I am not that knowledgeable on Import Charvels

[CMNR]

A friend of mine at work has asked if I could help him sell his old guitar. I don't know how much to ask for it because I don't know what model it is, he doesn't know either…but he said he paid around $1200 new back in the late '80's early 90's.

The guitar is a neck thru body style with a recessed double-locking licensed Schaller bridge. There are two pickups, the bridge pickup looks like an EMG and says Jackson on it, the neck pickup looks like a Seymour Duncan "Hot Rails" and is angled.

The neck has a rosewood fretboard and "Charvel" written like a Jackson guitar on the headstock. I think it's called "toothpaste?" The tuners also say Jackson. The serial number is "C900113". I have decoded as much as I can from this: "C" for Charvel "9" for 1989?

I'm pretty sure this is a Japanese built Charvel and probally not worth much but any information anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Rock On!

manager - CentralMnRock.com

[dg]

It's an '89 550XL. Sweet guitar. He may be able to get ~$500 for it on eBay.

Here's the '89 Catalog page with the 550XL (lower right):

http://dgibboney1.googlepages.com/Ch...Pro_Series.JPG

[VitaminG]

Does anyone have a scan of the 550XL in the '90 catalogue? Was it available in '90?

I'm interested to see it, as my 550XL is a dark metallic green and the serial suggests that it's an '89. According to the '89 catalogue, it was only available in Candy Blue, Candy Red, Turquoise, Magenta, Platinum & Metallic Black. Is it possible that mine was previously Metallic Black and has actually faded to dark green? I know I've seen other objects that appear black but on closer inspection are actually very very dark blues or greens.

Any thoughts?

[dg]

Gary, that dark metallic green pops up sometimes on 750XLs, too. Budman has one. I think I've seen it on a 650 as well, and I don't remember ever seeing the color listed as an option. This is yet another time I wish RW hadn't pulled the plug on Jackson Museum.

[VitaminG]

hmmm, interesting.

damn J/C, throwing unusual non-catalogue guitars out into circulation

I have scans of the nr2 Jackson catalogue from '92, which mentions a Metallic Emerald Green, available on the Stealth LT & the Futura LT. But the name doesn't suggest it being as dark a colour as this 550XL

I know by the mid-90s they were using a green flake on things like the Kelly Pro, but that's a lighter green too.

[straycat]

The 550XL I had was turquoise and it was by the serial# an 88 but probably made for the 89 model year.The paint had "greened" a little over the years, whoever said urethane doesn't "age"is nuts because it does.