So I completed the Charvel Model 2 project! Totally awesome guitar, but since I started building my own superstrats (look for a future blog on this) I decided to sell it in my Reverb store. It’s on sale the weekend of October 8-11, 2015 if you’re interested- just use code GUITAR1 at checkout to save an extra 6%. Check out this and everything in my store by clicking this button:
Finished and in original case
Since it was gutted and the original tremelo was destroyed, the list of work is pretty long:
-Replaced original (and destroyed) Kahler tremolo with a Wilkinson (which fit the original bridge posts)
-Added Guitar Fetish VEH (Vintage Extra Hot) Brown Sound pickup
-New gold-plated Switchcraft input jack
-Push-pull split-coil pot
-All-rosewood volume knob
I gotta sat that guitar fetish pickups are where it’s at. This VEH has this amazing tone- just think of a hot PAF humbucker, or Eddie Van Halen’s mystery pickup he had on his frankenstrat. I loved this pickup so much I bought a white one for one of my superstrats (again- look for a future blog post).
Rosewood volume knob
The push-pull split coil pot was a first for me. It’s a complex wiring job, but I knew that the variance it would add to the tone would be necessary. With the split coil, simply pull the knob up and the hum bucker is now a single coil. It really sounds great and even with the single coil engaged there is minimal to no noise. This is such a great thing to have with a single-pickup guitar.
Completed wiring for push-pull volume pot
The brand new Wilkinson 2-point tremolo has a big block and keeps nearly perfect tune. What’s great about the Wilkinson is it matched the two posts that were there for the old tremelo. No drilling or filling. This is also great for anyone who would want to find an original Kahler tremelo, as it would fit right back on there.
Wilkinson tremolo mounted on original Kahler mounts
This was a really great project, and a real treat to play if you’re into Kramer, Jackson, Charvel or Fender super strats.
Check out more pictures of it, along with a short demo video of me playing it at it’s listing here.
Living Analog 