Star power-influence on buying Charvels...

[fuel0707]

Re: Star power-influence on buying Charvels...

The only guitar that I ever really conciously bought because a player I admired played it was a Fender Ritchie Blackmore Strat. That said, I got the 1997 MIJ version which I'm pretty darn sure Ritchie did not use. But that was fine with me because it looked like the white strat his used in later Rainbow videos and with the reformed Deep Purple and it also had a scalloped fingerboard. Ironically, I scored an underpriced Ibanez Petrucci that I turned for a profit to get the Blackmore and even though I dig Petrucci, I really wanted the Blackmore a lot more than the Ibanez JPM.

[Birdzeyeee]

Re: Star power-influence on buying Charvels...

Ratt was the biggest impact on taking the plunge into Charvel-Land. The guitar shaped logo, oil finished flat radius neck, rear loaded (no pickguard), and custom colors (& cool graphics) was unsurpassed. I bought a used Charvel out of the local classified. Then another. Then bought some new. Made the mistake of selling my favorite Charvel Strat and buying a candy red Kramer Baretta like George Lynch's partially because I was going to go to NAMM in '85, a certain dealer back then (same guy Jay that George got his from) was raving on how the Kramer was superior to Charvels because of the Floyd and more consistent. I didn't find that to be true, but it was too late when I discovered this! [img]graemlins/poke.gif[/img] My candy blue Charvel was long gone! I traded the Kramer in for a Jackson Kelly Custom and another Charvel. Much better move (yes, even with the Kahler!),but still prefer bolt on Charvel San Dimas Strats. [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[quiksilver]

Re: Star power-influence on buying Charvels...

As a kid, I stumbled across an 8-track tape of Van Halen I. When I first heard Eruption, I had a hero for life. I saw his guitar and wanted one just like it. After a star-shaped Hondo, an electric that was ironically of the brand "Acoustic" and a Fender Lead III (Strat-style guitar with a beautiful cherry sunburst finish that has also affected my tastes for life), I got a Kramer Focus 1000 (Japanese copy of a Baretta), which looked perfect but didn't sound or play that great, then finally, a Pearl White Charvel Model 2 (another 1H, 1 vol, Floyd, 22 frets setup). The die was cast, and that's been my favorite style of guitar ever since, thanks to EVH.

[Toby]

Re: Star power-influence on buying Charvels...

I own an original olympic white 1979 Fender USA Stratocaster. I bought because of Ritchie Blackmore and for the case if I need a Stratocaster. Since the playability, the craftsmanship and the sound are catastrophic, I never play it. As co-founder and co-manager of the Swiss Blackmore fan club, I know Ritchie personally for years (and he knows me), and I have the chance to meet him from time to time. Once, Ritchie signed my Strat in a beer garden in Germany.





Maybe, one of the next times when I meet Ritchie, I ask him to try my Charvels.

Ritchie Blackmore & Blackmore's Night fan club Switzerland

[j2379]

Re: Star power-influence on buying Charvels...

alot of my influence came from friends of mine who had older brothers & thier friends who played. I remember watching them practice in my friends basement in like 86ish. they all had Hamers & Deans & Richs & Charvels & Jacksons. ide be all giddy & shit when they would go smoke & theyde let me screw around with there guitars playing thru half stacks. as a young teenager it was god like. I think thats why i still like those late70's early 80's "heavy metal" guitars, hearing them talk about how they dont makem like this anymore....& these are the guitars to get.

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: Star power-influence on buying Charvels...

for me, to some extent yes but I didn't care if it was the guy down the street playing a cool Charvel I liked it. Case and point Ratt and DeMartini were a lttle far from my hereo tastes but damn, I sure love his guitars Obviously the likes Gary Moore, Vivian Campbell and Alan Holdsworth playing them didn't hurt for me