Vivian Campbell's Charvel (again)

[Hossman]

Re: Vivian Campbell\'s Charvel (again)

Randy Hansen mentions the unit and contact info in the July 79 Issue of Guitar Player magazine.

Mid VH tour EVH gets his and put it on the VHII guitar. EVH mentions the unit in the April 1980 issue of Guitar Player Magazine.

Floyd Rose First was talking to Fernandes Guitar for promotion.. Before the Kramer a Japan company took Floyd's tooling and made the Floyd Units sent them to him (Floyd) to install them on the guitars.

I think when a guitar got a Floyd request - Charvel/Jackson sent it to Floyd for installation as they only did Vintage Trems. It think Floyds were not seen on Charvels or even advertised as an option unitl 82??

2nd Floyd was EVH, in mid 79.
First, EVH recording with a Floyd was the 3rd record "Women and Children First".

Floyd's first NAMM show was in 81 second was 82 were he met Dennis Beradi. After being reject by mail from Gibson and Fender , Kramer teamed up with Floyd, dropping Rockinger. 79 to end of 80 Floyd was making them alone.

After the 81 NAMM Floyd was working with Japan in the production of the First Floyd.

Before Kramer was marketing them, the only marketing ads were in Hasen and EVH GP mag interviews.

So, the mass public did not know about them until the 1980 GP mag EVH interveiw. Until the Kramer days, Floyds were not advertised so very few were made before.

But prior to Kramer and after the 81 NAMM he did have Japan helping to produce them cause orders were getting too heavy for him--

[Hossman]

Re: Vivian Campbell\'s Charvel (again)

Quote from Floyd
"Well, I never stopped playing. To me, my main thing was still to play. When I had time, I would go and make these bridges. It did get out of hand for a while when there were so many calls in the middle of the night from Australia and England people waking me up, wanting one of these bridges. Randy Hansen did an article in Guitar Player, and my information got out on how to get one of these [systems]. I was deluged with people wanting them. I started focusing more attention and time on it, trying to fill the orders and stuff. Then, I hired a couple of guys to help because my focus was always to have as much free time as possible, so I could be a musician.

The tooling to do the first cast versions was the next phase; I went to the first NAMM show, and we got together with Fernandez Guitars. We were going to do a deal, but what they did was take the tooling I made for casting the bridges over to Japan; they started doing the casting and sending me the bridges finished all I had to do was install them on guitars. They paid me for the ones they made over there. It was probably longer than it seemed like, but it was a fairly short transition because all of this happened all of a sudden, starting in 1979, which was when I made the first one that really was sellable and really worked. A friend of mine got the first one after me; Randy Hansen got the second one; Eddie Van Halen got the third one. It really happened fast because, at the next NAMM show, I made the deal with Kramer, and it just exploded. So, I was lucky that I didn't have to learn to be a businessman. Still haven't. [laughs] Other people who were professionals at that took that over early on for me."

[RR05xx]

Re: Vivian Campbell\'s Charvel (again)

I thought that in the early days you only got a Floyded guitar from the factory if you sent them a floyd to use (because of the kramer deal - and I thought thats why charvel went with kalher originally - they could buy them direct without going through a "competiter").

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

Re: Vivian Campbell\'s Charvel (again)

True James,but as with anything early Charvel,there were always exceptions!!

Excellent info Hossinator as always!!

[Hossman]

Re: Vivian Campbell\'s Charvel (again)

My eye's hurt [img]/images/graemlins/what.gif[/img] and so do my fingers -[img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]- I better get back to work here and put the old mags away [img]/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

Re: Vivian Campbell\'s Charvel (again)

LOL!!!!!

[LRGman]

Re: Vivian Campbell\'s Charvel (again)

Yea awsome info-My friend has one without the fine tuners that went to Floyd to be put on a fender lead 1-I can't even remember approximately when that was-I was in HS [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] I think 81-

[charvettelover]

Re: Vivian Campbell\'s Charvel (again)

this is correct, AFAIK....to get a floyd charvel or jackson in the early days, the store had to send in a floyd unit, as kramer had a death grip on the floyd rose...that's one reason there are so many kahlered jacksons and charvels. i like using kahlers these days...but back then, i wanted either vtrem or floyd...

[ QUOTE ]
I thought that in the early days you only got a Floyded guitar from the factory if you sent them a floyd to use (because of the kramer deal - and I thought thats why charvel went with kalher originally - they could buy them direct without going through a "competiter").

[/ QUOTE ]

[Hossman]

Re: Vivian Campbell\'s Charvel (again)

Yes the above is somewhat true, however not 100% TRUE FOR THE EARLY PRE-LATE 1982 DAYS, in the case of the Vic Vergat's guitars and most likely other artist guitars or custom orders for that matter, Charvel indeed did supply them before the exclusive Kramer deal. By 83, Charvel mfg. was in its mid production era, no longer able to provide the Floyd Rose trems forcing the clients to send extra cash or the trem itself.

[RR05xx]

Re: Vivian Campbell\'s Charvel (again)

Ah. That makes sence. Thanks for the clarification and excellent info as always.

[eddie_van_earache]

Re: Vivian Campbell\'s Charvel (again)

that aint THE HOLY DIVER. ITs the last in line guitar.....

[Metalcop]

Re: Vivian Campbell\'s Charvel (again)

Brad Gillis always claimed that he got the 3rd Floyd, this clarifies that. He did say that he bought his at a music store, and that he traded a Les Paul Custom for the Floyd Rose and a fretjob on his Fender! Holy crap, even by early 1982 standards he paid around $5-600 for the Floyd!? I bet that Charvel/Jackson had to go out to a music store and buy Floyds themselves as well, in some cases, Sounds like getting them from Floyd himself was hit or miss.

[Newc]

Re: Vivian Campbell\'s Charvel (again)

Holy Diver...Last In Line...What's the difference? [img]/images/graemlins/poke.gif[/img]

[img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

You're right, my bad [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

[Chuckracer]

Re: Vivian Campbell\'s Charvel (again)

In that time frame you could buy Les Pauls all day long for $350. I had a dozen of them. So yeah, Brad trading the Paul for a Floyd Rose AND a fret job was about right.

I had one of the first Floyd systems in NY, mounted on a seventies Strat (an amazing guitar I miss to this day). It was $350 back in the very early eighties!

[Hossman]

Re: Vivian Campbell\'s Charvel (again)

Brad Gillis is still using that 3rd Floyd rose. 26 yrs and still using it!!! That is quality.

Yes, you have to take your guitar to a store, the store would send the guitar to Floyd for installation.

Before Schaller started making them FR teamed up with Fernandas/Tokai and gave them the tooling. They made them sent them to Floyd he installed them until others learned the correct installation process.

So, I would imagine the very early Charvels were sent to Floyd in the very beginning stages from 79 ot late 81. until Charvel mfg took it upon themselves to buy them from a supplier and install them theirselves, post-82.

By the end 83. Kramer cornered the market with having EVH and Floyd on board, along with the Jackson line, that is basically what put SDC production to a stop by the end of 85.

Yes, they were very very expensive and usually only highly successful elite pros had them from 1980 until Kramer marketing them.

The first one, cost Floyd himself $600 to make. I can imagine what he had to charge the general clients in the first 2 yrs of him making them.