Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
More
  • "She knew what she'd created": Back to Black
  • Trower's '80s supergroup
  • Music theory tricks
  • Stage Tour game
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Guitars

NAMM 2014: Charvel Guthrie Govan Signature launched

News
By Rob Power
Published 23 January 2014

Long-awaited Govan guitar makes its debut

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

NAMM 2014: Charvel Guthrie Govan Signature launched

NAMM 2014: Charvel Guthrie Govan Signature launched

NAMM 2014: The Charvel Guthrie Govan Signature has made its debut at NAMM.

The long-awaited signature model, which has been in development for some time, put in an appearance at the Charvel stand in Anaheim, and we were there to see it.

Having been through various permutations and vigorous road testing by the man himself, the final model appears to be identical to the prototype Govan demonstrated on the Charvel site back in September.

Click through the gallery for more pics and specs...

For more information visit the official Charvel website.

Page 1 of 5
Page 1 of 5
Charvel Guthrie Govan signature full shot

Charvel Guthrie Govan signature full shot

As revealed by Guthrie himself, his Charvel signature has a basswood body with a birdseye maple or flame top, both of which look particularly tasty under the stand lights.

It also features a graphite-reinforced 'cooked' maple neck, with locking tuners and a bone nut.

Page 2 of 5
Page 2 of 5
Charvel Guthrie Govan Signature - pickups

Charvel Guthrie Govan Signature - pickups

Featuring a H-S-H configuration, the Govan Charvel has a set of brown Fender Custom Shop pickups designed by Michael Frank Brown.

Page 3 of 5
Page 3 of 5
Charvel Guthrie Govan Signature - on the stand

Charvel Guthrie Govan Signature - on the stand

The neck sports custom fret markers that were designed by Govan to cope with any type of stage lighting set-up.

The maple neck also has 24 frets and jumbo frets, as preferred by the man himself.

Page 4 of 5
Page 4 of 5
Charvel Guthrie Govan Signature - hardware

Charvel Guthrie Govan Signature - hardware

The hardware on the Govan Charvel is particularly interesting: first up, it sports an old school Floyd Rose that lacks fine tuners and doesn't lock at the nut.

The bridge is essentially floating, and with the aid of a Tremel-No (find out more about the company that builds these little devices) is essentially able to turn his trem on or off, an undoubtedly handy addition.

Page 5 of 5
Page 5 of 5
Rob Power
Read more
Charvel's Neo-Classic Series offers the San Dimas Style 1 with and without a Floyd Rose, with finishes including Robin's Egg Blue, Ivory Blitz, Gloss Black, Velvet Midnight and Racing Red
Guitars Dweezil Zappa shredding in a skate park? That must be Charvel’s all-new American Neo-Classic Series
 
 
Jackson and Charvel Sleep Token Signature Models: the Jackson Monarkh and Charvel Pro-Mod San Dimas Bass V are designed for low-end metal riffing.
Artists Jackson and Charvel’s Sleep Token signature models are officially here – and are officially kind of insane
 
 
MusicRadar monthly guitar gear roundup, ft. Lzzy Hale's signature Epiphone Explorer Custom, plus new gear from Hotone, Gibson, JHS Pedals, Death By Audio and more
Guitars “His effects are bonkers in the best way possible”: The MusicRadar guitar gear roundup Aug 2026 edit
 
 
MusicRadar Guitar Gear Round-up June 2026
Guitars MusicRadar’s epic guitar gear round-up: June ’26 edit, ft. EHX, PRS, Fender’s mega-launch and more
 
 
Brandon Ellis demos his signature Jackson Kelly in Gold Crackle
Artists Jackson and Brandon Ellis unveil a top-tier 27-fret Kelly that's designed especially for metal solos
 
 
MusicRadar Guitar Gear Round-up July 2026
Guitars MusicRadar’s July 2026 guitar gear roundup: featuring Orange Amps, Harley Benton, Epiphone and more
 
 
Latest in Guitars
Walrus Audio Lüm Texture Engine
Guitar Pedals “Forget Interstellar, if you want to know what being sucked into a black hole might sound like, this is the pedal for you”: Walrus Audio Lüm Texture Engine review
 
 
Harley Benton JB-62HA
Bass Guitars “Its build quality is miles ahead of any other new instrument at this price”: Harley Benton JB-62HA review
 
 
Ibanez Axe Design Lab Iceman ICMS721
Guitars Ibanez just weaponised the Iceman for metal and refreshed a bunch of its flagship signature models
 
 
Tone3000 plugin offers NAM A2 support on your desktop and can be used as a standalone app or in your DAW.
Guitars Tone3000 launches a free open-source plugin for accessing its mammoth library of NAM A2 captures
 
 
Miley Cyrus
Artists As she rocks out with a black Fender Strat, here’s what Miley has said about playing guitar
 
 
George Michael plays his Gretsch Synchromatic 160 onstage during his debut solo tour in 1988.
Artists George Michael’s ‘Faith’ guitar heads to auction and you won’t find a 1940s Gretsch with more ‘80s mojo
 
 
Latest in News
The Who featuring Zak Starkey
Drummers “We did a rehearsal recently, and Zak was the drummer”: Could Starkey rejoin The Who?
 
 
Prince during Prince "Musicology" Tour Hits United States - "Schools In" at El Rey Theater in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by M. Caulfield/WireImage)
Artists "Not everyone will agree": Prince estate clarifies that a newly-released song does feature overdubs
 
 
Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon as Tom and Jerry pose for a portrait circa 1957
Singers & Songwriters “We were very young, learning to produce”: Art Garfunkel remembers how he and Paul Simon started their recording career
 
 
george harrison
Recording "He said, ‘Oh, no – I can’t do that. Nobody’s ever played on a Beatles’ record": The theory behind While My Guitar Gently Weeps
 
 
casio
Samples This free Casio SK-1 sample pack will remind you why everybody loves this miniature lo-fi legend
 
 
Stella Lefty performs at the Whiskey Jam Country CAA Takeover at Skydeck on Broadway on June 03, 2026
Singers & Songwriters Stella Lefty faces more accusations of plagiarism in a Long Way Home album track
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...