1985 Jackson Rhoads vs New ones

[quakana]

Hello all, just curious here I am contimplating buying a 1985 Rhoads because I always wanted one when I was younger but no $$. Any opinions on the differences between them good or bad?
Thanks
Dave

[toejam]

Re: 1985 Jackson Rhodes vs New ones

A Rhodes piano?

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: 1985 Jackson Rhodes vs New ones

[img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
It's Rhoads.

[rjohnstone]

Re: 1985 Jackson Rhodes vs New ones

Ahhh let the ripping begin.

[quakana]

Re: 1985 Jackson Rhodes vs New ones

Yeah yeah so I have a typing disorder...keep em coming...I am always up for a good laugh....

[Crusher]

Re: 1985 Jackson Rhodes vs New ones

Where in RI are you?

[quakana]

Re: 1985 Jackson Rhodes vs New ones

I live in Portsmouth....two towns over from Newport. I am new to the forum and working on my "Hello" email. But anyway where in RI are you?

[jtr]

Re: 1985 Jackson Rhodes vs New ones

Every guitar from the SD where custom orders and pretty much handmade . I own 4 from that period all the necks are very much the same except for 2 have frets over the binding. If you buy a 85 and you don't like it there are more then enough people on this board that would releave of it.( for a reduced price that is)

[quakana]

Re: 1985 Jackson Rhodes vs New ones

Thanks man, like I said I am new here and dont know what SD means? Could you clarify? I have a 2005 KV2 and the spacing between the strings is alot wider than I am used to. I played an old RR before back when they first came out but dont remember if they are set up the same ya know.. a wide fretboard. Might you know?

[jtr]

Re: 1985 Jackson Rhodes vs New ones

SD = San Dimas the original factory. Like I said everything was Custom ordered back then but I think the string spacing should be close they always had wide flat fingerboards.

[pro-fusion]

Re: 1985 Jackson Rhodes vs New ones

SD stands for Jackson's original San Dimas factory, which was where they made guitars until about mid-1986. Some people believe there is a special mojo to the SD guitars, and especially to the pre-'86 guitars--most likely because they were producing far fewer guitars at that point, and so sometimes you'll see a little more attention to detail or quirkiness in them.

Anyway, an '85 Rhoads will differ in some substantial ways from today's production RR1 model.

--Frets. Most SD Rhoads guitars have relatively small frets with the binding over the tips. That's the way Randy liked 'em. An RR1 has the same mega-jumbo Dunlop 6100 frets that all of the other production Jacksons have, with no binding over the tips.

--Neck angle and bridge. Any '85 Rhoads you find is either going to have a Tuneomatic, Kahler, or non-recessed Floyd bridge. As a result, the bridge sits higher and the neck is given a 4 degree angle, much like a Gibson. The modern RR1 has a recessed Floyd, and thus does not use an angled neck.

--Pickups. '85 was a transition era for Jackson in terms of pickups, as I believe the company's own pickups were starting to appear around then, but I suspect most '85s are still going to have a Duncan Distortion/'59 combo. The RR1 uses a Duncan JB/'59 set.

In my opinion, the neck shapes have remained surprisingly consistent on the neckthru Jacksons over the years. The '85 might have a slightly thicker neck than a modern RR1, but not extremely thicker. Width should be the same, I think.

Of course, you can still custom order a Rhoads to the exact specs of the early ones, but you'll pay a hell of a lot more money to do that than you would just to search out an old one.

[toejam]

Re: 1985 Jackson Rhodes vs New ones

[ QUOTE ]
An RR1 has the same mega-jumbo Dunlop 6100 frets that all of the other production Jacksons have, with no binding over the tips.


[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, the KV2 has the smaller, medium jumbo frets. Jackson never got the spec sheet right on that one for some reason. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[jtr]

Re: 1985 Jackson Rhodes vs New ones

Pickups were what ever you wanted at a price in 85. Jackson pickups didn't start until mid 86 and 87 started using that horrible Floyd knockoff.

[pro-fusion]

Re: 1985 Jackson Rhodes vs New ones

[ QUOTE ]
Pickups were what ever you wanted at a price in 85. Jackson pickups didn't start until mid 86 and 87 started using that horrible Floyd knockoff.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought I had read that the first Jackson pickups began appearing in '85, though obviously not with the labelled covers. I don't recall ever seeing an early Rhoads with anything but Duncans, however. But, as you say, if you could order it, they'd build it.

[pro-fusion]

Re: 1985 Jackson Rhodes vs New ones

[ QUOTE ]
Actually, the KV2 has the smaller, medium jumbo frets. Jackson never got the spec sheet right on that one for some reason. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

I wasn't sure if they were still building the KVs that way or not.