Jackson Kelly KE3 Is it 2003 ?

[stensen]

Just bought a KE3 from a guy that told me it is at least 5 years old.
It has serial number 9845582. That tells me it's Japan produced.
After looking in catalogs from Jackson web sites it seems to be a 2003 model.
I think it has Duncan Designed Detonators PU. Anyone satisfied with this PU. I think they sound better than other DD that i had in a 2006 DX10D.
Anyone agree that it is from 2003 ?

[stensen]

Here is a pic http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/717/img4318mw.jpg/

[MartinBarre]

The DD pickups I had in my KE3 were alright, much better than the ones in the RR3 I had. The ones with the big hex poles, like Duncan Invaders, are shit IMO. The other ones are fine, you could leave them in unless you really want a different sound.

[RacerX]

Your guitar is newer than '03. I'll say closer to '06-07 time frame.

[MartinBarre]

Your guitar is newer than '03. I'll say closer to '06-07 time frame.

Were they still coming with DD pickups at that point?

[stensen]

I took the neck pu out. It was Duncan Desgined HB108, but no numbers to confirm the prod. year.

[wilkinsi]

2006 was when the Pro series went through two changes - DD's to real Seymour Duncans, and black hardware.

[RacerX]

I took the neck pu out. It was Duncan Desgined HB108, but no numbers to confirm the prod. year.

2006 was when the Pro series went through two changes - DD's to real Seymour Duncans, and black hardware.

That's a good point Simon, but the DDs in the pre-2006s were usually HB103s. I'd bet this is a later model that the previous owner switched pups out of. According to my (informal) sn charts, 984xxxx is nowhere near 2003. The other possibility is a replaced plate, but why would he do that?

[RacerX]

I see the guitar in question has chrome hardware, hmmmm. I'm still going with a pre-changeover 2006 model then. Stensen, if you feel like it, take the neck off and check the pocket for dates.

[stensen]

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/62/img4435p.jpg/

Took of the neck, and it's 2005.

[RacerX]

Heh, I was right.

[DonP]

FWIW, I have that HB103 set in a Kelly Body / DK1 neck and I love the set. Supposed to be based on the Duncan Distortion but gets the grunt of a good Invader. This guitar nails old school Metallica perfectly for me. I have a Duncan Mayhem set but see no need to replace the DD pickups because they sound great.

[tomanyjacksons]

The DD pickups I had in my KE3 were alright, much better than the ones in the RR3 I had. The ones with the big hex poles, like Duncan Invaders, are shit IMO. The other ones are fine, you could leave them in unless you really want a different sound.

I agree with the DD Detonators. I had a set in an RR3 took them out 3 or 4 years ago and have tried them in several different guitars. They're still in my parts bin, where they sound great. LOL