NGD! Vintage Charvel content..

[Racerxrated]

Never even played an original, nor do I know anyone locally who has one. Owned 2 custom shop, 3 USA pro mods and 3 MIJ, a few USA Jacksons and a model 6 way back. But when people say that there's something special about the vintage Charvels, believe it. Best playing neck of any guitar I've ever picked up. Period. 1985 serial#, original case and Duncan 59s in both positions. The Rosewood board is almost half an inch thick...and I'm not kidding. Not a Kahler fan but I'll adjust....for less than 1K I had to..

 

[glip22]

Killer. Let me tell you about that Kahler. Completely reassemble it. Clean everything, lube the rollers/cam and reassemble. There's a great video on youtube for it. You want the cam to move freely. You have huge allowances for setup. You need the keys. Wamiworld has parts, etc. That bridge when properly setup rules. The microtuners give a huge range of adjustment. Mine comes back to tune om a strobe. I don't get why people have this perception about them that they suck. Not even close. They are extremely well made. Before you install your strings solder the string windings. It works.

 

[Racerxrated]

Hmm....I'll have to chat with you about it Gary...I've never owned a Kahler before. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[cecilbag]

Awesome score man. I am on a huge Charvel kick myself and I would love to try and score an original. Kahler bridges get a bad rap. The USA ones work well, I just don't like the hand position myself. Great score

 

[GOHOINC]

Before you install your strings solder the string windings. It works.

Not to hijack the thread and this isn't meant as an indictment of kahlers, by any means. I'm sure what you are saying may be accurate from your experience but I still have a problem with it. When a mechanism of any sort is designed to work with standard off the shelf consumable products, like guitar strings, the need to modify the requisite consumable to make the mechanism operate better should send the message that the mechanism either isn't designed properly to begin with or is not operating as designed. No consumer should have or be willing to solder their string ends to get a kahler working well. All that said, I never soldered string ends in my kahler loaded Flying V and still had very good tuning stability.

Cool guitar... I needs to get me a Charvel some day.

 

[glip22]

Before you install your strings solder the string windings. It works.

Not to hijack the thread and this isn't meant as an indictment of kahlers, by any means. I'm sure what you are saying may be accurate from your experience but I still have a problem with it. When a mechanism of any sort is designed to work with standard off the shelf consumable products, like guitar strings, the need to modify the requisite consumable to make the mechanism operate better should send the message that the mechanism either isn't designed properly to begin with or is not operating as designed. No consumer should have or be willing to solder their string ends to get a kahler working well. All that said, I never soldered string ends in my kahler loaded Flying V and still had very good tuning stability.

Cool guitar... I needs to get me a Charvel some day.

I do agree but if one has the means it''s just one more thing to do to add stability. No different than knowing specific ways to wind strings, press down lightly at break angles, utilize lubricants such as big bends,etc..

 

[Racerxrated]

I have to say....this neck enables me to do some riffs I haven't been able to play smoothly in a looong time....man am I glad I grabbed this!

 

[sapphireskiss]

Before you install your strings solder the string windings. It works.

Not to hijack the thread and this isn't meant as an indictment of kahlers, by any means. I'm sure what you are saying may be accurate from your experience but I still have a problem with it. When a mechanism of any sort is designed to work with standard off the shelf consumable products, like guitar strings, the need to modify the requisite consumable to make the mechanism operate better should send the message that the mechanism either isn't designed properly to begin with or is not operating as designed. No consumer should have or be willing to solder their string ends to get a kahler working well. All that said, I never soldered string ends in my kahler loaded Flying V and still had very good tuning stability.

Cool guitar... I needs to get me a Charvel some day.

But, we cut off the ball end for our floyds.

 

[mbman]

Before you install your strings solder the string windings. It works.

Not to hijack the thread and this isn't meant as an indictment of kahlers, by any means. I'm sure what you are saying may be accurate from your experience but I still have a problem with it. When a mechanism of any sort is designed to work with standard off the shelf consumable products, like guitar strings, the need to modify the requisite consumable to make the mechanism operate better should send the message that the mechanism either isn't designed properly to begin with or is not operating as designed. No consumer should have or be willing to solder their string ends to get a kahler working well. All that said, I never soldered string ends in my kahler loaded Flying V and still had very good tuning stability.

Cool guitar... I needs to get me a Charvel some day.

The problem isn't with the Kahler but with the strings. I've had the wraps of the plain strings slip on several brands while restringing both electric and acoustic guitars.

Martin

 

[Shawn Lutz]

nice score. I like the matching headstock. I'm more of a Floyd guy but the Kahlers work fine.

 

[Racerxrated]

nice score. I like the matching headstock. I'm more of a Floyd guy but the Kahlers work fine.

Thanks! Me too, but these are pretty hard to find, especially for a reasonable price. Had to do it. So I'll be learning about Kahlers.

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmm.... Interesting. The volume knob placement on that strat-style body is not standard Charvel from that era. I've seen dozens of strat body pointys from that timeframe and the volume knob is always centered on the bridge hum.

Can we get a close up of the headstock? Would like to see the logo placement and style...

Looks cool - may just have been ordered that way...

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

nice score. I like the matching headstock. I'm more of a Floyd guy but the Kahlers work fine.

Thanks! Me too, but these are pretty hard to find, especially for a reasonable price. Had to do it. So I'll be learning about Kahlers.

All the pointys until very late in that era either had Kahlers or brass vintage trems unless special ordered and the Floyd was provided to Charvel. Not gonna find hardly ANY original USA '80s pointys with a Floyd unless it was retrofitted later... an original would be a miracle, although they do exist...

Steve

 

[Racerxrated]

The volume pot dates to the 34th week of 84, and the serial fits..the gold neck plate and logo size as well. The SD pups are initialed, as many were back then or stickered with initials. Seems to be legit. But as you said, can't find any pics of a volume knob not centered on the bridge pup...honestly I've heard of Strat head fakes but not pointys. And the neck is better than either custom shop I've had..and those necks were awesome. No skunk stripe but it's a rosewood board, so truss rod went under the board on fretboard side.

 

[Chubtone]

Hmmm.... Interesting. The volume knob placement on that strat-style body is not standard Charvel from that era. I've seen dozens of strat body pointys from that timeframe and the volume knob is always centered on the bridge hum.

Yes, and we have all heard stories about the "condition" many of the guys working at Charvel were in while building these guitars. So this guy was off by 1/2" when drilling this volume knob hole. Maybe it happened shortly after one of these stories happened?

"A worker was on a break just outside the factory door and was smoking a joint. He saw the fire department roll up to do a surprise fire inspection. He flipped the lit joint as far out into the back lot as he could and went back inside. The lit joint, blown by the wind rolled right into the scrap wood/sawdust pile and 10 minutes later, the fire department had some real, unexpected work to do."

"When the time came to move the factory, while disassembling the exhaust fan system in the paint room, we found hundreds of roaches (not the insect type) inside the exhaust fan. So that's where they all went to sneak a joint? What a great place to smoke, right where we sprayed all the lacquer. That was safe "

 

[Chubtone]

Everything looks totally legit on this one to me. The black plastic material between the headstock wood face and the painted headstock is one thing that really stands out as legit, and no one fakes the pointies anyway.

I have owned dozens and dozens of the original ones and the necks felt no better new than the current custom shop ones feel new. Now 30 years of playing on an oil finished neck is going to make it even smoother and more played in feeling than the new ones, but I remember how they felt when they were new, and the ones now feel just like that.

Congrats!

 

[Racerxrated]

Thanks! The volume knob does seem just a bit different but I also found pics on the web with some volume knobs closer to the back of the bridge pup so I think there was some small variation. Plus one thread where a guy moved it because he hated hitting it with his hand ala DeMartini-Lynch fan hand lol. The neck profile is a little different than any Charvel I've had previously, but still amazing. Seems to be a bit flatter. The white Custom shop I had also had an amazing neck, and with time like Curt said will probably feel as awesome as this one!

 

[Anonymous]

Everything looks totally legit on this one to me.

I definitely think it is 100% legit too, but having looked at dozens of pointy strat body guitars, I've not seen any with that volume knob placement. Stars/Explorers, yes, strat bodies, no. Not saying it didn't happen - I just haven't seen any. That said, as you pointed out, looks 100% legit other than that one oddity...

Steve

 

[cecilbag]

That white Charvel has the neck that officially converted me. I am trying to get a Charvel star because of it. The second I started playing it, I could do things I had to battle with on other guitars. This neck profile just seems to fit my hand perfect. I need to try a vintage one someday. Great, great score on that axe. If you ever sell it, hit me up please and thank you

 

[JackTripper]

Everything looks totally legit on this one to me.

I definitely think it is 100% legit too, but having looked at dozens of pointy strat body guitars, I've not seen any with that volume knob placement. Stars/Explorers, yes, strat bodies, no. Not saying it didn't happen - I just haven't seen any. That said, as you pointed out, looks 100% legit other than that one oddity...

Steve

if you go to the "hall of fame" section on the USAC forum, and look at pics of originals in the mid 4000 serial range, there are a few others that have oddly placed (off center) control knobs as well. Not sure why. Maybe they routed the volume control before the pickup route and had no point of reference.