This week, we look at the life of Wayne Charvel, the ‘godfather’ of the Superstrat, who passed away earlier this month. Next, we look at the brand new Morley Cliff Burton Power Wah Boost pedal, based on his original ’70s Tel-Ray model. Finally, I had to talk about William Shatner’s Riot Fest Rider, as it makes Van Halen’s rider look tame in comparison!
Guitar Journal
Wayne Charvel: July 1, 1941 – July 12, 2026
Wayne Richard Charvel, the pioneering luthier and founder of Charvel Guitars whose hot-rodded guitar designs helped define the sound and look of hard rock and heavy metal, passed away on July 12, 2026, at the age of 85.
His client list included Eddie Van Halen, Warren DeMartini, Jake E. Lee, Richie Sambora, and Paul Gilbert. His work has been seen on stages (and in music videos) across the globe, and his designs are legendary.
Superstrat
Born on July 1, 1941, Charvel spent over five decades at the forefront of electric guitar design and innovation. Starting as a repairman and builder in Southern California during the 1970s, he initially gained renown by upgrading and modifying Fender-style instruments for prominent local musicians.
His shop quickly became a hotspot for players seeking high-performance neck profiles, custom paint jobs, modified pickups, and improved hardware, laying the groundwork for what would become known as the “Superstrat.”
Though Charvel sold the original Charvel Guitar Repair shop to Grover Jackson in 1978, his name remained synonymous with high-grade, high-performance instruments.
Wayne Guitars
Throughout his career, he continued building custom guitars under several names, including WRC Guitars and Wayne Guitars, which he operated alongside his son Michael. Instruments crafted or inspired by his work were embraced by countless iconic guitarists across the 1980s rock boom and beyond.
Everyone I know who has ever dealt with Wayne has always told me how genuinely fantastic a person he was. I’ve only ever heard positive things about Mr Charvel. He was a genius, and musicians trusted him to sprinkle some of his magic onto their guitars. He will be missed by many, myself included.
Wayne Charvel’s impact on the guitar world was immeasurable, and his distinct body of work lives on now in the hands of musicians across the planet.
Charvel is now owned by Fender, and his original designs live on through this now global guitar brand; they are available at Thomann, and you can thank Wayne Charvel for giving us all access to these designs.
Cliff Burton Power Wah Boost
Morley has officially resurrected one of the most legendary bass effects pedals in Thrash Metal history: the Morley Cliff Burton Power Wah Boost. This new Tel-Ray Revival model offers a faithful recreation of the classic 1970s unit used by the late, legendary Metallica bassist.
Ride The Lightning!
Burton famously relied on two original Morley Power Wah Boosts to forge his blistering lead bass style, and pairing this recreated classic with a bass like his signature Aria Pro II SB-CLB brings players closer than ever to those classic Kill ‘Em All and Ride the Lightning tones.
I have distinct memories of hearing Anaesthesia (Pulling Teeth) when that first album dropped, and we all freaked out after he says, “Bass Solo, Take One…” Well, this new pedal should get you closer to those wah sweeps on that track.
Modern, Retro, Updated
While the pedal faithfully recreates that high-octane vintage voicing, it comes packed with practical modern upgrades designed for today’s musicians.
The most notable improvement is the addition of independent dual footswitches. Unlike the 1970s original, players can now engage the wah and boost circuits separately or stack them together for the full, saturated Tel-Ray experience.
The switchable boost section provides up to a massive 40dB of clean boost, perfect for pushing tube amps into natural overdrive, extending solo sustain, or ensuring a bass line cuts cleanly through a dense mix.
Tel-Ray
Reliability has also received a major upgrade thanks to Morley’s electro-optical technology. By eliminating traditional potentiometers, the pedal avoids scratchy pot noise and mechanical wear, guaranteeing a smooth, consistent sweep gig after gig.
The unit stays visually true to its roots with a heavy-duty cold-rolled steel housing, a stunning chrome treadle and base, vintage-style Tel-Ray graphics, and a convenient glow-in-the-dark treadle grip.
Though optimised for the low-end frequencies of bass, this versatile reissue performs just as brilliantly with electric guitars and keyboards.
This new one doesn’t rely on a mains lead hanging out the side, plus it should be a lot less hassle than 50-year-old technology, but still get you closer to Burton’s bass tones.
It is available now at Thomann, priced at $309/£282/€325.
William Shatner’s Outrageous Riot Fest Rider
William Shatner (forever Captain Kirk in my head) is officially bringing the heavy metal to Chicago’s Riot Fest this September, and he’s bringing an astronomical list of backstage demands with him. I actually thought it was made up when I saw the rider over the weekend, but apparently it is totally legit (Shatner, you Legend!).
“After years of persistently — and perhaps annoyingly — writing letters to William Shatner about performing at Riot Fest, it appears that he was finally compelled,” said Riot Fest co-founder Mike Petryshyn. “I for one cannot wait to see Shatner get heavy. But that Shatner Rider… wasn’t expecting that today.”
Shatner’s Shag Shack
The 95-year-old cultural icon, who is set to headline the festival’s Sunday lineup on September 20 alongside a metal backing band featuring members of Nuclear Messiah, has submitted a tour rider that puts classic rock excess to shame.
Among the standout requests on the legendary actor’s list:
Naval Authority: Having a boat renamed in his honour so he can captain a ship, along with an invitation to sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” at a Chicago Cubs game.
Sci-Fi & Metal Upgrades: Being ferried around the festival grounds in a DeLorean instead of a standard golf cart, accompanied by an exclusive stage intro video created by shock-rockers GWAR.
Backstage Hospitality: Dressing room designated officially as “Shatner’s Shag Shack,” stocked with four feet of Polish sausage, eight pallets of Faygo (specifically barred from being shared with Insane Clown Posse), a Montreal Canadiens hockey sweater autographed by John Stamos, and a selection of adoptable puppies.
Rob Halford & Mikkey Dee
Shatner’s appearance comes as he continues work on an upcoming heavy metal record for Cleopatra Records, featuring high-profile collaborations with metal royalty including Judas Priest’s Rob Halford and Scorpions/Motörhead drummer Mikkey Dee.
His new band’s debut is at Riot Fest, and they are called, wait for it… The *uckers. A slight change in style from his classic Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds cover.
The post Guitar Journal: Wayne Charvel Pioneer of the ‘Superstrat’ Dies appeared first on gearnews.com.