What is this?

[StefanEndres]

I've recently been offered a Jackson Strat-like guitar which seems a bit odd to me. Unfortunately I'm new to this forum and thus not allowed to post attachements, so I'll try to describe the guitar. Maybe you experts can tell me if this guitar is a real Jackson or a fake put together from spare parts.
Year of purchase: 1987
Color: Kind of sparkling white
Pickups: Originally 3 active Jackson pickups with 3 mini-switches, tone and volume, replaced by EMGs, but owner still has the Jacksons.
Trem: Kahler
Hardware: All black
Strange bit: Charvel neck plate saying serial number is 5462.
Hopefully I'll soon be allowed to post pics.

[zeegler]

Even if you are new, you can still post images that are hosted elsewhere.

[JACKSONFREAK]

Are you saying its a Jackson logo'd neck with a Charvel neck plate? See if you can pull the neck off. There should be some markings on the neck pocket and neck heal. The plate may have just been swapped out. Dont know why. But stranger things have happened.
How may knobs/controls does it have? is it a strat or a dinky body? If you can get pics. host them on photo bucket or some where similar. Then just post them here.
Gil

[CharvelRocker]

5462 would make it one of the very last San Dimas if it's a Charvel, and a 1986. If it's a Jackson, it could be anything from an 87 to an 89. The Jackson pickups were never active though; they were often paired with a Gain or Mid boost though in an active circuit. Does it say Jackson or Charvel on the headstock?

[dg]

It sounds like you are describing one of the very late Charvels, made in early '86. Quite a few of them had a Jackson logoed headstock with a Charvel plate. We used to "argue" a little about whether they are Charvels or Jacksons, but I think the consensus is that they should be considered Charvels. Here's #5463 from the JCF gallery with 3 passive singles, 3 mini-switches, Kahler, and a Jackson logoed headstock:






I think there's a really good chance that the one you've been offered is legit. There's always a chance it could be a parts guitar, though.

Check the late guitars in this gallery:

http://www.jacksoncharvelworld.net/Gallery.html

or in the JCF gallery. Lots of late ones have Jackson logoed headstocks.

[StefanEndres]

You guys are pretty fast and I think you've got it right. The pickups are not active but have a small gain adjuster and three mini-switches for resonance frequenzy in a battery-powered cirquit. The headstock is Jackson-logoed. I'm trying to post pictures as soon as possible.

[StefanEndres]

Here they are:
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk284/StefanEndres/Backplate1.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk284/StefanEndres/Complete.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk284/StefanEndres/Body.jpg

[dg]

Looks good in the pics. Any shots of the back of the body? If you get to check it out in person, it would be good to check neck heel & pocket markings like Gil suggested. From what you've shown, though, I think it's probably all good.

[StefanEndres]

Here you are.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk284/StefanEndres/Back.jpg

I'm not quite sure if the guy lets me take off the neck. Let's say he did - what would I have to expect to find there?

[ADR]

Nice find,shes is a beauty.Love the Kahler. If you remove the neck,we can look for stuff like markings,initials etc.
Here is my newly aquired axe! Its an 86 #2959 "Ontario Built" but with "San Dimas" plate.


Wanted to add that a friend of mine ordered a "Charvel"1H OFR with custom B&W paint. . Finally get's it after a 10-12 month wait and it has this big ol Jackson logo on it.He was like WTF?Make a long story short,he kept it.Nothing could of been done anyway. . they were all Jackson logoed after that.True story.

[ADR]

Wonder why the plate is so beat up on it when the back of the guitar looks pretty good?wonder if it's an older plate than the body?
I had 0009th bolt on Jackson,had Jackson plate #1010. It was a real early 86,can't recall the body date.
My new Jackson has the "R" and not the "TM" like my old friend did.

[rjohnstone]

Something not right about that neck.
Anyone else spot what's wrong with the logo.
That neck should not belong on a guitar with a Charvel plate. And no, I'm not talking about it saying "Jackson".



Look at the placement of the "MADE IN USA".
That's an Ontario neck. IIRC, the logo had the "MADE IN USA" portion Under the Jackson name for the SD stuff. I know it was moved around a lot or even left off, but that looks like one of the screened logos, not the old decal.

[dg]

The one I posted above is legit and was owned by Chucksplatter, and it's the same. I don't know when exactly they changed the position of "Made in USA", but these are '86 necks. Here's another from the gallery:




and another:

[ADR]

L@@K

Here use this as a reference,my 86:

[StefanEndres]

What is a 'screened logo'? Do you mean that it's not finished with clear paint but with some sort of plastic? Right at the tip of the headstock this plastic seems to have come off and was fixed again. What would it mean for the guitar if it were screened? Is it a fake?
The back of the guitar - and all the rest actually - is in quite good condition because the owner mostly used this guitar for studio purposes and he also seems to take care of his equipment. He showed me his 1981 Rivera TBR-1 and a Custom Audio Amplifiers 3+ SE preamp, and they both look like new amps. Concerning the age of the guitar - he showed me the original receit reading March 1987. The guy also said that the owner of the music store had told him that he had personally bought this guitar in the USA and brought it over to Germany to sell it here.
I don't know if it helps but here's a better image of the headstock.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk284/StefanEndres/Headstock.jpg