How many people here who own USA/Custom Shop Jacksons can actually play them?

[Megadeth79]

I am not good enough(in terms of playing) for my guitars. I cannot justify having high end guitars but still buy em. Is it a sin? Don't think so Btw I miss my guitars its been a month I am in another country cannot play em they are waiting for me.

[markD]

i ONLY gig with my USA and custom shop jacksons. i TRY to gig with my other guitars, but they pale in comparison. played a BIG southern rock show this past saturday and it was all floyd'd jackson's with my band vs. endless gibson les pauls with EVERY other band.

BTW - i play AND collect....but i play EVERYTHING i collect.

[shredmonster]

I will have 7 guitars as soon as I get my Rico Jr Custom Shop on the way.

I have been playing since I was 7 years old. I am now in my 40's and I am a shredder still.

I have had 4 hand built custom guitars - a Robin Medley that was beautiful but I just could not bond with it so I sold it. Neck was a bit thin and fingerboard was a bit flat.

I recently got a custom called a Nocturne from England built to my specs which I will keep.

I have as far as I know the only reverse body style Custom Demon that Jackson has ever built and I play that almost nightly.

And I have a Rico Jr Custom on the way.

Why custom? Cause its the only way I can get everything I want - not so much looks although its nice to have pretty guitars - but playability.

I have very specific neck profiles that I like and I can't find them on most guitars. And I like coil splitters. And I found certain pick ups that I like to put in my guitars. I like Arch Tops. Etc.... So for me personally I can only find these if I get a custom build.

This is it though after the Rico Custom. I have had enough and am not looking for any more. Each of my customs is different and unique in its own way wood wise, fingerboard wise. Yet each is similar in neck profile, pick up configuration, bridge config. etc...

I also have other guitars around so I am use to playing different necks and feeling axes - Charvel parts mutt with (only hehe!) 22 frets and super high string action, a Hamer Vector with a 24-3/4" fingerboard etc... My Nocturne has a 1.75" nut which I always wanted to try. Thats about as big a nut as I would want. Fits my hand pretty good but I learned that 1/11-16" is about perfect. Also have a Kramer Ferrington with thick brass strings but plays and sounds great.

So for me it has been a learning process. I have owned a PRS, Gibson Firebird (original), Gibson SG, Ibanez JEM, Jackson Soloist, Fender Strat, Hamer Californian, and some I can't remember.

And I have played about everything out there more than once with a few exceptions (can't play everything in the world). Bakers, Langcasters, Zions, Parkers, Suhrs, G & L's, Melancons, Warriors, Andersons, Eernie Balls, Peaveys, Fernandez, Kramers, many many Gibsons and Fenders, etc etc.....

I figure I can play pretty well and I make a good living so I can justify having some customs.
I play every day for about 2 hours or so. Right now I usually will play my Demon or PC1 but looking forward to the Rico.

[ulijdavid]

I have approx. 12 guitars - half being USA Jackson's. Been playing for over 30 years. I interpret the intent of your post was "how many buy the guitar as furniture". I am not a professional musician but have not had many days in the past 30 years where I haven't played a guitar. I work my ass off during the week and deserve anything I can afford - without impacting my family. This includes guitars, dogs, and BEER!!!

[shreddermon]

I've been playing for 25 to 30 years-ish, so I'll be damned if anyone says I can't play. However, I am well out of practice, so I have gotten a lot more sloppy than I used to be and forgotten a lot of songs and riffs over the years.

[AlexL]

Like most here, I can hold my own. I probably have more gear than I need, but I wouldn't say it's better gear than I should own compared to my ability.

I almost bought a Music Man Petrucci BFR that would have come in at about 3K. I decided that was just a bit too much money to have in one guitar for me. But I just bought a Jackson PC1 for 2K, and feel it was totally justified. All of my guitars are USA made, and my two main guitar amps are hand-wired, boutique tube amps. I can afford what I buy, and there's lots of worse things to spend my money on. I generally do well on resale of my gear, so it is a better investment than heading to the casino or the bar.

But if someone wants to drop 4K on a beautiful guitar and use it as art, as long as their kids aren't starving because of it, I say more power to them.


- E.

[StukaJU87]

I play the ones I have, but I am not that good. I play mostly rhythm in my band because my leads not only suck...they blow. Still like the guitars though.

[Partial @ Marshall]

I have 19 gtrs, one custom shop. Play the custom at home, I gigged it twice but, now it stays at home and use the old mij charvels for rehersal and gigs. Don't want anything to happen to that custom shop, it's just too sweet, and yes, I can play it. I'm thinking it is going to be great in the studio...

[GodWentPUNK]

BTW - i play AND collect....but i play EVERYTHING i collect.

Me too.

Being a lefty, when a guitar becomes available, I go for it because I may never see the likes of it again.

oh, yeah 20+ years ago, I couldn't effort to collect. Now that I'm at a point in my life where I really have only 20 summers left to live, I've decided to hord all the lefty guitars I can including this one (http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=86040)

joe...

[madcap]

I own a bottom of the line jackson at the moment and i can take most players i know to school.

I do know a few people who buy the highest end equipment and play like a 4 year old, which really pisses me off.

[Evil Homer]

I'm a bedroom player. But one day I'll become a rockstar...

But hey, I just own one guitar, and I love watching and hearing it becoming old.

[Larz]

I do know a few people who buy the highest end equipment and play like a 4 year old, which really pisses me off.

Why does it piss you off? They may have worked their ass off to buy it, everyone's at different playing levels.

[Jayster]

I've got 7 usa jacksons + a custom shop jackson ,along with my 9 other non jackson guitars ,and a few high(ish) end acoustics - I play moderatley well ,enough to fool the average listener !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jayster]

Like most here, I can hold my own. I probably have more gear than I need, but I wouldn't say it's better gear than I should own compared to my ability.

- E.

If you're like me and many I know - the better the gear that you're using ,the better you feel ,the better you feel the better you play ,the better you play the better it sounds ,the better it sounds the better you play - there's a circle of enjoyment and sound quality - if you ever want me to stop playing guitar ,just hand me a piece of shit guitar through a shitty set-up !!

[AK47]

I had to come to the realization that you can only play one guitar at a time and their are only 24 hours in a day.

Since I am not a professional musician I let my technique and practicing slide in a bad way. I have been told by others I am decent but in my mind I am never good enough or could be better.