Question

[Musician78]

I know how to tell if a Jackson is a Custom Shop. How do you tell if a Charvel is?

[84sups]

The pointy reissues were all custom shop if I remember right. Every one I've seen has it labeled in the headstock. Doesn't mean they all are though.

[ralph]

you can tell by the serial number, although as with Jackson there are always exceptions to the rule

for usa built:
Charvel - 4 digit - CS, 6 digit- production

[Musician78]

What would a black San dimas 2005 go for these days? 4 digit serial. Please just a pall park. I know a lot about Jacksons but almost nothing about Charvel.

[Matt_B]

What would a black San dimas 2005 go for these days? 4 digit serial. Please just a pall park. I know a lot about Jacksons but almost nothing about Charvel.

Whats the pickup config? Bridge? Fingerboard? What kind of case does it have? Is it all original?

Are you looking to buy one or sell one?

[john.w.lawson]

About 700-900

[Kempo Bulldog]

I saw one on craigslist around here claiming to be a custom shop and also wondered how to tell since it didn't say custom shop on the head.

[RR05xx]

All my , both newer and old originals, are custom one offs, none say Custom Shop on the headstock. I am not sure they even did that before fender took over (though they may have sometimes, I just don't remember to be honest).

4 digit serial number on a neck plate with the San Dimas CA PO Box is usually an indication, though I understand that the first batch of the recent pro-mods we're given 4 digit plates as well. There also rare Charvels that were put out before the fender buyout which have different PO Box/address on them (fender bought it back and started issuing the original type plates again) but those are limited to very few guitars made about 10 years ago, I believe with assistance with people from the board.

Specs would be helpful. Also, ask the guy if he has original paperwork etc.

[toejam]

The pointy reissues were all custom shop if I remember right. Every one I've seen has it labeled in the headstock. Doesn't mean they all are though.

I had a pointy Star from '05. Supposedly, it was made in the custom shop, but it did not say it on the headstock. I don't recall any of those reissues actually saying "Custom Shop" on the headstock.

[shreddermon]

That logo doesn't matter at all, Toe. Many custom shop guitars are built without the "custom shop" logo. Myself and many others prefer it that way, and often spec them to not have the CS logo. And the CS often chooses not to use them, itself. (Case in point - almost all of the Charvel pointyhead "reissues" didn't have it. I always assumed this was done because Charvel was then trying to position these as authentic-playing and looking reproductions, true to the original SD era guitars.) Also, many Jackson USA Select production guitars have been built with the CS logo. You usually see these on a Jackson or dealer special run, or NAMM guitars.

Bottom line: the "custom shop" logo doesn't necessarily denote a custom guitar. The serial number does. And even then, not always. There are always exceptions to the rules.