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Metal Titans Charvel & Jackson's Japanese History
June 23, 2021 2 min read
In the land that birthed Kaiju and monster stories, American guitar manufacturers Charvel & Jackson embed a unique crossover for shred dominance.
Although being a household name, both the Jackson & Charvel brands have a rich and interesting history which is often untold. In the mid 70s Wayne Charvel was a repair and guitar modifier operating a shop out of California, USA. He was developing quite the name for himself, turning regular Fender & Gibson guitars into fast, sleek metal machines. Alongside Grover Jackson, the two began to build custom order guitars for their customers who demanded more than what was readily available by other brands. In 1978 Wayne Charvel went bankrupt and was forced to sell the business. Grover Jackson purchased the business and continued to create incredible custom guitars for an emerging heavy metal scene. After already providing guitars for the likes of Eddie Van Halen, Richie Sambora, Warren DeMartini & Randy Rhodes in 1980 Grover Jackson released his first line of Jackson branded guitars.
The popularity of the brands were climbing quickly. Up until this point Charvel/Jackson guitars were only ever custom build in America. With heavy metal music on the rise, Grover Jackson knew he would need to expand in order to keep up with demand. In 1984 Jackson started sourcing Japanese crafted instruments and chose the Chushin Musical Instruments and Toki Gaki factories in Japan for their fine craftsmanship to be the home for his beloved creations. In 1989 Grover Jackson sold his interest of the company to IMC (International Music Corporation) just prior to the release of the Jackson 'Made In Japan' Professional Series in 1990. The professional series filled a massive hole in the brand's market, being able to now sell affordable Jackson guitars to the aspiring musician. Jackson & Charvel guitars (minus Custom Shop) would be produced exclusively in Japan until the early 2000s.
Fast forward to 2021 and both Jackson & Charvel have just announced releases of Japanese made instruments, harkening back to their rich Japanese history.
We cannot wait for these incredible guitars to hit the shelves.
SHOP CHARVEL/JACKSON MJ RANGE 2021
Although being a household name, both the Jackson & Charvel brands have a rich and interesting history which is often untold. In the mid 70s Wayne Charvel was a repair and guitar modifier operating a shop out of California, USA. He was developing quite the name for himself, turning regular Fender & Gibson guitars into fast, sleek metal machines. Alongside Grover Jackson, the two began to build custom order guitars for their customers who demanded more than what was readily available by other brands. In 1978 Wayne Charvel went bankrupt and was forced to sell the business. Grover Jackson purchased the business and continued to create incredible custom guitars for an emerging heavy metal scene. After already providing guitars for the likes of Eddie Van Halen, Richie Sambora, Warren DeMartini & Randy Rhodes in 1980 Grover Jackson released his first line of Jackson branded guitars.
The popularity of the brands were climbing quickly. Up until this point Charvel/Jackson guitars were only ever custom build in America. With heavy metal music on the rise, Grover Jackson knew he would need to expand in order to keep up with demand. In 1984 Jackson started sourcing Japanese crafted instruments and chose the Chushin Musical Instruments and Toki Gaki factories in Japan for their fine craftsmanship to be the home for his beloved creations. In 1989 Grover Jackson sold his interest of the company to IMC (International Music Corporation) just prior to the release of the Jackson 'Made In Japan' Professional Series in 1990. The professional series filled a massive hole in the brand's market, being able to now sell affordable Jackson guitars to the aspiring musician. Jackson & Charvel guitars (minus Custom Shop) would be produced exclusively in Japan until the early 2000s.
Fast forward to 2021 and both Jackson & Charvel have just announced releases of Japanese made instruments, harkening back to their rich Japanese history.
We cannot wait for these incredible guitars to hit the shelves.
SHOP CHARVEL/JACKSON MJ RANGE 2021
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