I've wanted one of these ever since I saw the original Charvels on a wall in Denmark street. I came close to buying one but didn't really have the cash. Nowadays they're a collectable cult classic.
This is one of the slightly later Jackson models with combination bridge/tail and a bridge humbucker. Much though an original Charvel would be the 'better' thing to have I reckon this is more suited to me. I dislike non-locking tremolos and a bridge humbucker is more rock.
It might not be an original Charvel but it is at least not one of the nasty Indian made solid body SC-4 Surfcasters. What were Jackson thinking.
In play it's not quite got the shredder neck my Rhoads has but it's definitely of the thin & flat variety. The sound is nicely clear and bright without being shrill. The neck lipstick pickup is particularly nice clean.
I'm not a big fan of fixed intonation bridges but the one on this seems to be set about right once I'd cleaned it and set it up. I've managed to pick up a Gotoh 510U intonable bridge fairly cheaply which I'll try on it later.
I'm really chewing through my 'guitars to own before I die' list, the Surfcaster was one of the last. It's kind of getting down to a JEM and a Steinberger now.
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