constructed. It was a big step up when (in '86-'87) they started using the J6 instead. I wish that someone would start making those again. The way the fine tuners were along the axis of the string locking screw (instead of the little knob up on top) was quite brilliant. I'd pick one of those up if they were offered as replacement parts.

 

[Cagey]

There are a lot of counterfeits/copies/licensed parts out there, some better than others. You have to watch the suppliers real close, and ask around about people's experience. For instance, the Bigsby vibrato (as seen in my L5S sig) is available as the B5, B50, and B500. Only Bigsby makes the B5, which is sand cast and uses needle bearings in the moving parts. It's also hand-polished and properly plated. But, they charge quite a premium for that. The others (made by others) use die casting and bushings, which makes them weak, inconsistent and unreliable. But, they're substantially less expensive. You pays yer munny and you makes yer choice.

Kahler and Floyd Rose also suffer look-alikes. I've dealt with a number of "Kahlers" that put me off, but the last one I did (see Fat Pete's GotY Tele above) was absolutely wonderful. Thing was smooth as silk and highly repeatable. Gotta love that. Also gotta pay for it.

I can't remember who said it first, but "The bitter taste of low quality lasts much longer than the sweet taste of a low price".