Made in India???

[Vern_S]

I'm interested in any info you fine folks might have about Charvel guitars being manufactured in India. Yesterday was the first I heard of it and I was informed that my Charvel, not sure what model it is, was "Made in India?"


Thanks a bunch!!! };^>

[Diego]

The guitars made in Japan have the 12th fret dots closer together than the India made ones.
Judging from the picture you posted (the 12th fret dosts are distant one to each other, close to the border of the fretboard) it seems an India made guitars

[Diego]

PS: I 'm not sure if it is India or Korea or some other place; but it is not Japan and thats what it is important.

[Vern_S]

Thanks for the input Diego! Yeah, that's what I was told yesterday as well, about the dots being wider apart making it not "Made in Japan, " but I have never heard of a Charvel manufacturing plant in India . I was wondering if you could fill me in on a bit of the history as the Charvel web site mentions nothing about India, only Japan?

Thanks Again! };^>

[Spivonious]

I never heard of Charvels being made in India either, only the entry-level Jacksons. Hopefully one of the more knowledgable members of the forum can shed some light on this.

[Diego]

I don't know those details. I know that some Charvettes (by Charvel) are made in Japan and some are not. So it wouldn't come as such a surprise if they made also some other models elsewhere.
Other than that I don't know much more about it.

Note: It is true that Japanese made guitars are probably better build and worth more; but every once in a while you find a really well built Korean, India, or somewhere else guitar.
Try it out and decide by yourself.

[thetruthguy]

Are you all sure that's not a Charvel Traditional?

[dg]

Traditionals have normal dot spacing. Here's one:





I'm pretty sure the wide dot Charvels were made in Korea.

[DrDestruction]

Yeah. Charvels were made in India at one point. I was at my local Guitar Center a couple of years ago and they had some on display- some were painted with Bullseyes and a couple of others had zig-zag paint jobs on them.

I'll say THIS about them, though- the build quality was simply atrocious. Frets sticking out of the fretboard, sharper-than-sharp fret ends, warped-beyond-warped necks, fuzzy fretboard edges (usually a sign of unsanded wood), and piss-poor set-up and that was all in one guitar. The worst was what had to be the six-inch thick paint jobs on the bodies- they felt more like bowling balls than guitars.

Needless to say, the folks at GC had them on extreme discount. LOL

There are some Indian Jackson guitars out there, too. In fact, I know of a Pawn Shop in Simi Valley, CA that has one. It's been sitting there for what HAS to be years now. LOL

[thetruthguy]

I guess I meant the standard ... that's the one with 24 frets and a v-trem (methinks). But if it's got normal dot spacing, then I guess that's not it.

[jrnic]

Note: It is true that Japanese made guitars are probably better build and worth more; but every once in a while you find a really well built Korean, India, or somewhere else guitar.
Try it out and decide by yourself.

I wound up picking up a used Jackson JS model that was made in India. It was in great shape except that the previous owner dropped it and there was a chunk of wood missing from under 2 upper frets. Long story short.....I got it for $29 and using dark wood filler, fixed the neck to the point that you have to really look hard to see it. I put in a set of Duncans (Dist/Jazz) I had lying around and it plays fantastic. Much better than I ever expected. Conclusion: not all Indian guitars are the pits, some are pretty decent.

[Rich#6]

The worst was what had to be the six-inch thick paint jobs on the bodies- they felt more like bowling balls than guitars.

That's so that cheap wood doesn't fall apart.

[phill_up]

Traditionals have normal dot spacing. Here's one:





I'm pretty sure the wide dot Charvels were made in Korea.

I love these guitars!