90's Soloist Pro serial number

[conker2021]

Hey guys, got this axe off a guy on Craigslist as a 16th birthday present. I think I spent like 750$. All I know is that it's a 90's Soloist Pro, crafted in Japan. Can anyone help me out in finding the year that it was made? Also, is 750$ a steal for this baby? He said it had been valued at like 1500$ before.
Thanks, Griff.

[djpharoah]

Congrats on a great guitar! $750 is a grea tprice considering how well they were made and how awesome they sound. Year wise you're looking at early 90s however I've seen some later Pro models with the LoTRS trem and just two knobs.

If you've got 3 knobs and a 5way blade then it's from 90-94, if it's got just two knobs and a 5 way then I think it's 94 and later. It's the 90-94 years that were epic because they also had ebony boards.

[conker2021]

It's got the 3 knobs/5 way blade. Is there anyway to tell the exact year from the serial number? Also, the number looks really low, I assume that means it was made really early on.

[Ward]

I'm no expert on imports, but I have read that the first # after the J is the year it was made. 0 means 1990.

Here is a link to a site (run by a member here) that explains the serial #s

http://audiozone.dk/index-filer/jackson-rhoads-pro-ex-std-professional.htm#proserials

[conker2021]

Thank you Ward! The Jackson website was no help at all, haha.

[RobRR]

Yup, its a 1990 Soloist PRO. As far as price, $750 is about average. Build qulaity is on par, if not better than a comparable USA SL1. Should have a J50B bridge hum and two J200 singles powerd by a JE1200 midboost, hence the 9v battery in the electronics compartment.

[conker2021]

Yeah, it's got those. I was told the single coil looking pickups are hot rails. Is that true?

[Ward]

Going by memory here, but I think the J200s are bi-level (stacked) humbuckers. Different than the hot rails which are side by side.

[john.w.lawson]

J200s

They are nice,"Build qulaity is on par, if not better than a comparable USA SL1." Not of the same era..maybe the fender stuff.

[xenophobe]

J200s

They are nice,"Build qulaity is on par, if not better than a comparable USA SL1." Not of the same era..maybe the fender stuff.

I'd say build quality is on par because construction methods were identical at that time, but component wise, not as nice as a SL1.

Fender build quality isn't really higher, it's pretty much the same, but the QC is a lot better on USA stuff.

[john.w.lawson]

"I'd say build quality is on par because construction methods were identical at that time, but component wise, not as nice as a SL1."

I think thats what I said...But WHATEVER lol

[xenophobe]

Well there is a difference between QC and build quality. Build quality could be phenomenal but QC could be crap. And I wasn't really arguing with you, just expressing my opinion while expanding on yours.

[conker2021]

Honestly, it feels a lot better than any SL1 I've picked up. Better tone as well. I've read that these guitars were discontinued because they were cutting into the U.S. sales by noticeable amount.

[RobRR]

Whats better component wise on an SL1 over a PRO? Both MIG floyd/schaller hardware, a comparable "sl1 spec." guitar during that period could also have the Jackson electronics as well. Both use quartersawn necks, ebony, MOP, even down to the aluminum cavity covers... theyre identical on pretty much every level except where they were made.

[conker2021]

...theyre identical on pretty much every level except where they were made.

Indeed they are.