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**fritzreiser** · 12-31-2003, 11:44 AM

Re: Import Star Info Needed

Originally posted by jgcable:

Can you guys fill me in? There is a media blackout on these import versions. This guitar has changed hands a bunch of times and it is now in mine. [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] It has the old style gold Charvel logo with 3 tuners on each side. I know that the Floyd was added as is an additional pot. Is the gold old style USA logo correct? The neck really feels and looks like a San Dimas or Ontario neck and it is reversed.
Something makes me think that something is very special about this Star. Is this paint job factory or a repaint? It looks factory to me. The neck plate is black and the upper strap button is attached to the upper left screw. It is an outstanding example of 80's vintage Charvel and I would like to find out more if there is anybody who knows anything.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">So, I take it that you likey? [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

**mm2002** · 12-31-2003, 12:03 PM

Re: Import Star Info Needed

That is one awesome axe! The only thing I notice as strange besides the logo is the 12th fret dots, I've never seen another Charvel neck like that.

**jgcable** · 12-31-2003, 02:05 PM

Re: Import Star Info Needed

They look too wide apart to me too. What gives?

**Newc** · 12-31-2003, 02:38 PM

Re: Import Star Info Needed

Not sure about the dot spacing (like, why they were so far apart) but if that's the one I used to have (with the added third knob) it's a killer for sure. Does it have a Jackson Special 5-way switch in it? (easy to spot - 3 layer construction with more prongs than an Advanced S&M device [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] )

If so, that is my old one I traded to Pete, then he sold to Swillmaster. Anyhoo, I put a Jackson JE2000 bass board in it (thus the third knob) then when I traded it to Pete, he didn't want the board, so I put in an EMG SPX knob/board all in one thingy (didn't know how to wire it up, though, and didn't wanna toast it by trying).
The middle position of the switch (IIRC) should be both inner coils on - very nice funk tone [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

But those stock pickups killed [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] Rip em out and have Duncan make copies [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

There were some Strats in that series as well - Black/White Bullseye for one. Same neck, same dots, same pickups.

Definitely under the radar and "Area 51" mystique - whoever knows about them ain't talking [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
But it's 100% real wood AFAIK - I think the body is mahogany (nothing flakes like mahogany when you drill it, and that flaked like mahogany when I added the hole, plus it's a dark reddish-brown like my mahogany Warmoth Star).

Newc

**jgcable** · 12-31-2003, 02:58 PM

Re: Import Star Info Needed

Newc, I checked it out and it is definately your old one. 5 pos switch and everything else you described. The pickups kick. I am going to have them duplicated. The closest thing I could compare them to is a pair of Custom wound EVH Dimarzio's that I had that came out of a 1st year EBMM. I can't believe that this guitar changed hands so many times. I would figure that a collector would hang on to it simply for the fact that the graphic is the same as the catalog San Dimas Star.

**Greg Crowe** · 12-31-2003, 03:21 PM

Re: Import Star Info Needed

No mystique really. Made in India for Guitar Center along with some bullseye strats.

**Newc** · 12-31-2003, 03:33 PM

Re: Import Star Info Needed

And I figured that players would hang onto the pickups at least [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Yep, made in India - when India did it right [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Anyhoo, I traded it off for two main reasons:
1 - Didn't have the money to have it refinished (SD catalog doesn't mean squat to me [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] )
2 - Wasn't quite happy with the sharp angle of the lower point - it hampered my reaching the higher frets like I wanted
[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Newc

**jgcable** · 12-31-2003, 05:36 PM

Re: Import Star Info Needed

Upper fret access is limited to me too. The point is a little in the way but I didn't get it to really play it much.
Made in India for GC huh? I disagree about the "not much of a mystery" part. I have been around the Charvel Jackson game since the early 80's. This is the first one of these I have ever seen. There is absolutely no info regarding this particular model. You say they also made a bullseye? Have you ever seen one? Do you have any idea around what year they are? It has a blank black plate with a serial # on it only. It is stamped into the neckplate. Thanks for the info.

**MountainDog** · 01-04-2004, 11:25 PM

Re: Import Star Info Needed

Attached is a link about a similar GC Import Star. Read thru the post and look for my comments/history about this series and there's also pics of my bullseye.
http://www.jcfonline.com/cgi-bin/ult...;f=11;t=001264
And as I always say in every post about these GC guitars.."I agree with Newc that the pickups are awesome!"

Oh, the year on these was 1999. The neck plate is black and blank except for the stamped in number. The serial number on the plate should start with 99.

**jgcable** · 01-05-2004, 07:51 AM

Re: Import Star Info Needed

Thanks for the link and all the great info. Do you still have the bullseye??

**MountainDog** · 01-05-2004, 12:16 PM

Re: Import Star Info Needed

Yes, still have the bullseye...it's a keeper! Even though its from India, the quality and feel is equal to my two similar Japan-made early Dinky Reverses (Stone & Deep Violet) with maple fingerboards. And the Bullseye's bridge pickup is soooo much better than that 2-bar Jackson one that came on the Dinky Reverses.

**jgcable** · 01-05-2004, 12:24 PM

Re: Import Star Info Needed

Your Bullseye is the one I am looking for. I will probably find one eventually. I wonder how many of these guitars were produced and sold? They never show up on Ebay which leads me to believe they were really low production.

**MountainDog** · 01-05-2004, 05:18 PM

Re: Import Star Info Needed

I don't know how many they made, but you're right, probably very low quantity. When they came out, the Sherman Oaks, CA Guitar Center had a couple stars, a couple red/black/white 'frankies' (with rosewood and non-attractive stratish headstocks, kinda like SanDimasII) a couple black/yellow VHII (with rosewood and same headstock), and one bullseye (which is the only one of the series with maple fingerboard). The Hollywood CA store had about the same and two bullseyes. At the time, the sales guys couldn't answer any of my questions about quantity. I went in the store a couple months later and they were all gone and it was like those guitars never existed.

If only the frankie and VHII had maple fingerboards, I would've grabbed those also for the price. (I think I mentioned on the other thread that GC had a $399 sale price, $799 list on all the tags, without case). My bullseye had fret edges that were a little sharp, so they discounted it to $320 out the door, rather than return the guitar. (all the other guitars had good filed fret edges).

I've never seen a bullseye on ebay ever either...(and I think I've only seen one of the VHII on the bay, never a frankie).

I think Jackson started production in India shortly after these came out, so maybe this special run under the Charvel name was a small run experiment to see how India's quality was before they started Jackson mass production????

**jgcable** · 01-05-2004, 10:51 PM

Re: Import Star Info Needed

I bet it was a test run to see if the old 80's style guitars would still be marketable. GC was probably their test bed because of their high visibility status. Either that or one of the marketing guys at GC was a old 80's Charvel fan and was afforded the chance to do a limited run reissue. In an case it doesn't matter where they were made. They are very high quality, the pickups scream, the finish is outstanding and they play just as good as any other of my Charvels and even better than some.

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