Quest or folly???

[scotty2]

I only found this forum last week so I hope some of you guys can give me a pointer.

I currently own & play a PRS, but the guitar that I would ideally like to acquire is a Jackson Strat with HSH pick up configuration & a Strat style headstock. From what I have seen & the replies to my initial post it would seem that this might be a quest that will not end in success. Can anybody let me know if they have seen any of this type of guitar up for sale on e-bay or elsewhere? The very helpful thread about Custom Shop no no's suggests that Strat headstocks on Jacksons are a thing of the past (all that time that Jackson is owned by FMIC anyway).

If what I seek is not achieveable I have found an excellent SL3 in my local music store with a humbucker & two hot rails which played like a dream, that would be more than adequate if what I'm looking for is no longer available or is as prevalent as rocking horse shit!

Hope someone can help, Jock.

[El_Kabong]

The closest you will find is a Jackson PC1, if you want a strathead, though it is not HSH. Customs and mutts do appear from time to time, though. Good luck in your search.

[Monster Joe]

I'd go with the SL3, honestly.
I had one but traded it in for an SL1. It was a great guitar.
If the Strathead really matters I think you'll have to look secondhand.
Or get the PC1, as suggested.

[thetroy]

The only way to do it currently is to buy a new PC1 then have the neck single route modded to humbucker size... or just find another body that is HSH and put PC1 neck on it

[scotty2]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I was hoping to avoid the PC1/3 if I can as I had a PC3 some years ago, beautiful guitar but the neck was huge in comparison to some of the other Jacksons I have had in the past, like the SL3 which was much slimmer. I went back to playing drums hence I got rid of all my guitar stuff & now that I have given up drums for good, I want to get into the guitar more in my spare time.

How often do the Strat head guitars come up second hand? If they are reasonably frequent I will wait to try & get the instrument I really want, if not I will happily go down the SL3 route.

Thanks again guys, all the best, Jock.

[MountainDog]

As mentioned the PC1 is the closest Jackson you'd come to with your Strathead wish, but routing out the neck pickup for a hum means you'd be throwing out the sustainer system. The neck is larger than other Jacksons, but I was surprized to find it was very comfortable and it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would.

Finding a Jackson Strathead will probably be a long search for you and would be expensive when/if you found it. Modifying the body to add pickups would take away some of the value that you initially had to pay into it. To get a Strathead, you'd be better off getting a USA Charvel Strathead single hum and routing in the neck hum and middle single. Here's one for example:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33044&item=190091197354

[scotty2]

Mountain Dog, many thanks for the comments & the link. I figured I might well be asking a bit much but thought I'd try anyway to see if I could locate my dream guitar. I think I'll have to visit the local music store this weekend & see if they have a PC1/3 for sale. What is the advantage of the sustainer pick up? Never having played a guitar with one I wouldn't know if it has any plus points over say the SL-3 which I know is a great guitar. Any comments would be of assistance. Thanks, Jock.

[rjohnstone]

PC3's are not made anymore, so they are a bit hard to find.
The sustainer on a PC1 is great. Lets you hold a note indefinitely (well... till the battery dies anyway).
You can also do interesting note bends and runs with it as well.
There's tons of things you can do with it. Takes a little getting used to though.
If you're worried about the neck being too thick, play one for a few days.
I went from an Ibanez RG 560 with a super thin neck to my PC1 and never looked back.
No more hand cramps or sore wrists... very comfortable.
I own a PC1 and a PC3 (with a PC1 neck on it. PC3 neck was too thin for me). Great guitars.
In the end though, it's wood... you can always sand the back down a bit to thin it out.

[MountainDog]

Some recent PC1 threads:

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58105

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67618&highlight=sustainer

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66645&highlight=sustainer

[danastas]

Well, you just might spec out a Charvel Strathead with some Jackson neck specs. I.e. slimmer profile neck, ebony/rosewood board, sharky inlays. May even want to ask about the possibilities of binding.

So, you'd get a Jackson type neck with Strathead and Charvel logo. All coming out of the Custom shop = $$$.

[scotty2]

The PRS is in for a set up, tomorrow I will be off to the local Jackson dealers to see what's what. I am still liking the SL3 but the PC1 is sounding more appealing, even though my PC3 neck put me off that model a lot. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

[MountainDog]

Is the SL3 you played a new one, 2006? The 2006 have Original Floyd Roses, the 2005 had a Jackson trem. Here's some threads about SL3s:

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66656&highlight=SL3

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62306&highlight=SL3

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64126&highlight=SL3

Figured the above would good for you to know about while you are checking out the SL3 again.

[scotty2]

The SL I had was in about 2001, so I may have got the model # wrong but it was definitely an SL series guitar. I have had the following Jackson guitars at different times, the SL, a JJ4 in Tobacco, a DK2 in Black, a DK2 in EDS, a PC3 in Solar & Rhoads RR3 in Black which I kept for a day because I could not get the thing to balance properly. If I had kept that lot it would be a fine collection.

[Zerberus]

Why not just buy a CS Charvel?

Or is the Jackson Logo and neckplate a deal breaker, even if they´re made by the same people, on the same machines, using the same wood?

[shreddermon]

Have you checked out the limited edition guitars area lately? Two hum Charvel strathead run available at Matt's Music.