Japanese Charvels/Jacksons

Anyone play a Japanese Charvel or Jackson?

I have to give them some press, they're some of the most playable and best sounding guitars for rock/metal out there. And somewhat affordable as well And you wouldn't need to feel bad about modding a Japanese Charvel or Jackson, they made tons of them (across the various different models).

I stumbled across this one a little while ago, while picking up that Thunder IIa for Mike. Had to get it. They didn't make a ton of these however, it's a Pearl White 1988 Charvel Model 6 superstrat. Construction and playability are superb. Neckthrough, jumbo frets, Jackson's reinvention of a Floyd, passive pups with a mid shape control (battery powered, obviously), toggles to activate/deactivate each pup.

If you remember the famous USA Jackson Soloist that all the metal guys played in the late 80's, this is the imported Chavel model of that same guitar. Almost the exact same as the USA Jackson.








For anyone looking for an excellent playing, well made rock/metal machine, these are the way to go. You won't be disappointed.

A mate of mine used to have a Charvel same type of neck as yours (compound radius?) sharkfin inlays and pointy h/stock but his had the strattier body in dark metallic blue, twin HBs and a Kahler trem T'was a GREAT guitar. Last time I saw him, He'd had the neck swapped for a maple charvel with a strat headstock as he loved the guitar but not the pointy headstock!

I guess that you will be foregoing a neck swap on yours, huh Chad?...

Great guitars! I still have my model 3 i got back in the early 90's ( I traded a Gibson "The Paul" for it, regret it for sure). I've always wanted a model 6, that is one beautiful axe there Chad. Great choice, and looks to be in excellent shape - SCORE!

my main guitar for 6 years of gigging was a Japanese Jackson dinky pro soloist reverse in blue burst with shark fin inlays, backed up by a Japanese Jackson Fusion in sunburst
great guitars for metal, great necks and super reliable

These things do beat the band for playability. So easy and inspiring!

The Challenger that I love so much (and now have 3 of) was designed to compete with the Charvel So Cal.

Does a good job of it, IMHO, despite being plywood guitars.

I have a 1986 Charvel Model 5 - neck-thru with 2 humbuckers and a Kahler pro - in dark metallic blue. It's just a great guitar. I do not have the stock active Jackson pickups. Instead, mine sports a tone zone in the bridge and a duncan '59 in the neck.

It's a great guitar - plays easy, great tone, not too heavy.

And I forgot - I used to have Jackson SL3 Soloist - made in Japan. I should not have sold that guitar.

me and the dinky in Romford back in 2002

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Good looking Jackson, like that blue. You have a left handed neck on that thing, right? The shark teeth are pointing up instead of down.

reverse headstock and shark fins
had the guitar 16 years and it never even occurred to me before

Lovin' that Dinky!! Such a clean straightforward design.

Reversed headstock always appealed to me aesthetically speaking though I cannot point to why exactly.

Also traditionally styled headstocks on modernistic designs. The Seagulls and Mockinbirds from the early 80's that B.C. Rich built still give me shivers.

Here's one that makes an Aria Urchin U100 seem simple from a layout viewpoint...

Iceman wrote:Lovin' that Dinky!! Such a clean straightforward design.

its a very lean design, does exactly what it needs to, Floyd rose does the job, I was playing in full C at the time and it never let me down
I'm gonna plug her in when I get home

xbarnesx wrote:

I'm gonna plug her in when I get home

Somebody's gonna be playing some METAL tonight!

You're making me want to play mine now.

They need to be experienced, such great guitars.

These Series 10 Guitars were manufactured in Korea and sold by SLM sometime before the Charvel and Jacksons I think and internet rumor has it that these brands were purchased so that the Jacksons could use the body style. I have had them beside a Jackson and they are almost exact match so who copied who is the question hee I think. These are the Pro models top of the line for series 10 and the dark one is solid mahogany and the burst is solid also. Play great but the pickups are not as good as the Charvels and Jacksons but the trems are lic Floyd rose and work great. Enjoy.