What Model Rhoads is this?

[DalyTek]

There is a very good possibility I will be getting this guitar.
I'm super excited, but confused as to which model it is?
It looks (pick guard, control arrangement, etc.) like a RR3, but it has Duncan Designed pickups and chrome hardware.
It's a bolt-on neck, DD Detonators (the ones that look like Invaders,) serial number 9719063, bought around 2004.
Any ideas?

[MetalHeadMat]

RR3 when they had chrome hardware and DD's. When/if you get it, take of the neck and it should give you a name and date made.

[DalyTek]

Awesome, thanks MetalHeatMat! That's what I was thinking, but I really couldn't find anything about them having chrome hardware and DDs. Were those before or after the black hardware and Seymour Duncans?

[RacerX]

971 would be 2004, yes.

RR3

[MetalHeadMat]

Awesome, thanks MetalHeatMat! That's what I was thinking, but I really couldn't find anything about them having chrome hardware and DDs. Were those before or after the black hardware and Seymour Duncans?

Before the current RR3 models. They're pretty much well the same, just chrome hardware and DD's, still have Alder body, same neck thickness (I believe) as the new ones.

[Sunbane]

Before the current RR3 models. They're pretty much well the same, just chrome hardware and DD's, still have Alder body, same neck thickness (I believe) as the new ones.

One more thing; the current ones have trems with baseplates of hardened steel (Pro series guitars only, afaik).

[MetalHeadMat]

One more thing; the current ones have trems with baseplates of hardened steel (Pro series guitars only, afaik).

Oh shit, I didn't know that, thank you

[DalyTek]

One more thing; the current ones have trems with baseplates of hardened steel (Pro series guitars only, afaik).

So this one has a lower quality plate on the LFR?
Is this a good choice guitar to get?
Has a few dings, one ugly one on the lower horn, but is mine. Will be on it's way to me in a couple days.

More pics:

[MetalHeadMat]

How much is he asking?

[DalyTek]

I'm doing a straight swap for my BC Rich Warlock. (Going back to my Jackson roots where I belong!)

[MetalHeadMat]

Good man.

I just recently swapped my B.C. Rich STIII for my now Charvel :P

[Sunbane]

So this one has a lower quality plate on the LFR?

Correct. I honestly don't know how big a difference it will make in the end though.

Is this a good choice guitar to get?

Well, that depends on who you're asking.
First off; it's a japanese Jackson, which means it is a quality instrument. Even if the trem turns out to be not all that great, the guitar alone is good enough to warrant a trem upgrade, IMO.

Secondly; The Jackson player's community is divided between those who hate the JT-580LP, and those who are happy with it. I'm in the former camp, but that doesn't mean that you will be.

My personal opinion:

Those JT-580LPs I fiddled with, had play in the saddles, worn knife edges (probably after years of use), dodgy fine tuners, and the trem bar would either come loose, or sit too tight. Besides that, I never liked the angle the saddles had where the string entered them; they made it awkward for me to properly apply palm muting. Also; I once ruined the knife edges of one by adjusting the trem posts while the guitar was strung up and tuned to pitch. (so don't do that!)

I then replaced the JT-580LP in my RR-X Rhoads (the unit I ruined) with a Schaller Floyd, and it was a remarkable improvment. Everything that annoyed me with the JT-580LP was a non-issue with the Schaller, and the only problem with the latter, was that it didn't quite fit the trem route (it had space to spare in the back).

So, in conclusion; If you can live with the angle of the saddles, and the trem arm coming loose, and if the knife edges are fine, you may actually be happy with it. The advantage the hardened baseplate on the recent Pro series may give, is that the knife edges probably last longer.

But once the trem craps out on you, just replace it with an OFR, or a Gotoh Floyd.

[DalyTek]

Correct. I honestly don't know how big a difference it will make in the end though.



Well, that depends on who you're asking.
First off; it's a japanese Jackson, which means it is a quality instrument. Even if the trem turns out to be not all that great, the guitar alone is good enough to warrant a trem upgrade, IMO.

Secondly; The Jackson player's community is divided between those who hate the JT-580LP, and those who are happy with it. I'm in the former camp, but that doesn't mean that you will be.

My personal opinion:

Those JT-580LPs I fiddled with, had play in the saddles, worn knife edges (probably after years of use), dodgy fine tuners, and the trem bar would either come loose, or sit too tight. Besides that, I never liked the angle the saddles had where the string entered them; they made it awkward for me to properly apply palm muting. Also; I once ruined the knife edges of one by adjusting the trem posts while the guitar was strung up and tuned to pitch. (so don't do that!)

I then replaced the JT-580LP in my RR-X Rhoads (the unit I ruined) with a Schaller Floyd, and it was a remarkable improvment. Everything that annoyed me with the JT-580LP was a non-issue with the Schaller, and the only problem with the latter, was that it didn't quite fit the trem route (it had space to spare in the back).

So, in conclusion; If you can live with the angle of the saddles, and the trem arm coming loose, and if the knife edges are fine, you may actually be happy with it. The advantage the hardened baseplate on the recent Pro series may give, is that the knife edges probably last longer.

But once the trem craps out on you, just replace it with an OFR, or a Gotoh Floyd.

Sunbane, thank you. Now that was an awesome, honest answer.
Well, the Jackson that I used to have that I loved but stupidly traded away was a Kelly KE20 Pro. It had the JT-500 bridge on it and I never had an issue with that (except I once overtightened one of the string block screws and stripped the saddle.) I have personally never played a guitar with a JT-580LP, but I thought I remembered reading that were far better quality than that JT-500 my Kelly had. Will an OFR fit the trem route right if I decided to go that way in the future, or would it require modification?

All I know is that while my BC Rich looks and sounds badass, and really is a good guitar, it just doesn't feel right. I think it's the neck. My old Kelly felt right in my hands when I played it, and I have not found another guitar that has since. That's why I made the decision--I'm going back to Jackson! I always thought the Rhoads style looked cool, so I was very excited to get this trade offer!

[Sunbane]

Will an OFR fit the trem route right if I decided to go that way in the future, or would it require modification?

I'd estimate that in 90% of the cases, the OFR will drop right in.
If you tune down really low, you may have trouble intonating the 6th string, because of the trem route limits how far back you can push the saddle. I've also heard of cases where the side of the trem cavity needed shaving down just slightly, to allow the OFR to move freely. However, in most cases there are no problems at all.

[straycat]

I never had any problems with the 580 LP its a great trem.
An OFR will drop in just fine but you will have a little extra route space showing because the base plate on the 580 is angled somewhat and the OFR is square.
And no adjusting the trem posts with the guitar tuned to pitch won't hurt it.
Yeah I would trade the Warlock if its an import, now a USA warlock no.