CAD$300 for Charvel Model 1C (HSS config), yay or nay?

[VitaminG]

Is it possible to replace the volume pot with a push-pull volume pot to allow me to split ONLY the humbucker and leave everything else alone (no "double-splitting" which might occur in his quoted position 2)? That way, with the knob pulled out, the guitar is SSS like a Strat. With the knob pushed in, the guitar is HSS like a stock Model 1C.

yep. A push-pull could give you what you want.

But what the hell is double-splitting? Are you worried that the middle pickup would also be split in the second position? Won't happen as the middle single isn't 4-conductor

If it was my guitar (and obviously you're free to wire it how YOU want) I wouldn't worry about getting a bridge single coil sound. Installing a higher output humbucker so that you don't experience a volume drop when split will mean that when humbucking, it will overpower the other pickups. The existing PAF may balance better with the singles when you're changing pickups

I've put a Duncan set out of an SL1 into my Model 4. The reason I don't play it out is because when switching from bridge JB to neck Classic during a song, I disappear into the mix. To balance the outputs, the JB needs to be lowered. But then it doesn't sound as good. Of course, this isn't as big an issue playing around the house

[Number Of The Priest]

I'm probably imagining an impossible situation. In your ideal position 2, the switch is already wired such that it splits the humbucker. Theoretically, if I were to also add a push-pull pot to split the humbucker, and I pull the pot up and simultaneously select position 2, what would happen? I guess nothing after all.

You bring up good points. I may forego getting a bridge single sound for all the points mentioned. Even if I'm admittedly just a bedroom rockstar.

[VitaminG]

in your theoretical scenario, the position of the push-pull will either split the humbucker or not. So you'll have a choice of H-S-S or S-S-S. Second position will be either bridge-hum/middle or one-coil-of-the-bridge/middle, depending on the push-pull.

You'll just have decide what your default position is - do you want full hum selected with the pot up or down? Personal preference, I think I'd want the humbucker selected when the push-pull is down. Pulling it up would split it. Every guitar I've had with a push-pull has been setup this way

[Number Of The Priest]

Ah, then there'd almost be no need to wire position 2 in such a way that it selects "split bridge" if I'm going to split it myself by pulling up on the volume control. Otherwise... Department of Redundancy Department.

[VitaminG]

Ah, then there'd almost be no need to wire position 2 in such a way that it selects "split bridge" if I'm going to split it myself by pulling up on the volume control. Otherwise... Department of Redundancy Department.

exactly. I was just offering the selections that I'd prefer. I'm not interested in a combined hum/single sound, but do like the sound of a bridge & middle single coils together in pos 2. You went and conflated it with your crazy push-pull ideas, muddying the waters

[Number Of The Priest]

Soon I'll apply Krylon, add studs, and aspire to be worthy of sonic mad scientist Dr. Newcenstein.

[Number Of The Priest]

This past weekend, I took the guitar to a tech. Weirdness report:

1) He thinks I tightened the truss rod tightly and the guitar buzzes. As per Dan Erlewine, I like a virtually straight neck with minimal relief, and if this results in a little buzz that I can't hear when I'm amplified, I can live with this compromise. But maybe I should loosen the truss rod a quarter turn to see if I still like it.

2) He tells me there is also no shielding in the guitar, but the cavity looks the same as some of my other painted cavities that are likely unshielded. I use a noise gate in my effects processor, and I only play at home, so I might get by without shielding.

3) Apparently the rewiring was a minor challenge since there was heat damage to the switch, and the switch got damaged further when he tried to desolder everything. He installed a better quality switch.

4) Alongside the weird wiring I already reported, he discovered the PAF Pro was also wired out of phase. I can't imagine what any of the previous owners were doing to this guitar.

5) The PAF Pro is running close to 10k Ohms resistance and has a hot and thick sound. Unusual considering the PAF Pro is rated at 8.4k Ohms.

6) He says the J100 singles are running about 5k when they're supposed to be rated slightly above 6k.

7) With this in mind, and with the wiring restored back to normal, he actually proposed VitaminG's bridge splitting since the humbucker is about twice the resistance of the singles, making the splitting feasible. I agreed. So the guitar is getting a push-pull pot in the volume position to split the bridge.

8) He also proposed a "neck pickup always on" switch, so I can get Tele-like sounds when selecting the bridge pickup, or even all three pickups on simultaneously. So the tone control is getting a push-pull pot for this.

5 way switch + split bridge + split bridge/middle + "neck pickup always on" = I can't even add up the number of unique sounds possible out of this guitar by the time I get it back. Ten by my count but I could be wrong. More three-pickup guitars should come wired this way!

Guess I don't need an SSS Strat now. I almost want to do this to my HSS Shannon Soloist!

[jclogston]

What about this?

http://www.musicgoround.com/p/536887/used-charvel-model-1-electric-guitar-black

[Number Of The Priest]

Never heard of that website before. That guitar looks awesome and clean. Not sure it's a Model 1C though. It has Charvel pickups, a licensed Floyd, and a behind-the-nut locknut, unless all those things replace the stock Jackson pickups and fulcrum trem.

Is that near you? Are you able to see it in person?

[VitaminG]

very cool. It's gonna be super versatile now. When do you get it back?

[Number Of The Priest]

It was originally supposed to be tonight, but earlier today (over the phone) I was suckered into the old mechanic's trick where I brought the car in for basic work and will walk out with new hubcaps, paintjob, stereo, and hydraulics that I didn't know I needed. So that means probably the weekend or next week.

Six pack of sound, eat your heart out.

[jclogston]

Never heard of that website before. That guitar looks awesome and clean. Not sure it's a Model 1C though. It has Charvel pickups, a licensed Floyd, and a behind-the-nut locknut, unless all those things replace the stock Jackson pickups and fulcrum trem.

Is that near you? Are you able to see it in person?

Unfortunately it is not near me. I have several made in Japan Charvel which I love but saw this one in my search for another. For the price how bad can it be?

[kamanda]

Sounds like this thing needed some TLC after the years under the hood. Glad your getting all the kinks worked out! New switch is a good idea too, I've replaced all my switches and pots in my Model series Charvel's.

[Number Of The Priest]

Unfortunately it is not near me. I have several made in Japan Charvel which I love but saw this one in my search for another. For the price how bad can it be?

I really started trying to learn as much as I could about import Jacksons/Charvels a couple months ago, and I've learned a lot just by reading http://audiozone.dk/ and http://www.charvelusa.com/home.html, but neither of those websites have this exact guitar.

The closest guess is that it may actually be a Model 1C with aftermarket upgrades. The retrofit of the Floyd and the behind-the-nut locknut look to be done well, at least from what we can see in the photos, and certainly don't hurt the value. I'm also guessing that the Charvel pickups would also be aftermarket additions, but based on what I've seen and learned, I always thought imports came with Jackson pickups, not Charvel-branded ones.

If that guitar were near me, I'd be calling or visiting the store to investigate further. If it is as clean and unblemished as it looks in the photos, USD$250 + USD$50 shipping might be fair, especially if it comes with a case. I consider the Floyd (even if licensed) to be an upgrade over the fulcrum trem normally associated with the Model 1 and its variants. This is pretty much a perfect Model 1 variant for me: 3 pickups, maple board, Floyd, simple control layout. Another guitar that comes close is the Model 4M, and while that has a maple board and JT-6 trem, I don't really like having too many switches, and the Model 4M seems quite uncommon anyway.

[Number Of The Priest]

Got the guitar back this week. Incredibly versatile with all the switching options now. New push-pull pots and new 5-way switch also installed, presumably from WD Music Products (http://www.wdmusic.com/) purchased locally. No idea if that's a good brand. There's also a capacitor (presumably that green thing on the tone pot) and I forget the reason why my tech made one pot 500k and the other 250k. Just gonna trust him on this for now.