So you are the new Charvel/Jackson CEO...

[surfreak]

...and FMIC just appointed you to make great guitars, turn the brand over and make C/J hugely profitable too.

What would you do?

[Strat God]

I would capitalize on the Jackson reputation of a high-end ONLY, custom shop product, raise the prices and commit huge dollars to marketing.

Then I'd 'interview' scads of hot new porn stars in my private office and annoint one to be the new spokesbabe to replace Jenna.

Then I'd release a limited anniversary line with all the original graphic finishes from the 80's.

Then of course, I'd wake up....

[jackson1]

I would start contacting every single popular band, offering them endorsement.

[missionguitars1]

Read this board daily!

[markD]

i would drop the low end imports. i would mainly focus on the custom shop. i would get good endorsers, including guys on the local level (a discount endorsement - NOT free gear). i would market the guitars to have a wide appeal, NOT just metal guitars.

i would (temporarly) reduce the prices to where they were at the end of the akai era in order to get the guitars into more people's hands. then i would institute a 5% increase each year so the price increases were very gradual.

i would listen to player feedback. if there WAS a strong buzz about a guitar with certain specs, i would make it as a limited edition model (priced within reason) to test the validity of the request. if the limited version sold well, it would become a USA select model.

the imports would be priced into the $700-$1000 range and would be limited to a couple of models. these models would be slight variations of the USA models. they would have binding, but NOT ebony, the would have very thin pearl or abalone looking inlays (like agile, schecter, etc.) and logo. i would offer a few unique colors other than just black and cheap-o blue (hint to ibanez and ESP).

i would require my dealers to carry USA and import stock. i would not allow them to only order imports then tell a customer USA's "can be special ordered".

i would drop the limited runs. i believe those clog up the quoting of custom shop guitars. everyone wants something for nothing, and quoting a limited batch run for "possibly" interested buyers clogs up the system from real interested, cash in hand buyers.

i would institute a "custom guitar builder" online so that customers can play around with specs and SEE the prices BEFORE they submit their quote. ESP used to have this and it was really nice.

i would also PAY attention to what the japanese competiton is doing. love them or hate them ESP and ibanez sell A LOT of guitars. they must be doing something right. i would get off my high horse and look at my product line and see where i could beat the competetion....

or i would just go SUPER high-end custom shop if all my above plans failed.....

[Sinistas]

SLSMG - level versions of the Rhoads, Kelly, KV, and Warrior. All with regular headstocks and sharks. Drop the JS and X series. Offer string-thru and floyded versions of ALL guitars. Make a USA RR24 with WHITE BINDING, damnit.

More to come. haha

[neilli]

I'd address the following:

- QC: 'nuff said

- Delivery times: reduce the random nature where one order takes 6 months but others take 18. 15 months for a bolt-on strat is pathetic.

- Introduce a 'semi-custom' option for Jackson i.e. you can take a regular model and make certain select changes to it (pickup layout, inlays, rev head, fingerboard wood). Nothing that involves significant build changes (SL2H with a non recessed trem or whatever), but enough to get some more unique guitars out there - it'd be good for the brand for non standard stuff to be seen more, rather than a million same ol' same ol' type soloists on eBay.

- Introduce ltd production models at std pricing e.g. XTRR, Demon etc. Keeps things interesting without crippling people.

- Websites: Update them more than once a year for christsake. The web is ever more important and neglecting brand websites is a massive indication of problems / prioritisation issues at J/C.

- NAMM pt1: Do something more than std guitars with graphics.

- NAMM pt2: Stop focusing production on these events twice a year so actual customers are having to wait longer - if necessary, use customer orders at the shows to speed up the process. I'm sure most of us would be pleased if our CS orders were shown at NAMM.

- Endorsees: Get some younger guys that people have heard of. PC, WD and EVH (yep, it's tragic that they're all that's left) are just not enough, and are not exactly cutting edge any more.

- Artist replicas: Not sure if refusing to build these is a legitmate concern or an indication of an extremely risk averse legal department. Whatever, the fact that J/C have so few current artists inherantly pushes the brand into 'retro' territory, and dropping artist replicas seems like business suicide, so there'd better be a damn good reason for it!

[nateb]

Quality Control -
- Document standards, specs, tolerances that need to be met when the guitars are built. Make sure that the customer is getting what they put down damn good money for.
- True quality control department who are players and can also enforce ^^
- Hire more people to do work and learn from the guys that are there to increase output of the custom shop and help take up the slack.

Marketing and Research
- Hire marketing people who are players and spend time out in the field and knows the market.
- Don't just sign everyone. Get a couple more big names. Getting everyone looks like you are just flooding the market.
- Increase visibility of the product.

Website
- Update the thing every once in a while.
- Custom shop showcase, full blown images of finished instruments. I mean fucken hell, hire a photographer and give him a room/lighting/tools to actually photograph these things well.

[garykeller15]

first thing i would do, lower the ridiculous prices of the customshop guitars no extra cost for lefties since the technology today makes that excuse null and void .then go back making firebirds,les paul style and any other body shape in the customshop again.basically turn the custom shop back into a customshop but make it as great as hamers was before they went pathetic.and if gibson or anyother company sues for they have copyrighted their bodyshapes.i would go into court and beat them and prove that no guitar company can copyright a bodyshape/headstock shape,because it would limit guitar companies.and its ilegal to have a monopoly,even though big companies still do it under a different word called merger.i would get rid of the oil company greed type mentality thats ruining guitar making in this country.gibson and other companies need to realize what competition really is.you cant base a competition on two different products which in guitar making means for example trying to compare or put a gibson flying v against a kings v,the only true competition would be gibsons les paul vs jacksons version of les paul.i would not be afraid of gibson doing a jackson model because it would make my guitar builders more determined to put out better product.since gibson and other guitar companies went nuts and said you cant make that shape no more.its all ready had an effect on quality of gibson,and other manufacturers guitars.also i would make every model a lefty versio9n .so mno more with left handed people have to learn right handed because of a guitar company who gets away with discrimination.i would also do a myspace band contest the winner would get a endorcement deal.then i would try to get dave mustaine back using jacksons.

[tanpsi]

I would offer stripped down Floyded Maple US Dinkys with duncans and some practical variations:

2 Hum
HSS
Regular neck or speed neck

This would kind of take the place of the Charvels

Then for the import dinkys similar variations

[charvel750]

Ummm...I'd keep it the way it's been. Who am I to argue with the almighty FMIC and their marketing strategies?! Can't drop the import line and entry level Jacksons, guys. That's the bread and butter and more sales come in with those models, like it or not. The idea is money first. Look at guitar companies like Harmony, they only care about $, not quality, not longevity, dollars!

[VoiceX3]

Putting the keys to the empire in my hand? Well....for starters there would be more variations for the USA line:

1. More reverse headstocks offerred as a standard option at no upcharge.
2. More standard pickup choices ie:EMG, Duncan, Dimarzio.
3. There would ba a 24 fret Rhoads model.
4. All string thru models would get locking tuners.
5. The body for the King V series (KV2 and KV2T) would return to the oversized "Double Rhoads" bodystyle.
6. The Kelly would return to it's original size and would be made to balance better.
7. The KellyStar would return.
8. The Warrior would get the slanted fretboard (like the old Pros) with a Jazz Jr in the neck position.
9. The PC1 would be the only Jackson available with a "Strat style" headstock.
10. Many more USA endorsees models.
10 & 1/2. Fire Jenna and replace her with Brianna Banks.

As for the Import lines:
PRO SERIES
1. All USA models would be available as pro models and would come with Rosewood, Binding and NO INLAYS or just white dots.
2. All Pro models would be neck thru (aside from the Dinky)
3. All Pro models would be $50 cheaper that their comparible competition.
4. Pickup and wood choices remain the same.
5. The JT590 would return to replace the 580.
6. They will still be made in Japan.

MG Series
1. Same as Pro's, all USA models (except the PC1) import version.
2. All MG guitars will be bolt-on (aside from the SLSMG and SL2MG)
3. There will be a MG-M option for the RR, KE, KV and DK MG models.
4. All other MG options will remain the same.
5. They will still be made in Japan

X Series
The X series will remain the same in all details, models, pickups and would be built in Japan. I would not expand this line at all.

JS Series
Discontinued.

Custom Shop
The Jackson Custom Shop will do their best to build the guitar of your dreams, unless what you want isn't feasible or will make our company look bad. Will we make loose interpritations of other people's designs without breaking trademark laws?....you betcha. We build them better than they do anyways, and besides, they've been stealing our shit for years!!!!!!!!

Charvel.

USA:
The original hot rod strat and star guitars return, built as you want them....the way it should have always been.

Imports:
All the model series from model 1 to model 6 return with their original specs.

Artists:
Obviously EVH, Warren DiMartini and I'd be tracking down Jake E. Lee as well.

Artist models will be built in the USA and limited to 50 to 100 for sale each year.

[Soloist1]

Tell them to sell it. Jackson/Charvel was an unprofitible dream. They are trying to market those guitars the same way they do Fender. And that isn't going to work. Totally different market base.

[fett]

Great thread. Should be a Sticky when the time comes.

[PowerTube]

1. Revive the production Fusion model with the 24.74" scale, but in neck-through.

2. Offer some variations of current models with non-recessed Floyd.

3. Hire as many more luthiers as I could afford and still keep the custom shop prices the same as they are now, except cutting the wait time to about 2-3 months. The difference would be made up in increased sales and production.

4. Bring back the old style Shattered Glass finish, the realistic looking one I've discussed recently.

5. Offer original Floyds on some import models.

6. Offer an option of the Floyd on some models being blocked at the factory to dive only.

7. Sue Ibanez just because I can.