Wildcards?

[levantin]

Hey all, so Jackson just announced 3 soloists as part of a limited edition series, as well as a dinky with an evertune. See here https://www.jacksonguitars.com/gear/guitars?sort=new

Prices seem around $1.8k, but the interesting thing is they seem to be made in Korea, with a kwj serial. Im guessing that means World Musical Instruments, which is good news if it is the case - I have owned a couple of prs se and others made there, they make fantastic guitars, whereas I have one indo jackson pro (got it half price from a blowout) and am definitely not interested in getting another. However at that price you are easily in used USA territory. Any thoughts?

[metalhobo]

don't care for the bursts. the blue sparkle I like, but would be much better with a full set of MOP sharks. I guess if they have to stick with MOTO then it's better to just have the one instead of polluting the remainder of the fretboard. in any case, they're way overpriced. at this price point, I would have expected a "USA killer" like the soloist pro, but they don't look like they reach that level.

btw, the three new soloists have five and three piece necks, which is more appealing than one piece flat sawn w/ scarf. though, quartersawn with scarf would have been ideal, esp. for a jackson.

also interesting how they sprung for the german OFRs, while still opting for some value-oriented aspects, like the inlays and logos.

[Number Of The Priest]

Looks like these would have been the Summer NAMM 2020 guitars.

Where do you see that these are made in Korea? I'm not doubting you, as Korean production has been part of Jackson/Charvel in the recent months, but I don't see where it says these specific models are Korean.

I don't think anyone here has yet to indisputably confirm that World Musical Instruments Co. Ltd. is actually making Korean Jacksons and Charvels. At best it's a suspicion we have but it still has not been confirmed. Here's my previous post on the subject and I am open to being proven wrong: https://www.jcfonline.com/forum/equi...-made-in-korea

That SL27EX (https://www.jacksonguitars.com/gear/...-ex/2918329557) must be a production model of the recent Winter NAMM guitar: https://www.google.ca/search?q=jacks...4xqABRIDAL1woM

The SD22 Jack Butler is cool. https://www.jacksonguitars.com/gear/...-jb/2915326519

[ed]

The KWJ serial is shown in the first backside picture of this guitar:

https://www.jacksonguitars.com/gear/guitars/limited-edition-wildcard-series-soloist-sl2p/2915353557

[levantin]

What Ed said. For some reason it seems they photoshopped out the serial and made in Korea stamp from the pics showing the back of the headstock. Beats me why Jackson doesn't announce anywhere where the imports are made. We' re going to find out eventually

[Number Of The Priest]

The KWJ serial is shown in the first backside picture of this guitar:
https://www.jacksonguitars.com/gear/...l2p/2915353557

LOL. Thanks! No wonder I missed it. I only clicked on the photo of the back of the headstock (fifth photo). It's like Jackson photoshopped the country of origin out of that photo but forgot to do it on the first photo, as levantin suspected in the post above.

[skullfunkerry]

I'm loving that 27, but it's way out of my price range at the moment. On another forum I've just been reading, the general consensus is that these are Indonesian, rather than Korean... my SL3X is a great guitar, but it was £399, so this being £1,600 or so seems absolutely crazy money

[Number Of The Priest]

Perhaps that other forum made the same mistake I did and didn't look closely at the first photo of the back of the entire guitar, where most of the new guitars say they're Korean (except the Jack Butler which is Mexican).

[Babazon]

Korea guitar for $1600 ? OK, Fender. Maybe China guitars should be $1000 now.
Who is buying these? You can buy a clean used USA Jackson for $1600, instead of these low quality mass manufactured imports with pubic hair trapped underneath finish, fret ends cutting your palms, uneven frets causing buzz, bridge radius wrong, tuners losing tuning in 5 minutes. Japan Jacksons are great. I tried to move my hand up and down the neck of an Indonesia made Pro with "clean" neck: the line where paint from the body joins with the clean part felt like it was made by a 5 years old. Not even, not smooth..

[ed]

I have not tested Korean made guitars myself but i have heard only good things about the WMI factory. I do have a couple Charvels and a Fender made in Mexico and they have their issues. I also have a Solar made in Indonesia and apart from it getting the sharp fret end syndrome it is a solid guitar.

I wouldnt judge them without testing them out and also some part of the high price has to come from the OFR and other pricey parts. Also they are LIMITED if that means anything these days. Like limited to the amount we can sell right?

I am not defending the price but maybe you should test them before shitting on them.

And another fun thing you said 1600 dollars which is about 1500 euros well nope in Europe they will be about 2K euros apparently:

https://www.thomann.de/fi/jackson_ltd_pro_soloist_sl27_ex_blsp.htm

[wrldeatr7]

Really like the SL2P and SL2FM. But those prices...man... and still no stainless steel frets. WMI uses good frets, but still, for that price, stainless steel should be included, something BC Rich also doesn't get.

I'm somewhat thrilled to see more models made by WMI. That's not to say that WMI can't make crappy guitars. I just had that experience with an Agile, but I guess the chances are smaller. Hopefully FMIC will consolidate their suppliers and we'll see more WMI Jackson. I mean they're having guitars made, at what, 4 different plants (not including their own factories). They'd get better prices and can pass on the savings to the consumer (year right). Maybe I'll hold off on getting that Davidson Warrior till it's made by WMI.

[Number Of The Priest]

WMI uses good frets,

I'm somewhat thrilled to see more models made by WMI. That's not to say that WMI can't make crappy guitars.

Hopefully FMIC will consolidate their suppliers and we'll see more WMI Jackson.

Maybe I'll hold off on getting that Davidson Warrior till it's made by WMI.

Gentlemen of JCF and those on Facebook groups automatically and blindly making assumptions about WMI, please stop claiming these Korean Jackson and Charvel guitars are made by WMI until there is indisputable proof. Don't get me wrong, WMI is very well regarded and I would love to be told with absolute authority that WMI is the Korean factory responsible for production, but as of this writing it is still not proven for certain and I don't want to get my hopes up.

The reason I have my doubts is that the serial number format and the wording on the back of the headstock of these Korean Jacksons and Charvels do not resemble other serial number formats or wording found on other WMI-made brands like LTD, PRS SE, etc. These other brands have very explicit wording on the backs of their headstocks with proud proclamations that WMI built their guitars.

Refer to the link in my quote below.

I don't think anyone here has yet to indisputably confirm that World Musical Instruments Co. Ltd. is actually making Korean Jacksons and Charvels. At best it's a suspicion we have but it still has not been confirmed. Here's my previous post on the subject and I am open to being proven wrong: https://www.jcfonline.com/forum/equi...-made-in-korea

[wrldeatr7]

Gentlemen of JCF and those on Facebook groups automatically and blindly making assumptions about WMI, please stop claiming these Korean Jackson and Charvel guitars are made by WMI until there is indisputable proof. Don't get me wrong, WMI is very well regarded and I would love to be told with absolute authority that WMI is the Korean factory responsible for production, but as of this writing it is still not proven for certain and I don't want to get my hopes up.

The reason I have my doubts is that the serial number format and the wording on the back of the headstock of these Korean Jacksons and Charvels do not resemble other serial number formats or wording found on other WMI-made brands like LTD, PRS SE, etc. These other brands have very explicit wording on the backs of their headstocks with proud proclamations that WMI built their guitars.

Refer to the link in my quote below.

It's not an assumption. In the first thread I posted about Korean Jacksons here I provided proof that WMI is shipping electric guitars to FMIC. I guess you didn't see it. Unfortunately that info has been updated and isn't available. I'll keep looking it up to see if there are any new shipments.

I also replied to your concerns about serial numbering. Only PRS is transparent about their suppliers, no one else states who makes their guitars. There isn't any single one WMI serial number format. ESP, Agile, BC Rich, PRS all looks different. The format on Jacksons/Charvels/Fenders is clearly dictated by FMIC and not the supplier. FMIC has standardized its format among all suppliers and all of them follow it. That's why you see the same format and wording on all Jacksons regardless of what factory it came from. Not sure why you expect WMI to be exempt. FMIC is the customer and the supplier will print whatever the customer wants. Not the mention that the other two known Korean factories were Unsung and Saein, not sure if they are still around, but none of them would justify the use of the letter W.

[Number Of The Priest]

https://www.jcfonline.com/forum/equipment/import-jackson-guitars/2538821-jackson-finally-working-with-wmi

I saw your other post. In it, you linked the following link: https://panjiva.com/World-Musical-Inst-Co-Ltd/1318135

When I first clicked it back in March 2020, I might have missed it listing Fender as a customer. As of this writing, it lists Asher, Schecter, and ESP as recipients. If it did say Fender back in March 2020, I am sorry to have missed it.

Unfortunately www.archive.com and Google-cached versions of the above link could not provide snapshots of the page from March 2020.

I'll take your word on it, and would be open to seeing further proof to remove all traces of doubt.