Help with neck plate - serial identification

[SolB5150]

I recently purchased a used Rocket Red So-Cal and the neck plate seems a bit odd. The neck plate is a plain chrome plate with a Charvel engraving with serial 003505. - I am told this is a Japanese neck plate, but everything else about the guitar seems like a Made in Mexico. It looks like a 2018 model, as it has the newer neck with flywheel truss rod adjustment.

[metalhobo]

post pictures

[pianoguyy]

Did we have a Japanese factory in 2018?

And in 2018 "Rocket Red" was a MIM color.

[Number Of The Priest]

Japan Charvels only started up again very recently, for NAMM 2020 I believe:

http://www.charvel.jp/mj

https://www.jcfonline.com/forum/equi...rvel-mj-series

...But the guitar in question likely isn't one of them if 2018.

Looks like OP tried to post a picture but it's broken. Need to host your images on an external image host. Choose any free image host (https://www.google.ca/search?newwind...4dUDCAg&uact=5), register an account if required, upload your photos there, and copy-paste the generated links back here.

[pianoguyy]

I am told this is a Japanese neck plate, but everything else about the guitar seems like a Made in Mexico.

Regardless of what the plate says... what is the unit being sold as.
I mean, there is a difference between "buy my MIM with Japanese plate" and "this is a Japanese Charvel, just look at the plate for proof"