Is a JS30DK a good guitar???

[Namaste_spirit]

What do you guys think of the Jackson JS30DK? The local music store has a new one half off and a friend of mine wants to buy it. Anybody out there have one? Is it a good guitar? My friend is just an at home guy. No shows or recording justva practice piece.

[Devotee]

Why doesn't your friend try it out and see if he likes it?

[Namaste_spirit]

I'm sure he will. Just wondering if there were any quality issues?

[TKEblue]

Well, its a js so quality is the issue. They're not bad for the price tho.

[DalyTek]

Not really. I mean, obviously they aren't but with the same materials as the USA or even the Pro series, but they are excellent guitars for that price range.
I'm sure he'll like it -- he can't go wrong at all with a new JS for half price too, as long there's no damage or anything...

[wanthairspray]

I think they are OK guitars. They are by no means a pro level item, obviously. My only issue is that they do not feel as good as my prfered brand (Vigier). The frets seem a bt "sticky" in comparison. I have a JS20, a JS30RR.


Good points:

Trem is absolutely a-ok for abuse if you set it right. I made a video showing this.

The neck is nice and fast. Slim and cool. (The new JS series are supposed to be compound radius which is a plus)


Minus points:

I found the wood noticebly "dead" sounding. Dull, lifeless. Pickup swaps didn't help much (in my JS 20) I no longer use it cause this bugs me so much. I may have picked a stinker from the store though. MY JS Rhoads is a cute guitar, and looks cool, plays nice. Can't tell if the wood issue is as bad cause again, I do not play it too much (that horn gets in my way :P)

Like I say, the neck feels "sticky" or "draggy". On the thumb. Some wirewool and oil could fix this. Fretwork is a-ok, but not stellar. Like, it feels a bit "cheap". But again, this is me comparing one to a Vigier.

I have gigged with my Rhoads and it does fine. Looks cool. But I swapped pickups in it.

If the price is right, I say get it. They make nice modding platforms. For paintjobs or such, and they play ok, and they are cheap enought that damage to it is no biggie.

[TKEblue]

If you take a razor blade to the fingerboard it takes the (whatever it is) sticky stuff off of it. Then just re-oil it and its fine.

[Namaste_spirit]

Thanks forcthe info. I think I will tell him to buy it.

[rebar71]

Are you sure it's a "new" guitar? The JS30DK has been discontinued for a while. I have a 2003 JS30DK - and one of the lucky few to made in Japan.

The stock pickups are a bit muddy and unbalanced, but decent for the price. I have switched mine out with a set of Duncan Designed HB103 pups - those made a huge difference. The fact that mine is MIJ means the body is alder. Most (all now) of the JS series has been made in India with cedro wood. So that might be a consideration - and perhaps the reason why the other guy's JS sounds dull. As mentioned, the trem is rock solid.

Overall, it's a really good playing guitar if it's set up right. But I do prefer my DK2.