Hex | guitars

1987 Charvel Model 6

"Hex"

Because I bought my 750XL when I was just a lad (and played it so relentlessly), I struggled to find a backup guitar that I liked as much; it was perhaps a bad move to get such a good guitar as my first real player. I tried loads of stuff, but nothing really cut it, until I stumbled across this in a used store in Sheffield. It was in fine condition, virtually no fret wear and just a few light dings and scratches … it didn’t appear to have been played much at all. However, a previous owner has scalloped the last four frets, which (from a practical point of view) makes absolutely no difference whatsoever. Unlike the 750, this one came with the usual Charvel‘chainsaw’ case. I paid my deposit, and saved, and waited until he day when it was finally paid off. This stacked up really well against the 750, and played fantastically (it still does, of course). It was made in the Japanese Chushin Gakki factory, which, as you know by now, made some stunning guitars before it went under in 2012. This was the flagship of the 'model series' Charvel range. That range was released by Jackson when they moved production of their USA guitars from San Dimas to Ontario. The Model 6 was a fair reflection of the USA Jackson Soloist; both had a maple through-neck (one piece of wood from the tip of the headstock, or maybe from the scarf joint, through to the bottom strap button), and both had ‘wings’ glued onto either side of that central section to make the body of the guitar. Poplar, I think. This has an HSS pickup layout, with active circuitry that drives a mid-boost circuit, which can be engaged gradually by using one of the control knobs, and a mini-toggle for each of the pickups. This is a great, versatile setup. Turn off the boost and work with the two single coils and the stratty-tones are right there. Wind on the active boost and select the bridge humbucker and all hell breaks loose; there are some very powerful tones on tap. Interestingly, this shares the same circuitry as its USA Soloist counterpart. This came fitted with Jackson’s own JT-6 trem system, which is their take on the Floyd Rose. I suppose that making it themselves and paying the license fee to Floyd was cheaper than buying proper Floyds. It’s a nice system. I used it for a few years, then swapped it out for a proper German Floyd Rose …which was very nice, but (really) not much better than the JT-6, so I swapped the JT-6 back in, which has been installed ever since. The USA Soloists also came with a JT-6 around this time period, so the Model 6 is essentially a Japanese-made Soloist, albeit without the Soloist’s ebony fretboard. Blindfold me and hand me this guitar, then my lovely, old Jackson USA Soloist Custom ('Bobby'), and could I tell the difference? Well, yes. But is one BETTER than the other? Not really. Both are fantastic players. Looking at the used prices in the UK, the Model 6 seems to be catching up with the USA Soloists pretty quickly. I can understand why.

In the words of Marty McFly, “What do you mean, Doc? ALL the best stuff is made in Japan …”. Perhaps not the BEST stuff, but perhaps as good.