I need help identifying this Kelly!

[Arkhanum]

Hello everyone!

This is my first post in this forum and its actually a request for help. I got this Kelly some time ago and up to now I have not been able to decipher which model this particular one is. Says Professional in the headstock and its supposedly made of Poplar and doesnt have a neck plate. Anyways, Im quite happy with this one and actually swapped the pickups for some emg 81´s and a gotoh trem.

Pics!!

[Atum]

Don't know if i'm mistaken -Jackson Kelly - JAPAN 1991-1992 - Professional - hope this helps!

Atum

[Force]

I reckon the OP has already figured that much out

[Mudlark]

That's an early KE3, probably late '95-'97. To my knowledge, Kellys with that serial number format were all from the mid '90s. It's a different format than J0xxxxx meaning 1990.

The Jackson catalogue says poplar body with maple top on trans finishes.

[Arkhanum]

Don't know if i'm mistaken -Jackson Kelly - JAPAN 1991-1992 - Professional - hope this helps!

Atum

Well yes, i already figured that out, but I´ve posted this girl all over the web and never got a solid answer. Some say its an old KE3, some a Kelly STD, and came here because here is where I was told I could find the Jackson experts.

Cheers!

[toejam]

KE3. A Standard would have dot inlays.

[Mudlark]

If you check out the catalogues from '96-'98 you'll notice the '96-7's have black hardware and in '98 they changed to chrome.

Pretty sure they got a neck plate containing the serial during the hardware change around '98 also... but I may be corrected.

[Arkhanum]

Well I checked the ´96 catalog, and the specs are those of a KE3. Unfortunately, since there is no headstock in the catalog for the KE3 I´ve no idea if the KE3 says Professional on it.

[Mudlark]

The Professional logo would've been on all KE3's up until around '98.

[Arkhanum]

NEWS!

Checked the 96-97 catalogs and all the specs are those of a KE3, and in the 97 catalog one can see it says Professional. Only need to check that the neck doesnt have any plate and im ready!

Thanks everyone!

[Mudlark]

I'm pretty sure we already had that confirmed.

You'll notice the '97 catalogue pictures a trans blue KE3 with a matching blue headstock. As far as I know there was no matching headstocks.
It's just one of the many errors in the catalogues.