NGD & pics: 2000s? Japanese Jackson Pro Series KE3 Kelly (almost like my old one)

[MartinBarre]

If I see another DK2S neck on a KE3, the odds of this combination leaving the factory this way could be high; conversely the odds of any other owners specifically mating a DK2S neck to a KE3 body seem much lower to me. The DK2S didn't seem as popular or as common as the DK2 so I imagine it'd be tougher for owners to find both ingredients to make the recipe.

I had a KE3 which I put a DK2 neck on. I just bought a the first bound neck I could find on ebay and it happened to be a DK2 - might as well have been from a DK2S.
The KE3 didn't come with a bound neck so I doubt it came like this from the factory - someone like me simply hated the lack of binding and bought the first neck they could find that had it.

Oh, I also had a DK2S at one point, until I got my PC-1.

[Number Of The Priest]

Thread bump. Saw another green "KE3 with binding" (similar to the one I spotted in Post #16 earlier in this thread). This is the third "KE3 with binding" I've seen since I started keeping track.

I unfortunately can't directly link the webpage of the listing, but it's currently near the top of https://long-mcquade.com/clearance/ and the best I can do is copy-paste the photos and description.

JACKSON KELLY KE-3 TRANS GREEN
* Includes molded hardshell case!

Sale Price: $860.00
Original Price: $450.00

Model: 291-2000-878
Sku: 303162
Serial: 9840027
Quantity Available: 1
Condition: Used

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (604) 591-8525

Pretty sure they mean $860 is the original price and $450 is the sale price. Mudlark, there's a serial number provided, so feel free to date that one!

[Mudlark]

'09-'10...same as the other bound neck models. Cool looking with the binding.

[DonP]

I bolted a DK1 neck to a KE3 body. I doubt you will see many of those.

I still use the HB103 set that came with it. Still my favorite thrash metal guitar. The neck is nice and clean, and the bridge is just perfect. I have plenty of other pickups I could put in this but the ones in there sound great. I have the Tak blocked (no bar) which is fine.

I sometime fantasize about getting a KE2, but I'd be worried that it might not sound as good.

[Number Of The Priest]

You might be the only one to do that, DonP. That's gotta be a killer guitar though!

Earlier in this thread, Mudlark and I lamented how all the shapes of the 2000s Japanese Pro Series deserved binding. Only the DK2 and its siblings got it. (The MG Series all had binding, but they are not Pro Series.) It would have been nice to see guitars like the KE3, RR3, and SL3 with binding by default. I know this thread is documenting KE3s with binding, but I just stumbled upon an RR3 limited run with binding and they look nice.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Jackson-RR3-Small-Batch-2012-White-with-Black-Accent-Made-in-Japan-/254014877494

The eBay ad says 2012 but I don't believe that because Chushin Gakki was finished in late 2011. Given the black hardware and real EMGs, it would likely be post-2006 but not as late as 2012. Mudlark, the serial seen in the pics is 9853340... feel free to identify the date!

[Number Of The Priest]

Continuing to document every "KE3 with binding" that I find. Someone on the "Jackson/ Charvel Guitars. Facebook Fan Group" shared their KE3 and it has binding.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1616...2666480035075/

[Number Of The Priest]

I can't seem to edit my post without encountering errors so I'm following up with a reply. (I hope the JCF doesn't get more broken than this...)

The owner of the above KE3 has granted me permission to continue documenting his guitar, including the serial number which follows somewhat closely after mine, so we can assume (without having disassembled the neck from the body to verify production dates that it was made around the same time period (autumn 2009 or slightly afterwards).

[alessandroarzilli]

Hello, I'd like to add my knowledge to this thread. I own this MIJ RR3 Crimson swirl which has neck binding. You can see the neck stamps at 09:15

https://youtu.be/_YlpdEnEnXI

[Number Of The Priest]

Found another KE3 with binding on a different body finish.

[Avionex]

https://reverb.com/ca/item/13934525-jackson-kelly-ke3-white-japan

Here's another on Reverb which looks pretty much identical to that one

[Number Of The Priest]

Nicely spotted!