This Charvel has serial number 3277 and has yet another animal graphic. This one came from Don in CA who also sold me the blue flamed maple pre-serialized Charvel. Don is the original owner and purchased both these Charvels at Guitar Center in Santa Ana, CA. Don's original receipt for this guitar is still attached to the Charvel Warranty card.

The graphic is referred to as a Zebra by the work order although to me I prefer the white black Zebra graphic style, similar to that found on Charvel #2445. The graphic is found on the face of the guitar only leaving the sides and back to show off the awesome candy red finish.

Two humbucking pickups, factory Floyd Rose tremolo and a control layout using 2 volumes, tone and selector switch complete the hardware. Note that there is a volume for each pickup but only one tone (master) control. Somewhat similar to that found on a Les Paul, which is a little less common than the usual single volume layout seen on most Charvels. The hardware shows playing wear and the black as wore off in places exposing the metal. I have seen this wear on a few other early Floyds and it may be a result of the type of coating applied to the steel/metal on these early tremolos and knobs.

Interesting is the difference in the pickup cavities on this guitar. The cavity for the neck pickup is not painted (bare wood suggesting that this route was done after painting!!) in contrast to the bridge pickup cavity that is painted (routed before the painting process). Generally these pickup cavities were found painted (basecoat color and often some over spray from the graphic work) on later serialized Charvels has the routes were done prior to the body being sent for paint. If you compare this to my Versa Striped Star #2324, which was sent back to factory for the addition of a neck pickup, you see the routes and paint pattern between neck and bridge pickups are identical. One can assume that in this case that maybe the two hum detail was not realized until after the body was painted or maybe there is another explanation for this. The work order form specifically states a 2 hum black/red zebra so I am unsure.

The neck pocket and neck markings on this guitar are interesting in that the work order (invoice) number on the neck and body are different. I have seen others with this discrepancy (for example see Charvel #'s 2583, 2629 and 3121). The work order (invoice) number written on the neck 2213, matches that written on the paperwork, work order form. If you look closely at the neck pocket markings on the body you will see 1916, "FR" and "21/4" all written in pencil. The "21/4" is commonly seen in the neck pocket of Charvels which have the Jackson style (pointy) headstock. I assume it refers to the width of the neck pocket that is 2 ¼ inches. The "FR" most likely refers to the Floyd Rose tremolo and I have seen this written in other guitars that have a factory original Floyd tremolo. In addition to these markings (pencil) are the more typical initials and date written in black marker "SVS" and "4-84".

Written on the neck is the work order (invoice) number 2213, "FR" (again I assume to refer to factory Floyd Rose), the name "Pat" and the common "OBD" which is found on all later Jackson style (pointy) necks (black plastic capped headstock) that do not have a painted headstock.

The guitar was ordered by GC Management on 5-14-83 and purchased by Don at the Santa Ana Guitar Center store. The work order indicates the paint to be "Candy red & Black Zebra (face)" with the electronics using Duncan pickups in conjugation with 2 volumes, tone and selector. The fret board on this one is ebony, which gives her a nice overall look.