Custom Shop 1986-87

[roodyrocker]

Thats the one I remember too. Hi Tommi!

[kinde69]

Thats the one I remember too. Hi Tommi!

Hi Rudy!

[sheltered]

Here's a little bit better pic of the metallic bird. I don't have a scanner at home so its a digital photo of photo from an old portfolio.

[MetalMedal II]

I was wondering where snakeskin finishes fit in your finish level terminology below? My guess in the Semi-Custom category since each one was unique plus the time it took to make it.

Again, great thread!

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.

[sheltered]

A whole number of guys painted the snakeskins. When I was there there was a diamondback and a python pattern I think. The guitar was painted gray first, then wrapped in this rubber mesh stuff. (You buy it at the restaurant supply store. They put glasses on it to dry in bars). A carboard template was used for the pattern of darker grays and blacks.

I only painted a couple, mostly because I just wanted to do it and learn how.

[speed monkey]

Thankfully I did not do that one. It really could use the pickups painted!

I haven't painted a guitar since I left over 20 years ago.....man where'd the time go?

My passion lately has been skateboarding (at nearly 49 years old!). Here's a pic of a couple of my recent decks:

Very cool..where are you living these days ? (from a 44 yr old lifer skater )

[sheltered]

where are you living these days ?

Right across the lake from Seattle.

[miller]

Dan, I love the Stryper Kelly!

[sparky]

This is the only picture I have with the "tree camo" Jackson in it. I will post better pix later.

[Matt_B]

This is the only picture I have with the "tree camo" Jackson in it. I will post better pix later.

Yup, that's the guitar I sold to a friend of mine when I worked at Daddy's Junky Music in Nashua, NH. It was of course a special order.

[sparky]

I bought at one of the Daddy's Garage Sales in Manchester, NH in 1990. Small world!!!

[wetrx95]

This is the best string I have read yet! I know I'm new, but welcome. I am the owner of a 'standard' bengal graphic with an extra. You and Dan do some of the greatest art work I have seen. The detail is very evident in all your pieces.

[metalchurch79]

I agree, thanks for all the photos.
i particularily enjoyed the semi "how-to" on the snakeskin finish method. I always wondered how this was done.

I have a question that maybe someone can answer:
If the guitar is wrapped in a fish net type material, how is it done so there is no parting line? Or is it just positioned the best it can, and mostly "joined" in the middle, on the back of the guitar?

I'd love to learn more on how to do some of these graphics. I'd also like to check out Dan Lawrence's guitar graphics book sometime. That would be an awesome item to have, because I'm really into ainting guitars and stuff, and one day I would like to pursue a career in painting or luthier work.

[sheltered]

I haven't checked this thing since the summer.

If the guitar is wrapped in a fish net type material, how is it done so there is no parting line? Or is it just positioned the best it can, and mostly "joined" in the middle, on the back of the guitar?

Its really quite forgiving. You just "fog" the "seam" areas with the background color to cover or hide any inconsist areas.

[straycat]

I had Charvel 5490 it was an 85 and it had the skyline graphic.I saw the blue one back in the thread did you do any of the last Charvels?It was the last strathead Charvel but had a Jackson logo.A pic is in the Charvel gallery section.
The thing I noticed it had a fancy hand painted "D" in the pickup route I wondered why that was there.My guess was DL painted it but could never be sure.I sold it to ALZ and chrisintampa owns it now.