another Kelly ID thread...

[CannibalXerox]

Hi all,

Have picked up what I think could be the steal of the century today... serial is 9778589, and I suspect to be a modded KE3. The specs certainly have me confused... reverse headstock, regular sharks, bound neck and headstock, Pile O' Skulls finish, one volume control, three-way switch. Pickups are clearly not stock (Lace Deathbucker and what appears to be an EMG85, although can't be... not a battery in sight!), has a Floyd Rose Speedloader trem, which I also assume is not stock. Nut has been changed to a stock Floyd nut for obvious reasons.

What am I looking at here?

[toejam]

Probably a KE3R since it's got a reversed headstock. Post pics.

[Number Of The Priest]

I am inclined to agree with Toejam that it could be a KE3R on account of the reverse headstock, but the KE3R had reverse inlays to go with the reverse headstock.

I've never seen a reverse headstock paired with standard inlays.

Curiously, the first generation of KE3 had standard headstock with reverse inlays. But I haven't seen the opposite configuration on a Kelly.

Post pics on an external hosting website https://www.google.ca/search?q=free+...client=gws-wiz and paste the generated links back here in your next reply.

[john.w.lawson]

Not the neck

[CannibalXerox]

[Number Of The Priest]

OK the diagnosis is much clearer to me now that the photos are shared. It's a mutt. You correctly deduced the bridge and pickups are not original. The original bridge would have been a Jackson-branded JT580LP made by Takeuchi.

KE3 body. Based on the black knob and black strap pin, the body would be from a 2006-2011 KE3. Prior to 2006, hardware would have been chrome. That would lead me to surmise that the original pickups would have been Seymour Duncan JB/Jazz which accompanied the black hardware in 2006. Prior to 2006, the pickups would have been Duncan Designed.

DXMG neck.

For more date precision, disassemble the neck from the body and look for date stamps in the neck pocket and on the neck heel.

I am curious about that neck EMG-85 especially since you reported that you couldn't find a battery. Something about the EMG font on the logo looks slightly funny. I suspect it is a counterfeit, a passive pickup made to "look like an EMG-85". Check the underside of the pickup baseplate for the manufacturer's label.

[toejam]

Definitely a mutt. Most likely a DXMG neck. And the EMG may be fake like NOTP stated.

[john.w.lawson]

Like I said not the right neck!!! Cool guitar though

[CannibalXerox]

So, after a little open face surgery, diagnosis confirmed... a mongrel she is!
2007 KE3 body

DXMG neck

I too didn't like the look of that EMG logo, doesn't look as crisp as it should

No quick connectors, and no surprises... she's not an EMG!


The Speedloader also isn't a good fit for the original cavity, it's catching the edges


So I guess the question is... keep as is, or restore back to original spec? I think the Speedloader has to go, what's the best replacement for the original? Quite like the look and feel of the DXMG neck, I'm assuming there shouldn't be any intonation issues if they're both Jackson 25.5 necks?

[Atum]

Definitely a mutt - and the EMG is a fake. So many could be bought with - EMG - SD - Wilkinson - logos in the aftermarket. Here is a sample:

Fake EMG's <<<< CLICK HERE<<<<<

[Number Of The Priest]

Excellent work. The peace of mind is priceless in knowing exactly what you have, and part of the fun of taking ownership of a secondhand guitar.

Coincidentally I used to own a mid-1990s KE3 into which I installed older EMGs and a harness, neither of which had the newer solderless quick-connect clips. Of course, modern EMGs and the electronics suites are offered completely solderless. But I'm just indicating that traditional wiring did exist for EMGs. The absence of the quick-connect clip wouldn't be the biggest indicator that your "EMG-85" is counterfeit but complementary among other more obvious indicators in the overall argument that it is a counterfeit.

Slightly worryingly, in your last photo where you removed the Speedloader, there appears to be a crack leading from the cavity to the trem post anchor. Is it a crack? Does it run deep? When the post is installed in the anchor, is it stable or does it wobble?

I'm not sure what your plan for the guitar is, but here is what I would consider, based on the aesthetics (ie - 2007 KE3 deserved all-black hardware, but that's just my thinking) and hoping to avoid the tremolo catching on the edges of the tremolo route.

1) Install pickups of choice that have black bobbins to approach the original factory look of the guitar.

2) Install a black tremolo that will fit. Depending on ease of sourcing and price, my decision would be between a leftover black Takeuchi/Jackson JT580LP and any black Floyd Rose / Schaller product with the dimensions of an Original Floyd Rose. We know that an Original Floyd Rose can fit in the JT580LP cavity as seen here (https://web.archive.org/web/20180831...ct.htm#jt580lp). Examples of such tremolos include, but are not limited to, in descending order of my personal preference:

2a) Original Floyd Rose or Schaller Lockmeister (identical)
2b) Floyd Rose 1000
2c) Floyd Rose Special

3) Push-push pot to split at least the neck pickup, or split both the neck and bridge pickups simultaneously. But again that's a preference I like to increase my tonal options.

[CannibalXerox]

That is indeed a crack, which on putting the thing back together I have discovered leaves the trem stud loose... although it doesn't wobble, as soon as you put any spring tension on, the stud starts to lift out. Crack extends to about halfway through the body thickness. So that needs addressing before we even get to a new trem. Currently pondering how to go about that, obviously no options for clamp and glue in that area...

[metalhobo]

with that kind of crack you could "clamp" by essentially putting a wedge in the trem cavity at the crack which pushes the wood towards the stud. you'll want the stud or a placeholder dowel in the stud hole to prevent the hole from deforming, and you'll have to be very careful with the pressure to avoid further cracking the wood.

I would think that an epoxy could be used for that crack instead of wood glue which would mean you wouldn't need clamping pressure per se (though you'd still want to do the wedge thing to make sure the wood is set in the proper position). this is just a thought, not actual advice, since I have never actually used epoxy for gluing wood. I'm just aware that it has been done before.

all that being said, even with a proper repair, the hole might still be worn out enough that the studs would lift out by themselves. whatever caused the wood to crack probably also squished all the wood around the hole as well. the correct fix if this is the case would be to drill out the stud hole, insert a hard dowel (maple would be my first choice), and re-drill. sucks, I know.

[CannibalXerox]

Sucks, but was entirely what I was expecting... I think most other solutions would be a temporary bodge

[john.w.lawson]

What