The Charvel Model Series was introduced following the company's move to Ontario California. The success of Charvel in the 1980s led to Grover Jackson's plan to establish Japanese production lines for the most popular Charvel designs. These Charvel Model Series guitars were made in Japan (until 1989 when Grover Jackson sold Charvel/Jackson to the Japanese manufacturer IMC).
 | CHARVEL MODEL 1CHARVEL manufactured the MODEL 1 superstrat between 1986 and 1989. It had a single Jackson 90C humbucker controlled by a single volume knob. |
 | CHARVEL Model 1AThe Charvel Model 1A was a superstrat like the Model 1, except with 3 Jackson J100 single coil pickups mounted in a black scratchplate & additional controls. |
 | CHARVEL MODEL 2Production of the Charvel MODEL 2 began in 1986 and ended in 1989. It was like the Model 1 except with a double locking Jackson JT6 tremolo and rosewood fingerboard. The early ones made in 1986 had Kahler 2520 locking tremolos. |
| No image yet | CHARVEL MODEL 3CHARVEL made the MODEL 3 between 1986 and 1989. It's like a Model 1 but with different pickups and controls. |
| No image yet | CHARVEL Model 3AThe Model 3A was made between 1986 and 1988 |
| No image yet | CHARVEL MODEL 4CHARVEL manufactured the MODEL 4 between 1986 and 1989 |
| No image yet | CHARVEL MODEL 5CHARVEL manufactured the MODEL 5 between 1986 and 1989 |
 | CHARVEL MODEL 6The Charvel Model 6 was introduced in 1986, following the company's move to Ontario California. The success of Charvel in the 1980s led to Grover Jackson's plan to establish Japanese production lines for the most popular Charvel designs. These Charvel Model Series guitars were made in Japan (until 1989 when Grover Jackson sold Charvel/Jackson to the Japanese manufacturer IMC). |
Specifications:
| Model | Image | Weight | Finish colors | Made in | Number of strings | Scale length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHARVEL MODEL 1 1986 to 1989 |  | 8 lb | black finish, blue finish, red finish, white finish | Japan | 6 strings | - |
| CHARVEL Model 1A 1986 to 1989 |  | - | black finish, blue finish, red finish, white finish | Japan | 6 strings | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 2 1986 to 1989 |  | - | black finish, blue finish, red finish, white finish | Japan | 6 strings | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 3 1986 to 1989 | No image yet | - | - | - | 6 strings | - |
| CHARVEL Model 3A 1986 to 1988 | No image yet | - | - | - | 6 strings | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 4 1986 to 1989 | No image yet | - | black finish, blue finish, red finish, white finish | - | 6 strings | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 5 1986 to 1989 | No image yet | - | black finish, blue finish, red finish, white finish | - | 6 strings | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 6 1986 to 1989 |  | - | black finish, blue finish, red finish, white finish | - | 6 strings | 25.5 inches scale-length |
| Model | Volume controls | Pickup selector controls | Tone controls | Controls material | EQ or mix controls | Number of control knobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHARVEL MODEL 1 1986 to 1989 | 1 volume control | - | - | - | - | - |
| CHARVEL Model 1A 1986 to 1989 | 1 volume control | 5-way selector switch | 1 tone control | - | - | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 2 1986 to 1989 | 1 volume control | - | - | - | - | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 3 1986 to 1989 | - | 5-way selector switch | 1 tone control | - | - | - |
| CHARVEL Model 3A 1986 to 1988 | - | 5-way selector switch | 1 tone control | - | - | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 4 1986 to 1989 | - | 5-way selector switch | 1 tone control | - | - | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 5 1986 to 1989 | - | 5-way selector switch | 1 tone control | - | - | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 6 1986 to 1989 | 1 volume control | 3 pickup selector switches | 1 tone control | black controls | 1 EQ control | 3 control knobs |
| Model | Pickups brand and model | Pickups configuration | Preamp | Circuit functions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHARVEL MODEL 1 1986 to 1989 | Charvel J90-C pickup(s) | 1 humbucker pickup | - | - |
| CHARVEL Model 1A 1986 to 1989 | Jackson J100 pickup(s) | 3 single coil pickups | - | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 2 1986 to 1989 | Charvel J90-C pickup(s) | 1 humbucker pickup | - | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 3 1986 to 1989 | - | 2 single coil pickups and 1 humbucker pickup | - | - |
| CHARVEL Model 3A 1986 to 1988 | - | 2 humbucker pickups | - | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 4 1986 to 1989 | Charvel J90-C pickup(s) | 2 humbucker pickups | active preamp | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 5 1986 to 1989 | Charvel J90-C pickup(s) | 2 humbucker pickups | - | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 6 1986 to 1989 | Jackson J200 pickup(s), Jackson J50 pickup(s) | 2 stacked coil/1 humbucker pickups | Jackson JE-1200, active preamp | active electronics |
| Model | Body shape features | Body style | Body material | Pickguard material |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHARVEL MODEL 1 1986 to 1989 | double cutaway | super strat style body | - | - |
| CHARVEL Model 1A 1986 to 1989 | double cutaway | super strat style body | basswood body, wood body | black pickguard, white pickguard |
| CHARVEL MODEL 2 1986 to 1989 | double cutaway | super strat style body | basswood body | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 3 1986 to 1989 | - | - | - | - |
| CHARVEL Model 3A 1986 to 1988 | - | - | - | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 4 1986 to 1989 | double cutaway | - | wood body | white pickguard |
| CHARVEL MODEL 5 1986 to 1989 | double cutaway | - | wood body | white pickguard |
| CHARVEL MODEL 6 1986 to 1989 | double cutaway | super strat style body | poplar body | - |
| Model | Bridge | Hardware color |
|---|---|---|
| CHARVEL MODEL 1 1986 to 1989 | fixed bridge | chrome hardware |
| CHARVEL Model 1A 1986 to 1989 | fixed bridge | chrome hardware |
| CHARVEL MODEL 2 1986 to 1989 | Jackson JT6 tremolo, Kahler locking tremolo, tremolo bridge | black hardware |
| CHARVEL MODEL 3 1986 to 1989 | - | - |
| CHARVEL Model 3A 1986 to 1988 | tremolo bridge | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 4 1986 to 1989 | tremolo bridge | chrome hardware |
| CHARVEL MODEL 5 1986 to 1989 | tremolo bridge | chrome hardware |
| CHARVEL MODEL 6 1986 to 1989 | Jackson JT6 tremolo, Kahler tremolo | black hardware, chrome hardware |
| Model | Fingerboard material | Fingerboard position markers | Fingerboard inlay material |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHARVEL MODEL 1 1986 to 1989 | maple fingerboard | dot fingerboard position markers | - |
| CHARVEL Model 1A 1986 to 1989 | maple fingerboard | dot fingerboard position markers | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 2 1986 to 1989 | rosewood fingerboard | dot fingerboard position markers | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 3 1986 to 1989 | - | - | - |
| CHARVEL Model 3A 1986 to 1988 | - | - | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 4 1986 to 1989 | maple fingerboard | dot fingerboard position markers | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 5 1986 to 1989 | maple fingerboard | dot fingerboard position markers | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 6 1986 to 1989 | rosewood fingerboard | shark fin fingerboard position markers | mother of pearl fingerboard inlay material |
| Model | Neck joint | Neck material | Number of frets | Nut | Peghead (headstock) | Tuner layout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHARVEL MODEL 1 1986 to 1989 | bolt on neck | maple neck | 22 fret | graphite nut | pointed headstock | six-in-a-row tuners |
| CHARVEL Model 1A 1986 to 1989 | bolt on neck | maple neck | 22 fret | graphite nut | pointed headstock | six-in-a-row tuners |
| CHARVEL MODEL 2 1986 to 1989 | bolt on neck | maple neck | 22 fret | - | pointed headstock | six-in-a-row tuners |
| CHARVEL MODEL 3 1986 to 1989 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| CHARVEL Model 3A 1986 to 1988 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| CHARVEL MODEL 4 1986 to 1989 | bolt on neck | maple neck | 22 fret | - | - | six-in-a-row tuners |
| CHARVEL MODEL 5 1986 to 1989 | neck through body | - | 22 fret | - | - | six-in-a-row tuners |
| CHARVEL MODEL 6 1986 to 1989 | neck through body | maple neck | 24 fret | locking nut | pointed headstock | six-in-a-row tuners |
