The Jackson Professional Pro : How Good is it?

[Relaxingjackson]

As I have just ordered one myself, I’m curious as to to what exactly makes this guitar so amazing (and pricey). What makes this guitar so often compared to (or even elevated above) a USA made? Basically I’m curious as to your experience with this model of guitar and your likes/dislikes/or overall thoughts on it are. Any history you have on the line is appreciated as well. Hopefully this thread can be a resource in the future.

[pianoguyy]

Imagine a Cadillac built in Detroit. You can get multiple colors and options.
Now imagine GM decided to build it in Las Vegas because it was cheaper to ship to Los Angeles, but you could only buy it with the standard options in black.
That's the Charvel Model Series and the Jackson Professional Pro.


Another way to think about would be:
Today you can buy a USA made Jackson. They have the standard, run of the mill, production models. And they have the Select and the Custom models for a heftier price.


And both of those scenarios are far different than, buying an Indian made guitar that actually has cheaper specs.

[Relaxingjackson]

[QUOTE=pianoguyy;n2546962]Imagine a Cadillac built in Detroit. You can get multiple colors and options.
Now imagine GM decided to build it in Las Vegas because it was cheaper to ship to Los Angeles, but you could only buy it with the standard options in black.
That's the Charvel Model Series and the Jackson Professional Pro.


Another way to think about would be:
Today you can buy a USA made Jackson. They have the standard, run of the mill, production models. And they have the Select and the Custom models for a heftier price.


And both of those scenarios are far different than, buying an Indian made guitar that actually has cheaper specs. [/QUOTE
]
So you’d compare them to usa with less fancy appointments?

[john.w.lawson]

[QUOTE=Relaxingjackson;n2546964]

Imagine a Cadillac built in Detroit. You can get multiple colors and options.
Now imagine GM decided to build it in Las Vegas because it was cheaper to ship to Los Angeles, but you could only buy it with the standard options in black.
That's the Charvel Model Series and the Jackson Professional Pro.


Another way to think about would be:
Today you can buy a USA made Jackson. They have the standard, run of the mill, production models. And they have the Select and the Custom models for a heftier price.


And both of those scenarios are far different than, buying an Indian made guitar that actually has cheaper specs. [/QUOTE
]
So you’d compare them to usa with less fancy appointments?

I posted earlier but deleted it. I've actually owned three and still have an RR PRO, Had a stealth PRO and a fusion PRO and plenty of USA'S. I'd say they are more like the next best thing to being there saying!
They only recently rivaled a USA in price and I have watched a Soloist PRO not being bought at 1600 for about a mouth and a half now, fusion PRO too not selling at 800 on ebay both.
Don't get me wrong they are kick ass guitars that are better than anything besides a USA of the same time period. Now USA'S go up and down in quality and function during that time too. it's hard to beat a well made USA of the 90's
The quality was there, fret work was stellar on USA's then. Nice rolled edges that blended into the binding.

[pianoguyy]

The important thing to remember (because there is a lot of misinformation out there), is that not all Professionals were Pros and not all MIJ were Professionals.
When we speak of "The Professional Pro was every bit as good" we are talking about select models during select years.

You are looking at Charvel 1986-1991 and Jackson 1990-1995.

Some of these were >$1000 guitars, which wasn't cheap back then. Particularly for an import, and especially when compared to the USA at <$2000.


Does this make, a 2007 DKMG a bad guitar? Of course not. But it is not a.....
I have said elsewhere before - I don't think, in the year 2050, we are going to be talking about the 2020 Jackson/Charvel imports like we talk about the 1990 Jackson/Charvel imports in 2020.
There was something special about them,

[john.w.lawson]

The important thing to remember (because there is a lot of misinformation out there), is that not all Professionals were Pros and not all MIJ were Professionals.
When we speak of "The Professional Pro was every bit as good" we are talking about select models during select years.

You are looking at Charvel 1986-1991 and Jackson 1990-1995.

Some of these were >$1000 guitars, which wasn't cheap back then. Particularly for an import, and especially when compared to the USA at <$2000.


Does this make, a 2007 DKMG a bad guitar? Of course not. But it is not a.....
I have said elsewhere before - I don't think, in the year 2050, we are going to be talking about the 2020 Jackson/Charvel imports like we talk about the 1990 Jackson/Charvel imports in 2020.
There was something special about them,

I know what a PRO is and have owned PRO's and professionals that are not profession PRO's. You ran off the road again pianoguyy bless your heart

[pianoguyy]

Douche Bag, do you really think I was talking to you!

[john.w.lawson]

Douche Bag, do you really think I was talking to you!

Bawhahaha, please don't cry. Since you're personal friends with Willy Wonka, eat some chocolate instead. I hear it make one feel loved

[john.w.lawson]

As I have just ordered one myself, I’m curious as to to what exactly makes this guitar so amazing (and pricey). What makes this guitar so often compared to (or even elevated above) a USA made? Basically I’m curious as to your experience with this model of guitar and your likes/dislikes/or overall thoughts on it are. Any history you have on the line is appreciated as well. Hopefully this thread can be a resource in the future.

This is a better outline than reading what is or isn't the case of PRO vs USA

I highly doubt that if you had never played a USA fusion( of a solid color) or a PRO fusion (solid color) and both have a Made in USA on them that you would be able to tell the difference. Pro fusion did come in solid color's and trans, solid being bassswood trans being alder, mine was trans. That being said if you owned a 92 USA fusion and a 92 fusion PRO you would notice differences.
Not like big differences and really depending QC at the time of the USA and import went out the door.
It's like a 98 vs 100 difference, again depending on who made what at Jackson and QC.

[Zedder]

I Have one RR professional Pro, one Soloist Professional Pro, two Fusion Professional Pros, one 2006ish RR1 (had two but traded one for >) and 2008 SL2H. They are all very well built guitars, but they are also very different when compared to their counterparts made in different continent.

I must say Soloist Professional Pro is clearly too heavy, and that is a well known problem, I think. SL2H is much lighter. But it´s neck profile is thinner than on SL2H, and nicer. Same thing when I compare RR Pro and RR1, but there is no weight difference. You can´t have all the specs you like, unless you order a CS..

I recently bought couple of Fusion Professional Pro´s, and they are very nice guitars. If you like bolt-on neck super strats. I have never played a USA Fusion, but I think they won´t be much better than their MIJ counterpart.

I highly recommend old MIJ Professional Pros. But you must remember one thing with them: Their JT-590 trems base plates have most likely worn out saddle locking threads and they must be replaced with Schaller plates, if someone has not done that already. Otherwise It would not be nice when tuning suddenly drops on one string when saddle moves.

[john.w.lawson]

I Have one RR professional Pro, one Soloist Professional Pro, two Fusion Professional Pros, one 2006ish RR1 (had two but traded one for >) and 2008 SL2H. They are all very well built guitars, but they are also very different when compared to their counterparts made in different continent.

I must say Soloist Professional Pro is clearly too heavy, and that is a well known problem, I think. SL2H is much lighter. But it´s neck profile is thinner than on SL2H, and nicer. Same thing when I compare RR Pro and RR1, but there is no weight difference. You can´t have all the specs you like, unless you order a CS..

I recently bought couple of Fusion Professional Pro´s, and they are very nice guitars. If you like bolt-on neck super strats. I have never played a USA Fusion, but I think they won´t be much better than their MIJ counterpart.

I highly recommend old MIJ Professional Pros. But you must remember one thing with them: Their JT-590 trems base plates have most likely worn out saddle locking threads and they must be replaced with Schaller plates, if someone has not done that already. Otherwise It would not be nice when tuning suddenly drops on one string when saddle moves.

Just one point here, I agree with you on about everything. Not all USA SL-2's weigh the same amount do to different wood's. I've never owned a Soloist pro but have own more than two SL-2's and they were some what different in weight and neck profiles. I've never owned an RR-1 but have owned a KV-2 and it's neck was about the same as my RR Pro. As you stated they are great guitars but to an experienced owner of USA guitars there are differences, not that make them bad but you can just tell. I believe you're more likely to get a constant QC PRO meaning yeah I've had that so I know what I'm getting than some time frames of USA's

[pianoguyy]

I must say Soloist Professional Pro is clearly too heavy, and that is a well known problem, I think. SL2H is much lighter. But it´s neck profile is thinner than on SL2H, and nicer. Same thing when I compare RR Pro and RR1, but there is no weight difference. You can´t have all the specs you like, unless you order a CS..

The USA Soloist was heavy back in the Professional Pro days. It makes sense that the imported equivalent was also heavy.
THe SL2H and RR1 came much later. Not a fair comparison.

Their JT-590 trems base plates have most likely worn out saddle locking threads and they must be replaced with Schaller plates

You can say that about any 30 year old gear.

[Zedder]

Threads on hardened steel may last very long. JT-590 pot metal baseplate, which has not steel thread inserts, is different case.

And yes, I have no experience in old USA Soloists. But I must say that 4,1 kg (9 lbs?) for a neck thru shredder is too much.

[pianoguyy]

9 lbs

yeah, that's about right