"You can't build a decent neck-through guitar for under $1000"

[texasfury]

.

[Rich#6]

watch out some of those esp are now made in indonesia, no longer korea you must buy Jackson

[texasfury]

.

[Rich#6]

mail order I don't know. It does say on the back of the headstock by the serial number. m 400 is a higher model I would say its still korea.

[HoWheels]

FYI, google provides quick and easy currency conversion.

See for yourself: http://www.google.com/search?q=yen+to+dollars

-a

[Flatpicker]

Perhaps it's time to end the US select series?
Have the Jackson USA Custom shop as top of the line. (any option, completely custom)

MIJ Professional as top line production runs
MIJ MG series as mid tier
MIK as low end
MII as entry level

[jacksonaxes]

Really not a bad thought, custom shop delivery times in the 90 day range.

[texasfury]

.

[Flatpicker]

I still can't reconcile how Japanese labor (which has to pay their workers more than Americans) can pump out a product that costs less, even after shipping across an ocean. Are Japanese workers that efficient, or USA labor so bad in productivity?

I think you're missing one.
Are MIA guitars that overpriced?
They must be a cash cow for the company.

[Newc]

Perhaps it's time to end the US select series?
Have the Jackson USA Custom shop as top of the line. (any option, completely custom)

MIJ Professional as top line production runs
MIJ MG series as mid tier
MIK as low end
MII as entry level

I disagree. I want the USA Select line to remain. It was started because there were so many CS orders for the same options - for Soloists, it was H-S-S, fins, Floyd, and the same graphics/colors/etc. Going Totally Custom will lose more USA sales, and hurt JCMI.

How many people in the entire Jackson Buyer's Market:

• Can do their own ebonizing
• Are willing to pay someone to ebonize a fretboard

I'd be willing to bet there are less than 100, and maybe half of them are here.

However, as has been stated several times before, ESPee and other import-only brands are dominating Jackson in the import market by offering neckthrough models for under $1000 street price. I know that Jackson puts more into the quality of body/neck/fretboard wood for their imports than the hardware - I've upgraded dozens of imports with OFRs and USA Duncans and achieved near-USA playability and tone - but has anyone done a side-by-side comparison of say a DK-2 and the ESPee equivalent (same specs and price range)?

I played an ESPee/LTD "King V" (whatever it was - V350?) - neckthrough, Floydish trem, etc - and thought it felt cheap. I've also played an LTD Lynch Bengal alongside a real ESPee Lynch Kamikaze, and liked the Bengal's feel better, but still thought it felt cheaper than a DK-2.

But anyway, I don't expect an answer or the opportunity to solve this problem, so may as well forget I mentioned it.

[Flatpicker]

I disagree. I want the USA Select line to remain. It was started because there were so many CS orders for the same options - for Soloists, it was H-S-S, fins, Floyd, and the same graphics/colors/etc. Going Totally Custom will lose more USA sales, and hurt JCMI.

How many people in the entire Jackson Buyer's Market:

• Can do their own ebonizing
• Are willing to pay someone to ebonize a fretboard

I'd be willing to bet there are less than 100, and maybe half of them are here.

However, as has been stated several times before, ESPee and other import-only brands are dominating Jackson in the import market by offering neckthrough models for under $1000 street price. I know that Jackson puts more into the quality of body/neck/fretboard wood for their imports than the hardware - I've upgraded dozens of imports with OFRs and USA Duncans and achieved near-USA playability and tone - but has anyone done a side-by-side comparison of say a DK-2 and the ESPee equivalent (same specs and price range)?

I played an ESPee/LTD "King V" (whatever it was - V350?) - neckthrough, Floydish trem, etc - and thought it felt cheap. I've also played an LTD Lynch Bengal alongside a real ESPee Lynch Kamikaze, and liked the Bengal's feel better, but still thought it felt cheaper than a DK-2.

But anyway, I don't expect an answer or the opportunity to solve this problem, so may as well forget I mentioned it.

I hear what you are saying and can almost agree about the MIA Selects.
But, do you think that the Selection in that line is still current?
SSH has been surpassed by SS. Floyd's are in flux. And RR's would have had a big push if JCMI had dealt with Alexi better.
I know we can't solve the problem on a forum, but, it's nice to dream.

[TheSteveMan]

I don't think that page is a current listing.
It's a rakuten listing for 34 music store, but if you look on 34 music store's actual website and Jackson Stars' website, there's no sign of that model...

Edit-- Ishibashi does have its own special run of neck thru Jackson Stars for around 700 bucks, but I think they've sold out of a lot of 'em, and they just have some KVs and Kellys left.

[slash-ed]

What are these special runs equivalent to? J1 or J2? Cos i'd be interested in a J1

[Newc]

I don't think that page is a current listing.
It's a rakuten listing for 34 music store, but if you look on 34 music store's actual website and Jackson Stars' website, there's no sign of that model...

Edit-- Ishibashi does have its own special run of neck thru Jackson Stars for around 700 bucks, but I think they've sold out of a lot of 'em, and they just have some KVs and Kellys left.

It took me a minute to figure out that "rakuten" was like a Yahoo Search of items for sale, and going to www.34musicstore.co.jp lists the ASL and NASL under "Special Order".

Shame, too - that trans blue ASL would look great as an NASL.

Ah well, I guess the next CS I order will be a bolt-on NASL with a 5A Quilt top in "something that looks a lot like Chlorine but isn't officially called Chlorine because of the PC-1 Custom Colors Law"

[QuantumRider]

Steve-

The model name suggests that that's an older model (WR-138 with a pre-tax list price of 138000yen). That being said, there are a bunch of models in shops which are not listed on the Jackson Stars' website. I've started seeing Soloists and Kellys having model names like SL-1000 and KL-1000 at Ishibashi in Yokohama and in various Ochanomizu shops from about April of this year.

Ed-

As they are "special runs", it depends. Generally, J1's have MOP and ebony fingerboards, whereas J2's have MOTO and striped ebony fingerboards. You'll just have to look at each guitar.

Newc-

I don't see "special order" for the NASL's or the ASL's in the listings on the 34music.co.jp site... I would assume that they have all of those guitars in stock.

They state
"We are authorized to fulfill semi-custom and custom orders", though. What online translator are you using?