Charvel model 6 serial

[Lemonheadfr]

Hi everyone !

I recently bought an old Model 6 for a ridiculously low price, but it needs a lot of work to put it back in shape. I was checking the serial, and noticed it reads "D000079". I believed the serials always started with "C" + the last digit of its production year.

Can anyone tell me if this "D" serial means anything special ?

Thanks !

[pianoguyy]

D is a new one to me

Images will help

I believed the serials always started with "C" + the last digit of its production year.

correct

[Lemonheadfr]

Here it is, I hope it will help !

[workerunit]

This is just a guess, but maybe "D" stands for Development and 79 is the production number. In other words your guitar may be a prototype.

[Lemonheadfr]

This is just a guess, but maybe "D" stands for Development and 79 is the production number. In other words your guitar may be a prototype.

Interesting theory !! So, maybe a prototype when they switched from Kahler bridges to JT6 ?

[pianoguyy]

needing to learn how to re-angle the neck between the two.
D = degrees. Adjust the neck to 79 degrees.

Possible, but doubtful, because they already knew how to do it with the American models.




Also worth noting- with the exception of the few oddballs, Kahler had the serial on the headstock. It didn't go on to the fretboard until the trem switch in 87.
So, D=Demo would again make sense.

But I find it hard to believe we have not seen a D before if any of the above were true. You know someone would have tried selling the previous 78.

[workerunit]

Interesting theory !! So, maybe a prototype when they switched from Kahler bridges to JT6 ?

Maybe, anything is possible with that "D", and low serial number. "D" for Demo makes sense too.

[Lemonheadfr]

Or maybe they went through all the possible digits after the "C" serial, and started again with a "D", so it would be a very late model ?

[pianoguyy]

They were 7 characters. C, last digit of the year, then the serial. So, in theory, they only could make 100,000 each year.
Assuming they changed the C to a D after 100k, and kept rest the same, a 0 would be 1990, which isn't a Model 6.

[Lemonheadfr]

You're right, and now I think about it I've seen 650XLs with "C" serials.

[thebigz]

Can you post pics of the whole guitar? Maybe there is something else unique about it

[MetalMedal II]

What type of locking mechanism is at the headstock? It may provide some insight on when it was made.

[Lemonheadfr]

Today I saw this one on sale here in France, with a "D" serial. Could it be a serial for the french/european market ?

[Lemonheadfr]

[Lemonheadfr]

Hi everyone !

For those who are still interested in this mysterious Model 6 serial... I think I found the answer !
I recently discovered that around that time, Fernandes made an almost exact copy of the model 6 (including the oversized bridge pickup cavity), the STJ-120. And guess what was the serial number on these guitars ? "Dxxxxxx".

So, my theory is that these guitars were made in the same factory as the Charvels, and at some point, some of these Fernandes were rebranded as Charvels, as it was just a matter of putting the good logo, electronic and hardware.
here is an example;

https://reverb.com/fr/item/30735128-fernandes-stj-120

the only difference I can find is the locking nut, but so far this is my best explanation.