Why is ESP more popular than Jackson?

[demeyes]

ESP/LTD have way better distribution around here anyway. In Ireland and England you can find good LTDs in shops all around the place, all I've seen for Jacksons are cheap JS series and other bottom of the line imports. They are not as common as their counterparts from LTD either. Also those JS series aren't going to blow people away with their cheap parts and they are fairly ugly too. People would go and buy a Jackson if they got to try some nicer models so they need to get them in the shops.
Also Jackson need some better endorsements. COW and Kevin Bond? I had to check google to find out who they were. These are the guys with signature models? They had Alexi and let him walk - Stupid move. It would not hurt to get more people out playing them on big stages around the place. Entice some guys from the bigger modern bands, get the younger people to start playing them and they will be the next generation of bands already playing the brand. Have you seen who is pictured in the Jackson catalogue last year. I'd never heard of most of them or even the bands. Thats not going to get people rushing to the stores.
They need to get their advertising and distribution sorted, its basic business. Also get the name around, Dean has shown a company can turn around its prospects, look at the stable of players they've enlisted and those guitars are ugly so imagine what Jackson could do.

[LEOKV2]

Like it's been said before...

METALLICA.

I remember seeing Hetfield and Kirk with their ESP's and then realizing that those were actually Gibson models (the Explorer and the Les Paul) and I always asked myself... WHY ? And then answering myself... "well, it they play ESP it must mean that it's THE best thing around".

Then I understood the whole "endorsement" thing.

[CharvelRocker]

Another reason is ESP makes cheaper guitars, and allows them to appeal to a wider market pretty much by default. Endorsements help as well. Though I'm starting to wonder if ESP/LTD is becoming a bit "bloated"; too many variants of the same guitars, kinda like how Kramer was. ESP has also used endorsements to move guitars like mad, but hey Jackson did too. Granted Jackson didn't have 5 signature models for every endorser. It just goes in cycles. I personally prefer Jackson imports to ESP LTDs as I feel they are a better value, but everyone likes something different. The ESP LTD KH-202 I had was a very nice sounding and playing guitar, but the trem was a bit iffy to me. It didn't feel solid, and the locking nut didn't work right, though I'm convinced it was a lemon that was taken back and sold as new. It was just JUNK. That said I've played a few ESPs and they have been nice guitars. ESP LTD makes some good guitars as well, but I would rather have a Japanese made Jackson.

[AfterForever]

The ESP LTD KH-202 I had was a very nice sounding and playing guitar, but the trem was a bit iffy to me. It didn't feel solid, and the locking nut didn't work right, though I'm convinced it was a lemon that was taken back and sold as new. It was just JUNK. That said I've played a few ESPs and they have been nice guitars. ESP LTD makes some good guitars as well, but I would rather have a Japanese made Jackson.

The 200 series are bottom of the line.. The 400 series can take on any import jackson imo, great bang for buck.

The problem with Jackson here, is that they're very hard to get. Lately I've seen more and more stories carry LTDs, and Jackson isn't seen much at all.. maybe some JS series..

[Sanctuary]

Because people are dumb.

[kelly user]

because no one fucking carries jackson........ how can kids play them if there aren't in stores........ how many of you have some other than a few dinkys in your local GC.

[CharvelRocker]

because no one fucking carries jackson........ how can kids play them if there aren't in stores........ how many of you have some other than a few dinkys in your local GC.

I see people complaining Jacksons are never in stock, here in a 35 mile radius you have 3 stores that always carry tons of Jacksons, a used shop that always has at least 1 in stock. Then you have 1 ESP LTD dealer which is crazy high on everything and are scammers. Maybe here in Lancaster Pennsylvania I'm just lucky :ROTF:

[Axewielder]

I'm a Jackson guy all the way, but I do feel like there is a bit more variety over on the ESP side of the fence (different control configs, more maple boards, more mahogany bodies, etc). Ironically the thing that I HATE about ESP are all the poser artist signature models! Just a pet peeve, I'd hate to see Jackson go that direction.

[lynchfan6]

From my experience, most Jackson dealers in these smaller towns don't carry USA Jacksons. We have a Jackson dealer in my town, and all of the Jackson's are low end. So , of course, kids pick these up and play them,,,and they are not the same feel as USA Jacksons! WHere I live, ESP dealers are unheard of, but I do agree it helps that ESP only uses "ESP" on the top of the line guitars,,,,LTD on the others. Kids pick up these $300 Jacksons and think,,,"well, this is a Jackson." I own both a USA Jackson DK-1 and a real ESP M-II.......to me, they are both awesome. The Jackson really wins out , though, with the extra attention to detail, and mother of pearl logo, etc, and just something about the overall feel/build of a USA guitar is unparalled. But all the kids playing non-USA Jacksons don't know this.

[Blazer]

Is that not also an ESP cloud model?

Nope Prince plays Dave Rusan and Jerry Auerswald Made custom "Cloud" guitars, Schecter is putting out the official Prince Cloud model that you can only buy from Prince's website, however those Schecters differ a lot from the original Rusan and Auerswald made guitars.

Here's a list of every "Cloud" guitar that Prince owns or owned
*Pink Cloud bass - Dirty mind era - Played by then revolution bassplayer Andre in the music Video for "why you wanna treat me so bad?" and later it re-appeared in the music Videos for "My Name is Prince" and "The most beautiful girl in the world" in the hands of NPG bassplayer Sonny T. Prince still owns this bass.
*White Cloud – Purple Rain era – THAT guitar, the famous one from the movie. Destroyed at the last Revolution gig. Features ‘spade’ symbol fret markers.
*Black Cloud #1 – Parade era – This guitar was the only one to have a natural finished maple fretboard (not painted). Later became the ‘Batman’ guitar (see below).
*Peach Cloud – Sign O’ The Times era – Given away as a prize and not seen since. This Cloud had small black dot markers.
*Blue Cloud – Lovesexy Era – Commonly known as the ‘Blue Angel’. Also featured small black dot markers.
*Black Cloud #2 – Batman era – All black with bat symbol fret markers.
*Yellow Cloud – Diamond and Pearls era.
*Blue Cloud #2 – Rave era – This guitar has gold plated knobs rather than the black plastic ‘mini JB’ knobs found on earlier guitars. It also has a rounded profile to the body.

The Schecter made Clouds differ by having Fender scale length necks, a bolt on construction (compared to the neck-through of the Rusan and Auerswald made guitars) and they come with Duncan Designed pickups (while Prince's custom clouds come with EMG pickups)


This is a Schecter made Cloud


And THIS is a Dave Rusan made cloud.

Not too hard to spot the difference is it?

[RobRR]

I went to GC and SA for a quick walk through today.

GC, as usual, only had a handfull of Jacksons... 2 white RR5's, a DK2, 2 DK2M's, and a JS30RR. That was it. The rest of the store was flooded with the usual Ibanez, which Ill admit, that new V is pretty nice looking. TONS of Schecters as usual... I decided to pick one up... set neck, abalone binding, real EMG's, real OFR... $800 price tag... not bad for the options! But the guitar played just OK... it just felt cheap, almost like a toy... I cant really describe it. Not to mention made in Indonesia or South Korea (I forget). Unlike Schecter, when I pick up a Jackson, I know how its going to feel... I know its gonna feel like a real guitar that will rip your guts out given the chance. Then there were the 10,583 Dime models all over the place.

Sam Ash had a slightly better selection as usual with more high end stuff. They had their two SA only SL2H imports (grey and trans blue), an RR5 or two, a KBR, couple RR3's, a DK2 Pile o' Skulls (which I LOVE but fuck, $920+? come on now!), a DX10D, a KE3 Crimson Swirl, DK2 Eeriedess... maybe one or two more... but a damn good selection considering!

Every time I go there, I look at the Alexi ESP model... and laugh more and more at it. Those inlays are literally the gayest things Ive ever seen. And the pickup... a $1000 guitar with an EMG HZ H4? Whaaaat? The guitar just feels cheap as did the Schecter... BUT: Alexi plays one, so its gotta be good right?

I bet you that most kids today probably think that Jackson is copying ESP's Alexi model with all our Rhoads... little do they know.

It all comes down to marketing. I havent seen a USA Jackson in a store in well over a year... and when I did see it, it was a black SL2H priced at $2400... not very appealing to someone who doesent know what it is. ESP will endorse anyone, Jackson will endorse noones. I didnt know who the hell COW and Morton were until their models came out... and Im still not fans of either. The Morton sig is a monstrosity IMO, one of the ugliest guitars Ive ever seen, and thats saying something. Sure, it may play and sound great, but we all know thats not enough.

Jackson needs to get some big guns under their belt... and Im talking NEW, FRESH people, not people that are 10 years past their peak.

[cookiemonster2]

1. Metallica
2. Quality & features to Price ratio is higher
3. Jackson's antiquated graphic designs left them in the 80's and 90's

[pro-fusion]

So far, I've seen plenty of evidence in this thread that ESP has a more active marketing department and almost zero evidence that they actually sell more guitars than Jackson. I wouldn't just assume that based on the marketing blitz. Can't speak to things worldwide, but the simple fact is that Jackson is available at Guitar Center and ESP is not. That alone probably means a lot more sales than anything.

[Axewielder]

So far, I've seen plenty of evidence in this thread that ESP has a more active marketing department and almost zero evidence that they actually sell more guitars than Jackson. I wouldn't just assume that based on the marketing blitz. Can't speak to things worldwide, but the simple fact is that Jackson is available at Guitar Center and ESP is not. That alone probably means a lot more sales than anything.

OK this is not the most accurate way to do market research, but here is an Alexa graph comparing the traffic on ESP's and Jackson's sites since 2002.

http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?site0=www.jacksonguitars.com&site1=www.espguitars.com&site2=&site3=&site4=&y=r&z=3&h=300&w=610&range=max&size=Medium&url=spock.com

[S.O.A.F]

.......
Also Jackson need some better endorsements. COW and Kevin Bond? I had to check google to find out who they were. These are the guys with signature models? They had Alexi and let him walk - Stupid move. ....

that's right...I also chck google to find out who they are...