Jackson Kelly's

[toejam]

Re: Jackson Kelly\'s

Originally posted by ranalli:
Also the reason why that custom Kelly above balances so well is that the body is covered in metal, makes it heavy in the body like a Les Paul.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">No, it really wouldn't make it much heavier. It's a thin piece of metal bolted on top of the body.

[Thoraby]

Re: Jackson Kelly\'s

So, the majority says that USA Kelly's balance just fine, and KingV1 says that they don't... More opinions? [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

[diablomozart]

Re: Jackson Kelly\'s

mine doesn't really nose dive...just kinda likes to hang straight across (horizontal)...doesn't really bother me though, i use a leather strap and play it standing up most of the time...not too much different than an old gibson explorer i once owned...d.m.

[Jim Shine]

Re: Jackson Kelly\'s

My Kelly is well balanced. It varies alot on the woods used. I have 3 V's and one is significantly heavier and unbalanced than the other two. The configuration of parts is identical to one of the lighter guitars.

[ranalli]

Re: Jackson Kelly\'s

It's not even so much the balancing as well. It's the position of the picking area. It's positioned much more to the left than other guitars...feels like you're stretching out to play the end of the neck. This is on my import anyways.

[Jim Shine]

Re: Jackson Kelly\'s

Originally posted by ranalli:
It's not even so much the balancing as well. It's the position of the picking area. It's positioned much more to the left than other guitars...feels like you're stretching out to play the end of the neck. This is on my import anyways.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You know, I did notice that 24 fret models do look like they are shifted to the left. They must have done that to retain the shape while adding extra frets. Playing my Kelly feels just like I am playing a Rhoads, but with more body.

[Steve]

Re: Jackson Kelly\'s

how the hell are you dudes holding these guitars ? your forearm should be resting on the upper wing , unless your holding it like a strat and how the hell you play it like that beats me [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] any odd shape doesn't balance perfect it's no possible man but all of em are made to rest your forearm on the upper wing of all of em . maybe stick to strat style guitars [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] cause if your looking for something that dosen't nose dive thats all that will work , or a big leather strap [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] //Steve

[ranalli]

Re: Jackson Kelly\'s

Originally posted by Steve:
how the hell are you dudes holding these guitars ? your forearm should be resting on the upper wing , unless your holding it like a strat and how the hell you play it like that beats me [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] any odd shape doesn't balance perfect it's no possible man but all of em are made to rest your forearm on the upper wing of all of em . maybe stick to strat style guitars [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] cause if your looking for something that dosen't nose dive thats all that will work , or a big leather strap [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] //Steve

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Like I said before. It balances PERFECT if I move the strap holes but I wouldnt' want to drill into a $1200 USA guitar. Jackson should think this stuff out ahead of time, that's all I'm saying. Other than that the Kelly is a great guitar...no complaints.

[Newc]

Re: Jackson Kelly\'s

Most guitars are still made with the mindset of "proper posture" when sitting in a chair - back straight, guitar over your picking-hand leg (right leg for righties) and the neck out straight to the side like a folk guitarist who only strums.
This includes Gibson Les Pauls, SGs, Firebirds, Jackson Vs and Kellys.
Times of course have changed and if you wear the guitar under your chin with the neck going straight out to the side you will look like a complete dork (see most country players, and that bassist from Hall & Oates).

What's needed here is not getting used to pushing down on the back of the body with your picking arm (which can cause shoulder cramps), but rather a rethinking of the body designs. Yes you can use a leather strap. I have used one. It does cause my shoulder to cramp up because the guitar still wants to level out or point at the ground, but it's pulling against my shoulder. This is a design problem, not with me, but with the guitar. I know there are quite a few people here who swear their USA or Import neckthrough Kelly doesn't level out or dive with even the slipperiest of straps, but quite frankly, they are in the minority from what I've seen (Sorry Joe, but you're a minority, so maybe you can get Federal Funding [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] )

The Kelly actually has 2 problems - one being the balance issue, and the other being the position of the bridge compared to other guitars. This is also true with the Gibson Explorer. Due to the rear strap pin being in the middle of the body, and the rear of the body being sloped, the whole thing is pushed toward the headstock, which means the bridge is now on the other side of your navel, which unless you spent all your time learning on such a model, is basically uncomfortable for your picking hand to reach across your body to get to the bridge.
Raising the strap pin to the upper point of the rear bout will move the bridge back to where it belongs.
Yes you can lean yourself over to compensate for both the bad balance and the bridge location, but that's detrimental to your spine, which is far more important than keeping a painted piece of wood in mint condition.

As for the body leaning forward, that is also a result of the strap pin being in the wrong place on the back of the guitar, probably too far from the edge. I would not recommend putting a strap pin on the very edge of the body like a Les Paul, as the strap will try to straighten itself and cause the guitar to level out. I been there, I done that. I put the strap pin of my Explorer on the heel itself, and it's not in the way.

Something you may want to try is putting the front strap pin in the center of the body, almost behind the neck pickup. This sounds odd, but the JCF01 Rhoads is done that way, and surprise, it doesn't level out like I thought it would, even with a nylon/seatbelt strap. It's still a heavy fugger and I keep a wide leather strap on it (to get thet "Randy" vibe [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] ) but I did try it with a regular nylon strap and it stayed put.

Newc

[Cerastine Order]

Re: Jackson Kelly\'s

the diamond plating isn't all that thick, to emphasize what toejam said.

It's also no really all that heavy, it's actually about as heavy if not a teensie bit lighter than an SL2H

no problems at all with nose diving or anything, but I do use like a 3" leather strap, not SRV material but close [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

...man I just love playing that Kelly.....