Charvel Model 3A

MIJ Charvel model 3A. you already know the specs. Everything you need, nothing you don't.

I play a variety from classic rock to metal. Every now and then a little something clean/jazzy. this thing sounds great, and is much more versatile than I thought it would be. The stock pickups get the job done, but a lot rides on what your amp setup is. I'll swap the pickups since i have some SD's laying around.
Sound is very full, and much more lively than I expected. Very pleasantly suprised with this guitar.

action was set well, a good semi-low height that is comfortable and doesn't buzz like crazy. Everything seems to be constructed very well, and fit perfectly. MIJ guitars have a nice feel, and are higher quality than most.
The mods that I will do are personal preference and should be done to any floyd rose equipped guitar. Get a big block. Increases sustain and sounds a lot better. I'll probably upgrade the pots since I have some unused around.

Built like a tank. I would gig without a backup without worry. throw on some straplocks and your set. i love the aged white/creme finish. Looks great.

never had to deal with them.

An amazing value. I'm glad that there are still a few of these around. I'm going to try and pick up a few more if I can find ones in good shape. Japan guitars are built extremely well. Nowadays the korean, indonesian, etc etc guitars are on a continual downward slope in quality and craftsmanship.
I have owned many guitars before, and currently own a 80's fender deluxe strat, a gibson les paul classic, and now this charvel. I think it fits in perfectly with the others and brings it's own flavor to the table.

From what I understand, this guitar (I'll call it a 'git' from now on) is from 85-87. 23-fret ebony fretboard, which is the best wood I have ever played on. It is a metallic red (wine almost) strat style body. It has 2 pickups: one EMG Select (Bridge) and a Seymour Duncan Hotrails (Neck). The strange part is that the routing of the neck pickup is on an angle, as if it were a bridge pickup. So its an HS, but I assume the S is a Bridge S, so the same effect as an HH. The strange part is, the git has a 5 way selector switch, and all tones are different... not sure how there is 5 settings over 2 pickups. Active pickups. Maple (thin and VERY laquered) neck with ebony fretboard and reverse headstock, basswood body. Floyd Rose bridge, and I love it (tuning is a pain in the ass, but oh well). Came with a form fitting hardcase (even cut for the reverse headstock). The only thing I didn't like about this git is that there are no tone knobs: just one single volume knob.

This is the second most diverse sounding git I have ever played (besides my 50th anniverary Deluxe American Strat, at over 10X the price). The neck pickup is the most rhythmic nonfender pickup I have ever heard. The bridge pickup is as twangy as ever, and it almost growls. The 3 settings in between mix and match both pickups. There is NO HISS on the neck single coil (!). There is a little teeny bit of minor hiss on the bridge pickup. It sounds simply amazing, good for lead and rhythm guitar. Just wish it had tone knobs...

I bought this used... it was banged up a bit, and had 3-4 heavy knicks. The owner repaired it with slightly different paint, and it looks a bit silly (would have perfered the natural 'battle scars'). The hardware is also a bit rusty. The action is VERY low (as I like it), but it hits the humbucker when I do a sharp whammy bend playing past the 20th fret (but who does that anyway?).

Great stuff, but -2 for the dings and rust (that have nothing to do with the guitar, but the previous owner).

I beat the shit out of this guitar. The only mark I put on it was a minor scratch from a whammy bar (shows u how hard I whammy... put the bar right to the body!). Looks more like a pick scratch. Bottom line, I have no idea how the previous owner cracked the finish. Honestly, I literally lift the guitar by the whammy bar and slam it back to the ground to get a thunder effect... and no damage! I guess the former owner used cryptonite.

Took me a while to ID the git (all I had to do was bring it into a shop and they told me right away), because the Charvel website and the Jackson website are useless. Never needed any customer support, so I never actually dealt with them.

I have a Squier Strat (my first), this one (my 2nd), and a 50th Anniversary Fender US Deluxe Strat (just bought). The US Dlx. Strat is the best guitar out there now (obviously), but this Charvel is still great. I use it when using effect pedals (flanger, phaser, wah) because of the floyd. I use my Strat for clean (and clean effects) and straight Fender distortion. But when it comes to sound effects, the Charvel is in (partly because I'm not afraid to damage it). I also recommend Dean Markley F150 Strings (10-38) for a floyd. Put em in to see why. Bottom line, this is the best $125 I ever spent. I use my charvel on my digi-amp and my fender for my straight tube amp.

86 model bought new fortworth texas plate on the back 22 fret . 5 way selector original pick ups and electrics, onle a trick paintjob added. locking top.

rock metal and a little electric blues always delivers never faulter and i can get most sound from it when im hooked to a good amp. Never buzzed hissed or packed up on me very full sound can be a little to bass'y on heavier strings 9 gauge up.

action was always good but usualy tweaking was needed to suit me and my string 9 guage at the moment. Ony time i neede to play with the neck was when I trew it after a drunken gig 12 years ago great weight build.

Never broke yet. giged for 16 years. Its my main guitar still. volume undoos from tim to time and can get cught when you play so you are always checking it. always use at without back up just strings, plectrum and srap as spares.

never used what can they do ????

been playing 22 years and still rely on the first new guitar I bought at 19 , have two others but I always pick The Charvel 3a to make me smile and show off with. will always have it and I will get another I am sure if it bumps into me one day. great neck, very fast comfy, harmonics to die for and that head stock gives me the horn still after all this time. real working guitar.

bought it new 1990 for 350.00 us it's made in japan and has 22 frets. i replaced the neck with an early 90s charvel 475 w/inlays and binding. electric blue strat body w/two j80c hums, i also replaced the trem with a kahler steeler, this trem is a machined steel version of a floyd and what i believe to be the best double locking tremolo ever made. all of the electronics are stock and for the guy who did'nt know what the 5 way does, its rear hum /inside coils of front & rear /front & rear hum /outside coils front & rear /front hum. ps the rating im giving is without the upgrades! it was'nt necessary to change the neck but the trem was worthless and had to go.

i play heavy metal and punk and this fits the style great, although i must admit i only use the rear pickup. i play through a peavey triumph 60 w/ts808 tube screamer. it sounds like a buzz saw but a good buzz saw! this guitar sounds great through anything and everything. and i have to say with this guitar as with all guitars that it sounds better the older it gets.

it was setup as good or better than any guitar i've ever bought. but when i buy a new guitar the first thing i do is take it home and go over the whole thing, i tighten every screw, check the string and pickup heights, check the trem angle neck pitch and intonation. as for fit and finish it was almost perfect. as good as it gets with a low price production guitar. ps i thought it was funny the one guy only rated it a 3 yet is still on the hunt for more of them

this is where i start to get tired! so let me just say that jackson double locking trem was worthless and could'nt stand a year of steady playing. so i will rate this with the original trem and since i think the trem is 1/3 of the guitar, hardware /wood /electronics it's gonna hurt!

i've never had to deal with them.

the overall is without the mods with them it would be a 9

1986 Charvel Model 3A. Twenty-Two frets, two J-80C hums, 5-way switch, volume and tone control, and a Kahler locking trem to top it all off. Finish is a nice white color that has yellowed nicely over the years and has slight finish checking. Famous Charvel neck; super thin and fast. All that plus a nice tweed case, what more can you ask for?

Great sound, perfect for everything from 80's meatal to 70's rock and back up the line to punk. The one thing that truly puzzled me when I got this guitar was that is came stock with a 5-way switch and two hums. They might be coil splits, but I don't think so. Who knows, actually who cares it sounds great on all settings. bridge is bright, but not like strat bright more like a crunchy bright. Very nice. Neck is deep and full great for solos, and nice rythym playing. Also very nice. Like I said I love the sound.

Where all Charvels shine, fast neck, super low action, holds tune for weeks. This is the most comfortable guitar I have ever played. If you ever play one you'll know what I'm talking about.

Where I was disapointed, the trem posts holes cracked so I had to fill the holes and reinsert the trem posts. Other than that no problems.

Never had to deall with them. It's a 17 year old guitar.

best bang for the buck out there. If you are searching for a great guitar at a reasonable price this is for you. I would play this over an american strat anyday.

Got mine new in 86... second real stick. Pickups were wimpy... stuffed in an L-500 at the bridge position and left the whimpy Jackson hummer in the neck position.Didn't get the Kayler option but decided on the Floyd knock off (it sucks and parts are non existant. I intend to stuff a floyd in it someday. Tuners were ok and smoothe. Changed the pots out after 6mo. Oh yeah... it was really noisey but I hade my buddy shield the electronics and it's cool now. The Neck is wide and flat... I kind of like that feel.

Typical Def Lep sound.... but with the mods, very versitile.

Factory set-ups sucked.... took it to my buddy for the killer set up. I did manage to get the molded case(fit like a glove but was really cheaply made... fell apart in a year.)

it's a trusted weapon in my arsonal and I rely on it all the time. ***Wish I could get parts for it

I'm on the hunt for all Charvels... I resurect them just cause I'm a nice guy and I love all Charvels berry berry much!!!!!!!!!!

Bought new in '87, believed to be made same year in USA. Has a 22 fret neck bolted on a nice and heavy strat type body with pick gaurd. Pickups are Jacksons (two hums) with 5 way selectability and volume /tone control. The original finish was a nice red with black hardware and pick gaurd. I have since painted it twice a bright yellow with same yellow pickgaurd -- still with black hardware. I replaced the original cheezo Kahler trem with a Schaller Floyd Licensed one, which was a big improvement. Tuners are the stock Gotohs. The neck is fairly fat with jumbo fretwire, which is in need of a good filing -- what do you expect after 13 years. A nice tweed looking Charvel/Jackson HSC was included. I love this guitar. I sold a very nice Les Paul not to long ago because I played the Charvel more. Only thing I would like to do is replace the Jacksons with some Semour Duncans -- either the Lynch Deamons or the Trem Bucks.

My style is classic rock to new hard/alternative rock so this guitar is perfect. I play through a Peavey Bandit/4x12 Peavey Cab and a Digitech GS21Pro Processor. The sound is great. You can tell by picking this one up by the weight it is going to have a good sound and feel. Can't wait to get better pickups though. Would prefer a little better sustain but pretty sure the Lynch Deamon or Trem Bucker will take care of that. Can't say I really have any dislikes -- well OK, just one. I am constantly making sure my volume knob stays turned up, so by the end of a show I have worn it loose and it falls off!

It needed no work on the set up. I have since taken it totally apart many times because of the new paint and Floyd trem. I am pretty good at setting one up, and this guitar has proved to be no challenge. I had to shim the neck up a little to account for the height of the Floyd - the body is not routed down for one. This guitar's fit and finish was superb!

The durability is also superb. It is very dependable with the exception of the volume knob that I seem to ware loose. But that is a characteristic of me, not the guitar. However, even with all that action on the knob, the volume pot still works like new without a hint of noise. I use Dimarzio Quick Lock straps and they hold very well. I use it in every gig -- however I always have a back up tuned in drop D for those songs as well as if I break a string.

Never had to deal with customer support. I am a do-it-yourselfer, so anything I need fixed or changed I have done myself. I have installed 4 Floyds on strats/strat copies and changed many of pickups. Never had any warranty situations, however I can't remember if it was 1 or 5 years.

This guitar had a price tag of $600 and I got it at a 1/2 price sale. You know how those are, probably only retailed for $300 to begin with. However, it is worth $600 to me -- I sold a $1000 Les Paul because it didn't play or sound any better! I have played for 15 years. This guitar was my first step after my beginners package and I will probably keep it forever. I am a big strat fan -- owned four of them. I like the strat copies with humbuckers and Floyd trems. If I run across another one like it in a store I would definitly buy it as a third guitar. The only guitar I think I would like to have over this one is George Lynch's custome Skull and Crossboned ESP! I love the fact that it plays, feels, and sounds as good as a Les Paul for the price of a Epiphone! I honestly don't dislike anything about it. I compared it to Kramers back when, and it was much better. If you find one, buy it and slap a Floyd on it -- you won't be disappointed!