Charvel Fusion IV

Charvel Fusion IV...four-string bass, made in Japan in 1990, per the serial number. The guy below really pegged the Body Shape...compared it on the net and it is quite similar to the original Jackson Phil Collen guitar shape. The body is small I think, for a bass. It's comfortably contoured and extremely light weight. Bolt on neck that has a smoothly transitioned neck joint which extends quite a ways down into the body. Easy access to all frets. Neck is painted the same color as the body, pearl white, with 24 jumbo frets on a rosewood fretboard. Thin/wide smooth feeling neck with abalone dot inlays and an abalone Charvel Block Inlay at Fret #12.

Mine was bought used and it appears that the previous owner upgraded the pickups to a set of Bartolini P/J-style passive pickups. Controls consist of Volume, Treble, Bass and Blend. Jackson Bridge (top loading) and Jackson tuners. All hardware/components are black. Finish on body, back of neck and pointy headstock is Pearl White. Headstock has the large "toothpaste" Charvel logo in black.

I'll rate at an 8, as I have no idea what type of wood the body is made from (although our knowledgeable review below states Poplar, which is okay but could have been better served tonewise by a different choice of wood (alder,mahogany,etc).

Versatile, really like the Bartolinis...warm, clean, pronounced sound. Much like the reviewer below, I play guitar and have toyed w/the idea of picking up a bass for a number of years now. I've been looking for quite some time and found some nice/decently priced basses out there, but most seemed to be heavy as hell and the necks just seemed huge. This one had been hanging in a local used store for some time and I played it, along w/a great many other basses, over time and really liked the neck, body shape/light weight and pickups. Its just a joy to play and your hand doesn't tire out from trying to get a grip on some huge fat neck. I don't have a bass amp yet, which won't be long coming. I've only played this thing amplified in the store where I bought it, and it sounded great through every amp I tried. It's got both the bottom thump and enough bite, mixed w/great pickups and a blend feature that allows a wide range of tones to be developed, that I've no doubt it'll fulfill all my bass needs. I may upgrade the bridge assembly to a heavy brass model (and convert it to a string through body) in the future, which should aid in sustain and tone. Maybe a Bone or Brass Nut upgrade. Overall though...it's quite appeasing as is.

Bought used...has a few minor chips in the pain on the body edge and a couple on the headsstock, although all are quite minor. The Pearl White finish is in good shape and has only yellowed w/age a bit. I haven't had it set up yet but it plays nicely and only has a littel bit of string rattle on the big old "E" around the 3rd to 5th frets. I'm sure it'll be perfect once I have it set up. Very comfortable neck, especially for smaller hands. Neck fit's the pocket well w/only a slight bit of space between the edge of the neck and body pocket, nothing that a single strip of black electrical tape wouldn't fix. I'm sure the neck has had a bit of shrinkage due to climate extremes over it's 13 year lifespan. Frets are excellent, inlays are nicely done, strings line up perfectly on the neck...everything is as it should be.

This is an old used bass, its good condition and appears to have thus far stood the test of time. I'm sure it'll continue to hold up nicely. Components are of good quality, it's well thought out and designed, light weight, well put together. It'll hold up to normal use/abuse.

No dealings, no opinion. It's used. I'd use aftermarket parts for replacement and a local tech for any repairs/modifications.

Just started toying w/the bass. Been playing guitar since approx. 1989. Own 8 electric guitars, one acoustic, a Marshall JMP that I've dubbed "the holy grail"...

I'd looked at and played this bass in comparison to a lot of others on the wall at the place I bought it and had found only one other bass that I liked as well...a Fender Japan P-Bass Lyte...it was just as light and comfortable as this bass, but the neck just didn't seem as inviting, although it was somewhat smaller in width and a little rounder in back shape. This one just sold me on the neck, smaller body shape, overall quality:price ratio and it's sheer comfort and high "fun to play" factor.

Charvel Fusion IV four-string bass, made in Japan in 1990-91. Its poplar body is similar to the original Jackson Phil Collen guitar shape, with the lower horn being shorter and rounded. The top one-third of the body (bass side) is contoured, with a groove suitable for placing your thumb if you prefer. The body is thin and light, making it very comfortable during long playing sessions. The neck is a bolt-in style, with no cumbersome joint to get in the way of access to the higher frets. Made of maple, with 24 frets on a rosewood fretboard, it's thin and wide, with white dot inlays.

Electronics consist of Jackson P/J-style passive pickups. There is no pickup selector switch, but rather a blend knob. Other controls are for volume, treble and bass, and all have a distinct "click" at the halfway position. The bridge and tuners are made by Gotoh, and are black, as are the knobs. My Fusion IV has the Candy Blue finish with black pointy headstock and large "toothpaste" Charvel logo. As usual for Jackson/Charvel, the strap buttons are HUGE.

Without going to active electronics, there's not much more you could add to this bass. The white plastic dot inlays detract a bit from the look, but the construction and components really seem solid. The control setup is superior to any other bass I have owned in terms of placement and function.

From what I understand, Rex Brown (Pantera) used the Fusion prior to his Spector endorsement, and as a metal player myself, I find it to be well-suited for my style. However, I would say that this bass could function equally well for almost any style of music, and for any playing style. Although I am primarily a guitarist, I bought this Charvel to use for home recording and any time when I might need to play bass in a live setting. So far I've used it through a Randall RB-60 bass combo and also run it into my PC via a Johnson J-Station using the SWR "Modern" bass amp model. I have yet to find a sound that I *couldn't* get out of the Fusion. The blend, treble and bass controls really offer a wide range of tones, and do so without noise. Having used it to record along with heavily distorted guitars, it has enough punch to be heard well without being obnoxious. I prefer to play with a pick, and love the sound I'm getting out of it. Excellent balance, and being able to dial in the right blend of neck and bridge pickup gives me more control than just a selector switch.

I purchased this bass used, and although it has a few chips and scratches, the finish has held up remarkably well after over a decade of service. Due to some string rattle when playing near the nut, I raised the action a bit, although it is still quite low when at its highest position. I suspect that the plastic nut could stand to be replaced, but I may experiment with different string gauges first.

The neck is perfect for me. As a guitarist, I find many basses to be uncomfortable due to the neck thickness. Prior to finding this Fusion, I purchased a Charvel 3B bass, which is a neck-thru model with active electronics, and had trouble with the thick neck and considerable weight. The Fusion is light, and the neck shape makes it easier to play. Having easy access up to the 24th fret is not something taken for granted on bolt-on instruments, but it's simple with the Fusion.

My past experience with Jackson/Charvel products has been quite good, and I have high expectations because of that. Considering the age of this bass, its good condition makes me think that it'll give me many years of reliable use. It seems built with the gigging bassist in mind, due to the comfortable design and light weight, and the hardware looks and feels like it will last...but since I haven't really had it out on the road, I'm not going to give a rating here.

This is obviously out of warranty by now, and I have had no need to contact the manufacturer, but my dealings with Jackson/Charvel have always been satisfactory. If I had any reason to contact them, I would expect fast, professional service.

I've played guitar and bass for over ten years, always in hard rock/heavy metal bands. I've owned several different brands of guitars and basses, but have found Jackson/Charvel to make the best instruments. In recent years, they haven't really pursued the bass market, but I have no problem buying used instruments. I have several Jackson guitars, and a Charvel 3B bass in addition to the Fusion. The first time I saw the Fusion IV, I knew I had to buy it!

Had I been buying this bass new, I probably would have compared it to a few others, but that wasn't the case. I have no doubt that this Charvel will see a lot of use, and it'd be hard to find any other bass that has the same features without spending a LOT of cash.