I think I bought a fake Jackson RR-3 two years ago :'(

[MetalHeadMat]

I got both of my RR3's for $200. For retail, it depends on the finish. Eerie Swirl would be less than Flamed Maple.

[Krymson86]

300ish is definitely in the pretty normal for the late 90s early 2000s Professional series guitars (KV3, RR3, KE3 etc. etc. DK2s are even less). If you got it used, then that's just the normal price. If you got it new, then you got a great deal on a guitar that had maybe been sitting around for awhile and they were trying to sell it already? Or it was a finish that wasn't selling well etc. You can see that today even, musiciandsfriend has Jackson DK2s for like 750, but one of them is in some pretty ugly finish so they're selling it for like 550-600 or something.

Seems like a legit RR3 to me. And, as has been said, you can take the neck off and you'll see RR3 and some other markings stamped in the neck pocket. Also, the fact that it has a legit Jackson neck plate with a serial number suggests that it's legit. You could always call up Jackson's customer service and have them look up the serial number and what finish that guitar had etc. Easiest is probably just taking off the neck and seeing if it has the stamps in the neck pocket. It definitely looks like a legit RR3 though.

Also, there isn't really an upside to boot legging an imported Jackson. The amount of money it would cost to make a believable RR3 would probably be about as much as someone would be willing to pay for a used one anyways, so there's no incentive for douchebags to make knock offs of Jackson's imports...yet

[RacerX]

You could always call up Jackson's customer service and have them look up the serial number and what finish that guitar had etc.

Er, they won't know, so that would be a waste of time. I agree with everything else you wrote in your post, though!

[Krymson86]

RacerX, that's only true of the imports,right? Like say you had a USA Jackson, the serial would also indicate the finish,right? The only thing in Jackson's serial system that seems to make any sense at all is the first number after the J (on imports) indicating the year it was made.

As for the OP, I'd b interested to know if you ever found out for sure. Because if it is a knock off, someone put in some really convincing work,lol

[RacerX]

RacerX, that's only true of the imports,right? Like say you had a USA Jackson, the serial would also indicate the finish,right?

The finish is not in a code inside any serial number, although I don't think you are saying that. Import serials are mostly chronological anyway. I'm thinking that USA serials are also that (the digits at least).

There is a room at the Custom Shop which contains the old black filing cabinets in which work orders for USA Jacksons are "filed"

I've seen them, and pawed through them, looked up the info on my San Dimas Rhoads, etc.

SO, Yes!, there is a way to find out info on your USA Jackson - IF you work at the factory. Years ago, any old Tom Dick or Harry used to be able to call up Jackson and get this info. Not any more, and you veterans will recall the JCF discussions about this. I think we even had a volunteer willing to go out & organize the thing, but I don't think he was serious.

The only thing in Jackson's serial system that seems to make any sense at all is the first number after the J (on imports) indicating the year it was made.

Except for that example (and that's only for 1990 - 1995 or so), and a couple others, most serials are chronological (the digits).