# Charvel



## Oakvillain (Mar 7, 2008)

I have this Charvel I bought back 20 yrs ago and paid close to a grand if I remember correctly. It's Japanese I think and it's a brilliant guitar. Regardless, I don't buy the notion that just because it's a US version it's a better guitar. Very well made (I do woodworking as a hobby) so I can appreciate good work. A nice slab of rosewood on the board, nice frets....the whole deal. I understand the supply/demand thing etc, but to see these guitars going for $200 is irresponsible!!!!

That's why I'm keeping this thing for the kids when hair bands come back into style again. I'll grow old with my fat strat.

My 2 cents. I'll put my dunce cap back on and shut up and sit in the corner again.
kkjuw


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Let me know next time you see a 20 yr old Charvel going for $200. I'll take 3 of them.

That being said, $1000. for that guitar 20 yrs ago, sounds like serious overpaying, no offense.

I appreciate your pride in your guitar, but value is based on what someone is willing to pay for it, moreso that what the seller thinks its worth. So although you may not think the country of origin should impact its value, its likely that most buyers might.
I may think a chinese copy of a Gibson is as good as a Gibson. It doesnt meant I'd be able to sell it for the same price. 
Maybe the import stuff isnt under valued, but rather the US made counterparts need to come DOWN in price to closer to the imports.

I have a 21 yr old handmade in Canada Lado, that I paid Joe $1900. to build for me back in 1988. I got to pick out the slab of maple myself (even though it was destined to get painted a red and black crackle finish...DOH!). On the resale market today, I'd be lucky to get $500. for it. But as its as near to perfect as any guitar I've played, I'll never sell it.

Why dont you just keep it and enjoy it instead


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

Diablo said:


> Let me know next time you see a 20 yr old Charvel going for $200. I'll take 3 of them.
> 
> That being said, $1000. for that guitar 20 yrs ago, sounds like serious overpaying, no offense.


I have to agree...you can't even get a Model 1 for $200...in fact I sold one in the summer for $350.

As to over paying...the Model 3 in 1988 was $699.95 US and the Model 4 & 4M were both in the $850 US ball park so it isn't inconceivable that $1000 was paid with the exchange at the time and not to mention tax!!

By comparison, the Kramer American Series in the same year which had the Original Floyd Rose Tremolo and Schaller hardware along with Seymour Duncan pickups ranged from the single humbucker Baretta model for $1150 Canadian and the H/S/S Deluxe model for $1395 Canadian. That's a couple of hundred off of what the list price was at the time but the tax bumped that back up again to near list price. Those American Series Kramers can be had for $400-$600 depending upon condition so many of the 'out of fashion' guitars (and hair metal will never be back) are fantastic value(s). Just like when those guitars were coming into fashion some people were selling their '70s Fender Strats and Gibsons for a few hundred dollars.

It really is like the stock market. Public opinion influences everything.


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## Accept2 (Jan 1, 2006)

When I bought my first import Charvel back in the 80s, it was when they first came out and I paid something like $1,600 for it. A few years before I bought a 1975 Fender Strat for $500, a 1978 Gibson Les Paul for $350, and a 1962 Gibson SG for $200. You may think I overpaid, but the Charvel was the best deal out of all those guitars. The mid 80s brought a whole new level of hardware and construction methods to the game, that I found made the old stuff obsolete............


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## Zeegler (Jan 2, 2006)

Market value does not accurately gauge the actual value of an instrument as far as playability, build quality, and tone. I'm sure we all know that. The workmanship and material that went into building my Lado Lazer, equal or exceed that of your typical Les Paul, and it certainly plays better than most LPs I've played. However, if I was ever stupid enough to sell it (never happen), I guarantee that it would only sell for about half as much as a plain old LP Standard. Silly ain't it?


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## geecore (Feb 4, 2009)

very silly, but thats how it goes


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## vds5000 (Apr 14, 2008)

Diablo said:


> Let me know next time you see a 20 yr old Charvel going for $200. I'll take 3 of them.


Actually, $200 is a bit low, but I have seen 3 over the past year in the GTA for under $400 each. One was a 375 (flamed maple top), one was a 475 (sharkfins) and I can't remember the 3rd, but it was Japanese as well. There was also a 675 (neckthru with sharkfins) that I believe eventually sold for under $500.

I bought a flamed-top 475 at a pawn shop for $250 about 12 years ago. I took the pickups out just to inspect how thick the maple top was - it as at least 1/2 inch thick!



Diablo said:


> That being said, $1000. for that guitar 20 yrs ago, sounds like serious overpaying, no offense.


By today's standards, I suppose it would be considered overpaying, but I recall music stores were selling new Charvels for anywhere between $750-$1300 (depending on the models). I know for a fact that Model 2's were selling for $895 at the local Charvel dealer. Once they revamped the line (smaller bodys, new headstock logo, new model names), prices came down a bit, but not all that much.


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## scottomy (Sep 20, 2006)

It's amazing the prices these guitars go for now. I bought a model 6 (neck thru, sharkfins, Kahler trem and active mid boost) brand new in jan 87. With case and taxes it cost me $1437!! This thing plays and sounds great.

I think if I asked 700 for this now people would tell me where to go. Too bad as I had considered selling it.

Scott


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## Accept2 (Jan 1, 2006)

I think the original Model 6 with the Kahler was the best of all the Charvels.........


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

vds5000 said:


> By today's standards, I suppose it would be considered overpaying, but I recall music stores were selling new Charvels for anywhere between $750-$1300 (depending on the models). I know for a fact that Model 2's were selling for $895 at the local Charvel dealer. Once they revamped the line (smaller bodys, new headstock logo, new model names), prices came down a bit, but not all that much.


Yes...the info I was referencing in my post can all be viewed here:

http://audiozone.dk/cm/jackson-charvel-guitar-catalog-scans.php

...and keep in mind they were all in US dollars. In 1987, a US dollar would have cost a Canadian anywhere from $1.30 to $1.36. Who knows what extra charges would have been added on for transportation and whatever else.

The Kramer info that I stated was from my personal experience having purchased a Kramer Pacer American Series Deluxe in 1987 and also having kept the receipt!! By comparison, the people in the US were buying the same $1500 (Canadian) guitar for $800 (US).


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## vds5000 (Apr 14, 2008)

smorgdonkey said:


> Yes...the info I was referencing in my post can all be viewed here:
> 
> http://audiozone.dk/cm/jackson-charvel-guitar-catalog-scans.php
> 
> ...


Back then, a whole bunch of Floyd-guitars cost an arm and a leg. Remember BC Rich? Those USA ST III's (which were nothing special) were selling for $995. 

What about Kramer NiteSwans? I had one of those too. They were selling for $1500+

Japanese Jacksons were over $1000. The Fusion Pro was selling brand new for $1299. The Stealth was selling for $1199. Ahhhh, the memories!


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