Fretwork JS32 DKA-M

[thxone]

Ok so my early 90's MIJ Dinky Rev is all buttoned up and shredding like a beast so now I am moving to my 2015 JS32 DKA-M.

I have already removed the tiny volume and tone pots from it and drilled the holes larger to 3/8" (9.525mm) to fit the CTS custom T.A.O.T. 525K pots with the Sprague orange drop .22uf cap. They were a VERY tight fit in the holes and SOME material had to be removed from the tone pot area so the body of the pot would drop in flush.They are soldered in and work great. Yes, there was a noticeable difference in sound. The stock volume and tone knobs fit perfectly without issues on the CTS pots. My other Jackson got the Alnico V Duncan's, the TB4 and `59, so this one will get Dimarzio's with ceramic magnets. Bridge DP100 Super Distortion (Output 425mv - 13.68 Kohms) and in the neck the DP104 Super 2 (Output 400mv - 8.7 Kohms).

My project for today is to tape off the neck and use my teeny tiny little precision files and dress the ends, both sides, of all 24 damn fret ends as they feel like tiny yet sharp little knives. This neck has potential but man they could have done some kind of fret work on this thing. I know when it was ordered from Sweetwater Music I had to wait almost 4 months for the guitar to arrive to them then to be shipped to me. That's how bad the back-order was for this guitar. One could assume a wait that long was because they were dressing and filing the frets... but nah... it's Chinese.

[Mudlark]

You've gotta' wonder if the wood is simply shrinking after production.
I'm thinking the wood isn't being seasoned/dried adequately.

Or, it's being dried properly, but being reintroduced to a damp environment, soaking moisture back up, built, and then drying out again after/during shipping.

I'd go with the first theory. Of course it could just be poor workmanship, but damn, that's pretty amateurish work if so.

[thxone]

It's almost like they clipped the ends off leaving an overhang then shaped them...ish leaving the burr.

[TKEblue]

And this is a good part of the reason people aren't buying Jackson guitars.

[thxone]

And this is a good part of the reason people aren't buying Jackson guitars.

It's a well constructed guitar its just the components and finishing that suck. I don't mind taking a $299 guitar and making it play and sound like a $800 - $1000 guitar. Call it $20 for the pots and capacitor, say $200 for pickups and I am going to do the finishing work so its not that bad. I may have $550 invested in it including the guitar plus I get the joy of burning myself with the soldering iron and the sore hands from filing the fret ends. The good part is I can pay attention to detail and know the job is done right. The average buyer may only want to spend a few hundred dollars and have a name brand guitar but may not understand why the guitar is cheaply priced. I had a plan going in... Buy an inexpensive guitar and outfit it with quality parts.

[Number Of The Priest]

Just like with your Dinky Rev project, I will be staying tuned to watch the progress of this thread!

[thxone]

Well..................... The frets came out fantastic. No more edges to cut your hands on. I started a side project though. I am waiting for the right Dimarzio's to cross my path and the money to get them. So in the mean time, lol, I have decided to build a cigar box guitar. 6 string of course and a humbucker... or two, haven't decided. I have a pair of humbuckers laying around (INF3 and INF4) and a Wilkinson wrap around bridge. I am originally from the Tampa Florida area so I found a cigar box from Tampa, all wood with a hinged lid. It's long enough that I can do 24 3/4" or 25 1/2" scale. I will post pics as it comes together along with this Jackson project.

[thxone]

Gonna do a "Van Halen" cigar box guitar!! I ordered a 22 fret "Kramer" style neck with banana headstock. I am going to use my Jackson J-80c pickup from my MIJ Dinky Rev. and a single volume. I done got myself excited lol.

[Mudlark]

Those headstocks kick ass.

[thxone]

Ok so I got a few parts together... The Jackson is just for reference for the neck. Just picture the Van Halen stripes from his Kramer on the box. I have eyebolts for the strap and will be getting an MXR control knob for the volume. I also have a 1971 quarter to screw into the body just as a Frankinstrat tribute. I got the tuning pegs today so all I am waiting on is the neck which is in route. I am still trying to find the red reflective numbers for the "5150" behind the bridge.