Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden), white Jackson pointy Strat, HS pickups, dragon graphic?

[Number Of The Priest]

So, I'm browsing Jackson's Archived Catalogs page (https://www.jacksonguitars.com/suppo...hived-catalogs), enjoying the eye candy and history.

On page 8 of 10 of the PDF of the 1989 catalog (https://assets.contentful.com/4jcppg...89-catalog.pdf), we see the below image of Adrian Smith and a guitar I've never seen before. This stood out to me because I don't recall him ever playing guitars with graphics.

Sorry for the poor image quality, but from what I can discern, it looks like it has a bound neck/fretboard with pearl sharkfins, HS pickup configuration, Floyd Rose, and possibly a dragon graphic? Can't see what controls he has because the knobs are obfuscated by the graphic (and poor image quality ). Anyone know anything more?

Just guessing, based on his appearance and hairstyle, that this photo probably dates around 1988-89, and was possibly taken on the Seventh Tour of a Seventh Tour.



EDIT: Since I'm on the subject of Adrian's "lesser known" 80s Jackson guitars, here's another I've never seen before. Black Jackson Strathead Strat with one humbucker and a chrome Floyd. In the Wasted Years video, he plays a black Charvel Strathead Strat that is otherwise identical, save for the headstock logo. Perhaps it's the same body, but he swapped the Charvel neck with a Jackson one? Or possibly replaced the Charvel logo with a Jackson one? First photo below is the mystery Jackson, second photo below is the Wasted Years Charvel.

[Vass]

That doesn’t look like the Seventh Son set behind him. Bet you it’s from Somewhere in Time tour.

[neilli]

It's the Seventh Son tour - he still has the guitar, but it's rarely used. I think it's a strat body, but neck thru and I've never been able to find a decent pic of it.

[neilli]

He also has this h/s/x strat:

[neilli]

And this, whatever it is - almost a model 5FX but with a rev head:



which was still in his recording rack for Final Frontier (I think, might have been Matter of Life and Death though):

[neilli]

Finally, he had an ESP - didn't look impressed with it though LOL

[Number Of The Priest]

That doesn’t look like the Seventh Son set behind him. Bet you it’s from Somewhere in Time tour.

I was dating the photo based on his hairstyle, believe it or not. Somewhere in Time had a "floofier" dark haircut, while Seventh Son had a blond mullet.

It's the Seventh Son tour - he still has the guitar, but it's rarely used. I think it's a strat body, but neck thru and I've never been able to find a decent pic of it.

That pic is better than the one I found, but darn, the graphic is obfuscated by his arm. I agree, that clearly shows it's a neckthru! Nicely done!

He also has this h/s/x strat:

Never seen this guitar before either! Thanks! One of the most useless pickup combos that comes to mind.

And this, whatever it is - almost a model 5FX but with a rev head:



which was still in his recording rack for Final Frontier (I think, might have been Matter of Life and Death though):

Never seen this one before either. Also resembles a Charvel Predator with 24 frets instead of 22.

Finally, he had an ESP - didn't look impressed with it though LOL

I've seen Dave with ESP but didn't know Adrian ever touched one! Are those reverse sharkfins that I see? Sharkfins... on an ESP... with the Jackson lawsuit headstock? This thing is practically a Soloist.

[neilli]

I have seen another pic of that graphic guitar, but never good enough where you can really see what it is.

Never seen this guitar before either! Thanks! One of the most useless pickup combos that comes to mind.

I guess it's kind of like a Nightswan, or those ESPs DeGarmo had which were also h/s/x. I've never relied on the middle single, but the middle humbucker in a nightswan actually sounds really good..

[Number Of The Priest]

I found another photo of the dragon graphic guitar (and blond mullet Seventh Son hairstyle)!

Incidentally, I found it when trying to browse Google Images for "Adrian Smith ESP", yet this photo doesn't appear when I search for "Adrian Smith Jackson dragon", leading me to believe the graphic might not actually be a "dragon"



Thanks to the ESP Facebook group, I just learned that the ESP Mirage Custom was part of this giveaway: http://www.kathyszaksite.com/miscellany.html#ENTRY What a prize! From the way the guitar looks in the photo, it appears to have a rosewood fretboard.

[neilli]

Cool! To me, the graphic looks like a lightning bolt heading to maybe a Live After Death style eddie?

[Number Of The Priest]

That's a much better guess than my "dragon" guess, so let's go with that!

Found another photo.

[Axewielder]

Those early neck-thru Jackson strats are so cool! I'm in for a limited run of these.

EDIT: I'll also take one of those white bengal KV's from that f'n catalog please.

[Number Of The Priest]

Those early neck-thru Jackson strats are so cool! I'm in for a limited run of these.

First, we need to figure out what graphic Adrian had on that white neckthru Strat, then we can copy it for a limited run.

Speaking of limited runs, I know we have a subforum here dedicated to them. I'd love for each run to succeed. However, we don't seem to have many limited runs that get off the ground (or am I wrong)? I'm also on the ESP Facebook group and Ibanez RG Facebook group, and it feels like I see at least one new monthly post regarding limited run guitars (from the vendor announcing the new guitar, or a happy customer sharing photos), but no corresponding enthusiasm and purchases for Jackson limited runs here on JCF nor the Jackson/Charvel-related Facebook groups!

I understand there is the trouble of having all potential customers agree to a consensus of specifications, but if the Ibanez and ESP user groups can come together most times, why can't we?

[neilli]

There were many problems, but now with custom select, there's not really that much point. Unless you can get a big discount, or some feature they otherwise won't do, why have 1 of 10 and likely compromise a bit, when you can have 1 of 1 and get exactly what you want?

[Axewielder]

I was in on that Jack Butler run from years ago. I think it helps enormously when it is a replica/tribute guitar that Jackson is willing to make. If there is any dispute over specs, you just go with what was on the original.

Custom select won't get you a Butler!