Pre/Post Fender

[DonP]

Well, I have a little experience with pre-post Fender (all purchased used). My first USA was a 1992 RR1. I love it because it's a classic, J90C, JE-1200, heavy, solid. Classic Jackson tone, easy to get a Stryper sound.

They I got a 1995 RR1. Such beautiful workmanship, especially how the rolled binding is "one" with the rest of the neck. I also like the OEM Bill Lawrence USA pickups (L500 and L500XL). I also have a real Bill and Becky, so no worries.

Just last Friday I got a 2005 SL2H Bengal. I was really worried - would the quality suck? Would the ebony look like shit (I've seen many bad examples on recent Guitar Center SL2H's in metalic black - brown streaks in the ebony - a sign that the good stuff is all gone). To my surprise, it is a fabulous axe just as wonderful as my other two. Getting used to the TB4 was a chore, but that's not a fault with the guitar, it's a tone preference.

If you can see the guitar and know what you are getting and can play it before purchasing, that's the best advise. Other than that, grab you ankles and hope for the best:ROTF:

You might get lucky as I did

[JacksonRR]

Hasn't changed in my opinion)

[S.O.A.F]

IMO quality is still good but the price is ....

[toejam]

bad bad admin! No doughnut for you. :ROTF:

Just like Yngwie, I don't eat fuckin' donuts!

[Inazone]

Fender really pegged the prices on the imports and USA-production Jacksons first............and later on the Custom Shop Charvels as well...........

Although the USA price increases were pretty steep, a lot of the long-time JCFers had been speculating about a price hike for years, as J/C prices were well below the other American manufacturers for quite some time.

As for the imports, the only models that seem at all expensive to me are the high-end Japanese models (RR24, KBRR, etc.) that have been introduced recently. The bolt-on models are still quite reasonably priced, especially when you consider that they are made in Japan. With most of the competition building guitars in Korea and now China, Jackson is pretty much up against ESP, Ibanez (some) and Caparison. The prices are actually low for what you get, I think.

[emperor_black]

Just like Yngwie, I don't eat fuckin' donuts!

joe, you're missing out on this ...

[demeyes]

From what I've seen the quality is the same. This is the kind of thing that people hype up on eBay to make you think you're getting a better guitar.

[Mr Metal]

They use the term pre-Fender like people used to say pre-CBS about Fender!!!!!

[Chester73]

In the case of MIJ jacksons, I would say that the build quality is probably the same, however the components used pre -Fender are inferior, Fender have after all improved the pickup options, the low profile tremolo, and for what it's worth, you can pick a DK2M with Duncan Jazz, and JB pickups, for a lot less cash, than the nearest LTD or Ibanez, both of which would be built in Korea, so what's not to like.

[jimjones]

i think quality has dropped myself. the limited post fmic guitars ive played had poor fret work and 2 had the nasty brown ebony mentioned earlier. they used to be known for killer fret work and the $300 korean hamer had better fret work than the usa jackson. throw in everything ive read here about messed up customs and ltd runs and i dont think id risk buying a post fmic guitar without playing it first. pre fmic...i have and would again.