Charvel Spectrum MIJ (c.1990), Pink (Pre-Owned)

The Charvel Spectrum is one of the more fascinating creations from Charvel’s Japanese era, combining classic Superstrat ergonomics with electronics considerably more adventurous than the usual late-’80s shred machine. Contemporary Charvel literature describes the Spectrum around its JE-1500 active parametric mid-EQ, allowing the player to select and boost a particular mid frequency rather like having a controllable wah-style tonal peak built into the guitar.

Its three Jackson J-200 pickups use stacked coils to retain the clarity and attack associated with single coils while cancelling mains hum. Combined with the active circuitry, this gives the Spectrum an unusually broad tonal vocabulary, from crisp cleans and cutting rhythm sounds to wonderfully focused lead tones.

This example looks particularly splendid in vivid pink with a contrasting white scratchplate, rosewood fingerboard and matching pointed headstock. It features Jackson-branded pickups and tuners, a Floyd Rose-licensed locking tremolo, EQ bypass switching and Charvel neck plate numbered 326076. There are signs of use and age visible in the photographs, including some hardware tarnishing and small finish marks, entirely understandable on a guitar of this vintage.

A distinctive and increasingly interesting Japanese Charvel, equally at home in a serious collection or plugged into a loud amplifier with the tremolo arm pointed towards the horizon.