Please help me identify this Charvel...

[Vincent]

Features:

Neck thru body, non-archtop body

1 bridge humbucker (JB) and 1 neck single coil (JB Jr)

The JB Jr. is slanted towards the bridge

24 fret rosewood neck w/ dot inlays & locking nut

'toothpaste' Charvel logo in large jackson-like font

Floyd Rose II model trem

Colour - charcoal / black with metallic sparkle

Chrome hardware

1 vol knob / 3 position pickup selector behind volume knob

side-body input jack

Questions:

How much is it worth in USD? What years and where was it made?

I tried it out today and it really rocked, but I didn't quite like the JB Jr. in the neck, it sounded thin and lifeless, probably because of the positioning as well.
I am considering buying the guitar and cutting a hole in the neck to fit a humbucker. Would any of you consider doing this, or is this unthinkable? If do-able, what pickup in the neck would complement the JB in the bridge?

Thanks heaps guys!!!

 

[EL WHOPPO]

Re: Please help me identify this Charvel...

Toothpaste logo, it's 89-90. If it's a 24 3/4 scale, it's a Fusion Custom. If it has a 25 inch scale, it's a 3DR or a Predator (name depends on the model year, can't remember). Pick up's are not original, should have Jackson's.
Value is anywhere between $225-$300.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Please help me identify this Charvel...

Toothpaste logo, it's 89-90. If it's a 24 3/4 scale, it's a Fusion Custom.

Fusions are bolt on...otherwise Deluxe would fit (Customs are HSS).

If it has a 25 inch scale, it's a 3DR or a Predator (name depends on the model year, can't remember). Pick up's are not original, should have Jackson's.
Value is anywhere between $225-$300.

Also both bolt ons.... You´re definitely right about the pups, though

My first thought was a Model 5FX with switched pups and trem, but those are Guitar logo.... And there was never really a corresponding model in the toothpaste line.....

If it weren´t neck-thru, we´d have it, but the neck-thru part makes me think it may be an undocumented overseas only model like WFDs Fusion....

Have you got pics by any chance or could you get some?

 

[Vincent]

Re: Please help me identify this Charvel...

I'm led to believe that it is a Japanese Charvel model. Have Charvel ever made guitars in Korea? Having said that, it feels too high quality to be made in Korea though.

No pics, I'm afraid. Scalewise, its definitely not a 24 3/4 scale, probably a 25, maybe more. No serial numbers on the back, but there was a serial number on the front of the guitar's neck, between the 24th fret and the neck pickup. It starts with C followed by 5 or 6 digits I think. Serial number was written in gold in the wood.

Is it advisable to cut a hole in the body to fit a neck humbucker? Any of you guys tried this before?

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Please help me identify this Charvel...

Yes, some of the Performers were supposedly made in Korea...... But these are MIJ

Scale is almost certainly 25 1/2", J/C didn´t use anything else at the time, and if it´s not 24 3/4 (which no neckthru ever was)....

Serial IN GOLD???? The placement and style are right (if you give me teh numbers I can even date it for you within a certain range)... but they were always just stamped into the body, it´s possible that that was done afterwards.....

I´d really like to see pics now... there are a few things that don´t quite match up here.... It´s either obscure or heavily modded... THere may have already been a Humbucker in there and the rout was half-filled and the axe refinished, I´m not too sure about metallic black being a stock color on the toothpastes, either....

 

[EL WHOPPO]

Re: Please help me identify this Charvel...

Fusions are bolt on...otherwise Deluxe would fit (Customs are HSS).


Also both bolt ons.... You´re definitely right about the pups, though

My first thought was a Model 5FX with switched pups and trem, but those are Guitar logo.... And there was never really a corresponding model in the toothpaste line.....

If it weren´t neck-thru, we´d have it, but the neck-thru part makes me think it may be an undocumented overseas only model like WFDs Fusion....

Have you got pics by any chance or could you get some?

:smack: Missed the description as a neck thru. Could it be a 550XL?

 

[Vincent]

Re: Please help me identify this Charvel...

The colour is more like charcoal with a metallic sparkle through it. I'm going to have to ask the guitar shop for pics as I don't have any atm.

I really doubt that the guitar was modded THAT heavily. Luthiers in Australia where I live aren't known for doing such major modifications. I doubt anyone would pull out a humbucker to fit in an '80s slanty single coil.

The only things that don't look stock to me are the pickups (as Zerb said) and the floyd, which very well may have been installed in place of a licenced floyd-rose.

Still, is it advisable to cut a hole in the body to fit a neck humbucker? Any of you guys tried this before?

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Please help me identify this Charvel...

:smack: Missed the description as a neck thru. Could it be a 550XL?

550XLs were also neck-thru, the successor of the Model 5, but they were dual hum....

THe Schaller Floyd is almost certainly stock, those were standard issue on Jackson /Charvels from about 89-94

Routing for a humbucker wont cause problems.

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Please help me identify this Charvel...

I'm with Zerb, I'd love to see pictures! A Model 5FX is what I thought of, as well, but that toothpaste logo threw me off.

 

[Travis]

Re: Please help me identify this Charvel...

You have a 550xl. The 550xl was not a dual hum, it was indeed a H/S neck thru with the toothpaste logo. They are great guitars, made in Japan from 89-91.

I would not advise routing it out for a full sized humbucker in the neck. You could easily find a Model 5 with dual hums, probably for less $. Go with a Hot Rails or Cool Rails if you want a full sized HB sound.

If it is in good condition, $300-$400 is about the range you could expect. If it's less than $300 in good shape, grab it. I wouldn't go over $350 personally, but that's just me.

 

[Vincent]

Re: Please help me identify this Charvel...

Which single coil gives the most convincing humbucker sound apart from hot rails (uninspiring so I hear) and cool rails (maybe lo output)???

Its got the JB Jr in it that is rather thin and also a bit uninspiring..

Dimarzios? Any other brand?

 

[JeffB]

Re: Please help me identify this Charvel...

I'd go with lil 59 myself for a strat size HB.

 

[theodie]

Re: Please help me identify this Charvel...

Which single coil gives the most convincing humbucker sound apart from hot rails (uninspiring so I hear) and cool rails (maybe lo output)???

Its got the JB Jr in it that is rather thin and also a bit uninspiring..

Dimarzios? Any other brand?

The blue Lace sensor!!!!! Sounds alot like a PAF in the neck!! It is one of my favorite neck pickups without a doubt!!!

 

[Travis]

Re: Please help me identify this Charvel...

Out of curiosity, have you ever used a Hot Rails or Cool Rails? The Hot Rails is my favorite neck humbucker for shred metal lead tones. The Cool Rails is similar to the Lil 59, but I do actually like it better. It can do shred, but also handles most everything else as well. It is voiced very much like an old PAF type humbucker, ultra versatile. I have no experience with Dimarzios. But be cautious of any pickup with the extra lip sticking out. It won't fit into the route. You'll either have to trim the pickup (mu suggestion) or route the guitar a bit (which I have also done).

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Please help me identify this Charvel...

You have a 550xl. The 550xl was not a dual hum, it was indeed a H/S neck thru with the toothpaste logo. They are great guitars, made in Japan from 89-91.

I would not advise routing it out for a full sized humbucker in the neck. You could easily find a Model 5 with dual hums, probably for less $. Go with a Hot Rails or Cool Rails if you want a full sized HB sound.

If it is in good condition, $300-$400 is about the range you could expect. If it's less than $300 in good shape, grab it. I wouldn't go over $350 personally, but that's just me.

Travis is right, it IS a 550xl, I goofed...I somehow had the 575 DLX in my head (Even stranger considering that´s a Bass )

JBJr Thin = Hot rails

The New Duncan Rails pickups have no lips anymore, and will not cause problems...on an older one you´ll have to cut /File /Dremel off that lip

 

[Vincent]

Re: Please help me identify this Charvel...

So everybody agree that the Jb Jr in the neck is the cause of 'thinness' and not the 24 fret positioning?

What other single coil humbuckers can you guys think of?

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Please help me identify this Charvel...

So everybody agree that the Jb Jr in the neck is the cause of 'thinness' and not the 24 fret positioning?

What other single coil humbuckers can you guys think of?

Not quite, I just said if you find the JBJr too thin, try the hotrails

The 22 vs. 24 Fret debate has been done thousands of times on the Duncan board alone, I´m not going to start another one... but the search function can help where I leave off