Steve Stevens Glow Charvel #4790

[horns666]

I'd say SS is one of my top 10-20 in a VERY long list of players. He didn't lose an ounce of skill with age, like some of his peers.

I bought a new Hamer SS and Marshall 2210..like the ones in the classic add.

[Emerald]

Hey Emerald, thanks for this thread the info on the Glow Charvel was informative. Also, your article on the SS Washburn guitar was awesome. It's so hard to find info on that guitar, which is an incredibly underrated guitar, and your article seemed to cover just about everything. Thanks!

Thanks man, the Washburn article was a labour of love and I had virtually very little data from Washburn and really it took incredible levels of research many times worthy of a CSI episode.
The genesis of all of Steve's guitars started with that incredible Charvel San Dimas Dinky Fender head stock beauty which became truly the definition of a workhorse. Dynamite in the studio and ready to set phasers to kill once at the gig.
I am still searching for stories of gigs from that Whiplash Smile tour.
Us older members would never forget hearing this sensational geetar allied with Steve's six Marshall plexi attack.
Referencing my Vintage Washburn article, it needs some updates and minor corrections.
I still receive emails from all over the world thanking me for the article as previously nothing existed to document one of SS's finest accomplishments, that was my goal and I feel it was a success from that standpoint.
Steve really changed things and as far as recording a distorted guitar, there is no one who masters that process better than he.
Steve is the real deal and he always puts his fans first. Just the nicest most hardworking guitarist you could meet and he truly loves what he does and I am so happy for him that things are going so well!
Emerald

[Scooter]

IIRC Holdsworths or the copies were basswood. I swear I read this not too long ago.:think:

[atomic charvel guy]

this is a hot shit thread, nicely executed. I'd heard of Steve Stevens playing Jeff Beck Tunes in Central Park back home
where I grew up, wished I had been in the city to see that on some random afternoon at the bandshell or wherever he played.

[CHARVEL_strat_81]

IIRC Holdsworths or the copies were basswood. I swear I read this not too long ago.:think:

all his charvers were definitely basswood it was he request that they be basswood cause IIRC charvel did not offer any basswood before the MIJ stuff later?Jake had a powder blue charvel holdworth he plays it here,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iw2TaKWyH0I know it looks like his white one but is it powder blue and is a holdsworth
single bucker,input jack on bottom rosewood board=HOLDSWORTH

[LexLuthier]

Cool, I know Darren who runs the Vintage Washburn site. Hey, when SS split from Washburn back in the day, Mike Gallenberger got a bunch of SS80's (and cheaper versions) and parts (bodies/necks) and resold them to dealers. He's always buying stuff from Washburn and reselling it. He's the guy who peddles all those shitty reject Oscar Schmidt acoustics to places like Music Go Round. I know Dave's in LaCrosse ended up with a bunch of USA SS guitars. Some looked like they had been played (protos?). I almost bought a gold SS80 that definitely had been played though it supposedly came from the factory. I remember there was no serial number on it. I still kick myself for not buying that one, it was a great guitar.

[Emerald]

Hey Lex Darren is my good friend and he has done an amazing job with the Vintage Washburn site, soon to reach a quarter of a million views since 2010!
I'll have to ask Darren about this Mike G. guy.
I know that the X80's where the SS decals were removed and in some cases Frankenstein SS-100's were painted over black! I have not come across any examples yet, but it may well be true.
The old try and sell a Korean SS-40 as a USA SS-80 still drags on on Ebay..
Dave

[Emerald]

Hey check out the Steve Stevens video lesson on Jam It in the artists and gear section!!
http://www.jcfonline.com/threads/133...n-Line-Lessons!
Emerald

[WYLDCHYLD]

Forgive my ignorance on this one, but why was his guitar called a "glow"? Was it glow in the dark paint or something?(and if so, was it done at the factory or aftermarket?)

[Emerald]

It is a 'glow' in the dark finish, I can personally attest to that. More will be explained in the future. It is the least photographed guitar that SS has played for all those years. I can count only twenty or so pictures of him playing the guitar and only those seeing basically the Whiplash Smile tour in 1987 would have witnessed the guitar live.
Steve says he had used it with the Atomic Playboys, but I haven't seen too many live pics of the Playboys and am awaiting a supposed NYC video of the AP's which purports to show him with his LP Custom and his Hamer SS-3's.
Steve also has a 'glow' Jackson Soloist' which is a 3/4 sized body, he was recently pictured with it in the documentary being filmed by Spike Lee about the 25th Anniversary of MJ's Bad album and tour.
The Glow Charvel #4790 was used on the Grammy winning Top Gun anthem and the studio version of Dirty Diana and the lead parts on the Vince Neil Band 'Exposed' CD.
The guitar was painted at the San Dimas factory and has been researched thoroughly by myself...
Emerald

[WYLDCHYLD]

Thanks for the education.
where are these two glow guitars now? Does Steve still own them?

[GuerillaPete]

Any interest in getting a limited run made of these? Would Charvel make a batch of 10 or 20?

[Emerald]

Steve currently owns both guitars and from the highest level there will never be any limited replica runs made by FMIC/Charvel and SS is happy with the guitars he has kept from his past and has absolutely NO desire to authorize any reissue/relics/replicas.
These guitars were bought by SS as a private buyer, he never was an endorser for Jackson/Charvel, but used these brands in the years from 1983-1987.
Guitarists are free to attempt to order any guitars they want from Charvel/FMIC of course, it's barely still a free country...but I can tell you from the highest possible sources that the factory will respect Steve's wishes and not replicate his guitars.
I know this was a policy for some J/C endorsers, of which SS never was.
I saw on another similar forum last year a 'replica' which was a white San Dimas style Strat head with a neck single coil, bridge hum bucker and a top mount OFR...but it had straight mounted pickups and the original #4790 has angled pickups and the originals color isn't white.
I really don't want to comment further about the guitar.
I originally posted here to gather any additional info from those who have seen/heard the guitar live or anyone who had stories surrounding the guitar to contribute to me..
I haven't received any such info unfortunately. Steve did use the guitar during some appearances with Adam Bomb in NYC back in the day, but that's it for live, it was exclusively used for recording being retired in 1993 after the VNB's 'Exposed', Steve brought her out for one track on Memory Crash and the Bare Knuckles demo clip, that's it.
Thanks for all your interest and this incredible survivor Charvel will live on.I knew that the guitar would engender huge interest and it has and it is one bad ass guitar, for me along with Gary Moore's two 'part's Charvel Strat heads assembled from various Charvel's that Gary had in 1986 by his then guitar tech and not by the factory This late San Dimas era is my favorite of all






This is the Jackson Soloist 3/4 sized Glow recently used by SS in the Spike Lee documentary about the 25th anniversary of MJ's Bad record.
The guitar pictured on tour with Idol circa 1987

Emerald

[atomic charvel guy]

I like that he doesn't want them replicated.

[GuerillaPete]

I like that he doesn't want them replicated.

I respect that but it won't stop anyone. If I do want one I'll put a project guitar together from primo parts.