The Charvel Classic Series

Charvel Classic Series

After the Charvel Model Series were discontinued in late 1988. The Chushin Gakki factory in Japan produced the Charvel Classic Series, Charvel Contemporary Series, Charvel Fusion Series and the Charvel Professional Series between 1989 and 1991 . Charvel Toothpaste LogoThe Charvel toothpaste logo was introduced in these series of guitars and also what Charvel calls "the sculpted heel joint" for a more graceful transitions between body and neck.

Charvel 275 Deluxe

The first model in the Charvel Classic Series is the Charvel 275 Deluxe and there are two versions of this guitar. The first one was only availabe in 1989 and the second version was available from 1990 to 1991. The major difference between these two versions were the pickups. The 1989 Charvel 275 Deluxe was similar to the Charvel Model 3DR (this model had a reversed headstock though). It had an HS pickup configuration where the Jackson J-100 neck single coil was placed in a slanted position. The 1990 Charvel 275 Deluxe had a slanted humbucker in the bridge position which actually are two humbuckers in single coil format side-by-side. Another difference was the tremolo where the former had a Jackson JT-6 double locking tremolo versus a Jackson JT-570 single locking tremolo. Worth mentioning too is that the 1990 version had a "Dinky" body.

Charvel 375 Deluxe

Charvel Sculpted Heel JointThen there is the Charvel 375 Deluxe which can be seen as the successor of the Charvel Model 3 with the same HSS pickup configuration albeit with a "Dinky" body and a recessed Floyd Rose tremolo. The bolt-on neck on this guitar featured Charvel's Sculpted Heel Joint. The Charvel 375 Deluxe with Flamed Tops is the same guitar but had other color finish options.

Charvel 475 Deluxe

Charvel Bound HeadstockThe last model in the Charvel Classic Series is the Charvel 475 Deluxe which can be seen as the successor of  the Charvel Model 4. The 1989 Charvel Catalog calls the Charvel 475 Special (changed to Charvel 475 Deluxe in the 1991 catalog) the custom version of the Charvel 375 Deluxe. Just like the Charvel Model 4 it has  active mid-boost circuitry (JE-1200) with the same passive pickups. The body of the Charvel 475 was a "Dinky" body as opposed to the Model 4 regular size. Both guitars have bolt-on necks but the Charvel 475 Special had the Sculpted Heel Joint and Ivory colored bound neck and headstock. There is also a Charvel 475 Deluxe Exotic which features an exotic wood top and back with other finish options.