Charvel cost

[bombtek]

I know that these new production Charvels are being touted as "affordable". Now I make pretty good coin at my job, especially considering that I was in the military prior to getting this gig, but personally, and I might be alone in my thinking, I don't see $1099 for a guitar as affordable.

Enough about that .....my real question about all this is:

What were the costs of comparable San Dimas Charvels back in 1985?

Is it basically the same price point as these guitars? (Adding in the growth of the dollar in 20+ years)

Are they more expensive?

Cheaper?

I'm just curious.

Thanks

[Rich#6]

Seeing that the model series were almost a grand back then I think with inflation what the custom shop charges now is apples to apples.
I think there was a thread a while back that talked about it.

[Matt_B]

I bought a Charvel 1H V trem back in '85 and it was about $1100.

[jmsaxon69]

I know that these new production Charvels are being touted as "affordable". Now I make pretty good coin at my job, especially considering that I was in the military prior to getting this gig, but personally, and I might be alone in my thinking, I don't see $1099 for a guitar as affordable.

I think it is affordable for what you are getting, not that you can't buy a $300 guitar, you just won't get one built this well for $300. With some of the guitars I like coming in at around $3,000 I think these are WAY affordable. I don't own any $3k guitars, but I have owned 4 of these at a time!

[beachjammer]

The big thing about these guitar for me is that they are an affordable "USA" built guitar. If you compare them to the prices of other USA built guitars then they are way affordable. That doesn't mean that you can't get a guitar built somewhere else for less money that plays and sounds just as good. It's the point of the matter for me. Ever since my job went south then if I can buy USA then I do so.

[Grandturk]

Jacksons and Charvels in the 80's were very expensive in comparison to Gibson Les Pauls and Fender Stratocasters.

[RR666]

The big thing about these guitar for me is that they are an affordable "USA" built guitar.

Exactly what i was thinking.

[Chubtone]

A USA strat was $450 then. It's $1200 now. My '84 San Dimas strat with 1h and a v-trem was $864 with the case including tax in 1984. I still have the receipt for it.

[Newc]

Yup. I read in an interview back in the day with Grover Jackson where he said he priced Jacksons and Charvels higher than USA Gibson and Fender because "people associate a higher price with better quality" (his words from the interview).

So while a brand new Black Les Paul Standard with a factory-installed Kahler that a local shop had was selling for $850, the Soloist hanging on the wall was $2500. Charvel Model models were marked at the same $850 as the Les Paul, even though they were bolt-ons made in Japan.

However, "worth" is up to the individual. I think they're worth $850-$950 actual price, but if I'm spending $1000+, I want more features (more frets, better cosmetics, more color options, etc).

[shreddermon]

Look at the last couple of pages for 1984 J/C list prices here:

http://www.jacksonguitars.com/support/catalogs/USA&Imports/CharvelJackson1984_catalog.pdf

Then do the math to adjust for inflation since then here:

http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl

Examples:

A two-hum Floyd'd strathead Charvel in a candy color in 1984 had a list price of about $1,660. In 2009 dollars, that's about $3,448.

A Floyd'd Jackson Rhoads Custom in a candy color in 1984 had a list price of about $2,120. In 2009 dollars, that's about $4,404.

Remember, though, everything was a custom shop guitar back then. No USA production models.

[alanhindle]

I think they were 'affordable' (good value) before the price rises but not so much now.

I bought my SD1 for just over £700 earlier this year and now they are £900. If you compare this to a Gibson SG standard they have gone up from about £800 to £950. The SG has a set neck, full nitro finish, binding, inlays etc. but no Floyd Rose. However, if you compare the 'no frills' SG special faded these can be had for just over £550. Given that the Charvel USA pros are also stripped down 'no frills' guitars shouldn't they cost about the same as an SG special faded plus an extra amount to cover the cost of the 'imported' OFR system? If (bought with a guitar) the Far Eastern OFR is about £100 extra, I reckon the USA pro Charvels should cost £650. OK, I know it's hardly a like-for-like comparison (except for the USA made part) but it's certainly food for thought.

I've also just been looking at BC Rich guitars. You can get a MIJ, thru necked Flying V copy with an OFR, EMGs and fancy binding for around £600. I'm very tempted as that is very definitely 'affordable'.

Today's market and manufacturing processes make comparisons to decades ago difficult. Now people own multiple guitars and can purchase high quality imported models. Guitars are also manufactured more efficiently and cost effectively these days.

[Grandturk]

If you compare this to a Gibson SG standard they have gone up from about £800 to £950. The SG has a set neck, full nitro finish, binding, inlays etc. but no Floyd Rose.

As an SG owner for the past 18 years or so, and a ProMod Charvel owner of 1 year, I can say that IMO, I'd take the Charvel any day of the week over the SG.

[Hellbat]

When I paid around $850-$900 for my Charvel Model 5 in 1987 there were several Les Paul Studios on the wall for $750. Only one place carried Jacksons back then and they ran for around $1500-$2200 depending on paint and specs. I remember they had a gorgeous nebula (or other space theme, it might have been the Saturn moonrise one.) soloist at the high end of the scale but I couldn't justify the cost because I was still paying for school and only working seasonally. I get to re-live that feeling every time I go into the classifieds forum.

I love the look of a Les Paul and I've played a couple that were nice, but I'd still rather have my Model 5 to this day. And my RR1T is still the best playing and sounding guitar I've ever spent time with.

Basically I'd rather pay $1100 for a USA Charvel than a similarly priced competitors product. But I'm a neck through guy and that's just easier to get with Jackson than Charvel at this time so that means no $1100 guitars for me unless they are used.

[alanhindle]

As an SG owner for the past 18 years or so, and a ProMod Charvel owner of 1 year, I can say that IMO, I'd take the Charvel any day of the week over the SG.

I usually go to my Charvel first too but they're both fine guitars that have their own advantageous features.

I was just trying a get a handle on what a 'no frills' USA made production guitar should cost.

[Grandturk]

I was just trying a get a handle on what a 'no frills' USA made production guitar should cost.

These days, I think that price point has been established at the $1000 spot, give or take a few. Off the top of my head, the stuff wandering around that price:

- Am Std Strat, Tele
- SG Special (lower)
- SG Std (slightly higher)
- Charvel ProMods

Maybe some others that I'm not aware of? I think the V and assplorer are in the same range, but they might be slightly higher than the SG std?

By way of comparison. In 92-93, I bought my SG (its a special) for $620 at Sam Ash... a day later, I realized they had charged me for a SG Standard and went back and got a $200 refund. Strats around then were $600. USA Jacksons were more than twice that.