Help a newbie!

[de Melo]

Hello, fellows!

I am a newcomer to Jackson...

I play guitar in a classic rock band and never really had any interest in playing modern music (by modern I mean anything composed after 1985), although I like all kinds of rock. My main guitar is a Fender Strat and I also got one SG...

Now we are into putting a heavy metal repertoire together and I am really interested in buying a Jackson, I always liked the design and the style over Ibanez, ESP and others...

In a sum, I know little or nothing about Jacksons, but I really dig the Dinky.

So: is it a good guitar for studio and stage, or is it more of a "second line" guitar, like an Epiphone or Squier? Are there any artists playing Dinkies?

I would much appreciate any feedback, guys!


P.S. I am asking this out of lack of experience, I am no corksniffer for guitars...

Glad I joined this place!

[DesolationBlvd]

There are Dinkies at all levels of the range - JS, X, Pro, USA, and Custom Shop.

JS and X series is Jackson's Squier, while Pro Dinkies are made in Mexico alongside MIM Strats.

[Mudlark]

Yep, huge number of Dinky models over the years of all price ranges.
I honestly can't name a pro level Dinky player off the top of my head, though I know there's been many.

Def Leppard's Phil Collen plays a Dinky.

[guitardudeluke]

didnt jeff haneman play a dk1

[pianoguyy]

An easy way to think of it is:

Soloist models are the neck thru models.
Dinky models are the bolt ons.


And to answer the main question --- are they any good?
The good ones (the non squier lines, lol) are tremendous guitars.

If they weren't, I don't think too many of us would be here on this site --- if the site even existed. Many of us have been Jackson owner's for 30+ years. I don't know too people that brag about owning an ESP for 30 years. I don't know too many people that are even interested in 30 year old ESP guitars the way they are Jackson. And except for a few specific models, the same can be said for Ibanez - no one wants old Ibanez guitars.
Jackson, for lack of a better term, is the modern day equivalent of Fender and Gibson.

[Force]

If you're use to your strat & SG, most Jacksons will take some getting use to. They're more streamlined eg: thinner necks.

As piano said, if they weren't good, we wouldn't be here. Some prefer a wafer thin neck like Ibanez, others like holding baseball bats like Gibson. Jackson are generally in the middle, some have some meat, others can be quite thin.

If you have the cash, a USA or Custom is the holy grail of shred machines but don't let the snobbery turn you off even the bottom range JS, the latest models are quite amazing at such a basement price.

I'd recommend hunting down a used Japanese model, like a DK2, DXMG, DKMG or if you want something recent, look at the new SLX Soloist, for around $500-600, they're awesome too.

[Larz]

What is your budget here?

[de Melo]

Thanks for the answers so far.

Well, I am in fact quite used to my American Standard Strat's neck.

But that is not really a problem, I can get along just fine with most any necks. As a matter of fact, the only thing that bothers me is the SG neck placement, makes it feel like the neck is too long. Not gonna have such a problem with a superstrat.

As for budget, I don't really feel like paying the wazoo for another guitar, as I got some good ones and I ain't a pro metal player, our bread and butter is classic rock.


Thing is: I live in a country where US made guitars aren't cheap, they cost approximately 3x what they cost in America, and are not as easy to find unless you live in the biggest cities... Most Jacksons available are JS series.

Like I said, I am no corksniffer, I'll take a JS along onstage if it plays and sounds good enough...

Are the pickups in those any good? What about playability?

[toejam]

didnt jeff haneman play a dk1

No, that was a Soloist.

[DarkkWarriorr]

Like I said, I am no corksniffer, I'll take a JS along onstage if it plays and sounds good enough...

Are the pickups in those any good? What about playability?

I don't own a JS series yet, but I keep hearing the hardware especially the tuners and the electronics are somehow subpar. I'd recommend upgrading to the X series, trust me it's worth the extra cash especially if you like to own a neck thru quality guitar without going the USA route.

[DarkkWarriorr]

There are Dinkies at all levels of the range - JS, X, Pro, USA, and Custom Shop.

JS and X series is Jackson's Squier, while Pro Dinkies are made in Mexico alongside MIM Strats.

The JS perhaps, but the latest X series are Japanese quality like just made in Indonesia. Remember also before the Japanese factory was closed, most of the X series were manufactured over there.
The main difference I would say is a lot of the Alder guitars were replaced with Basswood, but the quality of the hardware, the fit and the finish are almost the same, if not better in some cases.

[pianoguyy]

Without throwing the imports under the bus...
When someone is coming from Fender, and is specifically asking if something is a 'second line' like Squier --- There is no reason to be pointing him to the $200 lines.
He didn't ask about how things compared to Fender MIM, he asked about Fender vs Squier. Telling him to buy an X or JS is the same as sending him to buy Squier. And, I can't see how, from a quality perspective, that Jackson would gain a new fan if his only comparing factions are - Fender USA vs Jackson X.

[Vass]

I have to ask, what sort of metal are we talking here? If you're a fender guy the pro mods from Charvel could work too.

That said, given the price that USA go for where you are, consider DK2's (the older MIJ versions) or, if you have more to spend, the old Japanese professional line... Specifically the Pro and XL models.

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

don't know too many people that are even interested in 30 year old ESP guitars the way they are Jackson. And except for a few specific models, the same can be said for Ibanez - no one wants old Ibanez guitars.

You're delusional....lots of happy ESP collectors & Ibanez collectors quite interested in those guitars....they're quite collectable nowadays....

[pianoguyy]

You're delusional....lots of happy ESP collectors & Ibanez collectors quite interested in those guitars....they're quite collectable nowadays....

None that I know. That doesn't mean they don't exist. It just means that I haven't met them.
ESP = 0
Ibanez = a few specific models, not the entire brand