Help me identify this Charvel by serial number

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PhloridaMan

PhloridaMan

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I stumbled across a charvel today at a music shop on vacation. The neck plate is the only place I could find a number. The shop wouldn't let me take a picture of it but it was a black neckplate that said Charvel by Jackson/Charvel and number was 1020492 all engraved.

The body is a super strat shape, kind of like an ibby rg and the headstock was different than I have seen. It wasn't a strat style or a jackson shape.

Any help is hugely appreciated. I am on vacation and have no computer. Ive searched for a couple hours but my knowledge of charvels is extremely limited and I don't want to make a bad buy. The shop is asking $150.

Thanks guys!!!
 
I failed to pay very close attention to that. Was focused on getting a serial but I believe it was the guitar shaped logo, not the script logo
 
How'd it play and sound.....or did you test drive it?
Can't believe they wouldn't allow a photo.
 
I retrieved this info from Jackson/Charvel World . Net

"About 750 San Dimas Charvels were built without serial numbers from '79 until 11/9/81. For the San Dimas Charvels, #1001 began the numbered series in late 81'. 1982 began with #1096, '83 with #1725, '84 with #2939, '85 with #4262, and '86 with #5304. Warning: Someone sold the leftover, excess numbered neckplates on the black market, so if you find a guitar with a San Dimas neckplate numbered 5492 or higher, it was not made by Charvel/Jackson!

To help you identify your Jackson / Charvel, use the following information: If you have a San Dimas California or Ontario California neckplate and, or have a "MADE IN USA" logo on the headstock, you have a USA MADE guitar. If you have a Ft.Worth Texas neckplate, or you have a neckplate that simply says Jackson / Charvel, you do NOT have a USA MADE guitar. However, there are a few rare pre-production, VERY SMALL CHARVEL LOGO'S that will also have a blank neckplate that are indeed USA MADE. Unfortunately there are a few people bootlegging this logo and selling the guitar's as REAL Charvel's so be careful.(Keep in mind these are very rare and before purchasing one get a second opinion)!

After Wayne Charvel left the company, he opened a shop in Redlands, Calif. It is estimated that he built less than 200 guitar's at this shop and the guitars sported several different logos, of which the W.C. logo and the W. CHARVEL logo are the most common. Most of these guitar's also had a neckplate with the Redlands, Calif address.

Also, ALL Jackson neck-thru guitars had a serial # on the fretboard's last fret. Most of these will be 4 digit #'s. Some will have letters also before the # like RR for Randy Rhoads, or PCS for players choice series, and all archtops will start with JA and then the 4 digits. You might see one letter like J or U and then the 4 digits also. All San Dimas Jackson and Charvel bolt-on guitars will have a 4 digit serial # on the neckplate. Ontario bolt-on Jacksons will have 4 or 6 digit serial #'. All Jackson's that have the Professional logo on the headstock are Japanese made!

Some employee and endorsee guitar's do not have serial numbers."


Man I hope this helps....
 
150 is a decent buy for any Charvel in nice shape, since they are all american or japanese apart from the most recent stratheads which are mexican. That serial is japanese, by the way, and the best you could hope to find out from it is which year it was made.
 
It looks just like the black one MrDowntown posted. I just didn't want to end up with one of the lesser models and overpay. I literally know nothing about charvels but have always wanted one.

I didn't play it because it had literally just come in amd was on the table getting strings and checking wiring.

It does have an emg 81 in bridge and a pair of single coils that say jackson on them I remember that also.

I appreciate the help guys. This is why I love rig talk. Really hard to do deep searching ithout a computer on vacation haha
 
The black one is a CHS1, if bucker in bridge a CHS2. Probably 95-97 MIJ, swimming pool route, thin neck. Some love them for modding, and a good player (from what I've read).

If it's not beat up, all electronics work well, and has a pickup upgrade, I'd say 150$ Is a decent price. Def not wor more than that IMO.

GL, and pics if ya do the deal!

Mrdowntown
 
Rezamatix":23rxsnm8 said:
Hey I want to buy this guitar, can I take a picture of it so my friends can give me some advice about it?

NO?!

Ok I'll take the guitar.

(Proceeds to smash the shit out the guitar in front of the store, then takes pictures of that)
Click to expand...

LMAO! Exactly.
 
Didn't end up getting the guitar. I went back, and they had strung it up and cleaned it up and raised the price and would not give it to me for the $150 they originally offered it to me for. Too bad, it played great too. Just was not willing to spend the extra $50 they wanted.

I do appreciate everyone's help! Helped me learn a few things about Charvel guitars
 
i would have love to find an old redlands charvel for sentimental as it is the town where my wife and i work

where i have lived seems to have strange parallels with musical things i have loved

got my first kamaha ukulele when i was 5 when my dad stopped in at the kamaka factory one friday afternoon on his way home from work a few blocks away from his office, and asked his friend george who worked there for a good deal-i wanna say he paid $50 and a case of primo beer

some of the best slack key legends of all time used to play at a restaurant called spindrifter just 5 minutes from my house by bike at the kahala mall

went to college in fullerton and would skate past leo's old shop location all the time

my first job out of college took me past the fender corona custom shop daily and i got to take a crazy tour one day when they were cranking out beck and clapton and malmsteen siggies

wayne charvel's old redlands shop/garage back in the day is about 2 minutes from where my wife works now

the tyler strat i own came via a weird 3 month ordeal with a local guitar center that culminated in me standing at the tyler shop watching james tyler put the final touches on the action to customize it to my liking

my mojave peacemaker was built point to point by hand 45 minutes away from my house, and custom-tuned for me by victor mason, one of the most knowledgable vintage marshall/fender/vox repair and restoration minds in the business

(here's a stretch---i loved and owned/played eggies in 2001 before they became a guitarist household name and my brother lives in michigan since 73 :D )
 
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