Charvel 475 Deluxe

~1990 made in Japan. Guitar has 22 jumbo frets with rosewood fretboard at 25.5" scale, H-S-S Jackson J-50BC/J-120/J-120 pickups, 5-way selector, Schaller double locking trem, unfinished neck, mother of pearl sharkfin inlays, black finish, the iconic '80s shred guitar. The only thing I would want to change would be to have a better looking Rosewood fretboard over the Indian Rosewood that comes with it.

I play mostly rock/metal with '80s influence and psycho prog with '70s through recent influence through a Mesa Boogie MkIII 3/4 stack. The Charvel sounds fantastic through it! I've been playing 17 years and no the 475 has a truly KILLER metal/shred lead tone. Hard to explain, but there's a slashing sound high on the register that I don't hear with other guitars, not vintage, well maybe '80s shred vintage, regardless, I love it! If I was ever going to be in a guitar duel, this would be the guitar I would use! I like the sharp attack of bolt on guitars, and this guitar can spit out all the edge you need for loud solos. The J50BC doesn't really do the metal chunk thing quite as well as I would like, but the lead sound is well worth it. I've occasionly thought about replacing the bridge pup for better rhythm crunch, but I love the lead sound too much, and it's more unique to have stock pickups (provided you like the sound) than the same ol' aftermarket replacements every else uses. The singles are nice and twangy with overdrive and surgically clean on the clean channel. I usually keep the adjustable mid boost at 1/2 for the humbucker and more like 3/4 to full blast for the singles. The singles definitely need the mid boost for fat sounds and are a bit mild, if you really like loud singles, you might want to change over to Duncan Hot Rails or the like, but then you would lose some of the beautiful clean tones.

Charvel makes some of the best necks in the industry. This guitar is naturally easy to play and loud compared to other guitars. It has a nice resonance that you don't always find with guitars of this type and awesome clarity. The Schaller Floyd works perfectly.

I've had this guitar for about 14 years and it still looks and plays great, built like a tank!

This is basically a old school '80s Jackson Professional-quality bolt on guitar with Charvel on the headstock. I have no regrets and can't imagine ever selling it, one because it is an inspirational lead MONSTER and two because I think it is beautiful. I would like cosmetically more appealing roswood for the fretboard, but it's no big thing considering the overall excellence of the guitar. A highly underrated guitar for sure. This guitar is in the same category as the Ibanez RG760, a well respected guitar of the same era, and I think the Charvel is definitely better, and the active electronics are cool to play around with for sure.

1989, Japanese Charvel 475 Deluxe in Blue solid semi-metal flake with grey Charvel hard case. It has all the same features that the other reviewers listed, Jackson Hum/Single/Single active electronics, a German Schaller licensed Floyd Rose (I'm told is as good as the original and certainly better then the later pot metal licensed units that starting appearing in the early 90's). Paid $340 for it used, in excellent shape not a scratch on it though a good amount of fret wear. Not sure about the body wood, I'd assume Alder, neck is maple and completely bound and has a rosewood board with mother of pearl like Sharktooth inlays. Schaller strap locks (like all of my guitars).

I play thru vintage Marshall gear and recently started using a 2x12 Jubilee (which I'm still trying to dial in). Also a 1962 Fender Bassmen that's been converted to a 1x12 combo (and I have a 2x12 Tonemaster cabinet for it as well loaded 80 watt Celestions). I play punk/alternative, and a bit of 'classic rock' which pretty much means any sound that catches my ear we modify into our own format...

This is the ONLY fault I've found with this guitar are the pickups. The Jackson active electronics S.U.C.K. big time. I took this guitar out on a gig after I first got it, I was all amped up to play it out and this damned thing made more noise then you could imagine. I fought with it for 3/4 of the night and finally switched guitars. I don't know if the electronics are 'microphonic' like cheapie guitar pickups, the active electronics aren't shielded enough or a combination, but they had to go. I put in a Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates 4 conductor, a reverse wound Quarter Pounder in the middle and a regular Quater Pounder in the next. I get a great combo of sounds, though all these pickups are a bit too 'hot' for my tastes normally, the guitar does scream and this upgrade made all the difference in the world. And I got all the pickups used, it took a while but I got good deals on all of them. Other then the pickups, the guitar is well built and resonates like you'd expect.

Frets are worn down and the action has been tough to get setup correctly. This is also my first Floyd Rose guitar and I'm not used to setting one up. All not the fault of the guitar. Fit and finish is on par with any American made guitar I'd seen and owned, frankly I think the Japanese Charvel's of this time period had nicer finishes and we better assembled then many of the Jacksons of this time period that cost 2 to 4 times as much. I'm VERY impressed with how well this guitar is made, and now that it's 15 year old how well it's holding up. All the bindings around the neck and headstock are in tact perfectly, that neck is perfect, fretboard and inlays look like new along with the body and headstock. Yes my example was very well taken care of, but I think anyone could expect the 475's to last a very good long time.

This guitar is very well built and extremely durable. Hardward is all good, and the revised electronics are bullet proof so I forsee no problems with this guitar for a very long time. The only concern would be the frets and I hate to think what it will cost to refret the bugger, but in a few years that will have to be done and I'll spend the money because I think it's worth it despite the fact a refret will likely cost close to 2/3rd's what I originally paid for the guitar!

Never had to deal with customer support from Charvel or Jackson; no reason to need too...

These guitars are extremely under rated and under valued. If you can snatch one up for $300 to $400 and pop in some new pickups (or maybe you'll find one that's already had it done), you're set for life. I'm very impressed with this guitar and plan on keeping it forever.

Note, I have a bunch of other guitars, primarily Strats, a vintage 335 and a custom Telecaster with humbucker and P90 in the neck. So I have a varitey of guitars to choose from. However, when I go out somewhere I'm likely to bring the Charvel and one of the other above guitars. If it were lost or stolden, I'd track another one down and set it up the same (though with cooler pickups).

Purchased from Guitar Center. Sometime between 89-91. It has a pearl white finish with cracks all over it as if it's like antique pottery. A Jackson humbucker and 2 single coils. Volume, tone, active mid boost. 5 way switch. Basswood body, maple bolt on neck, rosewood fretboard 22 frets, mother of pearl sharkfin inlays. Schaller floyd rose. Superstrat body style. Nice fast neck. Pretty good variety of sounds.

My musical style is Metallica/Megadeth/Slayer and other metal. I also dab into bluse like SRV/Clapton and classic rock like AC/DC. The single coils are pretty good for a smooth lead tone. After I raised the bridge pickup a tad it was pretty good for the metal tone I was lookin for.

Setup off the wall was terrible. I had to lower the action, adjust the floyd, and raise the bridge pickup. Then it was pretty good. It was used, so it had 2 dings on the back that I never really take notice to.

This guitar could most likely withstand a good beating. It may be an import but the Charvel imports were quite good quality. Came with straplocks on them.

?

Well damn for the price this can't be beat. My other guitar is an EB/MM Axis and I don't think this is quite as good but it's definately a value I couldn't pass up. I'm gonna get it refinished at GMW Guitars with a Fire Crackle finish. I love it! I'm a big fan of Jackson/Charvel guitars.

Japanese made in late '89 early '90. 22 jumbo-frets, active electronics including midboost, 2 stacked humbuckers in neck and middle position and a humbucker in the bridge (all Jackson), a 5 way pickup selector, Jackson licened Floyd Rose with locking nut and Jackson tuners. Bolt on maple neck with rosewood fingerboard sharkfin inlays,(from what I've read this guitar has a basswood body) also came with a Charvel molded hardshell case...

This guitar suits my style of music perfectly, I play Metal/Hard work with the occasional blues tune here and there. but this guitar can do much more..as with most guitars with active electronics this guitar is very quiet.

I ordered this guitar from Americian Musical Supply, I'm not sure if they had a hand on the setup or if it was Jackson's doing but when the guitar arrived at my door the setup was perfect, the action was low and fast with no fret noise, the pickups were perfectly set, the transparent purple finish was a sight to behold not one flaw to be found. no dead spots on any of the frets and they sported a very nice polish job. Nothing could have been done to set this guitar up better than it was when it arrived....

I have went through many guitars since I first bought the Charvel, the main reason was people said "its a cheap guitar" well...thats before they played it, I've owned Fender's (both americian and japanese strats), Gibson's (Les Pauls and SG's), Ibanez, Carvin.. but nothing I have played can match the feel and sound of the 475. After almost 10 years of abuse the finish is holding up very well, I wouldn't think twice about giging without a backup, this guitar is built like a tank.

its a Charvel/Jackson...who needs customer support

this is a fablous guitar..if it were stolen or lost I would do my best to find another I cant imagine not having my Charvel its like a member of my family now...if you play Metal or Hardrock you've gotta try this guitar very few guitars can match its playability and value the only guitar I've owned that came close was an Ernie Ball EVH...but thats another story...its a great guitar for anyone, but its perfect for me.

This '89 strat style axe is a Japanese 22 fret model. The bolt on compound radius neck is rosewood with shark fin inlays. The active pickup configuration is two stacked humbuckers in the neck & middle position and a humbucker in the bridge- all Jackson. The finish is a gorgeous bookmatched red/yellow sunburst. It has a licensed Floyd and a five position switch with volume/tone and mid boost pots. The tuners are Jackson model. From what I've read, I'm pretty sure the body is poplar.

This axe works very well with lots of preamp gain. It can cover a wide variety of tones but its forte is really heavy rock/metal. It tends to have a very 80's rock tone, especially suited for a Marshall (which is just what I want). The humbucker can sound very thick and Les Paul-ish with the other pickups sounding somewhat more like a strat in the fourth and fifth position but not quite as bright. The active circuitry makes it very quiet. This axe really emphasises the mids. It's very much a "Swiss Army Knife" type of instrument which can do a very acceptable job of most sounds, however if you want really convincing SRV tones keep walking. I give it an 8 only because it suits my playing requirements perfectly-your mileage may vary.

Until I went over it, this axe was set up very poorly from the factory. I had to tighten the neck bolts and do a complete setup myself but once done it was fine.

I've had/have several "vintage" axes yet still consider this guitar to be my No. 1. I've gigged with it since '90 and it hasn't let me down. The Floyd is starting to tarnish/rust and I have to stay on top of it to keep it kleen but over all I consider it to be very dependable. When I need a good sounding, quality axe that I don't have to worry about, this is the one I grab-no backup needed or wanted.

Never needed them.

I've been playing for 25 years, and have owned lots of Gibsons & a few Fenders. I like this axe so much I've started looking around for some pre '86 "San Dimas" manufactured Charvels. I'm not much of a Fender Strat kind of player and if this axe were lost, I'd definitely look for a comparable Charvel/Jackson.