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
  • Easy Lover
  • Yes
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Music theory tricks
  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 Pro Plus Misha Mansoor Juggernaut ET8
Artists Misha Mansoor’s Evertune-equipped 8-string might be the heaviest signature Jackson of all time
 
 
Jackson Pro Series Wes Borland King V
Artists Limp Bizkit’s Wes Borland unveils his first-ever Jackson signature guitar
 
 
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
 
 
EVH Gear Wolfgang Special Baked Maple: the high-performance electrics are refreshed with baked maple necks, TOM bridges and Floyd Rose vibratos
Guitars Eddie Van Halen-approved baked maple necks? Check. Flagship pickups? Check. EVH Gear unveils stunning refresh of the Wolfgang Special
 
 
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
 
 
Latest in Guitars
MusicRadar Guitar Gear Round-up July 2026
Guitars MusicRadar’s July 2026 guitar gear roundup: featuring Orange Amps, Harley Benton, Epiphone and more
 
 
Mastodon pictured after performing on Late Night with Seth Meyers in 2021 [L-R]: Brent Hinds, Troy Sanders, Brann Dailor, and Bill Kelliher.
Artists Mastodon's Brann Dailor and Troy Sanders on their complicated relationship with the late Brent Hinds
 
 
Tony Iommi sits at an old table and contemplates his guitar.
Artists Hear Tony Iommi's new single World Alone as the Black Sabbath icon announces his solo album
 
 
Harley Benton Aged Series
Guitars Harley Benton is making hand-aged relic'd guitars for under 250 bucks
 
 
MXR Textures Granular Synth Pedal
Guitars Introducing Textures, the granular synth pedal from MXR that dreamy ambient tones are made of
 
 
Kirk Hammett plays a Jackson Rhoads [left]; Peter Green with the Les Paul that Hammett would eventually own.
Artists “That song has so much voodoo in it”: Kirk Hammett on the Fleetwood Mac classic that defines heavy music
 
 
Latest in News
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 18: Steve Hackett performs at Fox Theater on November 18, 2025 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Steve Jennings/Getty Images)
Guitarists “I would even play harmonica or do a walk on”: Steve Hackett is still open to a hypothetical Genesis reunion
 
 
Richie Sambora performs onstage at the 33rd Annual Race to Erase MS Gala held at Fairmont Century Plaza on June 05, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Variety via Getty Images)
Guitarists Richie Sambora offers some eyebrow-raising advice to aspiring guitarists
 
 
sub bass speakers
Samples SampleRadar: 473 free sub bass samples
 
 
(MANDATORY CREDIT Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images) Duran Duran at photo studio in Tokyo, May 2, 1982. (Photo by Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images)
Artists “Mick said ‘You know you really do need to stick together'”: How Jagger stopped Duran Duran from splitting
 
 
HOLLYWOOD, CA - APRIL 11:  (L-R) Musicians Chris Cornell, Matt Cameron, Kim Thayil and Ben Shepherd of Soundgarden attend the premiere of Marvel Studios' "Marvel's The Avengers" held at the El Capitan Theatre on April 11, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
Bands Drummer Matt Cameron confirms that a final Soundgarden album is currently being mixed
 
 
MusicRadar Guitar Gear Round-up July 2026
Guitars MusicRadar’s July 2026 guitar gear roundup: featuring Orange Amps, Harley Benton, Epiphone and more
 
 

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...