Questions about Jackson & Charvel etc

[FTLOSM]

It has been a long time since I played guitar and many years I spent out of the loop so to speak so please forgive my novice level of education in these areas...

Basically I wondered what the difference between a Jackson and Charvel is?

I see many guitars that look like a Jackson yet say Charvel and vice versa...

And some Charvel's that are spelled out with letters like Jackson and some Charvel's that have a guitar like logo...

Is this sorta like a Gibson Les Paul vs an Epiphone Les Paul? If so Jackson is the higher end and Charvel the entry level model?

I am probably way off base but searched google a bit and couldn't find the history to explain the differences of guitars that (to me) look identical except the headstock logo (Jackson vs Charvel) etc.

I knew this would be the place to clear it all up tho

Bill

[El_jalepeno]

I beleive this is the abridged version:

Charvel was started by Wayne Charvel back in the 70's. Eventually he met up with Grover Jackson, and the company took the name Charvel Jackson. Things soured between the two, and Wayne left and left the name with Grover. After some time, Jackson was eventually bought out by another company, and even though Wayne was not a part of the company any longer, his previous buy out left the name with Jackson. Wayne could no longer use his name, Charvel, on guitars. The company that bought the name from Jackson was eventually sold and bought to end up in the hands of Fender, and now the Fender Custom Shop uses the Chravel name on their custom guitars.

If you are looking for a real Chravel guitar these days, you can find wayne at his newest company, www.wayneguitars.com.

I actually have ordered a Wayne back in February and anxiously await its arrival. There is only Wayne and his son, Michael, building the true Charvel guitars today known as Wayne Guitars.

I can get more details if you are looking for them, and on the Wayne site you can order a book on the history of Wayne Charvel.

[thebigangry]

Your story of Charvel and Jackson is not really the true story. First of all, Wayne Charvel started Charvel Guitars. This much is true. It was a shop that did some repairs and also sold retail. Grover Jackson started working for Wayne Charvel but at that time, they did not make guitars. Boogie Bodies made guitar bodies and Wayne had a neck machine and made neck however, Wayne wasnt the person making them. Wayne eventually wanted to sell the shop and Grover bought the company. Grover started making the early Strat style guitars with one pickup and such using the Charvel Name that he purchased. The company then became known as a guitar company. He made several models for several famous artists when Randy Rhoads came to him with a drawing of a guitar he wanted. The two worked on it and when it was finished, Grover has asked Randy if he wanted his name on the headstock. Randy said he wanted it to have Grover's name, not Charvel. So thats how Jackson started using his own name. At that point or soon after, all guitars with neck thru body were Jacksons and all bolt-ons were Charvels. In 1985, Jackson sold part of his company to some partners and they decided to go to Japan and get guitars made. So now the separation of the line would be, American Guitar are Jackson and Japanese models with be Charvels. Grover and his partners sold the company to Akai around 1990 and then about 10 years ago it got sold to Fender who now owns the name and the line. Mike Shannon still works at the custom shop for Jackson/Charvel and has ever since Grover hired him when Mike was 17.
Recently, Wayne Charvel has tried to capitalize on his name, something he has done before when he tried to sell his name to Gibson after he already sold it to Jackson. Wayne claims he was the big to do with Charvel but in reality he didnt build the famous guitar line that bears his name. If you want a real Charvel, go to Charvel. Fender owns them, and the guys building them are the same guys who built them with Grover. Its the real deal.

[FTLOSM]

Wow however the story panned out sounds like there was alot more involved than what I was thinking it was in terms of which name would appear on the headstock etc.

Thanks to everyone for the input and I hope the info shared helps others who may wonder about this same question oneday to find the answer.

Bill

[guitar-review-ninja]

What you're essentially looking for, though, is a Jackson. You get all the shapes you need from the Kelly to the Randy Rhoads V. If you need warranty support, you need a Jackson. Although any skilled luthier will be able to fix your Charvel if anything were the go wrong. One's just easier than the other IMO.

[stevieb91]

Originally Posted by thebigangry

Your story of Charvel and Jackson is not really the true story. First of all, Wayne Charvel started Charvel Guitars. This much is true. It was a shop that did some repairs and also sold retail. Grover Jackson started working for Wayne Charvel but at that time, they did not make guitars. Boogie Bodies made guitar bodies and Wayne had a neck machine and made neck however, Wayne wasnt the person making them. Wayne eventually wanted to sell the shop and Grover bought the company. Grover started making the early Strat style guitars with one pickup and such using the Charvel Name that he purchased. The company then became known as a guitar company. He made several models for several famous artists when Randy Rhoads came to him with a drawing of a guitar he wanted. The two worked on it and when it was finished, Grover has asked Randy if he wanted his name on the headstock. Randy said he wanted it to have Grover's name, not Charvel. So thats how Jackson started using his own name. At that point or soon after, all guitars with neck thru body were Jacksons and all bolt-ons were Charvels. In 1985, Jackson sold part of his company to some partners and they decided to go to Japan and get guitars made. So now the separation of the line would be, American Guitar are Jackson and Japanese models with be Charvels. Grover and his partners sold the company to Akai around 1990 and then about 10 years ago it got sold to Fender who now owns the name and the line. Mike Shannon still works at the custom shop for Jackson/Charvel and has ever since Grover hired him when Mike was 17.
Recently, Wayne Charvel has tried to capitalize on his name, something he has done before when he tried to sell his name to Gibson after he already sold it to Jackson. Wayne claims he was the big to do with Charvel but in reality he didnt build the famous guitar line that bears his name. If you want a real Charvel, go to Charvel. Fender owns them, and the guys building them are the same guys who built them with Grover. Its the real deal.

Almost...

Charvel was machining parts for other guitar companies, and was losing money hand over fist. Although hired to help straighten the company out, Grover bought the company and basically saved it from extinction.

Charvel was making more contemporary guitars, and Grover thought Randy's design was too radical for Charvel. He literally signed the headstock with a gold paint pen....

Mike Shannon worked for Fender at the time it purchased Jackson, and was moved back to the Jackson side of the shop almost immediately.

USA Fenders, Charvels, and Jacksons are all made in the same plant, just in different areas of the building.

Many import Charvels have Ft Worth, Texas neck plates on them, but that was the company's headquarters, and NOT where the guitars were built..

[stevieb91]

Originally Posted by FTLOSM

It has been a long time since I played guitar and many years I spent out of the loop so to speak so please forgive my novice level of education in these areas...

Basically I wondered what the difference between a Jackson and Charvel is?

I see many guitars that look like a Jackson yet say Charvel and vice versa...

And some Charvel's that are spelled out with letters like Jackson and some Charvel's that have a guitar like logo...

Is this sorta like a Gibson Les Paul vs an Epiphone Les Paul? If so Jackson is the higher end and Charvel the entry level model?

I am probably way off base but searched google a bit and couldn't find the history to explain the differences of guitars that (to me) look identical except the headstock logo (Jackson vs Charvel) etc.

I knew this would be the place to clear it all up tho

Bill

The difference in the Charvel logos more or less separates the ownership eras of the 90's.The guitar shape is earlier, Grover Jackson era, and the "toothpaste" logo is of the Akai era.

The necks are shaped different, but they are essentially the same guitar, made in the same factory in Japan.