Charvel....anyone know anything about them?

[iconic]

My mate who is a banjo player has bought one of these...a Charvel in black, 3 picks ups, passive, it's made in Japan, seems very old, heavy and has a great fat tone, bolt on neck...looks as this one in the pic'...he gave £50 for it

...he simply wants to know something about them?

[Pete Academy]

Charvel is a US company, linked with Jackson. Well known for guitars, particularly in the 80s. This is probably of the same era. Great quality if made in Japan.

The case alone is probably worth fifty quid.

Bargain!

Edited January 24, 2010 by Pete Academy

[henry norton]

They were the Japanese arm of Jackson - purveyors of spandex, big hair rock guitars and very high quality by all accounts. If your mate can get over the pointy headstock cock rock image he's got himself a very nice bass actually, easily the equivalent of a Japanese made Fender, and you don't see many of them going for 50 quid with a case!

[Pete Academy]

Those headstocks...brings the memories flooding back.

[witterth]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='722857' date='Jan 24 2010, 09:20 AM']Those headstocks...brings the memories flooding back. [/quote]
"Its the final countdown.........." da da da daa, da da da daa, da, da da da daa, da da......oh fu@k it you get the point.....
good memories?
I'm trying to forget MY mullet hairdo!!!!

[hillbilly deluxe]

I would'nt have owned that at the time,but i would now.

[kets]

I used to own a Charvel strat type guitar in the very early 90's, very nice it was too. I seem to remember they were all the rage then (Perhaps just in our neck of the woods...) and there was also Charvette, which was like their Squier equivalent.

Nice looking bass, and an absolute bargain at £50.

[merello]

[quote name='iconic' post='722847' date='Jan 24 2010, 09:05 AM']My mate who is a banjo player has bought one of these...a Charvel in black, 3 picks ups, passive, it's made in Japan, seems very old, heavy and has a great fat tone, bolt on neck...looks as this one in the pic'...he gave £50 for it

...he simply wants to know something about them?

[/quote]
I'll give you £51 .....

Outstanding purchase!

[RhysP]

[quote name='henry norton' post='722852' date='Jan 24 2010, 09:12 AM']They were the Japanese arm of Jackson...........[/quote]
I think Wayne Charvel would have something to say about that!

Wayne Charvel was building guitars in the 70s, and Grover Jackson (who went on to make Jackson guitars) was one of his employees. Wayne Charvel sold his guitar building business to Jackson, who continued to produce guitars under the Charvel name for a while before changing to his own name.

There were indeed excellent guitars made in Japan using the Charvel name under licence in the 80s, but to refer to Charvel as "the Japanese arm of Jackson" is like calling Fender the Japanese arm of Musicman.

[Jerry_B]

I haven't seen one of those for ages. They used to be quite common in the late 80s, I seem to remember.

[Toddy]

Wants,,,,,thats a beaut......

Bargain,,,,

[iconic]

wow, cheers guys for the speedy replies and info'

Edited January 24, 2010 by iconic

[henry norton]

[quote name='RhysP' post='722991' date='Jan 24 2010, 12:43 PM']I think Wayne Charvel would have something to say about that!

Wayne Charvel was building guitars in the 70s, and Grover Jackson (who went on to make Jackson guitars) was one of his employees. Wayne Charvel sold his guitar building business to Jackson, who continued to produce guitars under the Charvel name for a while before changing to his own name.

There were indeed excellent guitars made in Japan using the Charvel name under licence in the 80s, but to refer to Charvel as "the Japanese arm of Jackson" is like calling Fender the Japanese arm of Musicman. [/quote]
Fair point!

[xgsjx]

When I bought my ibby in 1990, my mate bought a Charvel guitar which has a strat lke body & cost @ £600.
So that's a bargain.

[7string]

That's a great catch.

There's a thread dedicated to Charvels [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=477448"]over on Talkbass[/url] What they don't know about 'em ain't worth knowing.

[Schnozzalee]

Charvel weren't just Japanese. I have owned two US Charvels - check to see if it says San Dimas, California, the Fort Worth Texas ones were actually made in Japan. I always bought the Star models (still own an 87-88 Guitar Version) I only bought them because I knew they were US made, and the shape is unique and inspired by Eddie Van Halen. My favourite guitar Chris Holmes played one also! The toothpaste logo is a good indicator of the Japanese ones as well as the Charvette (also japanese). The one your friend has, has the american logo but would need to see the neckplate. They're all extremely well made and the necks are unbeatable on the guitars Dave Gilmour (Pink Floyd) used them. On my star bass it was pretty fantastic too, unlaquered, not P but not Jazz either. 50 quid is a sheer bargain - your friend should be chuffed. I paid £400 for my Charvel Bass, it had a P+P setting just as well built as a fender, fantastic hardshell but the lipstick red finish was a tad boring. If you were to sell it to an American, you'd fetch a lot more - don't have the renown in the UK.

Hope this helps!

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Apparently,according to a geordie friend of mine, Charvel were sold in woolworths years ago
as before hair metal took off ,not many people had hard of them.
They seem to have a good reputation .

[robocorpse]

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' post='723559' date='Jan 24 2010, 09:14 PM']Apparently,according to a geordie friend of mine, Charvel were sold in woolworths years ago
as before hair metal took off ,not many people had hard of them.
They seem to have a good reputation .[/quote]

Is this a failed attempt at humour? Your mate is thinking of Top Twenty, Kay, Columbus, Satellite or (shudder) Encore.

Seriously though, refer to above Charvel/Jackson stories.

[mep]

That looks like the 3B model, which should be the thro neck and have active electronics with the liitle switch. If not it's the 2B. Either way it's a serious bargin.

Check out the reviews on Harmony Central [url="http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Electric+Bass/product/Charvel/3B/10/1"]http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews...Charvel/3B/10/1[/url]

I've had black 2B for over 20 years and have put active electronics in it. It's built like a brick out house, is very loud, plays really well and is just a great all rounder. I'm currently using it over my Stingray at the moment for gigs and have just ordered a Hipshot D Tuner from the Bass Centre for it.

Rock on!!!!

[Marvin]

£50. What a lucky blighter. And with the case.
My old guitarist bought a Jackson (his one and only guitar) about 15 years ago, cost him £700. Lovely guitar. Really ballsy heavy sound he could get out of it.

Does anyone remember Charvette guitars? I always assumed they were part of the same group. There was a black one very similar to that Charvel in my local music shop when I started playing.

[BobVbass]

looks like a Japanese Jackson/Charvel San Dimas to me - had exactly the same (case and all) in the late nineties, do the pickups have Jackson on them? - brilliant guitar great neck, superb tone. Sold mine about 6 years ago for £170 - wish I'd kept it!

[gjones]

I had on back in the 90's. It was a Charvel By Jackson (think the pickups were Jackson). I heard the guy who owned it playing it at a gig and it had such a fantastic sound I bought it then and there. Never got on with the pointy headstock though.

[mep]

I had to upload some photo's of my lovely black 80's Charvel. I passed on uploading some photo's of me with my 80's mullet!! I bought this new when they first came out about 22 years ago. It's quite road worn and has travelled well.

I love this bass and will never sell it. It's more comfortable than your favourite old slippers, as they say.

Rawk On!!

[attachment=41394:charvel_006.jpg]

[attachment=41395:charvel_007.jpg]

[RhysP]

Go on, show us your mullet!

[TimR]

I still have one in white.

I paid £350 for it in 1987.

Not much bottom end, I used to boost with a Boss graphic EQ. Apart from that very low action and very nice tone.

I took it to get valued and I was quoted £50 for resale.
BUT for insurance purposes the shop owner said that to get a new bass of the equivalent quality I would be looking at paying £1600.

I occasionally look on ebay to see if any come up, just out of interest, but have never seen one sell. I've seen a couple not make the reserve bidding stopping at £50.