Industry Jul 24, 2026
Wayne Charvel, Guitar Pioneer, Dies at 85
The Charvel founder and legendary custom builder for guitar's biggest names has died, aged 85
Originally published by
MusicRadar
Wayne Charvel, the founder of Charvel guitars and a pioneer of the Superstrat, has passed away at the age of 85. He was known for building custom guitars for notable musicians such as Deep Purple, ZZ Top, and Eddie Van Halen, and is credited with initiating the hot-rod guitar modification trend. Originally reported by MusicRadar.