Help Identifying Possilbe USA Find!

[Drazden]

Hey guys!

I normally lurk the Jackson section, but I was in a pawnshop today, and I saw a cool Charvel labeled a 'USA' on the tag... Not sure it is, though.

Does this sound legit?

Pointy, bound headstock
22 frets
sharkfin inlays / bound rosewood fb
metallic blue finish
s/s/h, covered jackson pickups
JT-590 trem, i believe (the same one on my '89 USA Custom Soloist.)

It didn't have an MIJ label anywhere, but it didn't say Made in USA on the headstock. Did Charvel do that?

[Tekky]

Hey guys!

I normally lurk the Jackson section, but I was in a pawnshop today, and I saw a cool Charvel labeled a 'USA' on the tag... Not sure it is, though.

Does this sound legit?

Pointy, bound headstock
22 frets
sharkfin inlays / bound rosewood fb
metallic blue finish
s/s/h, covered jackson pickups
JT-590 trem, i believe (the same one on my '89 USA Custom Soloist.)

It didn't have an MIJ label anywhere, but it didn't say Made in USA on the headstock. Did Charvel do that?

Is the logo on the headstock a script logo, similar to the Jackson logo? If so, then you are looking at a Charvel Model 475DLX (made in Japan)

[Drazden]

Is the logo on the headstock a script logo, similar to the Jackson logo? If so, then you are looking at a Charvel Model 475DLX (made in Japan)

Yeah, the font was very similar to my Jackson's, except the lettering wasn't quite as big as it was on the catalog scans I've seen of the MIJ Charvels.

So, not a USA, then? It felt pretty good, but if it ain't USA...

[Vass]

Toothpaste logos = import. But if the price is right & it feels good, don't let the pedigree keeps you away.

[GodWentPUNK]

what is the serial# on the neckplate. that will help to identify the guitar.

joe...

[rjohnstone]

Pawn shop probably saw the FT. Worth, TX address on the plate and thought it was a USA.

[Tekky]

what is the serial# on the neckplate. that will help to identify the guitar.

joe...

Pawn shop probably saw the FT. Worth, TX address on the plate and thought it was a USA.

Since when? Serial number might be a key to the year of an import, but never the model. And with the Contemporary series, they dropped the Fort Worth off the neck plate.

Based upon what he's saying, I'd bet pretty good money it's a 475DLX. The script Charvel logo, 22-fret bound neck and headstock is a pretty big clue.

[Sunbane]

Although it may not be a USA, those are really good guitars!

[rjohnstone]

And with the Contemporary series, they dropped the Fort Worth off the neck plate.

The 275, 375, 475 and 575 (Bass) are part of the Classic Series, not the Contemporary Series.
The Contemporary series are the Spectrum, Predator and Legend and all had reverse headstocks. (Info based on the 1989 catalog scans)

The neck plate on my 1989/90 375 has the FT. Worth address on it.

[Tekky]

OK, my mistake.

The neckplate on my 1989/90 475 does not have the Ft. Worth address on it.

[rjohnstone]

OK, my mistake.

The neckplate on my 1989/90 475 does not have the Ft. Worth address on it.

No biggie really.
Does your serial start with a 2 or a 3?
Mine starts with a 29xxxx (don't recall the exact number). I think the ones that started with a 3, lost the FT. Worth address.