So what's the deal with the JS series

[gerryl98]

I'm looking at the latest email from GC and these things sell for $349 and right now they have them %15 off. So obviously they're less expensive because they're made in China but they have medium jumbo frets, a bound neck and headstock, and a veneered maple top. That's a good start. Let's say I'm not happy with the electronics. I could probably easily source better pickups and pots from Craigslist or ebay for maybe $150...probably less. Ah hell, lets say I spend $300 and replace the tuners and tremolo too. With those upgrades I'm still below the cost of a MIM pro series. What's the catch? Are the body, neck, and fret work just not quality enough that the hardware upgrades won't matter?

[LaoWai]

Yep, some of those look like good platforms to build on, but.. for $600 IMHO i'd hit used market, get a nice dk2 or something

[Razor]

Yep, some of those look like good platforms to build on, but.. for $600 IMHO i'd hit used market, get a nice dk2 or something

The above is very sound advice. I'd be looking at a Model series Charvel or a MIJ DK2 myself for that price range.

[Number Of The Priest]

I have nothing against the JS Series, but for USD$300 or less, it is not too difficult to a used Japanese guitar. https://www.jcfonline.com/forums/16-E-fraid-of-E-bay In that subforum you'll see that I shit you not when Charvel Model Series, Charvel "toothpaste logo" guitars, and the 2000s Jacksons are probably the best bang for the buck and plentiful.

[Mudlark]

I'd agree, $600 will get a sweet used guitar.

Though, the JS models have the potential to be exceptional values, especially to folks that do their own fret work/electronics mods.
I'm certain some of them come with adequately done electronics/fret work, but I suppose the 'catch' is, some don't.

I'm from the camp that knows you can turn a $300/new, $150/used guitar into a pro quality guitar. I've seen it done a number of times with my peers. There are many variable involved with that statement, though.

[mirrorboy]

I have 3 fairly recent JS dinkys.

First I bought a JS32 with string-thru tune-o-matic bridge. Nice lightweight basswood body. I changed to $10 locking tuners and $15 pair of ceramic humbuckers sourced from China. Fit, finish and fretwork excellent.

Then I bought a JS22 with the 2-point trem. Changed to locking tuners and Artec Alnico pickups, wanted a more superstrat sound than a shredder. Fretwork excellent but the trem rout was incomplete and so it didn't worknow, which took 1/2 hour with a Dremel to put right. Poplar body is heavy.

Last one I got is a JS32 with Floyd Rose and Maple fingerboard. I'm leaving this stock but I had to file down the locking nut and the saddles to suit the fingerboard radius. A couple more springs in the trem cavity were needed. Fretwork again is excellent and the stock pickups same in all of them are actually quite good. I suspect the body is Poplar with more of an average weight to it.

I'm happy with all three now, but I wouldn't advise spending substantial $$s on any of them. Some good advice posted here about better quality used. The UK market for quality used Jackson is very sparse and CITES regulations havery effectively stopped the import option.

[slayer]

Hell. I`ve been trying to sell my sweet Jackson Professional Fusion HH Made in Japan with case that is serious quality for around $400 and it hasn`t sold. Crazy. Way better than a JS.

[rjohnstone]

If you want a JS to build on, go the used route. They're out there.
I got a used JS32RT for $175 in mint condition. Ditched the pickups and electronics for quality parts ($120) and it's actually not bad at all.
Neck is arrow straight and fretwork only required a light dress.

[agtg]

Ok, so this guitar is 7/8 size, and it appears the original tremolo has a 52mm spacing between the two E strings.

I found a Hipshot tremolo that has a 52.8mm spacing, and I'm hoping it will work out. I will report back what I find when this is said and done.

The JS11 I have is an older one, and the neck is really well made. The frets are good quality and were finished much better than your average Fender Squier offering from China. Additionally, the construction is excellent despite the fact that it is a two piece maple neck. These come with carbon fiber rods to stabilize the neck from humidity shifts. That in itself makes the neck a standout for cheapos.

I swapped the poor stock tuners for some MIJ Jackson tuners and I had a bone nut put on it, too.

[UrgehalFan1983]

with 600$, i agree with what most of these fine people said.

thats enough to buy a good used Japanese Jackson. i have no idea on charvels, never played one so cant comment. but the 2000s pro series was a great line up.....too bad they are gone

you can also branch out to the Japanese exclusive Grover Jackson line. fantastic guitars for the price bang. i have 2 kellies from that line. one was acquired through a trade the other for 20000 filipino pesos which is less than 400usd. the grover jackson line was produced in the same factor that made the first Professional series. if not that theres the Jackson Stars line the successor to the Grover Jackson line except that Jackson Stars was already under the Fender acwuisition eras jurisdiction.

[gnarzan]

I think they are pretty sweet. Haven't played a ton of them but they feel good. The used market rewuires a lot of patience and even then sometimes you still don't get the exact speecs you want (colour, shape). I'd say if there is something you really like go for it, but make sure you play it first. Electronics and hardware are pretty easy to upgrade.

One that comes to mind is the ferrari red king v.

[Rickmeister50]

Hey guys, let me first say this is my first post here in over ten years, I had to come up with a new user name its been so long,lol.
I just picked up one of these. I've had several USA soloists and a professional series Kelley. I had sold everything way back and at this point I had to get one of these cause its all I can afford anymore.
Other than the fact that the trem on it seems cheap as crap,the fine tuners bind, the bar threads are screwed up, its got some glossy saddles and some flat finished ones, oh and what looks like debris or dirt all in the finish, it plays really well and is set up pretty good out of the box. The neck feels great and the fret work is decent. Fit and finish are pretty good.
Now, it kinda doesn't sound great,but I don't know yet if its the pickups in it,or the fact that I'm playing through a 20 year old amp that seems ready to die,lol
I really wanted a charvel pro mod, but I couldn't swing it and grabbed this for 14.00 a month, so I had no choice.
I'd like to put in some dimarzio pups, and a real Floyd, but I've been away from this stuff so long, now I hear they aren't so great and should look at a ghoto trem, but that's another story
It will be a while before any of that can happen, so I got plenty of time to learn to play again

[Iron1]

What's up! Brand new here, but been playing metal since the early 90s and was fronting metal bands in the late 80s. In the last 6 months I've picked up one JS32-7 and two JS22-7s for a total of $450 for all three and love 'em. Sure they're not high end Soloists or US Custom shops, but the necks are straight, fretwork is good, bodies are sweet and they all play very well - great mod platform.

The 32 is a bit nicer than the 22s and has a better bridge and the binding on the neck and headstock is great, but for sub $500 guitars, I don't think you can beat 'em. I've ben an Ibanez guy for the last 25 years, until I picked these up and now I doubt I'd buy another Ibby over a Jackson given the choice. In fact, I dig the JS so much I picked up a JS22 for my ten year old son for $99 at the local GC last week.

I scored the JS32-7 on eBay for $150, swapped out the tuners with locking Gotoh's from All-Parts for $65, then replaced the bridge HO humbucker with an SD Nazgul, that also cost $65, and love it - all for $280. After doing that, I decided to get the second JS22-7 so I could use it as a frankenstrat type project. Shopping for a good replacement bridge humbucker now that will compliment the Naz in the mix, and plan to pull the neck one, fill the hole and go the Charvel one hum, one knob route when all is said and done.

If I had $600-1000 to spend I probably would have bought something higher end, but don't regret buying these JSs one bit, they play great, sound great and get me where I want to go.