Jackson's new website and forum

[SLY]

I wouldn't mind that much about basswood. I have a Ibanez RG7 620 with basswood body, and the sound is incredibly flat compared to my 1996 Dinky Xl with a basswood body. I also have a mahogany RG prestige that also sounds flat compared to my SLS3. Whatever wood Jackson use, it will always have the "balls" factor!

[Rich#6]

I believe the the PDX demo x series is made in indiaSo even thought they moved all the the rest of the x series to Japan I wouldn't count on these being made in Japan.
I doubt any guitars had the trem pulled out because of the wood. Probably the holes were drilled too big for the screws.

[RobRR]

I personally really like basswood, and this thread is the first Im EVER hearing of trem claws pulling out... definite news to me.

[markD]

having played ibanez through the 80's and early 90's, basswood is ok with me. to my ears, basswood sounds better with dimarzios than duncans, but that could just be an ibanez thing. i am after one of these X-series soloists, so i will have to see if they are similar in tone to an ibanez....

[Rich#6]

If we talk about basswood sucking because of Ibanez's here's what I have found from my experience. If your guitar have powersound pickups which are in many many older models, they suck big time. The pots are crap too. I had those pickups in another guitar and they sounded a little better but they are low output and sound like shit. the pots are made from the worst pot metal too. EVH Steve Vai, John Petrucci all use basswood in their signature guitars. Need I say more???

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I said probably because I have no proof. Otherwise don't you think I might have used a more concrete explanation? I have not read anything about this happening to charvels, or japanese made ibanezs. But I have read numerous complaints of this happening to lower end basswood ibanez guitars. Can you come up with a better theory of why that is?

The holes are drilled too big, because it's a pain in the ass to screw tremolo spring claw screws in the first time when you drill them the right size.

[guitardudeluke]

preety sweet looking guitars ands its about time id say for the update etc

[guitardudeluke]

hopefully the pro series will have a bit of an update next maybe have the rr3 a neck thru and the ke3 maybe reintroduce the kv3

[pro-fusion]

You guys going on about the basswood thing realize that most of the X series have maple neckthru sections, right? Only the body wings are basswood, and the wood type of the wings is of secondary importance on a neckthru. Most of the tone comes from the neckthru section, and that's where the bridge screws are located. Basswood wings might make a slight tonal difference, giving slightly less high end than alder, but it won't be enough to make a difference unless you have Eric Johnson ears. It's more important that the lumber used for the neckthru section be of high quality, and I'm sure that's where the problems will be, along with the extensive use of filler etc.

As for the trem studs in basswood bodies, it's always going to be an issue for older guitars where the trem gets used a lot. Even in old Japanese Charvels. Screw holes in basswood strip very easily, regardless of the quality of the individual piece of lumber. Ibanez used to use locking studs to ensure that they didn't move around and slowly strip the holes, but they cheapened out about ten years ago and stopped doing that. I've seen old basswood Charvels where the stud screws were loose.

[Flatpicker]

to my ears, basswood sounds better with dimarzios than duncans,

I've noticed that too. DiMarzio seems to shine with basswood.

[Sephiroth]

having played ibanez through the 80's and early 90's, basswood is ok with me. to my ears, basswood sounds better with dimarzios than duncans, but that could just be an ibanez thing. i am after one of these X-series soloists, so i will have to see if they are similar in tone to an ibanez....

That's one of the reasons why I am putting X2N's in the RRXT when it comes out (well that and you can get Dimarzios in different colors and I'm gonna drop in green ones in the RRXT in black with green edges).


I HOPE Jackson put in the right pots to soften the brightness a bit for those who don't plan on pup swaps.


and when do these come out?

You guys going on about the basswood thing realize that most of the X series have maple neckthru sections, right? .................

Judging by the descriptions they're more than likely set-through than a true neck-through.

[toejam]

EVH Steve Vai, John Petrucci all use basswood in their signature guitars. Need I say more???

And Steve Morse! I've never been a big fan of the (b)asswood tone personally, or how it dents easily, but my old Ibanez RG7260 7-string was pretty decent.

[toejam]

Strangely enough with a name like basswood, they were ridiculously bright and thin/brittle sounding.

It's not pronounced BASEwood. It's like the fish... ass with a B in front of it.

[Sephiroth]

EVH Steve Vai, John Petrucci all use basswood in their signature guitars. Need I say more???

Some of Vai's Gems are alder, EVH's crrent guitar does have basswood but also has a true maple cap that adds strength, and most of Petrucci's Ernie Balls have mahogany or alder bodies

[pro-fusion]

Judging by the descriptions they're more than likely set-through than a true neck-through.

That would kind of suck with a basswood body. The description is a little weasely, I agree, since it's slightly different than the "neck-thru-body" term used for the SL1 on the new site. That could just be copy written at different times by different people, though. We probably won't know for sure until Jackson releases photos of the back of the natural finish versions, or someone actually gets their hands on one.