'91Jackson Pro/Limited - Where Made?

[lopda01]

Hello, I recently acquired a Jackson Professional Limited, but there are no external markings of any kind indicating a place of manufacture. I like to know where my instruments originated, so I am hoping someone in the group may be able to identify where this baby was made. Here is a description: the serial number is J91-120, and the truss rod cover is embossed with 1991, so I am presuming that is the year she was made. The Jackson logo on the gloss black headstock appears to be inlaid abalone; the tuners are Jackson's. The shark fin inlays are two-tone abalone and mother of pearl on a rosewood fretboard, with LIMITED embossed in a mother of pearl block inlay at the 12th fret. The headstock, neck and body are bound. The neck to body construction appears to be neck-through or deep-set; the neck appears to be maple; the back is solid mahogany; the cap is a carved archtop of bookmatched flamed maple. I would call the finish a caramel burst. All the hardware is gold; the pickup configuration is Seymore Duncan (not Duncan Designed) humbuckers at the neck and bridge; the bridge is a Floyd-Rose trem; there are only two pots, one tone and one volume, and a 3-way toggle; the construction and craftsmanship are impeccable. If anyone can place this axe, please advise, and much appreciated. Thank you.

[toejam]

Re: \'91Jackson Pro/Limited - Where Made?

Anything that says Professional on it is made in Japan. Sounds like the limited Archtop model. Got pics?

[audiophile]

Re: \'91Jackson Pro/Limited - Where Made?

Crap, I just switched ISPs, so all the info you are seeking is offline for the moment. Will try to get my webpage up on new site.


Definitely post pics (or email to me, I'll post), there were two finishes and I've only seen the one I have, tobbacoburst was the other color which sounds like what you have.

They were made in Japan for a Charvel/Jackson anniversary 12th? I think.
The pickups you have are not original, as likely are the electronics. Originals were Reflex Silver series hums (look like emgs) and electronics had battery + a little black box.
Is the trem a Jackson labeled Schaller? or floyd? The made in germany schaller would be original I believe. All gold yes.
Fretboard is brazilian rosewood BTW. umm 200 pcs total I think as well, but no telling if they actually made all 200. Also was the most expensive model offered in '91, including USA custom shop base model prices.

Including myself, you would be the 4th person to ever show up with one in the past 5 yrs or so? Extremely rare, and absolutley the grandest of imports IMO.

Sweet, hope to see it, pm me when you get the chance. I'll update post later with more info

[joe web]

Re: \'91Jackson Pro/Limited - Where Made?

yes, really sounds like an limited archtop MIJ.
if it says professional on the head, then it is a japan produciton.
btw. there are not many around of them!

i searched the gallery right now and here is a picture of jasons, and the serial number starts with J91-XXX so i think yours is a MIJ.

[audiophile]

Re: \'91Jackson Pro/Limited - Where Made?

Ha, that would be me, forgot it was in the gallery...DOH

[JACKSONWOLF]

Re: \'91Jackson Pro/Limited - Where Made?

I had the chance a few years ago to buy J91 007 of a friend of mine (He bought it new from my shop back in 91). I kick myself now for not buying it there and then....he wanted £600, a real bargain. It originally came with Jackson Pickups but he had seen the advert with the Reflex Pickups fitted. We sent the guitar back to the distributor who changed them for him.

[lopda01]

Re: \'91Jackson Pro/Limited - Where Made?

Hey, You guys, I really appreciate all the input. The pic from the gallery is a dead-on twin of my axe, except for the color. You might call it a faded amber-burst or light tobacco burst; no orange or red in it at all, kind of a light caramel to a lighter natural towards the center. BTW, the trem is a licensed Floyd, manfactured in Germany by Schaller. The bridge pickup has the Seymore Duncan logo on it, but the neck pickup has no markings. Maybe I'll change strings tonight, and pull the neck pickup and look underneath for identification. I thought this guitar was unusual, I had never seen a Jackson like this one, so I was hot to own it. Didn't realize it might be as rare as noted here. Will have to take some pics and post 'em. This is my 3rd Jackson, and possibly my favorite. I also own a Dinky sustainer (interesting axe), and (according to the serial #s on the J/C site) a '97 Soloist USA Custom Shop, one of my favorites. This one looks like a PC1, but does not have the sustainer or Floyd; this one is H-S-S (real S.Duncans) and a Wilkinson trem/bridge. This is a bolt-on 1 piece maple neck, with a quilted maple fretboard with no inlays; solid mahogany body, quilt top, apple red color; says USA Custom Shop on the headstock, and the neck backplate has the the Ontario, CA address embossed on it. I don't play the dinky that much, but I have not been able to put down the '91, nor the '97. They are really cool axes, great sound for what I do (not a shredder, I have trouble with speed and clarity). Thanks for listening, and I'll post an update when I find out what the neck pickup is on the '91. Another question: the single coils on the '97 have staggered height poles. Can anyone explain the reason for that? Thanks.

[fuel0707]

Re: \'91Jackson Pro/Limited - Where Made?

Originally posted by Dave Lopez:
Another question: the single coils on the '97 have staggered height poles. Can anyone explain the reason for that? Thanks.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The idea with staggering is to allow for a more balanced sound from the pickup. The polepieces being at different heights allows the pickup to hopefully follow the fingerboard's curvature and it also is a way for the pickup designer to compensate for different output levels from different strings, too.

[audiophile]

Re: \'91Jackson Pro/Limited - Where Made?

Here's my old page, kinda outdated, cause I have an additional pic to add of another lim'91 (crappy one, but it is the 3rd thus far).
Would dig some high rez shots of yours...
And If you ever want to sell, [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] , a tobaccoburst would be a nice twin addition...


enjoy...
http://home.nc.rr.com/audiophile/soloist3.htm


gawd I hate that white background gallery pic...
finger smudges n crap, like I just ate a bucket o chicken or somethin

[jeff300]

Re: \'91Jackson Pro/Limited - Where Made?

Whoa! [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

That is the nicest Jackson I've ever seen. [img]graemlins/drool2.gif[/img]

Congratulations.

I see you're not too far from me. If you ever come to SF I'd love to see it in person.

[guitar geek]

Re: \'91Jackson Pro/Limited - Where Made?

I have the book "the guitarist" (the author was something like ralph denver or something similar, I am to lazy to check that out) and there is a picture of that soloist and that was the first time I saw a jackson: I immediately fell in love with it. it remains the most beautiful jackson I have ever seen, although it is not a USA model.

If I have the bucks to get myself a customshop jackson (which will be when I finish university) I will definately order something like that [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Harrald

[lopda01]

Re: \'91Jackson Pro/Limited - Where Made?

You guys are great, what a cool group! J.D., thanks for the insight regarding the staggered pole heights. Certainly sounds logical. Anyway, I changed strings on the '91 last night, cleaned her up, oiled the fret board, and wow, she looks even better now; pulled the neck pickup, looked underneath, and yes it is a Seymore Duncan. Some have topside writing and some don't. Also found out that the neck is set in and glued, not neck through. I was wondering about that since the back was solid, no wings. The end of the neck forms the north side of the pickup cavity. Got some pics, not very good, low res Zire71 camera, and the light was bad. Will post as soon as I am able -- only have 1 USB port and both the camera and my firewire drive use that port, and the drive is online right now. C ya!

[lopda01]

Re: \'91Jackson Pro/Limited - Where Made?

Just checked out Audiophile's website; he's done a much better job than I ever could; click on the thumbnail titled 'Excerpt about guitar companies going to Japan'; there is an excellent pic of the tobacco burst '91 Limited/Pro which is what mine is. As noted, mine has S.Duncans instead of the Reflex pickups. Either it came that way or the previous owner swapped out the original pickups. The soldering on the neck p'up looks professional to me.

ciao

[sambencuda]

Re: \'91Jackson Pro/Limited - Where Made?

Originally posted by joe web:
yes, really sounds like an limited archtop MIJ.
if it says professional on the head, then it is a japan produciton.
btw. there are not many around of them!

i searched the gallery right now and here is a picture of jasons, and the serial number starts with J91-XXX so i think yours is a MIJ.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Justin has one for sale on his site www.jcguitars.com I think he's looking for 1400 for it. Is that ballpark for these?

[audiophile]

Re: \'91Jackson Pro/Limited - Where Made?

1400? wow. I would have guessed 1000, but givin it's an 'import' and somewhat an unknown model, I doubt anyone would pay that to have it since info about it is (was) impossible to find. Now, If someone was specifically looking for this exact model, sure, it's possible, only because odds of finding another are near zero...

Dam, nice to see a few popping up tho...