Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this website exist?
I have been a Charvel enthusiast since the mid-80's when I started playing guitar. Growing up in the Washington D.C. metro area, I'd often visit high-volume dealers such as Veneman Music and Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center to peruse the selections. This was well before I could afford one.
Fast forward to the early 90's when the 'metal years' guitars fell out of favor and could be found quite inexpensively and easily in used racks and want-ads.
Once I begin to find these early Charvels the Web was just beginning to evolve and become a way to collaborate, build virtual communities, and share information.
I started with the vision of sharing information and specifications through what I observed in my own guitars vs. trying to articulate a comprehensive history of the company. I also wanted to build a way for players and collectors to commiserate. So the website and chat forum began around 1996 sitting on a server with no domain. This was also the time of the inception for the JCF Forum that I helped found and run with others. I then migrated to 'www.vintagecharveljackson.com' when I was splitting time between San Dimas-era Charvel and Jackson guitars. Eventually I decided to focus on Charvels and was fortunate enough to get the current domain name.
As years went by many many other collectors, websites and resources have come and gone. I've expanded and contracted my own presence in the same way over the years but the spirit remains the same.
Do you have more details on parts, identification and authentication?
It is best to have a knowledgeable person see photos and information about any guitar you are considering. As time goes by; myths become truths, conjecture becomes reality and the Charvel world is no different. I've retuned to have less detail and concentrate on the mobile experience and data.
For more detailed information, photos and reference guitars, an excellent resource I recommend is www.usacharvels.com. A lot of time was spent on photographing and documenting features and details. It is a great way to learn on your own.
How are you associated with Charvel?
I am not affiliated or officially connected in any way with Charvel Guitars, Jackson Guitars or Fender Musical Instrument Corp. It has been interesting over the years and various owners of the brands to see how they've chosen to evolve.
See the latest at www.charvel.com.
How does the Charvel Data Project work?
I have been collecting information and details on Charvel instruments that have been seen for over 30 years. I've also had contributions from others doing the same thing. Since we don't have access to official factory records the best we can do is reverse engineer an accounting of what we see. Due to damage, part-outs, forgeries and changes we can actually have a more accurate representation of current state than the factory logbook, even if accessible, could provide. The data is anonymous and any contributions you make to the project are never shared or provided other than aggregated data visualizations I make available through Tableau dashboards.