Original Charvel Star Pre production Questions....

[ginsambo]

Anyone a Charvel Star expert?

Did Charvel make any Stars in the pre production period (Ie when they were making non serialed 2 and 1/8" to 2 and 3/16" neck heel strat headstock guitars)?

Or did they only start production of the stars in the pointy period when they'd changed to 2 and 1/4" neck heel and pointy headstock after fender got on their case?

Also did original Stars have a bevelled/contoured back in the top V of the body, like the reissues do? Or were they square all around? The body of the reisuues seems a little different - especially around the top of the neck joint, where it cust straight onto the neck at an angle with no curve like the old ones had. Do they use the original templates.

Is £900 ($1450) sound about right for a USA reissue? Are the reissues quite rare? Do they all have floyds as standard? I was lead to believe that only a few were made? Can you still but them in the US?

Anyone played one? Any good?

And who is the bird on the custom section of the Charvel website, she's got some nice tits.


Edit: Just found out that they did makes stars in strat head production days 1983, at least as that's the 2003 reissue. So that date puts them with 3/4 or 5/8'ths nuts and 3/16" heels... maybe I'II start searching before i post in future!

[dg]

I'm no expert, but there were plenty of prepro stars. The pointy reissues can be had for quite a bit less than $1450 here in the states, and I've seen quite a few go for under $1K. The stratheads with the "shazam" lightning bolt graphic might go for a little more, but I don't think there's much demand for them either, and they had to blow most of them out for way less than the original price.

[lepard]

I have a prepro Star. Heavy mofo, solid ash, no cutout, originally vintage trem.

[ginsambo]

I have a prepro Star. Heavy mofo, solid ash, no cutout, originally vintage trem.

So was the back body cut out/chest bevel a feature of Dimarzio bodies and NOT Charvel bodies then? I've seen the yellow Star Chris Holmes has, that is an old parts guitar and some say its a Dimarzio body? All the Jackson ones didn't have a cutout.

[tcwil8]

All the Jackson ones didn't have a cutout.

Nope, not true. I've seen San Dimas Charvel Stars with and without the belly cut. Probably a customer order/preference thing.

[ginsambo]

Nope, not true. I've seen San Dimas Charvel Stars with and without the belly cut. Probably a customer order/preference thing.

And there's me trying to find rhyme or reason to it, at a time when Charvel more or less only produced custom models...D'oh. Good to know though.

Not very hardcore though is it, to get a guitar like a star made up and then request a belly cut...its like getting a Porsche GT3 and then requesting that a 60 mph speed limiter be put on the thing.

[straycat]

And there's me trying to find rhyme or reason to it, at a time when Charvel more or less only produced custom models...D'oh. Good to know though.

Not very hardcore though is it, to get a guitar like a star made up and then request a belly cut...its like getting a Porsche GT3 and then requesting that a 60 mph speed limiter be put on the thing.

Not sure on this analogy but a lot of the DiMarzio star bodies were made by Charvel in the beginning.I had an ash bodied DiMarzio star body and contacted Michael Charvel and he said yep if it was ash it was made by Charvel.

[Newc]

I had a Warmoth Star body, an early 80's San Dimas Charvel Star, and a "mystery" Star body, all without the belly bevel, and they were a PITA to play on because of it. Maybe because I actually have a belly, and am not some crackhead sack-o-bones

The import Charvel Star did have the cut IIRC and it was way more comfy. Neck was made of rubberwood, though

[soulquake]

The belly cut is really something you want, trust me.

[pipsqueak]

I love both of my stars...so comfortable.

[The Rossness]

I had the Retro Star charvel re-issued. I got it ebay for $800. Mine had either the Duncan custom shop RTM or EVH pup. I'm not sure which one was in there, but it was really shrill, and sounded like the song Mr. Scary. They belly cut was nice, as was the graphic and the neck. To compensate for the V-trem, I put a set of locking tuners on mine so I could use the trem somewhat. I traded it for a wolfgang, and in retrospect, maybe I should have kept it. The guitar got a lot of looks

[83SanDimas]

http://Prepro Star by 83SanDimas, on Flickr

I am familiar with stars and yes their are prepros out there. They have distinct features you will not find on later ones. Some are very heavy but my checkerboard is very light and an old one. True you will see with and without tummy cuts

[murkat]

^WoW^

[Scooter]

Um, sorry for the derail here but,

Could we (I) get some background on the V? Awesome group BTW.

[vector]

The belly cut is really something you want, trust me.

This.