Unusual SD Headstock

[Grawnday]

I'm a fan of the 95-96 USA San Dimas series guitars. They fit under the "holy grail" category for me and I hope to someday purchase one. A more realistic goal for my wallet is the 2002 Japanese Professional series, and so far I've acquired a Journeyman and a Standard. I like the headstock shape a lot, preferring it over the Jackson PC 3 shape and definitely over the Jackson PS 7 shape. I'm picky this way.

I've run across an even uglier variation of this shape on Ebay. The first time I chalked it up to someone selling a fake Charvel. That guitar sat forever on Sam Ash's Ebay listing.

Last night I saw two more of these guitars. Here's the headstock shape in question...

Here's one of the Ebay listings......http://www.ebay.com/itm/221320414988...84.m1438.l2649

[Grawnday]

The other Ebay listing is gone, but I've now seen this headstock on 3 different guitars. My theory is "re-badged copycat guitar". Does anyone have any more info?

[84sups]

Those are the earlier mid 90s us Reissues. Search on this forum I think they talked about it a couple years ago. Fender sued them because it was too close to a their headstock or something similar if I remember right. That is a real USA charvel

[leftykingv2]

Those are the earlier mid 90s us Reissues. Search on this forum I think they talked about it a couple years ago. Fender sued them because it was too close to a their headstock or something similar if I remember right. That is a real USA charvel

+1 It's not real. I've seen a few Phil Collen models that were an exclusive run for some store or another with the same head stock but I still think it's bogus.

[Grawnday]

1995 san dimas.....

You guys don't see a difference? This headstock ends in a round circular shape. The other not so much.

And I understand that there were 2 different headstock shapes for the PC 1 (this one briefly, then one with a curve rather than an angle near the "C" to make it less Fender-ish) before it got a Strat-head.

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

Does look a bit mishapen.....but why would anybody "fake" a 95'-96' SD series Charvel??

[Hellbat]

That's what I was thinking too....

The shape could be part optical illusion from both the shadow and camera lens distortion.

[shreddermon]

Maybe it's not faked. Maybe someone took a SD, and messed with the headstock in an attempt to try to make it more Strathead - like. And failed. LOL

[rjohnstone]

It's a fake.
The neck may be legit (looks like someone tried to reshape it), but the body is not.
Look at the pics of the rear of the guitar. The electronics route is wrong.

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Also, the JT-590 trem was also not used on the SD models, they came with real Floyds.
The serial number 7916 is a custom shop serial from 1994. The SD series came out in 1995 with 6 digit production serials. (Original run had Jackson plates and later runs had Charvel branded plates)

[toejam]

Also, the JT-590 trem was also not used on the SD models, they came with real Floyds.

There were indeed some with Schaller (JT590) Floyds, though.

[rjohnstone]

There were indeed some with Schaller (JT590) Floyds, though.

Ah yes... I forgot the SD IV had a Schaller.

[jacksonaxes]

My early SD1 had a Schaller, and I really cant remember, but think mine also had a 4 digit serial # starting with 7 first run.

[rjohnstone]

Yeah.. the more I look the more I see some variations on the same models.
I've found pics of SD 1 models with both an OFR and Scahller.
The guitar in the auction is still a parts guitar.
The serial number on the plate is from a mid 1994 Custom Shop guitar and the electronics route is oddly shaped. It doesn't match any of the SD models.

[neilli]

Yeah, there was a bunch of variations in the specs of these. My early koa SD1 has a 6 figure Jackson plate, but then they moved to a plain black Charvel plate. The later guitars had a toggle instead of a blade also.

But as Rick said, this is a mutt at best.

[Grawnday]

Here's another one at a NY Guitar Center. Same overly bulbous headstock, and this time I notice there are no dots on the 24th fret.