Charvel traces its origins to 1974, when Wayne Charvel opened a guitar repair and parts shop in Azusa, California. After Grover Jackson purchased the business in 1978, the company shifted toward building complete instruments, pioneering what became known as the "superstrat" — a Stratocaster-style body mated with high-output humbucking pickups, locking tremolo systems, and neck profiles optimized for speed. These instruments found an immediate audience among the hard rock and heavy metal guitarists who defined the early 1980s Southern California scene, with players like Eddie Van Halen, Warren DeMartini of Ratt, Jake E. Lee, and George Lynch of Dokken adopting Charvel guitars during that era.

The brand's San Dimas, California production facility gave its name to one of Charvel's most enduring model lines. The San Dimas and So-Cal Style 1 remain flagship designs, built around compound-radius fingerboards, graphite-reinforced necks, and versatile pickup configurations suited to technically demanding playing. Alongside the hard rock staples, Charvel has also produced the Surfcaster, a semi-hollow offset-body guitar that extended the brand's range into more vintage-flavored territory.

Fender acquired Charvel as part of its 2002 purchase of Jackson Guitars' parent company, reviving USA-made production and expanding the artist signature program. Contemporary signature artists include Guthrie Govan, Joe Duplantier of Gojira, Warren DeMartini, and Satchel of Steel Panther. The lineup spans USA Custom Shop instruments through the accessible Pro-Mod series, covering a wide range of players drawn to Charvel's performance-oriented heritage.

Charvel has 286 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Solid Body Electric Guitars, Electric Basses, and Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitars. Their gear is featured by 178 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Metal, and Pop. Notable users include Derek Jones, Jim Root, and Chris Brooks. Charvel's catalog spans the full price spectrum — from entry-level options to high-end flagships.