is this Charvel Model 3A?

[Zvonimir]

Hello all.

My brother in law had this guitar from very long time ago,

guitar was played for less then one year, and since then it was left in closet since yesterday.
now my 5yr old son wants to learn to play guitar, but he is left handed, so i thought for a start to use that old guitar, change (orginal strings), and let him start learning...

..but when I tuned guitar, and started to play, the neck is great, and it can be played easily...much easily than mine Epiphone Les Paul.

I search the internet, and I think its Charvel Model 3A, but I’m not sure.

Is this guitar worth anything?
If I give it to my son...it will probably be damaged very soon.

thank you very much

[toejam]

Looks like it, with a swapped trem. Those had a Kahler fulcrum trem.

[mantis]

Agreed , I had the exact guitar in 1985 brand new. The Kahler Trem was Better IMO then the Floyd models.

[Vass]

I wouldn't give it to a kid as a knock around, to address that part of your question. Get him a nice used lefty Mexican strat or something.

[Zvonimir]

Thank you for your answers.

It seems that I will have to buy another guitar,

Is it possible to adjust intonation with tremolo. One or two string are slightly off when I play open string, and on 12-th fret.




I have no idea how much it cost from, when it was a new...

[toejam]

Use a small allen wrench for the screws that hold the saddles down. You'll have to loosen the strings, then you can move your saddles back to where they need to be.

It also looks like someone replaced the Jackson JT6/Kahler-type string lock to a real Floyd nut, and the the two locking pads for the E, B, G and D strings are facing horizontal and should be vertical like the one on the low E and A strings.

[Zvonimir]

Use a small allen wrench for the screws that hold the saddles down. You'll have to loosen the strings, then you can move your saddles back to where they need to be.

thank you very much.

It also looks like someone replaced the Jackson JT6/Kahler-type string lock to a real Floyd nut, and the the two locking pads for the E, B, G and D strings are facing horizontal and should be vertical like the one on the low E and A strings.

how did you see that locking pads?? ..that was my mistake. I wanted to clean them properly before taking picture.

I wonder who changed with Kahler-type string lock to real Floyd....

[Number Of The Priest]

Additional information/observations:



1) Your Model 3A was likely made in 1986.

1986 models: http://www.charvelusa.com/charvel_model_series.html
1987 models: http://www.charvelusa.com/japanese_charvel_1987.html
1988/1989 models: http://charvelusa.com/charvel_models...1988_1989.html

The first link shows the Model 3A with Kahler fulcrum trem and uncovered pickups. The second and third links show the Model 3A with JT-6 trem and covered pickups.

It just occurred to me the bridge pickup possibly didn't come in a trem-spaced version, which is why your bridge pickup's polepiece spacing is narrower than the string spacing.



2) Optional: Buy a new switch tip for your pickup switch.



3) Is there a piece missing from the baseplate of your trem? Look at the bass-side knife edge and you can see part of the red body peeking through the area between the pickguard and the trem baseplate.

[toejam]

thank you very much.



how did you see that locking pads?? ..that was my mistake. I wanted to clean them properly before taking picture.
Guitar was full of dust. But no one played it for more than 20-25 years...

I wonder who changed with Kahler-type string lock to real Floyd....moybe someone in the shop change it, before my brother in law bought it...

You're welcome. I just noticed the apex was off on the pads. My glasses really work.

And welcome to the forum.

[Mudlark]

With those modifications we assume your brother purchased it used?

You can pick those up used in North America for as little as $2-300. On the other hand, I've seen them priced online for as much as $600-1000. My opinion would be $450 tops in mint condition.

MSRP was around $600 in the '80s, so street price would've been in the $400 ballpark I'd guess.

[bombtek]

Unless that guitar had the original trem stud holes filled, and then new ones redrilled, there is no way it's an 86. It's an 87 or later. The kahler fulcrum (2500) trem has a very different stud spacing than Floyd Rose trem. The only other trem that is a drop in replacement for it is the kahler killer (2700/2710), and the trem on that guitar is neither one of those.
But, 87 and later did not have a pick guard, so I'm kind of at a loss.

[Zvonimir]

I used to play my friend’s Yamaha guitar, with similar parts, and active pickups, which I never liked...

Guitar is getting a new set of strings, and its time to be played a lot.. I dont plan to sell it..
300-400 $ is much more than I expected..

[Zvonimir]

Unless that guitar had the original trem stud holes filled, and then new ones redrilled, there is no way it's an 86. It's an 87 or later. The kahler fulcrum (2500) trem has a very different stud spacing than Floyd Rose trem. The only other trem that is a drop in replacement for it is the kahler killer (2700/2710), and the trem on that guitar is neither one of those.
But, 87 and later did not have a pick guard, so I'm kind of at a loss.

I cant see any other drill holes...
..not its killing me too....I wanted to change pickups..but I see that original one costs about 100 $...??? why...

[paranoid]

The way that bridge is set there, it would cover the original trem post holes. it is also hiding a pick guard screw below the bridge, or the pick guard has been cut out. by looking at the serial # compared to the 3A I own I would say that except for the bridge and nut lock that it is 86' model 3A.

[toejam]

Unless that guitar had the original trem stud holes filled, and then new ones redrilled, there is no way it's an 86. It's an 87 or later.

Except '86 was the only year the 3A had pickguards, from what I remember.