Charvel launches an EMG-loaded, progressive player’s dream of a signature model for James LaBrie guitarist Marco Sfogli

First trailed back in June, Charvel has now officially launched Marco Sfogli’s signature guitar, the – word salad alert – Marco Sfogli Signature Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 1 HSS FR CM QM.

Former Ibanez signature artist Sfogli is the Italian virtuoso behind prog-metal outfits PFM and Icefish, not to mention guitarist for Dream Theater vocalist James LaBrie, and he’s spec’d his instrument accordingly, with performance the number-one priority.

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To that end, the guitar’s alder body features a scalloped lower back bout and sculpted shredder’s cut heel, allowing uncompromised access to the graphite-reinforced maple neck and fingerboard, which comes with a 12”-16” compound radius.

Of course, the body also comes capped with quilted maple finished in a succulent Transparent Purple Burst, topped off by a black pickguard and Strat-style knobs.

All of which makes the addition of the classic EMG SA/89 HSS configuration all the more stealthy. It’s more evidence of the company’s renewed interest in active pickups, which – along with Jim Root and Phil Sgrosso’s models – have featured on three Charvel signatures this year.

Additional tonal options come via a push/pull tone control for the bridge pickup, while a master volume and five-way pickup selector come as standard.

Floyd Rose’s 1000 Series double-locking tremolo also crops up for whammy thrills, while other neat touches include rolled fingerboard edges, Luminlay side dots and a heel-mount truss rod adjustment wheel.

All in all, Sfogli’s take on the So-Cal looks to be a well-tooled, versatile design for metal through to mellower progressive moments – lest we forget that EMG SAs are David Gilmour’s active pickups of choice.

The – all together now – Marco Sfogli Signature Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 1 HSS FR CM QM is available now for $1,599. See Charvel Guitars for more info.

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