Collecting Vintage Electric Guitars
As a teenager and beginning guitarist in the early 80's I could hardly help but be drawn to Charvel and Jackson guitars. They had a mystique that none of the other "pointy guitars" such as Kramer or B.C. Rich could equal. Many of us that started playing back then can remember how badly we wanted one of these. Translate their $1000 to $1500 price tag to current dollars and it's easy to see why we couldn't afford them. The fact that they are currently not the MTV favorite means that many of us are now able to buy and collect the one's we've always wanted.
They're still relatively cheap when compared to their original cost and are usually much cheaper than a similar quality new guitar. At the moment there is a small but growing group of people that are actively searching for prime, early examples of these guitars. It's mostly people who were in their teens and twenties in the 80's and were heavily influenced by the guitarists who played Charvels and Jacksons.
We also seem to be at the brink of a resurgence in their popularity. The "vintage electric guitar" dealers who made fun of these guitars have already jumped on the strat-headstock Charvel bandwagon. Some are even starting to notice pointy-headstock San Dimas models. More and more Charvel / Jackson information seems to pop up practically daily. 5 or 6 years ago it was impossible to find even basic information. Now there are several websites dedicated to these guitars and more popping up each year. More are sure to surface as their popularity grows.
Unlike most guitars, Charvel's and Jackson's were almost all different. It's nice to see what other people have as many of them are one of a kind. While pre-CBS Strat's are great guitars, almost all were nearly identical. With the internet, many people can now make their collections available for others to enjoy.
No, you don't need 50 guitars or rare, expensive models. Personally, I don't think that more exposure will drive prices through the roof. Prices naturally may increase but the ultimate effect will be to make more available. Right now there are many, many great Charvels and Jacksons that don't get played and are sitting in people's closets.
When they take them to their local music store and are told that "nobody wants 80's guitars" or that they are only worth $200 they go back in the closet or under the bed for another 5 years. Once people realize there is a demand a lot more will start surfacing. Sure, you may not find that black and yellow EVH Charvel for $400 but at least they will become available. For now, it's nice to collect something for the right reason - because you really like it, not because it's the "in-thing".
Will These Guitars Be Collectible Long-Term?
While there is no way to know for sure, there are several factors that could add up to an increase in prices.
First, they were extremely high quality guitars and the standard by which other 80's guitars were measured. Charvels and Jacksons were top of the line instruments that played and sounded great. People playing an early Charvel for the first time are usually amazed how nice they are. Even vintage fanatics usually grudgingly admit that they play great.
Next, Charvel / Jackson guitars was probably the most innovative guitar maker of the 80's and was widely copied. With the many improvements made to increase playability and the pioneering use of graphic finishes, Charvel / Jackson was able to carve out a niche unrivaled by any other manufacturer. These guitars practically define the 80's rock scene.
Finally and most importantly, they were produced in extremely small numbers. There were only about 4500 serialized San Dimas Charvels produced. Not 4500 per week like Fender, 4500 TOTAL.
That just isn't enough to go around.
Do the "strat head Charvel math lesson" and the potential becomes clear. Only about 1000 of the 4500 San Dimas Charvels had the strat headstock. Probably half of them (conservatively) have been parted out, destroyed, or modified in one way or another. That leaves a grand total of about 500 original strat headstock Charvels - and average of 10 per state!
It doesn't take a genius to realize what could happen when a few stockbrokers or foreign collectors decide to sell their PRS Dragons and buy strat head Charvels or early Jacksons. While there is potential for prices to appreciate I'd still recommend that you buy them because you like them rather than purely for speculation. If you are looking for an investment buy a mutual fund or call your stockbroker (with the PRS collection).
What Do I Collect?
First of all, I shy away from the term "collector". I have a few favorite guitars that I have kept long-term. I usually only own a handful, I don't have dozens, and don't do this for profit. Mostly I enjoy hunting for 80's Charvels and Jacksons. If I buy one I usually sell another. This has allowed me to enjoy dozens of these guitars without investing a fortune or letting them sit in cases unplayed.
One of the nicest things about Charvel / Jackson guitars is the wide variety available. Very few of the collectors I know focus on the same models. Some prefer strat-head Charvels while others collect only Jackson Customs or over the top graphics.
I buy guitars that I like, not necessisarily those that are the most popular, rare, or valuable. I tend to be drawn toward the very early production Jacksons. Luckily for me, these are reasonably priced and not widely collected at the moment. To me, early Jackson neck-thrus are the pinnacle of design, playability, and crafstmanship.
The introduction of Jackson guitars in 1983 was Charvel / Jackson's first attempt to produce innovative, original designs. Rather than simply finetune existing designs, the Custom Shop took the Charvels they were producing and went one step (or giant leap) further with new Jackson line- They began using neck-thru body construction and introducing bold new designs. The Rhoads, Soloist, and Kelly have become classics and established Jackson as the leader in custom made, high quality rock guitars.
Most of the Charvel / Jackson guitar crowd at the moment is focusing on strat-headstock Charvels. It's a cruel twist of fate that, with the strat headstock, Charvel created such a demand for another manufacturers trademarked design. This was compounded since, even after stopping strat-head production, they continued to make strat-head models for rock stars!
The fact that players in RATT, DIO, and OZZY, etc. were the only ones able to get them created an even greater demand for something that couldn't be supplied. Even though they are fantastic guitars, I think that the strat head craze is driven mostly by the "mystique" of these models. With the wide variety of San Dimas Charvels and Jacksons available, there really is something for everybody.
Why Do A Website On Jackson Guitars?
There are 3 reasons I decided to get a webpage up and running.
First, I wanted to put the guitars "out in the open" so to speak. As I mentioned above, many Charvel / Jackson guitar's are one of a kind. I really enjoy looking at pic's of other peoples guitars and frequently visit their pages to check them out. Lists / specifications are fine but the only way to really learn about them is to study a lot of them. Looking at them online is the next best thing to seeing them in person. I'd love to see everyone with a few of these guitars put them up on the net. Again, the only way to really see how they evolved is to look a lot of them.
Second, I wanted to include detailed pictures of many of the features that can be used to identify and authenticate the guitars. When I started buying these, a lack of pictures / examples was my biggest problem. There weren't many made and it's rare to find them locally to study. It's great to read that the early Charvel's should have "gold Gotoh tuners" but until you see some it's not as helpful as it could be (they are unmarked). I'm far from an expert but hopefully the pic's will be of some help.
Finally, this is a great way to meet other Charvel / Jackson guitar enthusiasts. Hopefully it will be a good resource for information, I know I've got a lot of questions.
366 total views, 6 so far today
