Jeff Hannemans' soloist

[jo160]

This is the guitar that got me into Jacksons and it is definaty my "holy grail". I know its just a soloist with some stickers on it but i just think it looks badass. Anyway i baisicaly wanted to ask for and information or pictures you have of this guitar e.g. when it was made, what albums was it used on. I also heard that he recently had another made. is this true? Anything you have will be greatly appriciated. Thanks!

[neilli]

I have a feeling it's an 85 but I'm not totally sure. I think it's actually a graphic, but I guess it could be stickers under clearcoat. And I also heard that he'd had another couple made, but I doubt we'll ever see 'em...

[Jacksonguy666]

I had actually never seen that before. I saw things saying Jeff played a soloist, but I had never SEEN one before. It's pretty sick.

[toejam]

I believe at one point he had the behind-the-nut lock modified for a real Floyd nut. He said he sweats a lot on stage and used to keep having the electronics gutted and replaced because they'd get ruined, and then he eventually retired the guitar, but I think he's played it a couple times in recent years. He may even have more than one, but not too sure, since Kerry got him his ESP endorsement quite awhile ago.

[Grandturk]

That's the guitar on the cover of Decade of Agression. Smoked out, of course.

[jo160]

I have a feeling it's an 85 but I'm not totally sure. I think it's actually a graphic, but I guess it could be stickers under clearcoat. And I also heard that he'd had another couple made, but I doubt we'll ever see 'em...

Yeh i always thought it was a graphic but everything i've read about it describes it as "covered in stickers". By the way what makes you think 85? I'm not saying your wrong but the earliest i can find him using it is in 88 on some youtube videos. Sometime in the extremely distant future i would like to have a replica made but with all those designs on it and the no artist replica policy that seems pretty unlikely. You're very lucky to have that spitz turtles. Anyway thanks for the input everyone! Keep it coming.

[MartinBarre]

Is there a correlation between Slayer turning shit, and Jeff starting to use ESP instead of Jackson?

[jo160]

Is there a correlation between Slayer turning shit, and Jeff starting to use ESP instead of Jackson?

I thinks its a bit harsh to say theyre "turning shit". I think its more the sound and production thats making the recent stuff sound bad. The music itself isnt that bad. They're still amazing live and that alone is amazing considering they're age and the speed they play at As long as they still play the old stuff live, i dont mind what they put out on CDs. About ESP i think if Jeff wants to make money from endrsing and playing them then thats fine. He probably still plays jacksons at home.

[Spivonious]

I think the reason behind Slayer "turning to shit" is that they keep making the same album over and over, and they still cannot solo in tune even after all these years.

[Grandturk]

and they still cannot solo in tune even after all these years.

Isn't that the point, though?

[SlaytanicDude]

He first used the Soloist on Reign in Blood I believe, he retired his LP (his first main guitar) right before they recorded that album. There's also his Bich, but I dunno how much he used that.

[toejam]

That's the guitar on the cover of Decade of Agression. Smoked out, of course.

Yep. And there's pics in the booklet of it with and without a Floyd nut. So either he's got two, or it was modified and random live pics were thrown in.

[DonP]

Isn't that the point, though?

Yeah, they're slaying me

[neilli]

Yeh i always thought it was a graphic but everything i've read about it describes it as "covered in stickers". By the way what makes you think 85? I'm not saying your wrong but the earliest i can find him using it is in 88 on some youtube videos.

I guess I've always assumed that people think it's stickers because that's how it looks. But unless it was cleared, there's no way stickers would have held up for that many years of touring....
As for the age thing, to be honest, I'm not sure It's just the year that's in my head for it and the specs of the guitar fit with that era.

Sometime in the extremely distant future i would like to have a replica made but with all those designs on it and the no artist replica policy that seems pretty unlikely. You're very lucky to have that spitz turtles. Anyway thanks for the input everyone! Keep it coming.

Just get Jackson to build a soloist to those specs (or just find an original used one, though that'd be a shame unless it's beat) and then send it to Mike Learn or Dan Lawrence and get them to put the graphic on it.
And yeah, I just managed to get the order in for the Spitz replica. The ban on copyrighted images was in place and I managed to get that permission, but the artist replica thing hadn't come in yet.

Of course, if you can track Hanneman down, he might give that permission. And if they've built him a couple of new ones, they must be able to contact him. You never know 'til you ask....

[jo160]

I guess I've always assumed that people think it's stickers because that's how it looks. But unless it was cleared, there's no way stickers would have held up for that many years of touring....
As for the age thing, to be honest, I'm not sure It's just the year that's in my head for it and the specs of the guitar fit with that era.


Just get Jackson to build a soloist to those specs (or just find an original used one, though that'd be a shame unless it's beat) and then send it to Mike Learn or Dan Lawrence and get them to put the graphic on it.
And yeah, I just managed to get the order in for the Spitz replica. The ban on copyrighted images was in place and I managed to get that permission, but the artist replica thing hadn't come in yet.

Of course, if you can track Hanneman down, he might give that permission. And if they've built him a couple of new ones, they must be able to contact him. You never know 'til you ask....

You may be right about the date.

http://bbs.espguitars.com/showthread.php?t=24526

This guy seems to have bought a replica of it and says Jeffs was made in 85. I might make an acount on that forum so i can contact him.