San Dimas vs. Ontario

[RR05xx]

Re: San Dimas vs. Ontario

Say what you will, but the only real difference is the use of the JT-6 Trem. It is crap. I swaped out the JT-6 on my brand new '89 KV within 2 weeks of purchase for an '84 OFR and I never looked back. The Jackson electronics were fine (although EMGs did get installed as well - more preference than necessity).

[xenophobe]

Re: San Dimas vs. Ontario

I think the JT-6 is a decent trem. I'd much rather have one than a Kahler.

[~K~]

Re: San Dimas vs. Ontario

Hey!! I like kahlers!

[RR0849]

Re: San Dimas vs. Ontario

I personally think there is a big difference between SD and Ontario Jacksons. But there are also differences between 83,84,85,86 and 88,89 etc. They were clearly going for a more economic solutions - using own electronics and bridges and changing things like binding over frets and neck construction. The 83 and early 84 RRs that I've tried have been almost identical in terms of neck shape, sound, paint, weight etc. But later 80s RRs are all really different. Neck shapes vary a lot while generally thinner than on SD guitars. I think more Jackson were made as custom orders in the late 80s with more freedom of options. Also headstock lenght got shorter which together with "softer" bevels is something that annoys me about the later Jacksons.

[xlr8]

Re: San Dimas vs. Ontario

I had a San Dimas RR (RIP) that had the headstock cap, Jackson P/up's, a Kahler, and a very thin neck, (for an RR). It was an '86, so they were going to some of these things before the move. Damn I miss that guitar!

Oh and, I'm with ya Ron, "ROAD TRIP"!!!

[pro-fusion]

Re: San Dimas vs. Ontario

In general, I think that the build quality on Jacksons was higher after the Ontario move, but that they did a lot of cost-cutting on hardware and the 'little things' like binding-over-frets that makes that era less desireable, unless you find one that was custom-ordered during that era with OFR and decent pickups. But remember, demand for Jacksons was very high in the late '80s, so the company couldn't go on making guitars the way they had in Glendora.

[Rupe]

Re: San Dimas vs. Ontario

[ QUOTE ]
I think more Jackson were made as custom orders in the late 80s with more freedom of options

[/ QUOTE ]

They were ALL custom orders back then. Everytime my shop ordered one for stock, we had to completely spec out what we wanted. This was the same from the early 80's up until around the early 90's (I can't remember exactly when the changes came about that began "production" model Jacksons).

[Tekky]

Re: San Dimas vs. Ontario

Around '86.

[Rupe]

Re: San Dimas vs. Ontario

Was it that early? I remember specing out Jacksons for the store well after that, as late as '90. The last one was a King V in '90 with a glow in the dark snakeskin paintjob. Someone in Lewistown, PA bought it. I would love to find that guitar now.

[jtr]

Re: San Dimas vs. Ontario

Production model started about the same time that they started making there own hardware early 87.

[shreddermon]

Re: San Dimas vs. Ontario

[img]/images/graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img] I thought USA Select-like production didn't start until 1990. At least, that's what the serial # chart says.

[bombtek]

Re: San Dimas vs. Ontario

Well for one thing....San Dimas made guitars were made right here in the USA....and although Ontario CA is in America...Canada IS still a different country ..... [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[bombtek]

Re: San Dimas vs. Ontario

waiting to see how many folks out there are gonna call me on my "Ontario Canada" statement LOL

[RR05xx]

Re: San Dimas vs. Ontario

I believe that production jackson may have got a "J" serial number in the 80s. I bought my KV off the rack and it looked pretty standard (22 frets, JT-6 and Vol, tone 3 way and 2 Jackson pups) and it has a J serial number.

Anyone know?

[pro-fusion]

Re: San Dimas vs. Ontario

[ QUOTE ]
I believe that production jackson may have got a "J" serial number in the 80s. I bought my KV off the rack and it looked pretty standard (22 frets, JT-6 and Vol, tone 3 way and 2 Jackson pups) and it has a J serial number.

Anyone know?

[/ QUOTE ]

That's not a true "production" Jackson. The standard series production models did not start until 1990 or so, and anything before that was a custom order, even if it was custom-ordered by a guitar shop with fairly 'normal' specs to serve as shop inventory. Most SD Jacksons were, in fact, bought 'off the rack', but were still ordered by the store from the custom shop. The factory had a number of basic designs and certain features for which they didn't charge extra, but they did not produce any guitar which had not been specifically ordered that way.