Questions about an old Charvel

[Lee_L]

So my uncle has this older Charvel, I think it's from the late 80s, that he's letting me use for a while. In fact it just may be mine, seeing as how he doesn't play anymore, well maybe twice a year. Anyway, here's a link to some pics:

http://www.filefarmer.com/leein3d/charvel/

There are a few things I dislike about the guitar. First off, the wiring is useless, absolutely useless. There are three volumes and on/off switches, one per pickup. Thing is, as you can see, there aren't three pickups, the middle one has been removed. Also, the neck pickup doesn't line up with the strings correctly, making it sound a bit weird. Not only that, but the volume knobs don't work. I'm thinking about getting a proper neck pickup and possibly putting in a middle pickup. This will be a metal axe that can play chimey cleans when needed, so if you have pickup suggestions then by all means tell, but otherwise I'll ask about that specifically in the pickup section. I'd also like to change the controls to a more conventional design, with a three or five way switch, a tone knob or two...maybe the dual pots, or whatever they're called.

Bottom line is this, what can I do to make this guitar more functional? And what do you think of the axe in general?

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Questions about an old Charvel

So my uncle has this older Charvel, I think it's from the late 80s, that he's letting me use for a while.

´86 Charvel Model 4 (87-88s had Sharkies and JT-6 trem), MIJ, Poplar or Basswood body, J200 Stacked Single coils and A J-50, 80, or 90 series bridge humbucker, JE-1200 active electronics (Volume, tone, mid-boost)

Bottom line is this, what can I do to make this guitar more functional? And what do you think of the axe in general?

A good setup, a middle pickup, and a rewiring with the original electronics would be more than enough for me

 

[Lee_L]

Re: Questions about an old Charvel

I've got it setup already, and it plays pretty well. I thought it was a USA model, hmm...no matter. I can't believe my uncle, or whoever, swapped out that kind of wiring configuration for this useless one!

 

[Byakhee00]

Re: Questions about an old Charvel

I had one exactly like that. I believe it's an early dot inlay charvel model 4, before they switched to the sharkfins. Interestingly enough, the person who has my old guitar doesn't have a middle pickup in it either. When I had the guitar before I traded it, I had a Custom 5 Bridge, a Vintage Rails in the middle, and a Cool Rails in the neck. Right now, the cool rails is still in the neck of my old guitar. It will definatly give you nice chimy cleans if you were to put one in your guitar. As for the middle, I'd stick with another cool rails or vintage rails depending uppon your taste. In my old guitar, the Custom 5 was swapped out for a diffrent pickup. I'm not 100% on what it is right now however.

In the bridge, the Custom 5 did a great metal sound, as did the Duncan EVH and Full shread. There are a ton of humbuckers that will sound good.

Bottom Line: Get rid of the mini toggles, they're a pain. Since my old one doesn't have a middle pup anymore, there is a gibson style 3 way switch, master volume, and Master tone. If you're gonna put in a Fender style 3 or 5 way, then you'll run into some problems unless you're not terribly concerned with cosmetics. Overall, it's a great sounding axe. Enjoy it. \m/

The forum member "dystrust" has the guitar I was talking about. You could try sending him a PM if he doesn't reply.

 

[Lee_L]

Re: Questions about an old Charvel

Well I'm not sure what's in the bridge now but it's pretty hot, and does well for metal. I don't plan on changing that pickup unless I just feel like tinkering a lot. I've got a Dimebucker I could throw in here.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Questions about an old Charvel

The mini toogles on Charvels usually allowed series/off/parallel switching for each individual pickup. This allows a very wide variety of pickup combonations, and tones, most of which you never actually use. With three pickup's, that include both SC size, and a full size bridge HB, you can have the most useful tones anyway. A 5 way provides the easiest way to access the most useful sounds imo. The mini toggles I don't find too bothersome though.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Questions about an old Charvel

The mini toogles on Charvels usually allowed series/off/parallel switching for each individual pickup.

Only in the earliest Pre-Pro days or as a custom order... from about ´83 on, it was On /off, especially on imports such as this one

A 5 way provides the easiest way to access the most useful sounds imo. The mini toggles I don't find too bothersome though.

I actually prefer the 3 toggles, But one of the most common mods is a 5-way in place of them

 

[Pierre]

Re: Questions about an old Charvel

I have one. It's very easy to rewire it so it's more usable. I changed the 2 way switch on the bridge for a 3 way, on which one of the positions bypasses the electronics and other pickups. So I can roll off the volume and select the neck pickup for a clean ish tone, then just engage the bridge in its bypass position and have fun on power.


REALLY good guitars. Mine isn't perfect by any means but what would be the fun in that. I just love it. I have an 88 myself.

 

[Lee_L]

Re: Questions about an old Charvel

So would this be basswood or alder? I might try to contact Charvel with some pics and the serial number on the neckplate.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Questions about an old Charvel

So would this be basswood or alder? I might try to contact Charvel with some pics and the serial number on the neckplate.

Save your time.... 2 reasons

1. Have fun trying to find contact info other than FMIC Consumer Relations at 480-596-7195... expect a not all too short phone wait.

2. They (Jackson/Charvel)used to date and verify USA guitars, but have never done so for imports. They stopped offering this service about a year before the FMIC buyout in 2k, and it is questionable whether it will ever be restored as the logs and records seem to be a bit spotty, as half of the models that have been asked about by colleagues don´t even seem to be recorded (Ie: We never made a guitar like that, did we??)
Though I´m talking about "export" imports specifically here, Jap guitars that were never sold in the US or intended to be.. US Catalog models from about 92-93 on they seem to have a handle on the existence of....).. but again, the dating and verification service was axed years ago...

Your guitar is verifiably a 1986 Model 4, not a single detail off but the missing electronics is off, 1986 is the only year the Model Series had Kahler 2320 Trems, and the only year the 4 had dots. The chances on the body are about 50 / 50.... how heavy is the guitar? The heavier it is, the more likely it´s poplar (alder was my mistake, sorry, J/C swapped freely between those for the USAs a while...)

If you want to try to get anything more detailed than what I´ve written in this thread, your best choice is www.jcfonline.com ... but even they can´t date an import to closer than about 4 months, and that´s really the only thing you don´t already know

 

[Lee_L]

Re: Questions about an old Charvel

It's got some weight to it, that's for sure. So this thing was made in Japan? That's cool, but I dunno why he swapped out the electronics.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Questions about an old Charvel

It's got some weight to it, that's for sure.

Probably poplar, properly dried basswood is generally pretty light..

So this thing was made in Japan?

Everything but the original Pickups, yep (those were still USA wound at the time)

That's cool, but I dunno why he swapped out the electronics.

A lot of people didn´t really like the midboost after the 80s were over for some reason and tore them out... I wish I´d have known that back then (or even played for that matter), I´d have thousands of the circuits

 

[Pierre]

Re: Questions about an old Charvel

I am guilty of having taken the Midboost out but I loved it haha

 

[Lee_L]

Re: Questions about an old Charvel

The switching now is just RETARDED! And I only basically get good tone from the bridge pickup, bah. This thing needs to be more versatile. Though, it does make a good metal axe.