Jackson Soloist X Series EMG

[Deneb]

First, long time no post guys. It's been awhile. Life has caught up with me. My wife and I have our first son (almost 9 months old), and when I'm not working, or growing my photography business, I'm spending time with them. I think my last posts were made when I asked about an ID of a Charvel I inherited. I've honestly played that guitar like 5 times since then.

Anyway! I opened up musician's enemy and seen these import Jackson guitars with a good price. I also seen about a coupon code for 15% off. I thought, what the hell, I've a special spot in my heart for white guitars. I almost bought the white Dinky, but it came with duncan designed blah blah, and even though I'm not playing much at all anymore, I would've changed them out. So I opted to spend just a little bit more, and get 200 bucks worth of EMG's (haven't had EMG humbuckers since a 90's Soloist pro had an 81 and SA's).

The delivery is supposed to be tomorrow. Once the delivery is made, since I have the good fortune of having 2 USA soloists to compare it to, I'll be doing a WHRITE (get it?) up on it. I'll post pictures and comparisons here, and more photos on my blog.

I know you guys were happy when I posted the 90,000 pictures of the DK2M when I got one in 06, so I figured you guys would like this too.

Look for an update tomorrow!

[Deneb]

I would love to post pictures and a review tonight...however, I'm in a pretty upset mood.

Musician's Friend shipped the instrument to me, and there was no packing in the box. The headstock already is dented. While if I did it, I could live with it, I didn't pay for a new guitar to be dented.
I am awaiting a UPS label from Musician's Friend in my e-mail so I can send this back. If it is not here by this evening, I will be posting my review/photos of THIS one.

First impressions, overall, the build isn't bad. The binding job is only sketchy on the bass side of the guitar, where the fretboard ends, that corner is a little thin. Overall, it's pretty good. The fret dressing is pretty good and the finish is pretty good. Only a few tiny tiny tiny air bubbles on the BACK of the guitar.

Obviously, it'll need a set up.

The rosewood is a good piece, however, there's a few spots where it looks like the company maybe went scallop crazy. Also, when did they stop coming with tools and whammy bar? I plan on blocking the trem anyway, but still?

So when I called and said that I want expedited shipping to them and back from them, the woman was like "I'll apply a ten dollar credit to your account"...yeah, 10 bucks is so worth it for me to drive to UPS and drop of this guitar. It's so worth the time for me to sign for this package. She's then like "well what do you want"? My answer was a guitar that isn't damaged when I ordered it, not an extra 7-10 days after I get a damaged one.

[psykofly]

That sucks. I hope they will remedy that for you. I was interested in picking one of those up maybe. I will be looking forward to the rest of your review

[Deneb]

I've got a quandry now. Through serious botch ups (they were supposed to release mine Monday night once they verified the tracking but they didn't until I called again Tuesday evening) they missed the available stock for me, and I won't eb able to get one until they get back from backorder at the end of the month.

As a result they've offered to significantly discount this guitar, OR the SLSMG Japanese made one.

I don't know what to pick.

[Codex]

I'd go with the SLSMG personally

[Deneb]

I ended up getting the SLSMG. The price I got was absolutely incredible. I also got a free Jackson HSC with it and free overnight shipping. Apparently they know that they really messed up.

[jrnic]

I think you made out better with this deal. It sucks that you had to get that deal by going through the crap you did, especially since you didn't get the guitar that caught your eye in the first place.

Sucks that Delivery companies (FedEx and UPS) don't really take care of the packages that they ship considering that it's their bread and butter so to speak. I recently refused delivery of a desk from FedEx last week. The box was so damaged that they had to wrap it in plastic to keep the box from spitting open. The bottom of the rectangular box was bulging from where all the contents had shifted after if was dropped. Another time I had bought a Charvel ProMod body through eBay. On the day of delivery I was driving up my block when I saw the big brown truck in front of my house and the driver was jogging up my walkway. All of a sudden I see the box go airborne and land about 10 feet later on my stoop. He was able to get in the truck and pull away before I got there or otherwise I would have ripped him a new A-hole. Fortunately the body was packaged very nice and was not damaged.

[ken]

I ended up getting the SLSMG. The price I got was absolutely incredible. I also got a free Jackson HSC with it and free overnight shipping. Apparently they know that they really messed up.

Congrats man. That's a much better guitar & it sounds like you got a good deal.

You probably have to post pics of it though!

[Deneb]

jrn, yeah the thing is though, this was just poorly packaged. Even the guy who delivered it was like...well...I don't like how I can hear it bouncing around and hear the strings making noise.

My wife signed for it and was like..."I think you're goingto be very upset".

Jrn and Ken, yeah I'm confused now though. They said they shipped it the 11th, but I don't have any tracking information yet that's valid. The two trackign numbers they sent me both say,
"A UPS shipping label has been created. Once the shipment arrives at our facility, the tracking status--including the scheduled delivery date--will be updated."

When I called, they said that it was in transit (musician's friend), and that UPS just musn't have updated it yet. I said, no that message means UPS doesn't have it yet. I deal with shipping/receiving ALL OF THE TIME. UPS's system never takes 2 days to update an OVERNIGHT package.

I won't be around to sign for it, so I need to know when they will be shipping it so I cfan have someone home to sign for it. This situation is very frustrating. They said that they would refund the difference of the overnight shipping vs ground...they told me it was $25 dollars difference...I accepted that refund, however I got online on my phone and typed in a guitar and a case and then seen what it cost for shipping...it was 100 dollars overnight. So I'll call and complain tomorrow if they haven't updated yet.

So apparently my guitar is out of their hands but not yet in the shipping companies hands.

[toejam]

Welcome back, Deneb! The poor packing isn't really MF's fault... they just send it out the way they get it from Jackson. Most manufacturers just put stuff in a box with minimal packing materials, then when MF gets it, it sits on a shelf in their warehouse until it's purchased and then shipped out.

[Deneb]

Thanks toejam. It's been too long.

Still no update from UPS.

I hope they didn't lose my guitar

[Deneb]

On the phone with MF again. It's funny, they want to hold onto the excuse, "It takes 24-48 hours for UPS to update their site".

Ugh...I really wish people didn't just try and pull the wool over your eyes. An overnight package doesn't take 48 hours to update.

So now the woman looks into it...and the package has been sitting on my porch since effin' Thursday...in PA winter. GRanted, it's been nice, but still...9-40 degrees isn't a good home for a guit-fiddle.

lmfao, why couldn't someone have just looked into the correct tracking number that was ON FILE IN THE CUSTOMER FILE!!!

Gotta beat feet back to town and get this instrument off of the effin' porch!

[toejam]

MF's customer service does suck... I've had experience with that a couple times. Anyway, how's the new guitar?

[RacerX]

Hopefully, he's busy rocking out on his new axe!

[Deneb]

I'll let you know when I get home, and I'll post a pile of pictures...hopefully it's not been stolen.