Help with picking a Jackson

[Marcheville]

Greetings! First, I am very happy to have stumbled across this forum. This is a GREAT resource I hope to return to time and again.

I played guitar back in high school and college. This back in the late-80's and then...I put my guitar back into the HSC and there it sat...for 20 or so years.

Well, I am picking it up again (and dusting off the old Mesa Boogie amp) and I am about to send my RR-1 to EU Wurlitzers (do they even exist anymore?) here in Boston so a pro can go over my guitar, reintonate it, give it a fresh set of strings, check/adjust the neck, all that.

My problem and my question is that my wife is taking a keen interest and liking to my RR-1 (and let's make no mistake about it, this is my guitar and I am not gonna share it). My wife plays harp and Chinese zither...and now she wants to "study guitar with her husband" - now my wife is a tiny person, 5'1" and 95# with very small hands. And she really likes the "feel" of my Jackson!

Stuff sure has changed in the last 20 years with Jackson (and Charvel and Fender). So while there is no way I am parting with my RR-1 I kinda, sorta, need to find a similar guitar for my wife. Since this will be her 1st guitar, I am not keen on spending >$1,000 on something to find out she "really is not into this" 3 months from now and goes back to her pentatonic scale Chinese zither sounds. However, she is a small lady with small hands and the easy, low action of the Jackson necks seems to suit her well (Or do I look for a used Ibanez JEM?).

I looked into a couple of "chick guitars" - those Daisy Rocks "Rock Candy" pink things that Shecter does but that seem to be "toyish" despite the wonderful write up everywhere about them. Oh and they sound a bit "twangy" with/without the coil tap. I thought about a Gibson Goddess SG as there is a used one near me that I can probably snag for $700 or less and it plays really nice but it is not a Jackson.

So the lil' woman wants a Jackson (how can I argue with her taste?) and wants one that plays as easy or nearly as easy as the old RR-1 I have.

Any thoughts where to start? I'd prefer she learn on a more conventional shaped guitar like a dinky strat or whatever. No V or Explorer or unconventional shapes.

"We" (meaning "she") wants to play a lot of punky, punch stuff (think Ramones, older Clash, some Kinks) with the ability to play some of the 1970's softer rock too. I plan on shredding. It's neo-classical for me so I know I have the right guitar for it.

Substantial differences between the USA made and the non-USA made stuff by Jackson? What's kosher in the $500-$750 (with a HSC) price range for what we need (obviously, we're not going to buy it sight unseen but I would like to know what to ask for when we go to look)? Better to go used?

Yeah, she also already told me I do not need two amps and is now sitting on top of my Yamaha JC-120. Being married means "you share" right?

Well...at least she is enthuiastic and OK with me spending $$$ on musical instruments so it could be worse.

TIA guys/gals for any advice,

Marcheville

[Newc]

COngrats on the great wife - most guys here have to deal with a wife that "doesn't get it"

Anyhoo, there's nothing wrong with getting her a Rhoads of her own. Randy was a little feller, and he played just fine.

Let her pick the one she's comfortable with. If she's studied other instruments to warrant getting a "good" one vs a "student" model, then I see no rason to deny her a "good" guitar. That said, Jackson maintains a high level of build and wood quality throughout their entire product line - from the Indian-made JS30s to the Japanese-made Professional models, the biggest difference you'll find are largely cosmetic - pickups, hardware, all that stuff that's easy to replace with better stuff.

For your price range ($500-$700), I'd talk to the dealers here at the JCF - VWall, Matt's Music, OnlineStageGear, Piney Hills (Jacksonite) - and see what they have on hand. They're all reputable dealers who will not steer you wrong, and you can trust their insight - even if you are buying "sight unseen" (though Matt's Music is in MA, so you might be able to pop in and have a test drive).

[dg]

I would look for a used USA Fusion or Fusion Pro on eBay. They are dinky strats with a 24 3/4" scale. The Pro will definitely fall in your price range and sometimes the USAs go for $750ish. If she goes back to the zither, you'll want to keep it for yourself. Here are some catalog scans:

http://www.audiozone.dk/CatalogScans/JC19901991/pages/Page33.htm

http://www.audiozone.dk/CatalogScans/JC19901991/pages/Page43.htm

[quakana]

why not try a RR5....you would be suprised at the quality of the imports.
You could get one of those <1k

[MetalMedal II]

.... and I am about to send my RR-1 to EU Wurlitzers (do they even exist anymore?) ....

Welcome! Regarding EU Wurlitzers, I don't know if they're still around. If they are, they moved from the site across the street from Daddy's. I used to go to Steve Morrill when he was there.
I also highly recommend Jim Mouradian who has a place on Mass Ave near Porter square...he's supercool!

[Marcheville]

COngrats on the great wife - most guys here have to deal with a wife that "doesn't get it"

Yeah, but OTOH, I do not want my lady appropriating my amp(s), my RR-1, my pedals and all that good stuff. She has this philosophy of "what's mine is mine and whats yours is mine" and I am not digging the way she is looking at my RR-1 like its going to be hers soon!

Anyhoo, there's nothing wrong with getting her a Rhoads of her own. Randy was a little feller, and he played just fine.

I'd argue he played a whole lot better than "fine" - the issue with an extended V shaped guitar is trying to find a comfie position when you are seated and of course, the "dinging" of the points (guilty here too!). While the Jackson neck set up (love that variable radius fret board) is a good neck to learn on for gaining acumen (and confidence) a funky shaped body is not. I learned on an old SG (with the horrid Bigsby tail piece) and I have to say, the ease and playability helped me a lot as opposed to friends that went for the "neon green" BC Rich Mockingbird NJ series or one of the older, cheaper Dean's. I want the wife to have a strat shape or a LP/SG shape (or close to it). Less intimidating and easier to learn on sitting down or standing up.

Let her pick the one she's comfortable with. If she's studied other instruments to warrant getting a "good" one vs a "student" model, then I see no rason to deny her a "good" guitar. That said, Jackson maintains a high level of build and wood quality throughout their entire product line - from the Indian-made JS30s to the Japanese-made Professional models, the biggest difference you'll find are largely cosmetic - pickups, hardware, all that stuff that's easy to replace with better stuff..

Yeah, but why add on extras like new pick ups and tuners and what not if she/we can get what we want "out of the box" - its more cost effective that way.

I might see if I can get her a USA made dinky for $700-$750 or so used.
I'll also look at the Japanese made stuff, I'd like more ops on the Indian models before I go that route.

Oh yeah, she likes the fact that my RR-1 has the shark teeth and the neck binding. I realize this is just cosmetic but I do want her to be happy with the looks of it too.

If I could find a powder pink dinky...maybe Vinnie Vincent will be selling something of his soon?

Marcheville

[dinky kustom]

wellcome to the site,sounds like you have an awesome wife who has the same interest as you.the way i see it if you spend good money on a jackson and it turns out your wife isnt that keen after all then ,you still end up with another jackson,cant be that bad a deal can it

[Marcheville]

This might be heresy but what do you guys think of the higher end (RG550+) Ibanez stuff? They have really thin necks. I'm not super wild about them for me - I think they are better than a tele/strat neck and many others out there - but a lot of time its "what you learn on and get used to" and she has ZERO guitar experience (and we're arguing over the pentatonic vs. chromatic thing now). A lot of the Ibanez people are die hards. And they are less money.

OTOH...spending a little more for a USA made Jackson means if she decides to go back to the guzheng in 3-4 months I probably can recoup most of my investment, eh?

I played one of those old JEM777 green with the pink buckers deals back in the day and it has very fast action (even if the guy designing it had to be color blind).

There are a lot of good custom shops in Boston - I just remember Wurlitzers and Daddy's near Berkley back in the day.

There is a custom luthier on Newbury who is also killer.

I also like PRS stuff but the SE line made in Korea is crap. We tried one of those and it is NOTHING compared to the "real" PRS stuff.

Still, I have a Jackson and so the wifer wants a Jackson.

Pink Dinky with a reverse headstock maybe?

Hey guys, thanks a bunch for all your help, I really do appreciate this.

If anyone knows much about or can give us input on the Indian made Jackson stuff this would be killer.

Is it just the wood/electronics/low labor cost that is the difference or is it the actual playability?

Marcheville

[dinky kustom]

ibanez make some great guitars.i own a jem myself and i love it.i guess at the end of the day it will come down to how much you wish to spend and what is more comfortable in her hands.

[Glave]

Also a good choice would be a nice Model Series Charvel or a Jackson Professional. I agree with quakana about the quality of the imports. Here are 2 Charvel/Jacksons I picked up in the past few months that cost me under $700 total.

The one on the left is a 93 Kelly Pro STD and the one on the right is an 87 Charvel Model 6. The Model 6 is probably a better choice since there is no neck joint because it's a neck-thru. Anyway, welcome to the boards.

[Newc]

I played one of those old JEM777 green with the pink buckers deals back in the day and it has very fast action (even if the guy designing it had to be color blind).

:ROTF: :ROTF: :ROTF: That would be Steve Vai:ROTF: :ROTF: :ROTF:

[quakana]

CLick-Me!

[Kont_De_La_Fere]

Welcome to the boards mate, this is my first post also.
If i were in your shoes, i would buy my wife a pro series Jackson or something like that. If she loves the shape of rr do not hesitate just go for it, some people say that rr being uncomfortable while sitting down that i don't agree with. With a strap and lower wing between my legs i hane no problem with my rr copy (yeah it's a copy cause it's so hard to find a good jackson in turkey)
You can consider buying DK-2 or something like that for it being a very versatile axe and so comfortable playing.
So if your wife wants a better guitar than an import jackson, you can always go for a second hand usa made jacksons.

[jackson1]

Show her the DK2M. I was gonna post this link, but it sold. $350! Heck, I'll post it anyway: DK2M

[777]

why not try a RR5....you would be suprised at the quality of the imports.
You could get one of those <1k

+1, I just bought a RR5 over a RR1t. the qualitys right there........