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Wow! At better than 2600 views and 100 posts I didn’t think this would get this kind of attention. Kinda nice. Thanks for the warm welcome everyone.
As Dan and others have alluded to, there are a number of designs that multiple artists have created multiple “copies" based on a prototype created by one artist. I have posted a few of these, the Nagels and Roadrunner for instance. The images I have posted I am positive that I painted, though as I have now said, they are based on someone else’s prototype to avoid any confusion. Based chronologically on my time spent at Charvel/Jackson, I would suspect that most of these “semi-custom” designs were most likely based on Dan’s originals. I never really asked who came up with the originals. I was not allowed to sign anything while working there, and I assume Dan was not either.
The were (are?) a variety of “levels” of painting/graphics (these are my terms):
Standards: A solid color or sunbust that the guys in the paint booth took care of. I seldom if ever touched them.
Standard Graphics: This would be like a grid, Bengal, Polka dots, or even the half-white-half black designs. I would mask off the contrasting color and the booth guys would paint it. I’d pull the tape and touch ‘em up as necessary. On Bengals and Zebras, they were masked with a spray on mask, and I cut the stencil. Next to impossible to figure out who painted them by looking at them.
Semi-Customs: Like the Roadrunner, Nagels, Saturn, etc…Based on a custom that was published somewhere – the Jackson catalogue or a dealer catalogue. These all look quite similar but the idea was to make them just enough different so that if two were put side to side you could tell them apart. A number of these would be difficult to figure out who did them (by looking at photos), while some would be easy.
Custom: A one off design, or I guess one of the prototypes stated above.
I guess I really should formally introduce myself. My name is Jim Lilly. I currently am a high school teacher in the Seattle area where I grew up. Presently I teach photography and ceramics, but have also taught graphics, woodworking and a host of other “hands on” subjects. I have also run a small one-man screen printing and graphics business since the 1970’s.
I lived in Claremont California for basically the 1980’s where I went to school and received my BA and Masters degrees in art – specifically painting with a minor in ceramics. Painting guitars was a living but I never considered it my primary focus. My main outlet for creativity was the fine art route, that is, painting for the gallery and museum system. I still continue to paint and show my work. Airbrushing is a part of my artwork, but not entirely the main focus.
It never occurred to me to look online for Jackson guitars until about 4 –5 years ago. I found a collector site somewhere, which one I don’t know, and e-mailed about the same thing that I did here. It was kind of funny since the guy said he was just at the NAMM show and they were trying to piece together the history of the Custom Shop, and they drew a blank with me. My e-mail arrived to him the day he returned. They must have been burning my ears.
Anyway, I’m at home with the kids for the summer, and spending more time than I should on the computer than I probably should. Lets face it, in a while I’ll/you’ll run out of pics to post an this thread will move to page two and so on.
As Dan and others have alluded to, there are a number of designs that multiple artists have created multiple “copies" based on a prototype created by one artist. I have posted a few of these, the Nagels and Roadrunner for instance. The images I have posted I am positive that I painted, though as I have now said, they are based on someone else’s prototype to avoid any confusion. Based chronologically on my time spent at Charvel/Jackson, I would suspect that most of these “semi-custom” designs were most likely based on Dan’s originals. I never really asked who came up with the originals. I was not allowed to sign anything while working there, and I assume Dan was not either.
The were (are?) a variety of “levels” of painting/graphics (these are my terms):
Standards: A solid color or sunbust that the guys in the paint booth took care of. I seldom if ever touched them.
Standard Graphics: This would be like a grid, Bengal, Polka dots, or even the half-white-half black designs. I would mask off the contrasting color and the booth guys would paint it. I’d pull the tape and touch ‘em up as necessary. On Bengals and Zebras, they were masked with a spray on mask, and I cut the stencil. Next to impossible to figure out who painted them by looking at them.
Semi-Customs: Like the Roadrunner, Nagels, Saturn, etc…Based on a custom that was published somewhere – the Jackson catalogue or a dealer catalogue. These all look quite similar but the idea was to make them just enough different so that if two were put side to side you could tell them apart. A number of these would be difficult to figure out who did them (by looking at photos), while some would be easy.
Custom: A one off design, or I guess one of the prototypes stated above.
I guess I really should formally introduce myself. My name is Jim Lilly. I currently am a high school teacher in the Seattle area where I grew up. Presently I teach photography and ceramics, but have also taught graphics, woodworking and a host of other “hands on” subjects. I have also run a small one-man screen printing and graphics business since the 1970’s.
I lived in Claremont California for basically the 1980’s where I went to school and received my BA and Masters degrees in art – specifically painting with a minor in ceramics. Painting guitars was a living but I never considered it my primary focus. My main outlet for creativity was the fine art route, that is, painting for the gallery and museum system. I still continue to paint and show my work. Airbrushing is a part of my artwork, but not entirely the main focus.
It never occurred to me to look online for Jackson guitars until about 4 –5 years ago. I found a collector site somewhere, which one I don’t know, and e-mailed about the same thing that I did here. It was kind of funny since the guy said he was just at the NAMM show and they were trying to piece together the history of the Custom Shop, and they drew a blank with me. My e-mail arrived to him the day he returned. They must have been burning my ears.
Anyway, I’m at home with the kids for the summer, and spending more time than I should on the computer than I probably should. Lets face it, in a while I’ll/you’ll run out of pics to post an this thread will move to page two and so on.
Yes, mine is very close so maybe you painted also that?
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