Identity question. Model A? Year?

[welkers]

Hi there, was wondering if anyone could verify that this is a Model A? Bolt on, superb quilt top, 22 frets, HSS, pretty sure Seymour Duncans are stock. Jackson lic floyd? Haven't been able to find any info on a 22 fret Model A, but sure looks like one considering the headstock and configuration.








Any assistance would sure be appreciated. Thanks.

[toejam]

That's called a Traditional, from 2002. Welcome to the forum.

[welkers]

Very cool. Thanks for helping out so quickly. That's it man. Just bought it off of ebay. Should go nicely with my San Dimas. Now has anyone laid hands on one of these before. Doesn't look like they were made for very long or too common.

[tcwil8]

I have a Model A Plus (Koa) and it is a really nice guitar. The Pearly Gates humbucker sounds really good in this guitar and the neck is very comfortable to me. The neck is thinner than most of my Charvels and the fingerboard is rolled. The only negative I found was that the fret edges were a little sharp. Let us know what you think when you get it.

[Rich#6]

awesome guitars. I've had a traditional, 3 model A's, and an A+

[welkers]

Sweet! Glad to get such positive feedback on this one. I've been 'fretting' about this guitar for days...couldn't decide to get it or a So Cal, but I wanted a rosewood board, trans finish and HSS, so that helped make up my mind.

I'll let you guys know how she rolls when it arrives.

[RacerX]

Ballsack!

[MetalMedal II]

Just glancing at the above catalog scan. I didn't realize the Model A came with SD live wires stock...I didn't know they were even available back in '02.

[welkers]

OK. The Traditional was delivered about a week ago. And it was just as clean out of the box as it was in the pix. Looks like its been sitting around for awhile in the case. Some tarnish on the frets.

No fretware. Hardly any play wear and doesn't look like a single screw was touched during its lifetime. So after cleaning, oiling the board, polishing the frets, and putting on new strings, all I had to do was adjust the spring tension to get the Floyd to balance out parallel to the body.

So after about 30 minutes of prep I had one killer playing guitar. Frets seem bigger to me than what's on my '08 San Dimas. And the rolled fingerboard is extremely comfortable. Kicked the stock SD Custom 5 humbucker for a Suhr Doug Aldrich I had laying around.

Overall the guitar it not bright at all. The San Dimas is brighter guitar acoustically. In short, I'm very, very happy with this guitar. And glad to have another Charvel in the family.

Figured I'd report back with my findings. Highly recommend this guitar if someone has a chance to pick one up.

[SteveK]

These early 00's MIJ Charvels are fabulous guitars once you can get past the somewhat clunky headstock. The pots can be flakey though. Both volume & tone pots on my Journeyman gave out within a few years, and the knobs don't fit US pots without re-sizing the hole, so I had to find some Gotoh pots just like the ones that came out of it.

I bought mine just after the Fender buy-out. The store in question had just lost the Jackson/Charvel dealership as a result and were clearing stock. I had a choice of my Journeyman or a Standard. For some reason the Journeyman sounded the better or the two, so it's the one that came home, even though I've wanted a twin humbucker Strat shape ever since I saw a pic of Alan Holdsworth playing one back in about 1979.

Should I ever stumble across a Model A I'll be compelled to buy it.