1986' MIJ Charvel model # 2
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Too many knobs.
Congrats. That’s one on my wish list. The necks are amazing.
Congrats. That’s one on my wish list. The necks are amazing.
gearJunkie
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I used to have a 1987 Charvel Model 4 in pearl white.
I loved that guitar.
I loved that guitar.
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Eagle
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Those first made in Japan Charvels were great apart from the Kahler trems . They didn’t have a choice though because the Floyd was contracted to Kramer. Ibanez did the right things and made a Floyd paying the license. The RG and Jem ended it for Charvel taking so many top players. By the time Charvel got everything in place 88/9 it was too late.
Charvel also couldn’t make the models all their best known artists played for contractual reasons either. Only now can you get some of them. If I Fender I would make a famous guitars selection.
Holdsworth, Vai , EVH and many other artists that made people want them in the first place.
They could do two a year limited editions.
Charvel also couldn’t make the models all their best known artists played for contractual reasons either. Only now can you get some of them. If I Fender I would make a famous guitars selection.
Holdsworth, Vai , EVH and many other artists that made people want them in the first place.
They could do two a year limited editions.
GuitarBilly74
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Well, the RG/Jem came out in '87, which was the same year Charvel switched to a Floyd licensed tremolo (JT6), so I don't think that was the reason. I think Ibanez just had a much more aggressive A&R program and ended up signing a lot more players.
Eagle
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It was the reason. I talked to many users and endorsements at the time . The JT6 was the reaction but nobody liked it. It wasn’t until the Schaller came out and they started to fit proper locking nuts that the guitars were actually what people wanted in the first place. A good friend of mine was an endorser at the time and he played early custom ones with Floyds.
GuitarBilly74
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Ed DeGenaro
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It's funny you guys arguing about the J-Charvels from IMC since the ones folks actually dug were the San Dimas Charvels and Jacksons all after Charvel sold the biz to Jackson.
Those early 80s super Strats with the unfinished necks were it for of us back then.
The later stuff is meh
Those early 80s super Strats with the unfinished necks were it for of us back then.
The later stuff is meh
Eagle
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Were you there? Non of the endorsed players used the standard guitars. You actually couldn’t buy guitars like most used. The model series sold well at first. But artists switched and sales started to slow. The toothpaste logo versions were the best spec . You would not believe how many floyds conversions I did on these in this time. The JT6 studs could take a real Floyd but the nut conversion was problematic because it could not look stock due to actual differences in the neck on a Floyd or Kahler factory guitar.
Eagle
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The very point I am making.
When the spec was right they were fine but that was not many.
GuitarBilly74
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As far as the artists using the US Custom Shop guitars vs the MIJ line, that's true. Still is, for the most part.
That's different than abandoning Charvel/Jackson "because of Ibanez" though.
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Ed DeGenaro
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Where are they now?
I guess the one that went Ibanez was Vai,
I know in Germany in 86 you were likely to have guys get an ESP if they couldn't afford a Jackson. The other option was Fernandes.
We had a local builder that hopped onto that train and he couldn't fill orders fast enough.
Didn't get my first RG550 until 88 or 89 after moving to LA as a back up to my Steinberger and to replace my Fernandes Dinky.
But you couldn't have paid me to play a model number Charvel from that era.
What I do admire Ibanez for and let's leave Vai out from that. Their approach of getting into players at ground level and they'll stay loyal seems to have worked out well with guys like Paul Gilbert or Andy Timmons.
I guess the one that went Ibanez was Vai,
I know in Germany in 86 you were likely to have guys get an ESP if they couldn't afford a Jackson. The other option was Fernandes.
We had a local builder that hopped onto that train and he couldn't fill orders fast enough.
Didn't get my first RG550 until 88 or 89 after moving to LA as a back up to my Steinberger and to replace my Fernandes Dinky.
But you couldn't have paid me to play a model number Charvel from that era.
What I do admire Ibanez for and let's leave Vai out from that. Their approach of getting into players at ground level and they'll stay loyal seems to have worked out well with guys like Paul Gilbert or Andy Timmons.
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GuitarBilly74
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Yeah Vai, Satch and Gilbert are the main ones that stayed with Ibanez the whole time. Timmons too, but he was originally with Kramer on his Danger Danger days.
Ibanez was signing players very aggressively back then. Which is a good strategy. They still do that these days, with Polyphia, Yvette Young, Kiko, Tom Quayle etc...
Ibanez was signing players very aggressively back then. Which is a good strategy. They still do that these days, with Polyphia, Yvette Young, Kiko, Tom Quayle etc...
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Eagle
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The MIJ line were supposed to be production versions of their most popular instruments. The quality was high but the thick finish on the necks and Kahlers only was a problem. I lot of metal guys switched to Ibanez.
Even on Jackson custom shop models you couldn’t have a Strat head and they would only fit a Floyd if you sent them a new one . Then they wanted you to only have Jackson pickups.
GuitarBilly74
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I don't agree "a lot of metal guys switched to Ibanez". Not at all. If you look at big metal names in the 80s like Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax, Metallica, etc.. Jackson and ESP were pretty dominant in that style.
Even for Hard Rock, Def Leppard, Ratt, Dokken, Ozzy, Dio, Van Halen, Crue etc... not a lot Ibanez RG players there. Lots of Kramers, as well as ESP and Jackson..
Ibanez was more prominent on the instrumental side like Vai, Satch, the Shrapnel guys etc...
Ibanez was certainly an important brand in the 80s and still is today, but the notion that there was a massive exodus of players towards Ibanez RGs is not true.
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Eagle
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But it happened with sales and yes some of the bigger names stayed playing the Charvels and Jacksons that you couldn’t actually get.
Ed DeGenaro
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Oh you could get them it was just insanely expensive.
But shit was/is stupid expensive on all US custom stuff outside the US.
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Eagle
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No I mean most of the options that players wanted were off the table from 86. They reduced the degree of custom to such a degree it was almost a production instrument. They were big on graphics but don’t ask for off brand parts.
