New Usa guitars maybe?

[pianoguyy]

I have a Soloist that looks smaller than my Strat.
I have always assumed it was an optical illusion due to different features.


But regardless of what is actually different with these new headstocks... they simply look odd.

In fact, I will take it a step further and say - these guitars look cheap.

[Anders]

It’s a shame that all youtube presentations are so confusing, and people get the idea that Jackson haven’t built guitars in the USA for 30 years. It seems like that is Jackson’s fault though, with the way the present it.

The core of it all must be that now there is a (mass?) production of US guitars.. in order for dealers to have them in stock, just like previous import series?!

It would be nice to try one. Since the price jack of USA Jacksons people now think it’s great that there’s an American made alternative ”for half the price”. Smart move by Fender. And sure, if they’re as good as they make them out to be, I guess that’s great.

I think the best thing about these is the full thickness neck-thru instead of the popsicle stick laminate that both USA Selects and Custom Shops have had for however many years!

[ed]

These guitars are like Gibsons Studio lespauls theres no way else to put it really. But expensive as shit. Offcourse they are not 5k expensive but they dont really have any features either.

They have to come up with shit like OG headstock and the way they install the frets. Still they are 1K guitars max they are selling at 2.5K because they are being made alledgedly in USA.

[Number Of The Priest]

The lower price point of the Jackson American Series reminds me of the 2008-2010 Charvel USA Production Models (https://www.jcfonline.com/forum/equi...ls-catalog-ads) and their lower price point.

I was away from the online guitar scene when those Charvels were released, and I didn't own one of those guitars until 2016 and I adore it. But did fans nitpick those Charvels the way I'm seeing nitpicking the Jackson American Series currently?

[john.w.lawson]

The lower price point of the Jackson American Series reminds me of the 2008-2010 Charvel USA Production Models (https://www.jcfonline.com/forum/equi...ls-catalog-ads) and their lower price point.

I was away from the online guitar scene when those Charvels were released, and I didn't own one of those guitars until 2016 and I adore it. But did fans nitpick those Charvels the way I'm seeing nitpicking the Jackson American Series currently?

I didn't like the USA promod or the reissue 2005 pointy charvels.

Added: They did say made in the USA though. These are built, which could mean a bunch of scenarios. Lot of shade on these American series Jacksons.

[metalhobo]

The lower price point of the Jackson American Series reminds me of the 2008-2010 Charvel USA Production Models (https://www.jcfonline.com/forum/equi...ls-catalog-ads) and their lower price point.

I was away from the online guitar scene when those Charvels were released, and I didn't own one of those guitars until 2016 and I adore it. But did fans nitpick those Charvels the way I'm seeing nitpicking the Jackson American Series currently?

yes they did nitpick them, but I think the contemporary response to those was much more positive than these.

honestly the three biggest nitpicks to the 2008 usa promods were 1. the lack of case, 2. the meat grinder knobs, and 3. the korean 1000 floyd. maybe also some people complained about the kidney bean tuners. but I think most agreed that at the $999 price point none of those things were deal-breakers. and in any case, the criticisms were all stuff that was easily fixed aftermarket.



another reflection: I am disappointed there is no "made in USA" decal like has been on american jacksons and charvels since the early 80s, but I don't think this is necessarily a reflection on whether or not most of the significant manufacturing is done in america; I think more it's a reflection on the overreeach of california law and the FTC cracking down on the "made in usa" designation where they didn't used to. that said, there are still major reasons I don't feel attracted to this series: namely, the spartan looking headstock and bizarre inlay orientation decision. and neither of those things can be fixed by the buyer.

[pianoguyy]

We also criticized the Model Series when they came out.
But I be damned if they aren't praised 35 years later.

[pianoguyy]

but I don't think this is necessarily a reflection on whether or not most of the significant manufacturing is done in america; I think more it's a reflection on the overreeach of california law and the FTC cracking down on the "made in usa" designation where they didn't used to.

Which I have said numerous times.
Trem. Tuners. Pickups. Paint. Frets. Inlays. Most of it is going to be imported. Even the woods. So, then, what is American about guitars. Can't even say that the tools used to make them are American.

[Anders]

They should have included SOMETHING next to the Jackson logo… like ”American” or ”Corona, CA” (who can see that on the back of the headstock on a dark stage?).

There’s not much apart from the mirrored (at least MOP, not MOTO) sharkfins to signal that it is indeed a USA made Jackson. I think that would have gone a long way to make people feel that they’re purchasing a premium product.

I think people buying USA Jacksons often see the extra bells and whistles as something that they take pride in. Gives a feeling that one is not playing just any guitar…

[diablomozart]

I have a Soloist that looks smaller than my Strat.
I have always assumed it was an optical illusion due to different features.


But regardless of what is actually different with these new headstocks... they simply look odd.

In fact, I will take it a step further and say - these guitars look cheap.

they look like the indonesian dinkys with the backwards fins...d.m.

[neptoess]

We also criticized the Model Series when they came out.
But I be damned if they aren't praised 35 years later.

At least the Model 6 was basically specced out identically to a Soloist Custom. This new series has weird "upgrades" like the three-piece graphite-reinforced neck, odd downgrades, like missing binding, and features that are neither up nor down, but make no sense, like the mirrored fin inlays.

Also, $2600 and it doesn't even come with a hardshell? The $1700 American Professional II Strat includes a hardshell, so it's not like it's an FMIC thing

[neptoess]

They should have included SOMETHING next to the Jackson logo… like ”American” or ”Corona, CA” (who can see that on the back of the headstock on a dark stage?).

There’s not much apart from the mirrored (at least MOP, not MOTO) sharkfins to signal that it is indeed a USA made Jackson. I think that would have gone a long way to make people feel that they’re purchasing a premium product.

I think people buying USA Jacksons often see the extra bells and whistles as something that they take pride in. Gives a feeling that one is not playing just any guitar…

Maybe they don't want people confusing these for proper USA Jacksons, i.e. any USA Jackson prior to this series. I haven't played one yet (surprise), but based on them cheaping out on the hardware, and not including a case, I'm guessing these will not bat in the same league.

[SweetPete]

Why does Jackson still put a Floyd with a radius of 10 or 12 inches on a guitar that has a 16-20 compound radius (closer to 18/19 at the bridge)? With all the Floyd Jacksons I've had, I've always added shims to get it to "feel" right and play well. Yeah, I know, I know - for 1000's of other guys, it works just fine, making me the crazy one

[neptoess]

Why does Jackson still put a Floyd with a radius of 10 or 12 inches on a guitar that has a 16-20 compound radius (closer to 18/19 at the bridge)? With all the Floyd Jacksons I've had, I've always added shims to get it to "feel" right and play well. Yeah, I know, I know - for 1000's of other guys, it works just fine, making me the crazy one

I think you're going to have a hard time telling the difference between a 10" radius locking nut and a 12" radius locking nut when the board is a 12" radius. For reference, Jackson's compound radius is 12" at the nut compounded to 16" at the butt. It ends up that, ideally, your bridge saddles have about a 20" radius. I don't have a USA Jackson with a Floyd, but I'm pretty sure they're adjusting the radius at least a little, either by removing/adding shims, or swapping saddles (there are 3 different saddle heights on a Floyd). I say this because, out of the box, the bridge also has a 10" radius, and you would certainly notice if you had a 12-16" compound board, and your strings had a flat 10" radius.

The other side to this coin is that Jacksons tend to ship from the factory with 9-42 strings, setup to the factory specs, which is .004" relief, and 4/64" bass 3/64" treble action. This is crazy slinky / low action. Even if the bridge and nut radius isn't spot on (like, say, 10" lock nut and bridge is shimmed to 16"), every string is going to feel quite easy to fret anywhere on the neck. It's fun to try to dial in everything to perfection, but, historically, players don't seem to mind that much. How many vintage strats and teles had proper radius at the saddle? How many vintage Gibsons have collapsed tune-o-matics that are damn near flat, yet their owners love how they play?

[metalhobo]

I normally set the action of the d and g strings higher anyway on guitars where they're individually adjustable. those strings always seem to be more prone to buzz.