Customising a '98 Kelly KE3-R

[DalyTek]

I have to interrupt (even though I too am drooling at snake_pearson's collection) for just a second and go back.
logan, I am really loving the eye of horus Explorer. How hard was that to do? I'm a sucker for Egyptian themes.

Oh...err...as you were, gentlemen!

[snake_pearson]

(even though I too am drooling at snake_pearson's collection)

Thanks alot man!


And yeah that Egyptian explorer is a total head turner!

[logan]

I have to interrupt (even though I too am drooling at snake_pearson's collection) for just a second and go back.
logan, I am really loving the eye of horus Explorer. How hard was that to do? I'm a sucker for Egyptian themes.

Oh...err...as you were, gentlemen!

Ha Ha! well, that one was done the old school way - built up a few thin layers of apoxy based filler, shaping in levels and sanding as i went, then etched out the black cracks, finished with a combination of paints and then varnished like hell!

The EYE is drawn from the egyptian book of the dead - so is a to scale replica of the eye of Ra, rather than horus (my nickname at the time was Setekh (also called Seth/Set) "and he was so marked with eye of Ra" so its basically a tracing of one of my tats thus making it a propper personal touch - ended up routing the eye by hand then sanding smooth, and used a high varnish acyllic (basically posh nailvarnish for guitars) to make it *pop*

The really sad thing is my ex smashed the guitar before kicking me out, so ima have to re-finish the finish once im done on her 4th incarnation, this time frettless though!

the finishes I do are not physically hard to but, but are time consuming to make it look right, its all old model building techniques, but with modern materials

I would definately advise giving it a go as it can turn a damaged instrument into a real piece of interest - though at the end of the day, if we could all afford a Learn paint job i would most likely not be in buisness!

Im so so glad you guys appreciate my finishes, as I generally regard this as THE forum to be on - Im always open to ideas and suggestions though!

Il get a few more pics of the explorer up at somepoint too - iv converted the pots to rollers rather than rotaries using a custom made cradle, and covered the back plate in the finish so that it blends in almost unnoticably (a look i really like with this finish, but less so with the stone finish) - :£ any questions id be more than happy to help!

[logan]

I'm in Illinois (good 'ol US of A) but I would be willing to look into shipping parts to your location. I have a jet black RR3 I just disassembled (black hardware...still have all the parts..waiting for payment on the SD JB), a DK2 neck, and various other Jackson odds and ends. What are you looking for?

You sir are a true legend! Well il have a word with my mate Morgan (i believe he should be on here somewhere?) though he only lives down the road from me...

Id be after anything 24 fret and floyd rose ready, neck wise - ideally bound with fins but beggars cant be choosers! i mean, realistically what kind of stuff have you got? A JTX body would be a brilliant find too!

Other than that im not so sure at the moment, il have to assess my progress - was tempted to fit this JTX shredweapon with a khaller rather than a floyd.... as its not for me, but i think he wants it string through tuno matic...

Mine is a KSXT that I modded heavily, because basically a KSXT is good for the alder body, the neck, and the tuners. Pretty much everything else was crap. It was made in India, so they cheaped out on alot of dumb stuff (screws, pots, etc), so basically I gutted it, sold the original pickups (which are fairly rare Duncan Designed...they only came on this guitar) and went to town. Put in the EMG 89/81, a gotoh trem with a big brass block, new pots, switch, and jack, and BOOM! Awesome metal machine! The neck is thicker than a standard Kelly neck, but not as thick and bulky as the rest of the X series necks. The KS2 (japanese version) and KSXT (India version) have the same neck specs, so they both have shreddable necks. Pretty close to a DK2 neck if I remember correctly.

That sounds truly savage! its essentially the same route my kelly took, cept i ended up with the zebra invaders rather than my usual EMG set up (the start of my return to SD) whats the body shape like to wield? I always imagined it to be a more decisive guitar than the kelly, nearly bought one a few weeks ago (i would presume also a KXST rather than KS2) but bought my V instead... I am a bit of a bitch for the KV.... but seriously nice set of jacksons.... and as for the wear on the kelly XLR its funny you mentioned that!
I wasnt sure from the close up pic, but when you see it as a whole instrument it just makes for a more complete piece - iv never been good at keeping flat colour guitars that way, they just look so flat and boring, in my opinion the wear makes the guitar the feature in this case....

Maybe a simiolar tactic for the wear on the KE3R? outline the damaged areas in either gold or black? i dont know...
Is the XLR a larger size of kelly or am I confued? i know the King kelly was the bigger of the group -

[logan]

* Why is there still not a KE3RM EDS model avaliable? surely maple neck and EDS with the reverse headstock and fins would be savage! even if it were MIJ? provided it was pro spec?

[TKEblue]

Damn man, your kelly really spoke to me. So much so that I just found one in Colorado and had to call about it now im just waiting to hear back about shipping. xD

[snake_pearson]

Id be after anything 24 fret and floyd rose ready, neck wise - ideally bound with fins but beggars cant be choosers! i mean, realistically what kind of stuff have you got? A JTX body would be a brilliant find too!

I just sold one of my DK2 necks, but I've still got the other one. It's got all the chrome Jackson hardware with it (Jackson nut, Jackson tuners) in really good condition (minimal fret wear if I remember correctly, back of the neck is clean and no gouges/scratches, and no chips on the headstock. I got it for a potential Kelly project and then decided if I ever get another Kelly it would be a black or white XL or XLR (preferably). I also have a Rhoads ex pro 22 fret neck with real MOP dots and an RR3 neck I could live without. Haven't come across a JTX though.

The Kellystar is a beast! I'm sure you've run into this, but Jackson doesn't seem to think about strap button placement in regards to body weight, and this is no exception. It's neck heavy, BUT my guitar tech found a good place to put it and now the balance is fine. It's still a heavy guitar though...heavier than any of my Rhoads, but no more than my old transparent Kelly performer I used to have. It's an awesome guitar though, and you are hard up to run into anyone else playing them, so you can really build an identity with one. That's what attracted me to it. Seriously though, don't pay too much for a stock KSXT...like no more than $300...cuz you will have to put at least $300 into it.

The wearing thing is interesting. It works on mine due to the flat color scheme and the pin striping. Now a trans finish WITH beveling could be pretty legit, as I don't think I've seen someone do that before...what about trans blue with silver beveling? That would look hot with the current hardware!

As for the Kelly XLR, that my friend is one of the old Professional series from 1990-1995. Poplar body (lighter weight than current kelly's), Jackson branded humbuckers, takeiuchi (sp?) JT 580lp bridge, AND a fully bound 24 fret MOP sharkfin neck with reverse headstock and reverse shark fin inlays! Even has an all access neck joint (no neck plate) like on the newer Ibanezes and ESPs. Neck is crazy thin, like a Wizard I, and just a total shred neck. The XLR's are fairly rare, and they only came in black, purple, and midnight blue I believe. All other colors are refins, like mine. It's a standard sized Kelly body, btw.

[snake_pearson]

* Why is there still not a KE3RM EDS model avaliable? surely maple neck and EDS with the reverse headstock and fins would be savage! even if it were MIJ? provided it was pro spec?

I've been GASing for one of the Yellow Hazard KE3M's bad! I would love to scoop one of those bad boys up! I've been thinking about making a Rhoads that color scheme, a la Alexi Laiho's old Jackson. (screw the ESP models...except the pink one. The pink inlays are cool).

[logan]

Damn man, your kelly really spoke to me. So much so that I just found one in Colorado and had to call about it now im just waiting to hear back about shipping. xD

Im not sure if thats aimed at me or Snake to be honest?!?! but thankyou !

Im glad the Kelly Owners Club has some new additions! youll have to post up when you get it! what have you gone for?

AND a fully bound 24 fret MOP sharkfin neck with reverse headstock and reverse shark fin inlays!

Dude that is surely the holy grail! I am a defiant reverse headstock warrior! standing alone in this part of the world as far as i know! apart from the MG series, fins and reverse seem hard to come by, but MOP inlays AND a bound neck? yeah your getting me interested now!

As for KE3Ms they rarely pop up over here as i dont believe they are on our market, i cant find much having looked pretty hard!

Iv always admired EDS, Bengal and snakeskin finishes (your RR is definately not an exception there!) - just does what the JEM tried to do soooo much better - although it looks to dark with a rosewood board, like a DK2EDS and DK2M EDS -

as for the neck, how much would you be asking (P+P I can live with) but bear in mind i have just spent more than i should on an old KV2.... lol

Yeah, i recon on the JTX thing its just a case of getting a neck and either building or having built a body to fit - Im on a similoar mission with a DR7 neck (albeit 22 fret) that iv converted to take a floyd nut and now im just working on a body for, but its a long tearm project that one!

Maybe that should have the same eye of ra theme too....

As for the kelly star I am genuinely a fan - I think il have to hunt one down and give it a play to see what you mean about the neck, but if its bolt on you could essentially have a hell of a lot of options!

As for space im fully agreed - cases are the issue by far - as you can see iv mocked up a little board and hanger set up for the most used guitars, but i have floor stands for the ones im actually working on.
Whats the go to place for cases for odder shapes? iv only found one kelly case (except the OHSC - i prefer the slimline style) which took the headstock - and the killswitch cover is a whole different fiasco!

[logan]

Jackson doesn't seem to think about strap button placement in regards to body weight, and this is no exception. It's neck heavy, BUT my guitar tech found a good place to put it and now the balance is fine. It's still a heavy guitar though...heavier than any of my Rhoads, but no more than my old transparent Kelly performer I used to have.

Yes on this one i really feel your pain - tell your tech to make a tool using two bits of fairly substantial sheet metal, just like mini rulers (maybe 1" X 3") with a holw in one end, and two holes further in - iv leant mine out but il post soon as i retrieve it -

All you do is washer the screw through the holes, and insert a hench cable tie or similar through the strap and desired hole, iv covered mine (badly) in felt type material, but it means I can essentially move and adjust for weeks on end until I can find the perfect strap location for weight distribution - especially on the KE3 where im playing it at almost a 45 degree anglke for the annihilation stuff.

My only recommendations so far:- schaller straplocks are the best, but they limit your options without removing your ribs / other internal organs that "get in the way"
As a result (largely from my BC Rich years) Iv moved on to DiMarzio Clip straps - definate win - once you get passed the fact it has plastic clips, and yet your pride and joy wont plunge to the floor and dissasemble itself, they are awesome - especially the 3" strap for the more chunky axes...

I have to admit, i prefer the look of a proper strap, but for function (finding this massively handy for the Vs too where the weight is so central and you just need to hold it in position without having it round your neck) the DiMarzio is my current answer....

I have a theory regarding the strap buton placing on the lower end models certainly, they all appear to be in the same place as their through body counterparts, except that often on Vs the forward most button would be where the neck plate is - move your buton to the underside of the neck plate and its not far off - or through the neckplate if its a BC Rich and your feeling a bit savage like me....

[snake_pearson]

I've wanted a snakeskin since I was a kid (nickname and all), and have never been able to find one since its a USA thing and I'm still paying off college. I had also wanted an EDS since I was pretty young, so I jumped on it when I saw it on Evilbay. I love the chrome hardware and chrome outlining with the EDS. I used to get alot of compliments from club owners and other bands on that one.

Yeah I've only seen the Ke3M online, never on craigslist or in person. They were a limited edition run and are a little on the rarer side.

Oh yeah that Kelly XLR was a lucky find! I almost didn't drive to go get it because money was real tight at the time, but I'm so glad I did. I've only seen one other Kelly that looked like that and it was an 80's USA custom shop that had the ferrari red paint and black pin striping. The XL's can usually be had for about $400 with a case (sometimes cheaper, sometimes more. I wouldnt pay more than $400 for a stock one in good condition) sometimes on Music Go Round and Ebay. Most of them I see are in states though, so you would get hit kinda hard on shipping.

As far as the neck I would like to get about $130 plus shipping for the complete neck (OEM Jackson tuners, Locknut). I'm not sure how much shipping would be, but I can look into it.

Yep all the Kellystars were bolt on ( I had actually though about slapping a DK2 neck on there, but I love that damn reverse headstock! IT'S SO MEAN!) So until the day I find a stray Kelly XLR neck wondering alone in the woods, the original neck stays. Those Dinky X series reverse necks they have out now are too damn thick for my liking.

As far as cases go, the original Jackson SKB Keyboard cases are getting harder to find. The newer shaped ones are nice, but they don't stack as well in our trailer and in the back of my SUV as the old ones. I've figured out how to repair them when they crack and how to fix the problem with the metal feet caving into the body, so my other guitar player and I scoop them up and I fix them whenever we find them for less than $100. Dean makes a pretty decent case called a light leer case that they make a model that will fit odd shaped guitars. They are like a cross between a gig bag and a hardshell. Good for light gigging and hauling around, but I wouldn't throw them in the back of the trailer.

[snake_pearson]

My only recommendations so far:- schaller straplocks are the best, but they limit your options without removing your ribs / other internal organs that "get in the way"

Oh yeah I use Schaller straplocks on all my guitars. Ugh my red quilt top NJ beast had terrible balance. If my band hadn't forbade me from using it (the first time my old drummer saw it he said it looked like the devil's dick) live I might have moved it by now.

I agree about the strap button placing. I think they just do a "one size fits all" type of thing, not taking into account the differences in woods and structure type, thus why you almost always have to move it. Kelly's seem to be particularly terrible in this regard, not sure why.

[TKEblue]

Im not sure if thats aimed at me or Snake to be honest?!?! but thankyou !

Im glad the Kelly Owners Club has some new additions! youll have to post up when you get it! what have you gone for?

Was directed at you, I was browsing online and spotted one for a good price, it just happens to be a trans bllue KE3R also. The guy said its got some buckle rash and 2the of the tips have small chips but other then that its in great shape and all original. Even comes with a hard case. Should be here by next week. How do the duncan designs in them sound? I may have to order a white duncan custom and 59..

[Twitch]

If my band hadn't forbade me from using it (the first time my old drummer saw it he said it looked like the devil's dick) live.....

Id have told him, "bend over" and showed up to the next show with it in hand. Im not a fan of the Beast, but forbidden by the drummer? Nah, fuck that. You should have forbidden that bitch from playing off beat live and from ever referring to himself as a musician. Fucking drummers.......

[Cliff]

Have you heard the joke about the drummer who got tired of people thinking he was stupid? He decided guitarists got more respect, so he sold his drumkit and went to the nearest store. "Hi," he said to the storekeeper, "I'd like to buy a Jackson Soloist, a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier and the finest rack of effects you can supply." "You're a drummer, aren't you?" replied the storekeeper. "How do you know," asked the drummer. "Because this is a McDonalds."