Some other guy's story:
I saved this post below while researching repairs, maintenance, mods etc for the Model 6.
This person went all out to remedy perceived flaws with the stock model.
Unfortunately I don't have the direct link, so thanks to whomever posted it!
- Charvel Model 6 review mods done to.JPG (136.86 KiB) Viewed 3589 times
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My experience with a 1986 Charvel Model 6:
Over time, the Ferrari red body had deepened to a darker richer red, and the bright white neck binding had darkened to a vintage-ey cream color. But at this point the fretboard was shot. Finally took it in for some work.
And yesterday finally got it back, the guitar I've probably spent the most time on ( paired with what will from here on after be known as a pre-Gibson Mesa Boogie studio pre.)
Neck is like new now, Plek'td with stainless steel frets (so arguably better than new?
)
Rosewood + abalone inlays cleaned up real nice as well. Awesome!
Before:
After:
In the earlier part of the 34 years I'd owned it I really hadn't taken as good of care of it as I should have. In addition to allowing multiple dings, scratches and a few chips, I had lost the battery plate after taking it off one too many times as the thing 'goes through batteries like candy' if you leave it plugged in. I got a hold of a new battery cavity cover online and the holes didn't quite match up so I did the old "cram toothpicks in the existing holes and re-drill' trick. The screws provided were high round tops, so I hit the hardware store for some flat top wood screws so they'd flush mount.
While the cover had been missing I had managed to catch some of the wiring on something and yanked off a solder lead somewhere. Tracked that down in the rats nest of active preamp wiring in there and soldered it back today.
The licensed Floyd trem on these is often maligned as it only goes down, and it's made out of pot metal. But once I replaced the pot metal bar (which snapped off at one point) it's always been rock solid with tuning, and I am quite used to the more stable (to me) feel of the bridge only going down. (actually in my experience you can go up a half step pretty reliably but to a full step tuning does sometimes slip. I have the model 6 tuned down a half step as well) These primordial Floyd's take a little more effort to push down, unlike the new full floating one on the DK24 that moves with incredible ease. Not saying one is better than the other there either, just making an observation.
One thing though, that clamp at the nut on the DK is now directly over the nut, That's fine, but the edges are really sharp! Like when you reach down and yank it up by the neck off a stand. It can dig into your index finger palm knuckle bone big time.
The Model 6 is locked after the nut and while your hand may still rub against it, it has smoothly rounded edges.
Once I got the Model 6 back up to snuff it made for an interesting comparison between the two: the thru-neck rosewood neck and the maple bolt-on. They really compliment each other. The DK24 sounds great, strumming away on the 2020 sounded bright, mid-rangey and snappy acoustically compared to the fuller more hi-fi and even toned Model 6. Gush, fawn, laud...
Tried to buff out the paint a bit. Lookin sharp now and so nice to have it back in action!
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