Made in Japan - Jackson Stars, best kept secret?

[BYeh1]

Just got back from a trip to Tokyo, visited a neighborhood in Tokyo with about 12 guitar stores within a few square-block area, discovered a line of Made in Japan Jackson guitars called Jackson Stars, made only for sale in Japan. They are extremely high quality guitars that appear to be very similar in quality to USA made Jacksons, but seems Jackson figured out they couldn't sell those in the US without cannibalizing their Jackson USA sales, so these guitars are only for sale in Japan, priced about 30%-40% lower to boot...

Does anyone here already know about these? For those interested, there's a web page www.jacksonstars.com, to get in you have to click a button that you promise you're accessing the site from Japan, once you get in, you'll see what I mean...

Seems all the "discontinued" high-end MIJ Jacksons weren't discontinued after all, the company just wised up to the market and shut us off from them, bastards, but they can't stop the power of the internet and chat-boards...

Has anyone on JCF seen/played/owned one of these? I almost bought one (equivalent to SL-2H Soloist), but figured I'd do a little more homework before pulling the trigger, not a big deal since I plan to be back in Tokyo on business again soon anyways...

[TheSteveMan]

Re: Made in Japan - Jackson Stars, best kept secre

I was livin in Tokyo for about 10 months and just got back to the US... just before I went, I was planning to buy a guitar there and while browsing dealers online I discovered Jackson Stars... I glazed over their semi-custom system and a couple months before my departure I went ahead and took the plunge and ordered a semi-custom from them without having even played one yet. It was a pretty awesome decision, it's a sweet guitar!
If I had the money, I'd have bought another in a second!

There's been quite a bit of talk about Jackson Stars here, but only a few of us have had the pleasure of owning them.

[Sunbane]

Re: Made in Japan - Jackson Stars, best kept secre

Yup, the japan-only Jackson Stars and Grover Jackson series are well known here. I'm sure Newc will stop by soon to chime in. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Newc]

Re: Made in Japan - Jackson Stars, best kept secre

Yup - NASL baby!

[Robotechnology]

Re: Made in Japan - Jackson Stars, best kept secre

Byeh1, can you tell me what that neighborhood/section of Tokyo is called or street names... something I could tell a local so I can get there. I am going in the Fall or Spring to Japan and want to spend at least 2 days in music stores. Thanks!

[TheSteveMan]

Re: Made in Japan - Jackson Stars, best kept secre

Ochanomizu is well known for instrument shops.
If you're in Shinjuku you can get on the Chuo line rapid service (should be track 7 and 8, the train cars are orange.. can't miss it) and go two stops. Get out at the Ochanomizubashi exit and go down the street and there are scores of music shops.

For that matter there are a couple good shops at Shinjuku station.. personally I like the Shinseido Rock Inn shop, at the Southeast exit area. It may be a bit tricky to find but they usually have an ok Stars selection.. the Ishibashi stores usually have a few good ones too, and you'll find a shop at either Shinjuku or Ochanomizu.
There are Ishibashi shops almost everywhere... Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Ochanomizu (where they have several shops), Yokohama, Tsudanuma (Chiba)
So if you want to find an Ishibashi, you probably won't have to go far.

I've stopped by the Ikebe "Rivole" shop in Akihabara a couple times, but I never made it to any of their other shops.. there's supposed to be one in Shibuya and one in Ikebukuro.

Key music in Shibuya is worth checking out... I can't exactly explain how to get there though. While you're at it there's an ESPee shop in that area as well, which I actually never checked out while I was there...

[RacerX]

Re: Made in Japan - Jackson Stars, best kept secret?

[ QUOTE ]
discovered a line of Made in Japan Jackson guitars called Jackson Stars, made only for sale in Japan.

Has anyone on JCF seen/played/owned one of these?

[/ QUOTE ]

Search function, newbie! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[IrfaanSE801]

Re: Made in Japan - Jackson Stars, best kept secre

I've had the pleasure of owning a 24 fret Rhoads Stars. It was a VERY quality instrument and played and sounded great. Wish I didn't have to sell her, but the new owner is an old school headbanger, so he's gigging her nightly [img]/images/graemlins/band.gif[/img] If I weren't going custom shop right now, I'd definatly try to pick one up, but dunno how the hell I would. I was lucky enough to trade it from some dude on this forum...forgot his name now. Memory's goin in my old age, lol

[AK47]

Re: Made in Japan - Jackson Stars, best kept secret?

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
discovered a line of Made in Japan Jackson guitars called Jackson Stars, made only for sale in Japan.

Has anyone on JCF seen/played/owned one of these?

[/ QUOTE ]

Search function, newbie! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Search function sucks and it only goes back 9 months I dont blame him in posting this.

[BYeh1]

Re: Made in Japan - Jackson Stars, best kept secret?

Looks like someone else got to it before me, but to re-confirm, the neighborhood is "Ochanomizu"

BTW, they love Americans there, found them to be very willing to help... Didn't know the Japanese were such rockers, but should've known since I own a couple Loudness albums from the mid-80s...

[img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[Sunbane]

Re: Made in Japan - Jackson Stars, best kept secre

[ QUOTE ]
Search function sucks and it only goes back 9 months I dont blame him in posting this.

[/ QUOTE ]
Actually you can disable the time limit by deleting the figure and selecting the blank time period. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Works beautifully.

[TheSteveMan]

Re: Made in Japan - Jackson Stars, best kept secre

[ QUOTE ]
Looks like someone else got to it before me, but to re-confirm, the neighborhood is "Ochanomizu"

BTW, they love Americans there, found them to be very willing to help... Didn't know the Japanese were such rockers, but should've known since I own a couple Loudness albums from the mid-80s...

[img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

I saw Loudness live back in December... fuckin'A it was an awesome show. They were touring for their "Rockshocks" album which is just "self-covers" of a bunch of their their old songs, so I got to hear 'em do most of the classics. As expected Akira played some mad shit.

[BYeh1]

Re: Made in Japan - Jackson Stars, best kept secre

Really, where'd you see them? Are they on tour in the US now?

[TheSteveMan]

Re: Made in Japan - Jackson Stars, best kept secre

I saw 'em in Kawasaki City. I was living in Yokohama from September until March, and then in Chiba until the middle of July, then came back to the US.

They were supposed to have some shows in Europe but I don't know if they did any in the US...

[bibz]

Re: Made in Japan - Jackson Stars, best kept secre

I'm very interested in the jackson stars range, after the blooddrip warrior on ebay made a mate of mine question stars, I linked him the site and looked at it myself....needless to say I need info on where to get these puppy's [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
Japan to Aus would be alot easier and closer for an international order...if there wasnt a major language and cultural barrier.