The Charvel Fusion Series is one of the series to succeed the Charvel Model Series. This particular series featured guitars with a shorter scale (24.75"), dinky bodies and the toothpaste logo. Like the Charvel Classic, Contemporary and Professional Series the Charvel Fusion Series started production in 1989 and began with two models: The Charvel Fusion Deluxe and the Charvel Fusion Custom. The next year the series was expanded with the Charvel Fusion Plus and the Charvel Fusion Special.
The Charvel Fusion Deluxe has a distinct look because of the slanted pickup in the neck position. It resembles the Charvel Model 3DR and even more the Charvel Predator. These guitars all feature a slanted neck pickup and a "dinky" body. What differs from those other two guitars is the scale length of the Charvel Fusion Deluxe which has the shorter scale. The pickups of the Model 3DR are different than the other two guitars. I found out the slanted humbucker in the Fusion Deluxe and Predator guitars is a Jackson J-200R where the R stands for Rail (pickup). This humbucker is mentioned in the 1992 Charvel/Jackson catalog.
According to the 1989 Charvel Catalog the Charvel Fusion Custom is the same as the Charvel Fusion Deluxe but with the addition of a second blade pickup in the middle position. The headstock on the Custom matches the body and there's also an added tone knob but it didn't have the option for a maple fretboard.
The Charvel Fusion Special distinguishes itself by it's 3 single coil sized humbucking pickups of which 2 are slanted side by side in the bridge position. So it might look like the guitar has an HS pickup configuration, it's actually an H-HH configuration. it's similar to the 1990 Charvel 275 Deluxe which had the same pickup configuration but a longer neck scale and just 22 frets.
The two piece body of the Charvel Fusion Plus is made of ash and has a see-through finish. Together with the matching headstock it gives this guitar a unique look. Another anomaly within the Charvel universe is the fretboard with dot inlays that are placed between the E and A string. To top off the specs it has an HH pickup configuration.
