Charvel Model 2

Alder Strat style body with a blood red paint job, maple on maple neck with 22 jumbo frets and black dot position markers, 1 Di Marzio Super Distortion ( I'm not sure, but the local music shop thought so ) 1 volume knob and a standard tremelo. The headstock was a non reverse pointy Jackson type. I found it under the Christmas tree in 1987 along with a Crate 212 and a DOD multi effects pedal with distortion, delay and chorus, I think. It was new and came with a case. The hardware was chrome. Not a month or two later, I had a Floyd installed and the rest of the hardware converted to black.I give it an 8 due to the stock trem.

These were the RATT, MOTLEY CRUE, DOKKEN days so it fit my style very well. I played through this monster of an amp, a CRATE 2X12 combo and the multi pedal. It was perfect then and would be perfect for ME now. It wasn't noisy at all. It sounded great. Because of this set up, I was one of the few that actualy learned to play an entire George Lynch solo. It was the one from " Alone Again ". I could not use the standard tremelo. It sucked pretty bad. The pick up wailed.

The set up needed work. I had this done after the Floyd was put in. After the modifications, it was as good as it gets. The finish was great and the neck was straight as an arrow.

I sold it in 1993 so I could buy an Ibanez RG550. It lasted and endured. I took very good care of it. Everything stayed solid. I had it checked out once a year. It stays consistantly humid in Southern California so it is my opinion that this guitar like a few of my other ones were made so well that they didn't require special attention to the neck. Great guitar. I had a BC Rich Warlock and a Jackson RR in solid black like Kirk Hammett's for back ups. I just needed versatility.

I don't know. I do know that Jackson has good customer service though.

I miss this guitar and will never find another one like it. It was a bad decision to sell it, but at the time it and due to my needs I had to sell it for a more versatile guitar with more pick up options. I think music and the gear that helps make the music are in a constant revolution. Whats popular today will fade away and then come back again. I hope somebody at Jacson would read this and put out an inexpensive, good quality remake of this very same guitar. There are alot of us closet, 80's wash outs hanging around with our beer bellys, kids and wife of, I don't know how many years that would like to escape into the spare bedroom and jam on one of these guitars just one more time. I've been through some high times to some low times. From a neck through BC Rich custom Walock to a Samick onup to a Gibson Les Paul Custom to a Hondo Strat copy then back up to an Ibanez RG 570 to a no name piece of junk. This guitar was one of the high spots. It was the coolest thing a 17 year old could find under the Christmas tree.

Per an e-mail I got from Jackson, "The serial isn't on file but to me it sounds like anm 1986 or 87 japanese made model 2. Basswood body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard with a j90 pickup that was about 16k on the output."

It's one humbucker with one volume control, pearl white metallic finish, double locking jackson floyd rose copy. Tremolo posts screw into metal inserts (as opposed to Kramer Focus which screw into wood). Jackson tuners.

I give it an 8 because it only has one pickup.

Sounds excellent , I like it with the stock pickup. Rate it slightly behind my Les Paul with 498T. Not noisy at all, not much variety, though. Made to play metal and does it very well.

Excellent, best playing guitar I have ever owned or played. Super slim neck with wide frets and fretboard.

The only flaws in this guitar are three small cracks in the finish emanating from the neck pocket. To be 15 years old the finish has been incredibly durable.

Didn't have the tremolo arm when I got it, had to replace it. I heard they were notorious for breaking.

This guitar would withstand live playing and all the hardware is top notch (except for the trem arm, probably). Finish is outstanding. Strap buttons are extra large so your strap won't come off.

I e-mailed Jackson for info on the guitar and had a response the next day (see above). Pretty cool.

Been playing 18+ years. Have three other guitars currently: Les Paul Smartwood, Kramer Focus 3000, and Warmoth Strat with active Dimarzios. I like the Charvel so much I bought a model 4 and it's on its way.

I play through a Digitech RP100, Marshall VS100RH and 4x12 celestion cabinet.

Jap Charvels are the best electric guitar value available today.

Just about the same model as all the other ones described here, cream metallic color. Only difference to most guitars might be the Kahler unit although it is the Floyd Rose type.

Still the original Jackson model 2 humbucker. Does not sound bad but a lot less powerful than my Model I which I fitted with the DiMarzio X2N. Actually it sounds good but it's not the Metallist you might think it is, the pickup is more PAF like in my opinion.

Plays good although some wear on the frets (bought it 2nd hand) and they need to be flattened. Does not play as smoothly as my Model I (maple neck/fretboard) but not bad.

Seems pretty reliable. Still nice smooth finish.

Charvel ceased to excist I believe but I do my own repairs and maintainance.

Maybe you'll find one of my first reviews when I was still eager to put it all down here....

i believe i bought this guitar in canada in 1987 it is a pearl white model 2 with one humbucker and a jackson floyd rose and a rosewood fret board. i have had mine routed for two more single coils and had all the pickups changed to dimarzios(jem777)crunch

this guitar was extremely good for the 80's metal . i have always played through crate amps so if you want to shred its a shredding machine(you just cant play stevie ray vaughan)thats the sucky part
its all what you want.

ive always been amazed at how well it plays and because ive been playing it for so long i cant feel comfortable with anything else. this guitar has never had any flaws or problems other than self inflicted ones.

i have only had one problem the push in bar broke twice so i converted it to a original screw in bar (done in 10 seconds).

n/a

i feel i got a great guitar and after 15 years i still love playing it
it must be good if i lost it i would buy another or hunt down my old one

I bought mine in January of 1989, and sold it in 1996.It was white ,basswood body with a Floyd Rose tremolo and one overwound pickup( hmmmm, Van Halen?) It was SO 80's.....

At the time I thought that this guitar would compliment and contrast the old Gibson SGs that I was playing......What happened was that I spent years trying to make this guitar have a sonic personality...I wound up replacing the pickuop with a Dimarzio FRED pickup, which was like taking earplugs out.....the stock pickup was WAY muddy and for lack of a better term, blew.
I later also had it routed out for a second FRED in the neck position.
Once this setup was in place the sound was much better.

The finish was about what you would expect for a $500 80's Japanese guitar.....nothing to write home about.
The frets took on a green tinge after 5 years, and I broke 3 whammy bars...they were diecast pieces of crap....I replaced the stock units with Ibanez bars,which held up better.....also the volume knob got loose and fell off constantly until I torqued the hell out of it with a screwdriver.
The trem unit, Charvel's own design, worked well enough...It was brass and made in Taiwan....I got an annoying "reverb" sound from the springs until I stuffed a piece of foam rubber back there.

For pictures and sound of me playing this guitar, go to www.juniorsgrades.com
this was my main gig axe for about 4 years.....I cringe when I hear tapes from this era.

I understand they aren't around anymore.Breaks my heart...NOT!

This guitar served it's purpose, which was a reasonably priced,80's style guitar.
By 2001 standards, it's a piece of dated, tone sucking shit.
If I had to do it over I would've spent the bucks on a Fender American Standard Strat.I sold this guitar for $125, I just couldn't stand playing it anymore....maybe some kid could use it.My 1979 SG just fits well, and I couldn't see myself playing the Charvel at age 50.
I've sworn off Floyd Rose units since, because I feel that eveything sounds like Hendrix or VH.....two players that I love, but who needs more copy cats?
I had the opurtunity to play an original, American made Charvel circa 1984, and the difference was amazing.....that axe was well made and great sounding,easliy up to the level of the Fender Custom Shop or PRS.
But this guitar I just reviewed....well...I don't miss it and wouldn't buy it again.

Purchased new in 1986 following the E. VanHalen concept i.e. strat style guitar, one humbucker, one volume knob, no tone controls or gimicks. Paid about $650 , didn't include the case which sold separately for about $100. I should have bought the case but couldn't afford it at the time - big mistake - had no where to keep it when not in use except the guitar stand, which got knocked over a few times, had drinks splattered on it, also being out in the open everyone felt like they had to pick it up and be a guitar hero.
Had a nice metal not plastic volume knob with a knurled surface. The volume knob was also positioned close enough for easy access but not in the way like on a strat. Very nice thin maple neck/rosewood fretboard. The back of the neck had kind of a rubbed out finish, not glossy. Had the classic Jackson angled head stock with very rugged/smooth operating Jackson tuners. I believe it had a basswood body, light in weight. Equipped with a Kahler fulcrum trem./behind the nut string locking system.

Sounded o.k. for earlier metal e.g. Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, etc. when played thru 50 Watt Marshall 1/2 stack. Somewhat inflexible due to single pickup - should have gotten one with at least a neck pickup. The Kahler bridge system sits up pretty high and was set up to pivot in both directions so you could bend notes sharp or flat. That was good and bad because you could use it radically when you wanted to be extreme but could never adjust it flat against the body of the guitar at times when you didn't want to utilize the vibrato system(like on a strat)- With this system any note that you bend or fret a little bit hard causes the bridge to pivot which causes the other strings to go flat. You also have to be careful when tuning because as you adjust each string it affects the balance of the bridge which affects each of the other strings - this could be tricky, and annoying, and may take some time for inexperienced players. The bridge system also sounded thin and buzzy and lacked sustain. Initially I noticed a metallic buzziness to the sound and could never isolate the source. Then one day while I was ajusting the bridge I noticed that the string saddles each had a little brass? roller that the string slides across. The rollers on the unwound strings especially the high E string were loose and would vibrate when played. Lastly, the string locking system locked the strings in place behind the nut (not at the nut like Floyd R.). This caused problems sometimes with the wound stings which would get caught at the edge of the nut during tuning or whammy bar use, then the string would go twang once it popped loose.

Workmanship was excellent and I couldn't find any obvious manufacturing defects. Had an awsome fretjob, the nut was properly notched, low action. Played great right off the shelf. Had a heavy duty metal volume knob, and an extra heavy duty whammy bar unlike the thin ones on a strat. I enjoyed the thin neck with the rubbed out non slick glossy back. The tuners at the headstock were very smooth.

Never had any problems with the finish or electronics. I did have one major gripe about the woods used in construction. They appear to be quite cheap and low quality, and very soft. I found this out after about the second time that I adjusted the trussrod when the little screws that hold the trussrod cover plate easily stripped out.(Note that I have been playing and adjusting guitars for 20+ years and am extremely meticulous and careful when making adjustments). Another thing to note is that the angled headstock is a separate piece spliced onto the end of the neck - this could be a potential problem. The biggest gripe that I have is with the angled head stock. Over time the string tension caused the headstock to bend like a bananna even though at the time I was using light gauge stings .009's often tuned down a whole step. I don't think that my guitar could handle heavier strings e.g. .010's.

Here I have another major complaint. While I was researching these guitars, the brochure spouted free lifetime setup and adjustments. The dealer told me that any time I wanted the guitar to be setup just bring it in to any authorized dealer and it would be taken care of free of charge no matter how often I wanted it done. Well after a few months, when the seasons had changed and the guitar was somewhat broken in, I decided to give it a try. The salespeople were quite assholes about it and reluctantly took my guitar exclaiming "it'll be awhile". After getting the brush off for about 2 weeks I retrieved my axe and took it to another dealer. The 2nd place gave me basically the same treatment including trying to convince me that guitars don't need to be adjusted when changing string brands/gauges or seasonally. In short I never got any of this "free lifetime adjustments/setup."

Good guitar for people who want a simple straight forward setup and a fairly heavy sound. Has an awsome neck and looks killer (although the look may be somewhat dated for today). Looking back the price was a little too high for a basic guitar such as this especially when the case was not included and the wood quality is somewhat cheap. Wouldn't recommend the locking whammy bar system for a beginner due to trickiness of tuning and inablility to disable the floating bridge when the whammy bar is not needed. Also recommend for any guitar purchase - GET A CASE - don't try to skimp on the cash, you may regret it later plus do you really want to have to listen to all of your friends trying to be a guitar hero with your axe? Lastly, be cautious when you hear claims of "free lifetime ....", it's better to teach yourself how to do the basic adjustments and perform them periodically.

USA Made in 1986 (yes, an original model 2), features a 22 fret maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, with white dot inlays.

One Jackson J90C humbucker, one volume control.

Kahler Fulcrum tremolo, with the Kahler string lock behind the nut does a pretty good job of staying in tune, although not quite as good as a Floyd.

This guitar has a great metal sound (it was built in the 80's, after all). The Jackson J90C has a good hot sound at full volume, but when you try to soften things up at lower volume settings, it only serves to muddy things up.

The action, fit, and finish were second to none! Great, fast neck, low action, and no buzzes or dead spots.

This guitar has survived playing live several nights a week as my main guitar. The only problems I've had with it involve the Kahler trem. Namely, the threading for the screw in tremolo arm stripped (admittedly, I did not follow Kahler's lubrication recommendations), and the hex screws on the string lock stripped rather early, forcing me to replace it with another Kahler string lock, which was problem-free.

While it's always a good idea to have a backup, I never needed one with this guitar.

Never had a problem with the guitar, so never had to contact them.

I've been playing on and off for about 15 years, and am currently "getting back into it."

I currently own only a Jackson Dinky XL, although I'm looking for another (US made) Model 2. In the past I have owned 2 other Jacksons, a Vester, Samick, Ovation, and a Fender Strat.

God, I miss that model 2

no features
1 hum
1 knob
crank and wail
like the tuning heads

good for everything
the sound is always in your face and always punchy

neck isnt fast at all
suits the punk rocker very well

its always been fine

none

great value
i want another with a faster neck.
the tuners are excellent rarely loses note

I purchased this Charvel Model 2 a few months ago in a pawn shop for $140. This is another one of the Japanese Charvels which have a strat type body. They were built in the mid to late 1980's (along with the Models 3, 4, 5, and 6) and have a 22 fret maple neck with rosewood fingerboard. The Model 2 originally came with one Jackson pickup, and one volume knob. However, mine has an EMG pickup which is active, and a tone knob has been added as well. I'm not sure what the body wood is, but the finishes on all these old Charvels are great. Mine is white sparkle which has yellowed nicely over the years. This guitar has the Floyd licensed Jackson double-locking vibrato. While I prefer the old Kahler single locking vibratos which were made in USA and are much more solid, (the Jackson system is made in Taiwan, believe it or not) this one does an okay job as long as you don't go too crazy with it. I have heard that the bushings on this vibrato wear out rather quickly and are not available any more, so I don't use it much for that reason. The tuners are Gotoh style Jacksons, like on all the old Charvels. And the neck is the same one used on the whole Model series. These necks are great. They are wide, thin and fast, with big, jumbo frets. My guitar did not have the original case with it, but they found me one in the pawn shop that fit, and threw it in for free.

This guitar (and all the old Charvels) fit my style well, and are pretty much the only guitars I will buy any more. I play an older 80's style with fast, shredding type leads. The necks just cannot be beaten for this style of music. The EMG pickup is not noisy at all, and I can get some variation of sounds with the tone knob that was added after market. These guitars were built to be played loud and distorted, and that is how they sound the best. I've heard that the original non-active pickup that came in the Model 2 sounds like crap. Therefore, I'd recommend replacing the original pickup in this guitar before judging the sound. I've used it with a variety of amps. Marshall, Fender, and the POD amp modeler. Loud and distorted is the only way to go with this guitar.

All the Japanese Charvels I have were built extremely well. I have never noticed any flaws in their construction. I don't know how this one was set up at the factory, but whoever had it before me spent a little bit of money on it. It was set up perfectly. Very low action, and as I said, it had the EMG already installed as well. I don't care much for the Jackson vibrato on this one. They look cheap...as if they would break rather easily. Other reviews on Harmony-Central have confirmed that this is true. I won't push my luck. However, besides the vibrato, these old Japanese Charvels are built better than any of the junk coming out of the far east today. In fact, I'd say they are built better than most USA made guitars.

I haven't used this one live, but I have several others which have been used for that purpose. They have all held up well. The strap buttons on all the old Charvels are over-sized to keep the strap from coming off, and I've never dropped one while playing. None of my Charvels show any wear on the finish. All the hardware is well made, with the exception of the Floyd-Jackson vibrato. But that wouldn't keep me from buying another one. The guitar is dependable, but I'd never gig without a backup, especially with a locking system on board.

I've never dealt with Jackson before. I am quite sure that you cannot get parts for this or any other 1980's Charvel any more. I prefer the Kahler systems which came on many of these guitars for that reason...the parts don't break.

I've been playing for 21 years. I own tons of other equipment including a Model 3, Four Model 4's, and a Model 5. I have a couple of San Dimas Jacksons, and around 25 other guitars as well. I have many amps, and an ADAT studio also. In my opinion, these old Japanese Charvels are some of the best guitars you can get for the money, and I am buying them to the exlusion of everything else now. You cannot touch or even LOOK at something close to this kind of quality for any where near the price of these things. I have hardly ever paid more than $200 for any of mine, and there are quite a few of them showing up in pawn shops now. I suppose that many of the 80's shredders have given up on guitar. That's okay...more for me to buy. I would never buy anything new when you can get something this good for so cheap. Mainly, I love the necks on these guitars. They are so easy and fast to play, that I have just given up on everything else. No reason not to, because they made thousands of these guitars, so there are plenty of them still around. If you want to shred, and save a bundle of money, pick up an old Japanese Charvel. You won't be disappointed.

This is a single humbucker Strat copy with a Jackson Floyd Rose bridge. This was my first real guitar, I don't count my Harmony POS Strat. It has black hardware, and a metallic red finish (one of this guitars best features). It has a 22 fret rosewood fretboard with cream plastic dot markers. Just you basic variation on the classic Van Halen style axe. I give it a five because it only has 1 pickup and no tone control which really limits the sounds you can get.

I used this axe during my 80's/early 90's metal/alternative garage band days. It really alright for that kind of music. The stock Jackson pickup really sucked so I replaced it with an EMG 89 Humbucker with a push/pull coil tapper on the volume knob. This really improved the sound and the coil tapper gave the guitar a little more versatility. I played it through a Peavy Truimph 60 tube amp with a BOSS ME-6 effects processor. I would give it a 3 with the stock pickups and a 7 with the EMG. The lack of a neck PU still limits the kind of sound you want from a Strat style guitar.

I bought this guitar new in 1988. The setup from the factory or the music store, was fine. The finish was flawless, but the soft wood of the body (probably basswood or poplar) made it really easy to dent. After a couple dozen gigs, it had it's shared of battle scars. The finish on the metal hardware was also not that great. Most the black paint on the bridge and nut wore off within a couple of years of playing. This is typical of almost every used Charvel I've seen. The finish on the body is probably the guitar's best feature.

One of the screws on the locking nut also broke after the 2nd or 3rd string change. I had to special order the part from Charvel since their locking nut is not a standard Floyd copy. Other than this mishap, I never really had and problems with durability. I played live for a couple of years without a backup. Never broke a string. It did have a problem staying in tune when I used the tremelo bar. I also broke a couple of those on this guitar, but I'll take the blame for that. I few too many drops and wild whammying jam sessions.

I've been playing on and off for 14+ years. This was a great guitar for it's time. Right now I own a Gibson Les Paul DC Standard and a Fender Strat built from a '68 Reissue body and a '62 Reissue neck. My taste have mellowed a little over the years. I'm more into blues(SRV, early Clapton) and classic rock (Stones, Black Crows, Zepplin) so this guitar wouldn't really work for me today. You can usually pick up a used one for around $200. I would say that's a good value for that price.