1986 Charvel Model 3A

Details

I happened across this one at a Guitar Center in Florida. It was truly in time capsule condition, and even included the original grey chainsaw case with no discoloration or broken latches - a very rare find. The Kahler tremolo arm is also present, a good thing as they are difficult to find. As was common at the time for Charvel, despite the black hardware, the arm is chrome.

The bridge is a Kahler 2520 fulcrum tremolo. This is mounted on top to two studs, similarly to a Floyd Rose setup, but with a much closer spacing so it would not be easy to convert. This bridge is high quality, offering fine tuners but in a smaller profile. However, it does float and needs to be balanced with the tuning and I can see why this bridge was phased out fairly quickly for a more Floyd-like solution in less than a year. Those who would prefer a vintage tremolo would go for the model 1’s, and the heavy whammy bar users would not accept the compromises of this bridge compared to a true double locking system. Strings are loaded through the bottom without cutting the ball ends, so it is effectively single-locking.

The pickups are the stock Jackson J80C’s in both positions, with a 3 way blade switch, master volume and tone controls. Rumor has it these were based on the Seymour Duncan Custom, but there are some audible differences if you listen closely. Either way, these are some of my favorite pickups and are very versatile as they are easier to dial back for a nice clean/breakup tone compared to something more focused like the J90C or Seymour Duncan JB.

The neck is a high gloss finish with a compound radius fretboard, 12-16”. Frets feel fairly new and are nicely polished, which contributes a lot to the great feel of playing this guitar.

I no longer own this instrument