coolest feature introduced by Charvel

[gtrbuyer]

Alright guys I have been doing some thinking about Charvel manufacturing contribution to guitar evolution. As we know, back in the day Charvels were a radical departure from the standard Fender Strat or Gibson Les Paul.

Charvel over the years has been associated (credited) with the origin of the super strat concept (humbucker in a Strat) albeit borrowed from EVH, wild graphics (Wayne started painting guitar bodies and especially hot rod flames before the company was founded), a cool logo that is in a shape of a guitar, upgraded electronics (Duncan and Dimarizos pkus) as standard affair, no limitations on what the customer wanted and later the use of locking tremolos. Having stated these comments, what do you guys all think is the biggest contribution by Charvel to guitar evolution?

Me, I have to say that logo (guitar shaped) kicks ass and was a marketing (trademark) stroke of brillance. To this day I think that logo is the coolest logo I have ever seen on a guitar. Second would be the cool graphics which after all, defined the 80's.

What do others think...

[Hossman]

Re: coolest feature introduced by Charvel

It being a Custom Shop.
A place where you could ask and they would make it. EVH wanted his super strat, Jake E Lee wanted to make his Fender guitar into spec's that he wanted to work with (Charvel). I want custom paint to look like this...
The list goes on and on.
Not only the above - but when the produced a guitar - the quality of materials and detail shown to each of the guitars, necks or guitar bodys, they worked on.

[gtrbuyer]

Re: coolest feature introduced by Charvel

excellent response Hoss...was Charvel the first truly Custom Shop, probably was at least on that scale. Great point

[eddie_van_earache]

Re: coolest feature introduced by Charvel

I think Charvel basically started a guitar revolution....it was more than an evolution....

[wfhawk007]

Re: coolest feature introduced by Charvel

one small thing that i love about the older charvels is the brass block saddles, which are far more comfortable than the ones fender was using. i play with my hand on the bridge and vintage fenders like my '71 hardtail had the traditional saddle, which digs into the palm of your hand. i think this was a big innovation as many companies, including fender started using this style saddle.

i agree the charvel logo rocks harder than any other logo, with the wayne star logo being an appropriate successor.

i just wish people werent such idiots about charvels. ill visit or call up a guitar store to see if they have any leads on an older charvel and most of the time they associate 'charvel' with cheaper imports and place a curse on me for not sacrificing my first born son to the almighty fendergibsongretsch god.

[fuel0707]

Re: coolest feature introduced by Charvel

I agree with Hossman. I think the biggest thing was that Charvel responded to a growing segment of the guitar-buying/playing market in a way that Fender and others would not. That's a big part of why they were successful and why the grew. But along with that, they had the quality to back it up. After all, it's one thing to have an idea and quite another to be able to bring it to market.

[shreddermon]

Re: coolest feature introduced by Charvel

Hoss nailed it. I was thinking the same exact thing before I even got to read his response.

Charvel's bigest contribution was the custom shop concept. And that tradition lives on today. [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

[ParaP14]

Re: coolest feature introduced by Charvel

Hoss hit it right on the head. Get it the way you want it. High quality parts. Awesome and consistent build quality. Graphics. Innovation across the board. The logo speaks volumes.

my .02

Rock On!

Jim

[atomic charvel guy]

Re: coolest feature introduced by Charvel

coolest feature-
the ads. wow if all those guys use them, i will sound as good as them if i get one-lol
with a little thing called 8 hours a day of practice.

[Hossman]

Re: coolest feature introduced by Charvel

I forgot to add bridges - You could get Brass, a Kahler and even a Floyd Rose bridge at your request installed into your new guitar.... CooUUL

[Birdzeyeee]

Re: coolest feature introduced by Charvel

The oil finished necks and genenous flat radius slab fingerboards, logo, custom colors / graphics, etc. Charvel spawned many imitators as all great things do.

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: coolest feature introduced by Charvel

Choices of Graphic,solid or Seethru color over Maple bodies.
So many choices of colors is the coolest thing about Charvel I think.

[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[diablomozart]

Re: coolest feature introduced by Charvel

before charvel, i don't think the neck profiles we all love so much existed [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] ...that profile def. helped shape the way necks were made all the way thru today...so my comment would be...total playability...d.m.

[Toby]

Re: coolest feature introduced by Charvel

I agree with the already mentioned arguments and also with some arguemnts which seem forgotten:

- Custom shop
- Playability of the neck shapes
- Feel of the oil finished necks
- Graphics
- Rear routings for Strats
- The logo
- The 3D neck plate

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: coolest feature introduced by Charvel

This sort of goes along with Hoss' response...I think the most important thing Charvel did, along with Kramer, Hamer, and a few other brands, was to give the guitar community a much-needed shot in the arm when the big brands were producing stuff that wasn't up to par. Those smaller shops proved that the big guys couldn't just rest on their laurels and expect people to buy a product that simply wasn't as good anymore. They gave the people the guitars that they wanted and dominated in the process.