Charvel Guitars
  Stratocaster shaped Control area 1979 - 1980
This style route was used from 1979 to 1980 and is found on early pre-serialized Charvel guitars. The cover is made from a thick plastic and is attached to the body using 4 screws. The route shape is the same shape as the control area found under the pickguard of a Fender Stratocaster. In contrast to the route on the Fender Stratocaster which is front loaded and requires the use of a pickguard, these early Charvel routes were rear loaded and required no pickguard. This route can be made from the same tooling/template used to make the traditional Fender route by routing from the back of the guitar. These routes were recessed and the area/lip on which the cover sits is traced with black marker. Unlike the brass shield plate found inside later Charvel guitars, these early control cavities were shielded using a copper colored thin tape-like material. This is a rare control route shape and was used only in 1979 and 1980. To spot one, look for the brass colored shielding tape inside the cavity and a thick plastic cover attached with 4 screws.
  Triangular shaped Control area with plastic cover 1980 - early 1982
The triangle shaped control cavity is the most common control route shape found on serialized Charvel guitars. The early examples used thick black plastic covers attached to the body using 3 screws. The cover was recessed and once attached was flush with the body. The examples from 1980 to early 1981 used a copper colored shielding tape inside the cavity while examples from mid 1981 to early 1982 used a copper shield plate.
  Triangular shaped Control area with metal cover early 1982 - current
This is the most common control route found on Charvel guitars and is still used today. The covers were made from thin sheets of brushed aluminum and were attached using 3 screws. While the route shape did not change with time, the material from which the covers were made did, being plastic covers until late 1982ish and after that brushed aluminum Furthermore, the shielding material inside the cavity also changed with time, being copper colored tape-like material up to 1982, while later examples used a thin brass shield plate.
  Long thin rectangular shaped route
This route is most commonly found on later serialized Charvel V guitars. The route is long and skinny and is attached to the body using 2 screws. The covers were made from the same brushed aluminum material as the commonly found triangle shaped covers.
  Short thin rectangular shaped route
This route is the same width as the one above but is shorter in length. This style route was typical used to house the toggle switch control for Charvel Star and Explorer guitars that had the toggle switch located on the lower horn of the body. I also have seen this route used on some Charvel Teles which had the toggle switch located up on the top horn, a la a Les Paul. Some rarer uses of this route include being used to house the input jack on some Charvel V's and as a battery compartment on some EMG equipped Charvels.
  Large Routes - one off styles
Like everything else in Charvel land there are always one offs and exceptions to the general rule of thumb. I have only seen two examples (but assume others exist) that have larger control routes and covers. Both examples that I have seen were found on Strat style bodies, a red Kahler equipped Strat which had Les Paul style controls and George Lynch's Bengal. Both guitars had large half-moon shaped routes. These are exceptions and appear to be rare.
Charvel Bass guitars
 Large Half Moon shaped 1980 - 1982
This control shape is most commonly found on prepro and early serialized Charvel bass guitars. The thick black plastic covers were attached using 4 screws and are seated flush to the body.
 Small Half Moon shaped 1982
I have only seen a few examples of this smaller style bass route. The cover is attached using 3 screws and once attached the cover seats flush with the body.
 Triangular shaped Control area with metal cover early 1982 - current
This is an identical route to that found on Charvel guitars. The covers were made from the same material, brushed aluminum and attached with 3 screws.
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