Jackson not progressing any? Why?

[ABSOLUT CHARVEL]

$1200ish was the going price for a Model 6 around '87 if what I was told by a dealer was accurate. also, I think the fact they are doing a Charvel production line now may have something to do with the Gunslinger... I know there has a been a LOT of talk about it on other forums.

thats what i thought they were going for. that was a lot of coin back then, but then again they had every swing dick playing one .... could there be a connection between exposure/marketing (like seeing a pointy on MTV) with an endorced player and the availability of a guitar line? i guess my point is it DOES matter for a guitar to played by a "somebody" that is in the lime light. Not that i care if "someone" plays it, i just care that a line (charvel/jackson) will not fall off the face of the earth. the more popular the line is, chances are there will be more options, models, etc... produced.

Hey, I love my Charvels! I play them loud, and play them proud!

I may be just a sap, but i would get a thrill to see a come back on the Charvels. Way to much guitar history and Vibe to let it fade away. If there is going to be a guitar that future metal players are going to grow with, damm it! let it be the right one! we owe it to the children that is our future.

And damm it! how fucking tough would it be to at least have some cool attire available? J/C has some of the best graphic artist in the world at hand, so why not start there? That way i could wear it proud too!

[bibz]

Fender sells USA made strats for the same price as Jackson's MIJ guitars... why?

Volume I'd say, they've been making them for 50 years too, everything about them is cheap!

All this Japan bashing is funny, korea can make good guitars yeah, but alot are dogshit! They build to prices and they suffer because of it. Most Schecters I've seen are chinese anyway, especially in that price range your talking about. The wood isn't genuine, but asian counterparts (and the whole tree at that) and the fretwork is absolutely dreadful. I dont want to see a $120 jackson, I want to see more better ones! Its a quality brand.

The jap jacksons I've played at the music store recently have been absolutely amazing. I cannot say I've been impressed by any other asian guitar there outside of bc rich. They were nice too, but not on the same level as the dominion/dk2m etc, especially fretwise. Even my Schecter Hellraiser I wouldn't put above the X series in fretwork (tones another thing, extra scale length I miss you!). Basically anyone who knows guitars that I've talked too, even when they dont like metal guitars, comment on jacksons quality and fretwork, and bag the other asian brands out. And dont get me started on Ibanez...

[Svart]

Why do you think people love Jackson STARS?

I do because I can get a neck through kelly sevenstring where Jackson keeps clinging to that COW (I just hate regular shaped guitars...).

[Robert Hendrix]

Volume I'd say, they've been making them for 50 years too, everything about them is cheap!

The jap jacksons I've played at the music store recently have been absolutely amazing. .

I stopped in my local Sam Ash the other day and was checking out the Jackson Representation there. Every single Jackson they had on the wall (and compared to other models there weren't many) was unplayable. There was a DK2 with a big gouge in the body and the volume knob was broken off that they had marked down to 500.00 that sounded decent but looked like hell, but for the most part they were all junk. I saw an RR3 that really caught my eye, and sat down to check it out but the strings were sitting on the frets. The same or similar was true with every other MIJ Jackson in the store. I didn't even bother checking out the 2 USA models or the one Demartini Crossed swords Charvel they had behind the counter .
While I was there, I looked at a few ESPs, Shecters, and even an Epiphone Les Paul. All of those guitars were in excellent playing condition (except the Les Paul which would not stay in tune) I asked the guy in the guitar department what the deal was with the Jacksons and he told me that was how they come out of the box. He said they don't do any setups to guitars, they just take them out of the box and display them. He said he didn't know what happened to the DK2, he'd been there for two years and that guitar was there when he started (wonder why :ROTF: )
Sam Ash's crappy business practices not withstanding. (Personally, I think a guitar store should do some sort of setup and quality check before it displays a guitar.) But if this is true, and Jackson is truly sending out guitars in this condition while other companys seem to have at least a basic sense of what QA is, then that could account for some of the problem.
By the way, when I left there, I went across the street to Guitar Center and the 3 Jacksons they had in stock there (all RRs some variety huh?) weren't much better. for the most part they were way out of tune and the strng locks were tightened so I couldn't tell much anyway. They did have a used Peavey Vandenburg there that was pretty sweet tho.

[VitaminG]

I stopped in my local Sam Ash the other day and was checking out the Jackson Representation there. Every single Jackson they had on the wall (and compared to other models there weren't many) was unplayable. There was a DK2 with a big gouge in the body and the volume knob was broken off that they had marked down to 500.00 that sounded decent but looked like hell, but for the most part they were all junk. I saw an RR3 that really caught my eye, and sat down to check it out but the strings were sitting on the frets. The same or similar was true with every other MIJ Jackson in the store. I didn't even bother checking out the 2 USA models or the one Demartini Crossed swords Charvel they had behind the counter .

well, the guy was either full of shit, or you guys get import Jacksons from a different source than we do over here. There are several Jackson dealers in my area. None of them carry US models in stock, but all have varying selections of Japanese models, and all of them are great condition, excellent finishes, very nice fretwork, and all play really well. One of the dealers likes to price 'em a little high, so he still has some of the older Pro models with the old Duncan Designed p/ups, and those are in good shape too. He's only not selling them because he wants $1700 (the old RRP) for a pre-'06 Kelly when other stores are selling the current model (with real Duncans) for under $1100 now

[Robert Hendrix]

well, the guy was either full of shit, or you guys get import Jacksons from a different source than we do over here. There are several Jackson dealers in my area. None of them carry US models in stock, but all have varying selections of Japanese models, and all of them are great condition, excellent finishes, very nice fretwork, and all play really well. One of the dealers likes to price 'em a little high, so he still has some of the older Pro models with the old Duncan Designed p/ups, and those are in good shape too. He's only not selling them because he wants $1700 (the old RRP) for a pre-'06 Kelly when other stores are selling the current model (with real Duncans) for under $1100 now

Yeah but does he go in and set them up before he displays them? I'm sure that;s the diff. The ones that were at Sam Ash I'm sure were fine guitars, they just needed setup, action, intonation, truss rod ect. And I'm sure there is a story behind the damaged DK2, probably an ignorant customer. I have a good friend that is the regional Manager for Sam Ash and I'm going to have a talk with him about it and find out what the real deal is. Just haven't caught up with him yet.
I bought my DK2M from Sam Ash last year and they were taking it out of the box when I got it, it was.... just ok. It was playable but not to my liking, once I set it up it was awesome!

[Downfall]

They might not be setting the Jacksons up because they are not their primary selling point, I mean ESP'S and Ibanez's are the guitar companies with big name players and massive import lines. Maybe Sam Ash know they can sell ESPs and Ibanezs and thats why they set them up.

[sakeido]

I'm just going to totally ignore that first comment. And I own a Fender Koa Tele, which is Korean. I dig it. Doesn't feel bland like a lot of other Korean instruments, so there goes that theory

And I don't know what to say to that other than :ROTF: There is a reason the Japanese guitars cost more; they're made better. Fender is one of the most efficient companies out there. If they didn't think the Japanese knew how to build a guitar, they wouldn't be there. and I have played a LOT less new Jap guitars that have been without issues than new Korean ones.

for fuck's sakes, if two guitars are the same price and have the same hardware, and one is made in an area with more expensive labor, then to keep the unit cost of that guitar down, corners will be cut, putting it on par or worse than the guitar that received more attention in the area with lower labor cost.
Guitars are not fucking magically better because they have been made in Japan. Korea is very, very good at building guitars now. Japanese people are not innately better at making guitars than Korean people.

[Robert Hendrix]

They might not be setting the Jacksons up because they are not their primary selling point, I mean ESP'S and Ibanez's are the guitar companies with big name players and massive import lines. Maybe Sam Ash know they can sell ESPs and Ibanezs and thats why they set them up.

Actually, his reply to me was that they don't set ANY guitars up, they just display them. He said that in order for them to be set up, they would have to pay their guitar Tech to do it, and it would cost the store a fortune considering the amount of guitars that come in.

[RobRR]

If you cant set up a guitar to play even marginally, then you have NO business working as a guitar salesman. Period. If you set up the guitars, make them play and look good, youll sell more guitars, and put more money in your pocket.

Back to the topic at hand... I never really heard of Jackson when I bought my first. At the time, I had only been playing a year or so, and wasnt really into metal yet. I owned an Ibanez at the time... I walked into Sam Ash and saw the DR3 quilt top, and HAD to have it. I traded in the Ibanez for it... I remember just staring at it for weeks thinking how awesome it looked.

BUT, I would LOVE to see Jackson expand, come out with more models and options, and most importantly, STOP MAKING STUPID MISTAKES! Use the correct colored binding. Use MOP on high end imports. Stop using the JUNK JT580LP's. Use Schallers, theyre cheaper than OFR anyway. JUST STOP BEING CHEAP AND FUCKING UP!

Alas, we all know this wont happen. I truly dont think JC will be around much longer. I think theyll exist only as a custom shop. They need to swallow their pride and start going after musicians and giving them some incentives to play Jacksons. Sure, we may all know that JC's are the best guitars on earth, but it all comes down to, money talks. JC with their penny pinching should know this better than anyone.

Why do I want JC to progress? Beacuse I want more models to buy! GOOD ones, Im NOT paying $1000+ for plastic inlays and binding that you cant see. Sorry, not gonna happn. As it sits right now, all the good JC's have been long since made, sold, and resold. Thats why I buy used.

[bibz]

I refrain from commenting about obvious instore beater guitars because thats not a true representation of what they're actually like! Setups are personal anyway, I dont take a higher action to mean they suck, just thats how they leave the factory. Any shop who has a guitar hanging that is unplayable is a shit shop and I wouldnt even order new guitars from them, cause they simply dont care. You should have a repair/setup department anyway, it wouldn't take 5 minutes a guitar to get it playable! They do not leave the factory that way, and I doubt they leave the distributor like that either. I've only ever met one person in a music shop I'd let touch my personal guitars anyway!

Koreans aren't genetically disposed to being less talented in lutherie, the factories are built and run cheaper though. Theres a price point wherever they're being made. The Cort/Samick factories CAN produce nice guitars, and they're not built to an hourly rate! The japanese J/C plant has always been known for its quality, Grover set that shit up right from the word go! I'd take one of those, a fujigen or matsumoko guitar over a samick guitar any day. They all have duds and cheapo's, but at the top level the japs really do smoke! Go grab an old heartfield and compare it to any schecter (e: ok, modern non-usa ) out there.

And you know why they have alot of RR's? Cause they can't get enough of em and they sell like hotcakes. Thats a direct quote from the local store manager here.

[strident.silence]

The problem with Schecter and New Bc.Rich, is that the construction sucks. A lot of them have interesting hardware (OFR, ebony board, binding) for a really cheap price so it get your attention. Every time I tried one though they played like shit.



Most recent import Jackson I tried played well even if they did'nt have OFR or whatever. They do need more options though.

[Confuse-a-Cat]

The problem with Schecter and New Bc.Rich, is that the construction sucks. A lot of them have interesting hardware (OFR, ebony board, binding) for a really cheap price so it get your attention. Every time I tried one though they played like shit.



Most recent import Jackson I tried played well even if they did'nt have OFR or whatever. They do need more options though.

While I haven't played many of those sorts of guitars, I have to say I suspected that the ones with the fancy hardware wouldn't play very well. Corners have to be cut somewhere if you're going for a cheap price and if you're using good hardware that just leaves the build quality.

If the guitar is good quality you can always upgrade the hardware.

[Spivonious]

The few Schecters I've played have been built to what I expect from a $500-$600 guitar. Can't comment on BCR.

I did play an Indian-made Jackson, and it was built so poorly it was almost unplayable.

[yard dawg]

WHy does Jackson have to make a better mouse trap? Gibson has been doing the same thing for decades with the LP. Fender has the strat. Jackson needs to build better quality imports and advertise more. You cant make a "metal" guitar and hope to sell millions. Metal is dead. Its all about the rap crap now. The metal music market is small now compared to jacksons hayday in the 80s.

Jackon/Charvel/Fender needs to convince people that rap sucks and isnt real music.