My Old Broken Guitar

[castle]

I got this guitar in about 1990 when I was 15. I was working in a gas station in suburban Baltimore pumping gas when some kids I vaguely knew from high school walked by with a tweed guitar case containing this guitar. They claimed they had found it in the nearby reservoir and the case was indeed wet. Anyway, I think I gave them $50 for it. I played it in punk rock bands back then and at some point pretty much destroyed it unfortunately. I think I replaced the neck at some point but the neck has never said "Charvel" or anything on it. I just remember it to have been super thin

Anyone know anything about it?

[CaptNasty]

Does the bridge have “Dimarzio” on it?

Can you provide a pic of the top with the pickguard removed and out of the way?

To the best of your recollection, was it a strat style headstock?

Have a suspicion of what this might have been. If I am correct, this guitar has strayed considerably from what it was.

[toejam]

The pickups are Seymour Duncans... a JB in the neck, not sure what's in the bridge. Are we sure that's a USA Charvel body?

[castle]

Does the bridge have “Dimarzio” on it?

Can you provide a pic of the top with the pickguard removed and out of the way?

To the best of your recollection, was it a strat style headstock?

Have a suspicion of what this might have been. If I am correct, this guitar has strayed considerably from what it was.

I'll get a pic when I get home. I know there's nothing written or stickers or anything inside.

I believe the bridge is indeed dimarzio. And I can't remember about the headstock. I feel like it may have been strat style - pretty sure the neck was rosewood too or at least not maple. I just remember it was thinner than anything I'd ever seen. I screwed the frets up and replaced it way back when

[CaptNasty]

I'll get a pic when I get home. I know there's nothing written or stickers or anything inside.
I believe the bridge is indeed dimarzio. And I can't remember about the headstock. I feel like it may have been strat style - pretty sure the neck was rosewood too or at least not maple. I just remember it was thinner than anything I'd ever seen. I screwed the frets up and replaced it way back when

Not looking for stickers. I want to see the routing under the pickguard.
Also provide a pic of the tremolo cavity with the cavity cover removed if you can.

Strat style with a dark fretboard? Damn it. That fits what I am thinking. That breaks my damn heart.

I am thinking this was an Allen Holdsworth replica circa 1984. The neck pocket markings are correct. The serial number is in the right range. The tremolo cover looks correct. The color of the body and pickguard is correct.

If this is correct besides the neck you replaced, this guitar has had a neck pickup added, a pickup switch added, and the switch between the volume and tone knobs removed.

The pics of the cavities and verification of a Dimarzio bridge will tell is a lot.

http://www.usacharvels.com/charvels/3348/index.htm

[castle]

Here's more pics

You can clearly see where the switch was removed and where the neck pickup was added. I think you're spot on!









One thing is I don't remember the neck saying anything at all. was maybe replaced when the other work was done

[CaptNasty]

I think that is the body from an Alan Holdsworth Charvel. The cavity under the pick guard is correct. The DiMarzio bridge is correct. The tremolo cavity looks correct.

The neck you described is also correct for a Holdsworth: a maple neck with an ebony fretboard and a Strat headstock. You could be forgetting the logo. The logo could have been removed. The 84 era logos were also water slide. If the guitar were in the reservoir, the decal may have come off if it were in the water long enough.

Check out the guitar in the link in my other post. Everything lines up with your guitar body.

[castle]

Sure looks like the ones I see online. I remember the big fat frets too. What would the measurements of that neck have been? Does anyone make similar necks now?

thinking back, it had to have been stolen from someone back then.

I wish I’d taken better care of it!

[CaptNasty]

I think so too. That cavity under the pickups is a pretty unique feature. It does hurt a bit to see a rare guitar like this in such dire straights.

From multiple sources, this is what I have pieced together:
Headstock: Strat style, natural color
Tuning machines: ???
Nut: 1 11/16”
Heel: 2 1/4”
Neck: Maple
Fretboard: Ebony ~1/8” thickness
Fretboard Radius: very flat
Frets: 22
Fret Material: 6100
Neck Finish: Laquered

Neck thickness and shape might be lost to history unless someone with an AH were willing to provide details. Someone claimed a Charvel Model 4 neck was similar.

This person claims to reproduce Holdsworth necks. I note that his reference guitar has a Floyd Rose. Not so sure if he is legit, but you could contact him and feel him out.
https://reverb.com/item/3017477-char...-neck-1984-red

Here is a a link to an article by the guy at Charvel who led the team for the Alan Holdsworth Charvel, might be able to provide some insight if you can contact him:
https://bylwrks.tumblr.com/post/6623...oldsworths-red

[castle]

Thanks! I feel like I might still have the neck somewhere. I hope to find it when I clean out my basement

ill certainly report back if I do

[CaptNasty]

If you find the neck, that would be cool.

There is a lot you can do to restore a neck beyond sanding and shaping.

[Number Of The Priest]

Wow, CaptNasty with his admirable memory recall and identification skills! 🤘

castle, best of luck with the search for the neck and the (hopefully) resulting restoration!

[CaptNasty]

Wow, CaptNasty with his admirable memory recall and identification skills! 🤘

castle, best of luck with the search for the neck and the (hopefully) resulting restoration!

Thanks NotP!

If he doesn’t want to restore it, he needs to ship it to me. I would restore it.

[castle]

Thanks NotP!

If he doesn’t want to restore it, he needs to ship it to me. I would restore it.

I'm trying to figure out what to do. I know the neck (if I still do have it) had damage to the fretboard. 19 year old me tried to pull frets out and broke the ebony at the 22nd fret.

By the way - I'm actually a normal responsible person despite the way I treated this guitar. My Martin, my Fender Jazz bass and the other guitars I've had over the years never were abused. Just this one - which I treated like I found it in a lake.

Once the 924S is off my lift I may have time and room for another project. Restoring this guitar body would be pretty cool actually. I'd have to find, or have made, a proper neck.

[Hamburger]

Fantastic story!

I would't do anything other to the body but cleaning it thoroughly and trying to polish it up a bit. Leave the paint, the guys in Glendora sprayed it on some 35 years ago! Leave the patina! So the guitar's interesting history will be kept. To me the surface is way too good for a refinish. No additional holes in the body to plug!

I might even leave the 2-hum conversion, but after all it's just a new pickguard that would have to be made.

You could check out Musikraft for a neck if you can't find the original one which certainly could be restored if it shows up again. Musikraft do Charvel replica necks which are relatively close to the original. Make sure you order the correct heel width for the neck pocket! You can have it made to your specs and for me it wouldn't have to be an accurate AH-Model again. Just make it a tasty player to suit your style.

You might even find an original old pointy Charvel San Dimas neck to fit. Even USA Jackson necks would work as a substitute and would keep the Charvel/Jackson DNA in a way. Very often they use the Kahler type locking nut behind a regular nut (nut might have to be swapped for one with angulared string alignment) so can also be used without this locking nut. Fit a new truss rod cover (Frets On The Net) and you're ready to go.

And please no floyding or kahlering!

Supernice project! Keep us informed!