ID Help?

[DalyTek]

I saw this ad online for a Charvel guitar, and was wondering what it is and what it's worth, and any other info you experts might be able to tell me. The pictures are crap, but I love my Jackson guitar and want to find out what this is and how good it is. Thanks guys!

Here's what it says: This is a great playing guitar with active pickups. It has all Jackson tuners, pickups, and the the Jackson built floyd rose. I just don't play this guitar much and would like it to get more use. It is missing the back cover, but that gives easier access if you want to tweak the tremolo system.

[dg]

Horrible pics, but it looks like a dinky-sized body & I think I counted 24 frets, which would make it an '87 or '88 Model 5. Great guitars. Neckthrough, pickups aren't active but it has the JE1200 active midboost system.

Here's the '87 catalog page with the specs (they have it listed with the JE1000TG, which is wrong, though):

http://audiozone.dk/cm/displayimage.php?pid=260&fullsize=1

[DalyTek]

Horrible pics, but it looks like a dinky-sized body & I think I counted 24 frets, which would make it an '87 or '88 Model 5. Great guitars. Neckthrough, pickups aren't active but it has the JE1200 active midboost system.

Thanks, dg! I emailed to ask if the seller knew the model, but no reply yet. What kind of neck is on these? What about price value? Thanks!

[dg]

As far as the neck, I don't have a Model 5, but I have an '87 Model 6 and it measures out just a hair thicker than current USA Soloist specs. I mean by just a few hundredths. Thin, but not really thin. Just a comfy, fast profile. Price is hard to say without seeing better pics. I haven't been keeping up with eBay to see how bad the economy has hurt values on imports. Nice Model 5s were going for ~$500 when the economy was good, so maybe less right now. If it's in good shape and you can score it for $450 or less, I think you'd be doing OK.

[DalyTek]

OK good info. He's asking $120 for it. Will have to check it out and see the condition. Thanks so much for the help! Do you have any info about the pickups? I'm really curious, because I have never heard of this active midboost system thing before...

[dg]

Sweet! That could turn out to be a great deal for you. Hope it's in good shape!

The stock pickups are both J80C. They're OK, but not my favorite. One of the cool things about the Model 5 is the special 5-way switch, which gives you mixtures of split coils in the 2 & 4 position, like both outer coils or both inner coils. As for the midboost, some like it, some don't. It's a pretty subtle boost, only 6dB.

[RacerX]

$120 is pretty damned good deal for a neck thru model series

[gregthatshreds]

jump on that

[DalyTek]

I did get a reply back from the seller and he cannot remember the model number on it. He said he's had the guitar for so long that he forgot. He said it has been customized with the active pups and there's no trem bar. He can't get me any better pics (cell phone camera) but he took pics of the one ding that it has (I'm guessing that's the little mark on the horn?) I'm going to see if I can find a way to pick this up. Will let you guys know if I pull it off. Thanks for all the help guys!

[wanthairspray]

Great find, a real "no-brainer"...hope you snag it!

[dg]

Agreed! If the thing is structurally sound and the neck isn't twisted or something, it's a steal at that price.