Charvel/Jackson: Tales From The Shop 1983-1987

[Cygnus X1]

Had some great shredders pass through my store back in the day.
Unfortunately no one seemed to care about them when grunge became
popular, and I didn't have the foresight to hang on to some of the best.

[BenoA]

This thread is awesome! Keep 'em comin'!

I left for a few weeks... Come back... And BAM!!! What a super cool thread!!!

[Maiden89]

I love that one! I wish they still had the same attention to detail. I have to admit, I've never seen that kind of mistake though...

[stevoc]

Can you imagine what that tele may be worth today if they knowingly let it out the door? Kinda like a dollar bill that has been mis-printed.

[paulbag]

Cool stories bro, thanks for sharing...any Kirk Hammett stories?

[shramiac]

Any Vinnie Vincent stories? There is so little details on his double V. All I'm aware of is that Mike Shannon built his pink/silver and presumably the dot neck one too?

[AIC70]

Awesome stories Curt! Hear any more at NAMM this year?

[j2379]

very cool. I'm surprised at how connected BCR and Jackson was back in the day.

[Hellraiser6502]

Awesome stories Curt! Hear any more at NAMM this year?

Yeah I got some more!

I'll put one up in the next few days....

[stevoc]

Patiently awaiting the next post....

[WYLDCHYLD]

Me too...

[ParaP14]

Great story. Love it.

[DarkkWarriorr]

What a thread, keep them coming please.

[Hellraiser6502]

Please remove...duplicate post!

[Hellraiser6502]

Charvel/JacksonTales From The Shop: RATT Edition Part I

I've Been working on this one for some time now getting every detail nailed down as carefully as possible just like the others. This stuff , for me personally, is considered 'priceless information' and needs to be shared with the C/J community. MANY thanks to former Charvel/Jackson employees Glenn Matejzel and Willy Houston for providing the majority of the story here....the pictures alone are worth the price of admission!

Here goes....

By early 1983 RATT had become a massive local phenomenon in Los Angeles. Without major record label support, they had recorded & released a self-titled 6 song EP 'RATT' with Tawny Kitaen's (who was virtually unknown at the time) fishnet stocking'd legs covered with live rats on the cover! Several of their songs, 'You Think You're Tough' and 'Back For More' especially, were in heavy rotation on Los Angeles radio Stations KMET and KLOS. Back then it was the dream of every LA rock band to hear their music on either of these legendary stations....RATT had BOTH of them playing their songs!

Their shows around Los Angeles were always SOLD-OUT. They played the biggest venues local acts could play back then, places like 'Wolf & Rissmiller's Country Club' in Reseda, 'Perkins Palace' in Pasadena, 'PVA' (Pomona Valley Auditorium), The Troubadour, The Whisky, The Roxy etc.....always drawing huge crowds.

Around this same time Wendy Dio (Ronnie James Dio's wife) founded Niji Management Inc. and began scouting, recruiting and managing local up & coming talent. In addition Niji started an Pro Musical Instrument/Equipment rental business which included lighting, sound, musical instrument, amplifier etc. rentals. They were affiliated with the famed 'Mates Rehearsal Studio' in North Hollywood , CA

RATT were early clients of Niji Rentals and it is rumored (but not confirmed by me) that RATT were managed by Niji for a short time as well. Young Warren DeMartini's 'First Charvel' was in fact a Niji Rental. The pic below was taken by Glenn Matejzel, of Warren playing the 'rental' Charvel taken at The Troubadour in early 1983. Note: it is a full Eddie Ojeda style Bullseye graphic and Warren has black-taped off the outer rings leaving only a small Bullseye! All of Warrens gear in the background is also rented.



Because of the constant airplay and already fans of RATT, Charvel/Jackson Employees Glenn Matejzel and Eric Von Theumer attended this show (Glenn took the pic and Eric's face is seen peeking in at extreme right) & approached Warren after the show. Glenn explained that he worked for Charvel and that he & Robbin Crosby should come down to the San Dimas shop for a tour, adding that 'I can probably hook you guys up with something'. Warren liked the idea and seemed excited about visiting. They talked for a while that night with Glenn asking Warren questions about what he would want in a guitar built specifically for him. The general impression was 'Something different and cool!'

So back at work the next week Glenn bought a Strat body from the Charvel 'Seconds' bin for something like $10-$15 and took it home. He had an idea for a graphic that sprung from a t-shirt worn by Warren after the Troubadour show...it had a big skull emblazoned on it. Below, Warren is wearing the very shirt Glenn mentions! This pic comes from Robbin Crosby's personal archive photo album and as a side note, according to Glenn, the 'customized' Camo Fender Warren is playing was loaned to George Lynch ...never to be seen again.



To be clear, Glenn was not a C/J 'paint shop' employee at this time...he worked in the 'wood shop' so he would have to do the paintwork on his own time, at home. He spent a few weeks working on it, both at home and at an automotive 'Hot Rod' shop where he spent a lot of time with friends. After getting the body prepped and painted black, he worked out the skull design and when finished he decided it was just too plain looking. After a few beers.... he came up with the 'Blood Drip' arrangement. 'Perfect!' he thought! He was eager to see what Warren would think of his creation.

Below, a pic of Warren's original unclearcoated 'Blood Skull' in Glenn's apartment long before Warren DeMartini ever laid eyes on it. Note the early 'Keyhole' Brass Charvel V Trem. More on this later!



Glenn brought the guitar into the Charvel shop and showed it to Grover, who was impressed by the work....prompting an invitation to bring the RATT guys into the shop...which fit perfectly with Glenn's original plan. Ironically, Robbin came in first and placed the order for his Jackson Neck-thru Black Roundhorn Flying V. A couple of weeks later Warren came down to the shop for a tour and was floored by Glenn's creation and excited said “Oh man, were shooting our first video in a few days and I want to play this guitar in it!”

The video was 'Round & Round' and the rest is history. But here's a little backstory that isn't known. The guitar wasn't finished, in fact it had no electronics and the pointy headstock neck also from the seconds bin, was warped & unplayable. Surely one of the most famous 'dummy' guitars in video history!!!

Check this out! Like me, I'd bet many of you take for granted that the 'Blood Skull' guitar was Floyded in the video...It ISN'T!! Go back & take look, no electronics cavity cover, the Charvel 'Keyhole' V trem is on there and there is no Floyd nut on the warped pointy head neck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u8teXR8VE4

It all worked in the end. Warren wanted a WIDE Strat headstock neck anyway and soon after the video shoot, this was installed along with a Floyd Rose later on. Below are a couple of pics, taken again at the Troubadour of the guitar with the new Strat head neck but before the eventual Floyd Installation.





An Historic guitar with quite a history! The first of several Iconic Charvel guitars Warren was to play.

PART II coming soon...

* Several small edits to make it more readable! *