Any model lineup change in 06?

[pro-fusion]

Re: Any model lineup change in 06?

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Dave prolly sold more guitars for Jackson than anyone.. Hell, the DV8 outsells the Hetfield, Hammett, and Haneman models combined

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are you serious? [img]/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]

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That's very interesting, indeed. However, I wonder if that has to do with the endorsers or the guitars they are endorsing? The DV8, apart from that silly 8-ball inlay, is a very nicely appointed setneck Double Rhoads that has a lot of inherent appeal, even if Mustaine had nothing to do with it. This is an example of something that Jackson should be doing, sans the endorsement. The Double Rhoads is one of the coolest guitars ever made, and yet the company that created it doesn't make them anymore--and the only import King Vs are bolt-on cheapies. Jackson has nothing at all to compete with the DV8, and that's ridiculous.

[NunoSoWylde]

Re: Any model lineup change in 06?

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Don't get me wrong, the guys in the list are cool, but they're not of the stature or profile of Mustaine or even Scott Ian.....

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Actually, I hate to break it to you, but Mustaine and Ian are pretty much ancient history if you are under 25, whereas several of those bands listed have significant youthful followings. And old guys like me are much less likely to buy a guitar just because some rock star plays it--or is paid to pretend that he does.

Personally, I think the whole endorsement thing is overblown, anyway. I'm not saying that it doesn't have marketing value, but the bottom line is having appealing products at appealing prices. To me, most of Jackson's imports don't have that "wow!" factor, except for a couple of the high-end offerings that are pretty expensive. That's why I would like to see Jackson work to develop more distinguished import offerings. I think their USA Select line is pretty well sorted out--they are conservative, but at those prices people who want something more personal are just going to go custom, anyway. The real issue is what you see hanging on the wall when you walk into GC.

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I was at an Anthrax show and a Megadeth show this year and last year and there were alot of young kids there in the crowd (<25 yrs old). Also, my 19 yr old nephew and his friends just worship these groups.

[Jacksonite]

Re: Any model lineup change in 06?

I dont mean to say that the endorsments that Jackson has are crap, but ESP has just got the biggest names...

Mark Morton happens to be one of my alltime favorite guitarist. But hell, get Willie too....
I just think the ESP endorsee's are more visible, thats all..
They have COB's alexi and Rhoop. and the guys from deth, talica and all three guys from slayer
Bring Mitch from slipknot in, bring Adler from LOG, and bring in some big name shredder in the likes of Vai...
And definaltely bring in LOOMIS..
And whatever you do, KEEP EVH.. who cares how over the hill people may say he is... He is and will always be EVH.

McD, I didnt mean to offend, I dont own anything electric that ISNT a J/C but I just want the company to wipe ESP and Ibenhad, and Schecter off the face of the sales chart..

[Jacksonite]

Re: Any model lineup change in 06?

and yeah, the DV8 outsells em all...
and that is because its 700-800 street price for the LTD version has NOTHING to compete against.
neckthrough mahogany with real Duncans...
I say bring on the KV3 and KV4 with real duncans and get em!!!

[withmyshadow]

Re: Any model lineup change in 06?

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and yeah, the DV8 outsells em all...
and that is because its 700-800 street price for the LTD version has NOTHING to compete against.
neckthrough mahogany with real Duncans...

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that figures.
slsmg, rr5 and sl3 are great guitars.
just more expansive than MIK models from other brands.
I still think they should start expanding the lineup with bolt-ons. there's a market for bolt-ons with alder, swamp ash, and mahogany+maple bodies because almost all ibys have basswood and cheap mahogany and ESP uses agathis [img]/images/graemlins/eviltongue.gif[/img]

[axeman81]

Re: Any model lineup change in 06?

I totally agree with you Sir on this post! [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

What we need to ask ourselves is...do we want Jackson appeal to "everyone" to sell more guitars? Or keep making quality guitars that we like. I personally don't care a lot about signature models, however cool. It would be cool to play a replica of an artist's axe if I was in a cover band or something, but otherwise I want what works for me and defines my style! Hell, I'll even go as far as say I think C/J should drop the EVH models - when did he actually produce something cool last? He's just a drunken has-been, but the memory of his heyday is so strong in people's minds and hearts, that they can actually get away with doing that line, and that's the only way they are selling those guitars. (apart from obviously being good guitars)

The main criterias for me are:
1. The product is top notch
2. The company is healthy (otherwise, no more product..see "GMP")
3. I don't have to pay insane prices for what I want
4. ;or wait unreasonably long to get what I want. (one year CS wait time is fine by me, as long the result is perfect [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img])

About getting famous and flying colours, man, if I ever get there, I can promise there will be only one brand for me [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]
and if I make it, I'm gonna get your AR department working on it too! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

- Rune

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Well, who else is on the level of Dave Mustaine? I can think of one other guy. And that's a guy that he taught how to play... Bands like Lamb of God and Trivium represent the future of heavy metal and I they choose to play Jackson guitars. We didn't buy them, and we didn't give them guitars - they grew up playing Jackson guitars and they love their Jackson guitars. Sure, it might appear cool to add a new household name artist to the roster, but at what cost? Is it worth it to pay someone to play your stuff so people will think you're cool? We're in the business of making the best guitars in the world; not creating illusions. The Jackson guitar that a Jackson artist plays is the same Jackson that you & I play. That says something to me!

Now - what we need is a couple of you guys, our diehard Jackson brethren, to get famous & fly your colors! [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

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[Chrisb]

Re: Any model lineup change in 06?

Brian I think you guys have a pretty solid lineup of guys that could be big in the future, and I don't see what choice you have as far as the big names go, you can't afford IMO to throw money at people ala ESP. However there is one artist I can think of that might be worth courting and he isn't with ESP. Jeff Loomis. Mark my words that guy is the future of metal guitar. And he's notorious for playing lots of different guitars (warmoth for example). The Schecter C-1 Hellraiser is a killer guitar, but I can't believe if you put a similar specced 7 string USA soloist in Jeff's hand that he wouldn't be just as impressed with it, if not more.

I agree about the import line though, yes we had this long debate in the Ask Jackson thread about if it was worth putting more bells and whistles on the imports and maybe its not cost effective. But you gotta admit when a intermediate player walks into GC to get a nice quality import guitar and he sees a DKMG, a C-1 Hellraiser, and a H-3000. Well the C-1 and 3000 are gonna catch the eye. Maybe thats catering to the wrong crowd but I dunno. Its been done before as several pointed out in the thread and it hurt USA sales, well that was prior to the big boom in upscale import guitars. Its really only in the last 4 years that things like this became big. Whatever the truth is I think there is room to at least try the upscale import route and see if you can take a chunk away from Schecter and ESP.

On a personal note I'd love to see a import Death Angel signature model. Rob's been a Jackson player since the beginning and with Death Angel making a comeback and that design being such a unique thing I'd much rather see that then another signature variant on the rhoads or soloist.

[McD]

Re: Any model lineup change in 06?

I talked to Willie a few years ago and he liked his Framus guitar too much to WANT to play something else. Even if I gave him 10 free guitars, what's the point? He likes what he's playing, he sounds good, and until I hear otherwise, I respect it. Having said that, JC is another story... [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[McD]

Re: Any model lineup change in 06?

PS: You're not offending me dude!!! [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[RobRR]

Re: Any model lineup change in 06?

With the exception of Christian Olde Wolbers and Chris Caffery, Ive never heard of any of the guitarists on your list. Ive heard of their BANDS, but not themselves, and I think thats the problem. Alot of people listen to bands, but if the players dont stick out, noones going to notice really what they play unless they play the same brand. Jackson needs some guitarsts that stick out, have a name for themselves already... Songs that people want to play and sound like, not just some generic sounding band.

[withmyshadow]

Re: Any model lineup change in 06?

I agree about the endorsement.
it was shame jackson didn't recruit shadows fall. One ends up with washburn and the other is playing iby, I think.

[MetalGrasshopper]

Re: Any model lineup change in 06?

Wouldnt it be funny if Jackson releases the old Alexi Laiho RRs as regular USA models after Alexi went to ESP? I think it would be a good idea cause ESP is releasing a USA version of the Laiho RR next year. Even though it looks like complete ass, it think the USA version would sell...assuming it's not overpriced...

[Newc]

Re: Any model lineup change in 06?

Maybe the reason you've heard of the BANDS and not so much the PLAYERS is because this is not the 80s where the focus was mostly on the guitarist and his/her solos, rather, the focus is on the BAND and the SONGS.

While I haven't played the DV8, I did play whatever that KV ripoff was they had a few years ago - neckthrough, fancy inlays, yadda yadda.
It sucked. Period.
It felt like crap. It looked ok, but it played like almost every other ESPee I've played - like a brick with strings. Not solid like a brick, but clunky and lifeless.

I have not had a bad Jackson yet, and I've had the whole range - from a JS30 Warrior and a Charvel Star made in India to USA Custom Shops, and ones made from '83 to '03 - not a bad one in the bunch. While most of them may not have been 100% "my style", they all played like a guitar should.

Another thing you guys aren't considering is that Ibenhad, ESPee, Schecter, and whatever are Japanese companies with no real USA presence/HQ compared to Jackson or Fender or Gibson, so yeah they can afford to give away free guitars to hook artists. They use the cheapest labor and cheapest parts they can get and mass produce them like cans of whole kernel corn and flood the market with 9 million different signature models that have no discernable difference other than being a different color.

The markup on what it costs to make them just to the DEALERS is so high that they're making money hand over fist on each sale, and they truly don't care if you actually like the product or not - once it's sold, it's sold - they've made their money off of you.

Jackson cares a bit more than that, and it shows in the construction quality of even their lowest imports. The JS30 Warrior is not a turd. Yeah I wish it had a trem and sharkfins and binding, but the body is solid wood and the neck isn't bowed and the frets are not cutting my hands to ribbons.
I had a DX6 - made in India, 3 rail-type single-buckers, 3x3 head, dot inlays, v-trem. Played great. Pickups stomped. Neck was nice and comfy, if a little fat.
If I wasn't a whammy wanger (or such a gear whore), I'd still have it.

One of the first things a newly-signed artist looks for is free gear, and if they've been playing a particular brand for years, they go straight to them and ask for free gear. Ibenhad and ESP are happy to oblige. If your first album goes Platinum, or you get a single in the top 10, you can get a signature model option - just make one minor change to any existing model and they'll put your name on it and plaster your picture in every GC from Portland Maine to Portland Oregon and sell tons of the model yours is based on.
On the other hand, they go to Jackson and ask for free gear and Jackson won't do it because if you REALLY like the guitar you'll cough up the dough. They know you got a gear allowance, so buy some gear. They may do price breaks for you if you've got the kinda potential they require and are not just some flash in the pan, and if you break new sonic ground and are a notable influence on players and buyers, you may eventually get a freebie allowance.
If not, then you'll just hafta pay for them like everyone else.
If you like it enough to pay for it, then pay for it. If you just want a handout, go see the Welfare Guitar Company.

[Jack Napalm]

Re: Any model lineup change in 06?

Who cares who is endorsing Jackson's? This thread was about rumors of what we wil see at NAMM? Who's got the best rumor on stratheads?

[Newc]

Re: Any model lineup change in 06?

Who's got the FACTS on Stratheads? Rumors are for children - let's hear some FACTS, man! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]