What's going on with the new guitars????

[ps43203]

I went to Guitar Center today to see if the there were any new models out and there was not one Jackson, not even one! What's up with that? Is Fender phasing Jackson out or what?

[markD]

I wouldn't think so. I just think GC stocks what they sell, and they don't seem to move Jackson's these days (according my GC guitar dept manager).

[holycross1]

I have never seen GC stock more then 2 Jackson guitars at anytime here. They get used ones. I don't think you can sell what you don't put out there.
And don't forget that GC was busted selling factory seconds that had had serials "adjusted" as new stock at full MAP. Thought they had been reamed for violating the franchise agreement for J/C FMIC.
I am sure that GC has said they don't need to push the line somehow.
So shop somewhere else for new Jackson's.

[Axegrinder87]

I've got 4 in my store now. A bit low, usually about 7 or 8. All X series guitars. MarkD is right, we have no control over inventory. Corporate sends us what we sell well. My store no longer has any high end Musicman basses or PRS guitars. Had 2 PRS guitars that sat on the wall for over a year. Got a $3000 JEM in last month that's gonna do the same.

[ps43203]

I just find this strange. I won't lie, I was looking for the new Iron labels from Ibanez too. and not one of those either, but new Jackson's and Ibby's are all over the net. Maybe that goes to show how many people are buying online? I would rather at least look at them first! The GC in Buffalo has probably 20 prs and 20 or more Gibsons, all $2000.00 + guitars as well as road worn Fenders ($3000.00), but no guitars people can actually afford, well me anyway. Did GC pull the fake thing with Ibanez too? I always thought the guitars in GC seemed to have a cheaper quality about them. There is another music store ironically named Jackson Music, who I buy exclusively from, that even their crapiest guitars outweight that of GC. The owner inspects every instrument that comes in and if it's not up to par it goes back. Great guy too! I usually go there but GC was closer so I thought I would look. I bet Jackson Music,(grand Island,ny), has all the new stuff. Some serious shenanigans going on in the biz today, huh? I have not bought a new, new, guitar in a looong time. I wonder why?? Last time I did was from Jackson Music and was an epi Les Paul, and is a killer guitar for what is is, it's the only non Charvel/Jackson I own.

[FloydRose4Prez]

All the new Jacksons I see in SoCal GCs are Indo-made, or is it Korea? Anyways, no Jap or USA inventory. Ever. Anything Jap is usually a used one.

[Axegrinder87]

That's because there is no Jap anymore, get with the times brother.

$2k+ Gibsons are easy to sell, but similarly priced PRSs are not. I've got Iron Label Ibanezs, they're pretty cool. As far as fake? Don't know what you mean there.

The problem with GC is that we simply don't have the time to setup the new guitars. Get 40+ every week, and the guitar tech simply doesn't have enough time to get his hands on each one. It's amazing how bad some guitars can come out of the box. And most X series Floydless Jacksons I get need new nuts, because the crap plastic ones are cut too deep at the factory. That's a lot of work for a tech who also works on 100+ customer guitars each week.

Not justifying, I wish each guitar could be perfect, but unlike mom and pop shops, we move guitars way too fast. And 95% of the customers don't even know one way or another, a shame really.

All Gibsons now are Plek'd at the factory, and I still can't unbox a decent player.


/rant

[ps43203]

Yeah Jap is pretty much on par with USA, Is no real price difference anymore. I can you tell you work at GC, didn't realize there was so much crap coming from these factories. If you can't even get one with a decent nut that's not good. The music store I was referring too has as almost as much stock as GC, and their stuff seems much more tended too. They are getting more into used stuff now, they had all the boutique amps for many years, and now none, so times are reflected there. The only reason the store is still running because they a VERY good reputation. Still hard to compete with GC though.

[straycat]

Same at my local GC very few Jacksons at any one time all import models.
The MIC Scott Ian NOT soloist is still there and if the price drops more I will buy it.

[Axegrinder87]

Sold my ATL and an RRXT to a fella last week. Glad I finally found a Scott Ian/Jackson fan to appreciate that axe.

And ps43203, it's not an issue of having too much inventory, it's how fast and often that full inventory is shuffled. Like I said, 40+ new guitars a week, not to mention another 20 or so used pieces.


A little more insight, the x series Jacksons usually have good fretwork, much better than similarly priced Ibanezs, which are like playing a serrated knife. The best guitars out of the box that I've found are LTDs and Fenders. They seem to be setup well before shipment. That said, I'm very excited to have Mexican Jacksons coming soon. I'll wait another year to get my KVMG, so I'm sure to get a Mexican model.

[EVOLVIST]

No foolin', huh? I don't even know what a new J/C sounds like these days (though I can imagine when they come with 81/85s), because here I am in the 4th largest city in the US and nobody sells them. Nobody. My shops are pawn shops, ebay and craigslist for my J/C fix. And if it's not a Les Paul that just screams at me, then it's J/C all the way.

[DK2M92]

My local GC's only have the ATL Scott Ian soloist, and the Adrian Smith SDX. And one of them has two of the JS series. And that one used to have SL2Hs and RR1s but not anymore.