Charvel/Jackson guitar & accessory database project

[JJ119]

CaptNasty

That is a Great Offer!

[Mechayoshi]

What I got so far

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YN5F2sQW7Hxypw9stgaT9RtC0g6v_GkwFBmje4tsQN8/edit?usp=sharing

To do this I of course had to brush threw the Soloist section again and WOW! Why did no one bring out how sloppy it was? Granted that's the first model I tried to document so I wasn't sure what format I was going with at the time. I'll be both adding to the spreadsheet and cleaning up the main database as well over the next few days. Some things are tricky to figure out, like the exact years of models.

Please let me know what extra sections I should add to the spread sheet. One issue so far is that I"m not sure how I'm gonna list finishes without it being way too much to list. Also let me know if it allows you to add comments and stuff, I'd love that. Thanks so much for the support!

[Mechayoshi]

I've added some of the newer guitars Jackson added to the website, including the special wildcard soloists. I presume they aren't USA made but why does Jackson have to hide the country of origin so much? Annoying.

Also yes, I got a bit lazy with the spreadsheet idea. I was distracted by person life stuff including needing to put together a new guitar rig after my old amp went out. That's another story for another day. Anyway, stay tuned for more!

[Mechayoshi]

UPDATE: I got very lazy lately but now I'm back on the job.

Live on the site now is a bunch of later 90s Grover Jacksons and some early Jackson Stars. I found out how experimental some of these guitars are and how interestingly some of there specifications were used later in the models we know of from the 00s. For example, GJ was offering Jackons with active EMGs way before the MG series gutiars from the 2000s. Plus they offered some very fancy looking wood options.

Here's some sources I used. Color codes were an issue, but I found some of them.

https://www.vintagejapanguitars.com.br/en/jackson-charvel-1999-catalogue/

https://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-and-amp/groverjackson/199x/en_index.html

And of course my web project here: https://mechas64castles.net/CharvelJackson.html

[metalhobo]

suggestion for additions: jrs-1 and jrs-2 models

[Mechayoshi]

suggestion for additions: jrs-1 and jrs-2 models

Way ahead of ya. I had them on the secondary page a while ago. https://mechas64castles.net/Jackson2.html#JRS


Anyway UPDATE: A added some more Charvels and added a table of contents for better navigation. Next I'll be documenting the Jackson Stars 2004 catalog.
Oh and everyone remember that there's three different web pages. One for main Jacksons, another for less popular jacksons and another for Charvels.

[metalhobo]

Way ahead of ya. I had them on the secondary page a while ago. https://mechas64castles.net/Jackson2.html#JRS


Anyway UPDATE: A added some more Charvels and added a table of contents for better navigation. Next I'll be documenting the Jackson Stars 2004 catalog.
Oh and everyone remember that there's three different web pages. One for main Jacksons, another for less popular jacksons and another for Charvels.

Oops, can't believe I missed it! perhaps a basic list of the rare jacksons can be included on the main page next to the link to their description? but it's still very useful as is, great job!

[Mechayoshi]

Thanks everyone!!!

I just revamped things again. I made it more obvious how to get to the second database and I've created a new page to list some Jackson facts, how to decipher the model nameing schemes, links, and refrences. I added some more Jackson stars. As of now I think I have documented every Jackson and Charvel EVER.... (or at least in a catalog)


Is there ANYTHING someone sees that I missed? No, I haven't forgotten about the spreadsheet either. It's still linked on the main page. Also I know visual are lacking. We're going to get images soon.

https://mechas64castles.net/CharvelJackson.html

[Mechayoshi]

*update*

I missed a model or two. Also on the third additional page linked on the main one, I’ve documented some Jackson accessories, electronics, and more. Check it out.

[Mechayoshi]

*Update*

I've done quite an overhall with the website. I've added a few images to liven it up. It looks a bit better and i've added tables to this page https://mechas64castles.net/Jacksonextra.html

I'm trying to decided the best image host site for pictures? Any tips? Ideally I want an image for every model so it's too much to lost locally.

[Crumbling]

Github maybe?

Also, for the Grover Jackson and some Jackson Stars naming scheme: [Model].[Series]-[RRP]. So example, KV.I-195 would be King V - Impression Series - 195k yen RRP. The early Jackson Stars dropped the series but kept the RRP-based naming scheme (which is somewhat common with other Japanese manufacturers. Edwards for example also has the RRP in the model number).

S - Supreme. These are actual Jackson USA-built guitars I'm fairly sure, given that their 330k RRP is equal to the signature series "The King V/The Kelly/The Rhoads"

I - Impression. Top of the line USA equivalent speced, became the J1 (and later on TN01) later in the Jackson Stars line

D - Delight. One step below, became the J2/TN02. Schaller Floyd instead of OFR, Rosewood (later Striped Ebony in the Jackson Stars lineup) instead of Ebony, single Duncan bridge pickup and inhouse neck pickup

D/E - Delight EMG. Both pickups are EMG

P - Progress. Pretty much equivalent to the import KE3/RR3/DK2/etc... Takeuchi Floyd, bolt-on, Duncan Designed pickups.

A - Ambition. Entry level models

Not sure what's C.u supposed to be yet, but from the look of things its the P-series equivalent in the first Jackson Stars lineup. When the J1/J2 naming scheme became the TN01/TN02, the mid-ranged bolt-on became the TN03

[Mechayoshi]

Github maybe?

Also, for the Grover Jackson and some Jackson Stars naming scheme: [Model].[Series]-[RRP]. So example, KV.I-195 would be King V - Impression Series - 195k yen RRP. The early Jackson Stars dropped the series but kept the RRP-based naming scheme (which is somewhat common with other Japanese manufacturers. Edwards for example also has the RRP in the model number).

S - Supreme. These are actual Jackson USA-built guitars I'm fairly sure, given that their 330k RRP is equal to the signature series "The King V/The Kelly/The Rhoads"

I - Impression. Top of the line USA equivalent speced, became the J1 (and later on TN01) later in the Jackson Stars line

D - Delight. One step below, became the J2/TN02. Schaller Floyd instead of OFR, Rosewood (later Striped Ebony in the Jackson Stars lineup) instead of Ebony, single Duncan bridge pickup and inhouse neck pickup

D/E - Delight EMG. Both pickups are EMG

P - Progress. Pretty much equivalent to the import KE3/RR3/DK2/etc... Takeuchi Floyd, bolt-on, Duncan Designed pickups.

A - Ambition. Entry level models

Not sure what's C.u supposed to be yet, but from the look of things its the P-series equivalent in the first Jackson Stars lineup. When the J1/J2 naming scheme became the TN01/TN02, the mid-ranged bolt-on became the TN03

Thanks alot for this info. I updated with some clarifications. I had no clue about the RRP naming scheme. I'm already using github for images actually. Guess I can stick with that for now.

[Crumbling]

Yea it created some issue where you'd have an updated model number to reflect the new pricing, but the spec would otherwise be exactly the same.

I did a bit of digging on the C.u series, found a magazine article introducing it tying it to Megadeth's 6th Japanese tour, which was Risk, putting it in the 1999/2000 timeframe. I'm guessing its a transitional series for the brand between the Grover Jackson branding and Jackson Stars branding, or more likely the mid-low end range for the initial Jackson Stars branding. According to the Japanese wikipedia page, the Jackson Stars branding started in 1999, with the old Grover Jackson branding used for lower priced model, matching the C.u. series, which caps out at around 90k RRP (unbound neck/headstock, Takeuchi trem, Duncan Designed pickups, but neckthrough construction).

By the time of the 2004 catalog we have available, its already been fully transitioned to the Jackson Stars branding, with the bolt-on series similarly reflecting our imports (DK-900 = DK2FF, DK-705 = DK2, DK605 = DX10D). Although interestingly, the Japanese model stuck with the TRS-101 bridge rather than the low profile TRS-Pro on the older Grover Jackson P and C.u

With all these info about the Japanese production, I'm pretty sure the only reason the import Japanese Jackson could get USA-like custom finishes like Swirls/Bengals/Ghost Flames and Lightning Sky/Skull/etc... is because they're already doing it for the high end Japanese models and they have the equipment there to offer it on the low end as well. Now that production has moved onto factories being shared with 6-7 other companies there's no chance of them coming back

[Crumbling]

Mechayoshi Dug up a few more things.

J.P - Japan's Pride Series. Consist of the SL-175, KE-185 and RR-185, as well as the RR-230, KE-230 and presumably another higher tier Soloist (can't find the model number/RRP though). Exotic Ash body 5A Maple top even on the lower tier model, made between 1999 and 2004. Featured in the same magazine that introduced the GJ C.u series.

J.S. - Japan Spirit Series. Was mentioned in a blog post that reviewed his KE-185.

Maybe I should just bite the bullet and buy one of the older Japanese catalog off Yahoo Auction when they pop up.

[Mechayoshi]

Mechayoshi Dug up a few more things.

J.P - Japan's Pride Series. Consist of the SL-175, KE-185 and RR-185, as well as the RR-230, KE-230 and presumably another higher tier Soloist (can't find the model number/RRP though). Exotic Ash body 5A Maple top even on the lower tier model, made between 1999 and 2004. Featured in the same magazine that introduced the GJ C.u series.

J.S. - Japan Spirit Series. Was mentioned in a blog post that reviewed his KE-185.

Maybe I should just bite the bullet and buy one of the older Japanese catalog off Yahoo Auction when they pop up.

Noted. What catalogs specifically were you eyeing? I've been using the resources linked on my Jackson extras page to digitally thumb through a lot of the Japanese material.
Such as https://www.vintagejapanguitars.com.br/en/tag/charvel/
or https://brochures.yokochou.com/en_index.html#GROVER

Edit: What catalog has those again? Did you mean KE-175? I think they've slipped through the cracks of my database. Cant upload attachments but found this

http://playerco.sakura.ne.jp/archive_images/JAJap9909.jpg