Tell me more RR3 (approx 2005)

[BenoA]

I just got an offer at a decent price (250$) for a RR3 with gig bag.

I still need to see it in real and test it. The pic I got is not very good.

But from what I could see, it looks like a 2005, I compared it to the one in my 2005 catalog.

Pickguard and all hardware is chrome, shark fins are not reversed.

How is the neck access on these? I've never played a Rhoads. And what neck shape? Can it be compared to another model?

If I'm correct the PUs are Duncan Designed? Are they OK?

How's the licensed Floyd? Can it be easily replaced by a real one?

I'm planning going out for lunch to a Jackson retailer to at least try a RR to feel for myslef the neck access and size of the neck. I got small hands and this what is mostly bugging me.

Anyway, if the guitar is in good shape, I may buy it and resell it if I don't like it. At that price, it sounds like a good deal.

Waiting for your comments/infos...

[levantin]

I'd say stay away, unless you want to change out the bridge/pickups/electronics. A new rr3 with sd's is a better deal IMHO.

Neck shape is close to the speed neck on a KV2 IIRC. Neck access can be somewhat troublesome on these bad boys. The licensed floyd is not bad, but nothing to write home about. The price isn't bad though.

[BenoA]

Thanks for the answer.

I went out and tried out a new RR3 during my lunch time.

I liked it a lot. The guitar is very confortable and neck access pretty good too.

So according to you, you'd rather pay 600$ for a new one than 250$ for the used one I'm being proposed... I'd say that for the price difference, I could throw a pair of good PUs and a real Floyd...

[toejam]

So according to you, you'd rather pay 600$ for a new one than 250$ for the used one I'm being proposed... I'd say that for the price difference, I could throw a pair of good PUs and a real Floyd...

I'd just pick it up for $250, see if you maybe like the pups. If you don't like them, then you could always swap them out for something else. Same thing for the JT-580LP trem... I've never had a problem with those trems, they're decent.

[Rich#6]

Great price , I would go for it.

[KBRR]

If you like the chrome hardware, then i say go for it and try the pickups, at worst you will have to change them out ... but just a word of advise, try it out with a strap on... RR3's nose dive quite a bit .

[satch0922]

The RR3 is a decent guitar. I have a 2001 and before its make over it was still ok. The Duncan Design pickups are about what you would expect. Just good enough to put in a guitar and that is it! For $250 though you could buy any pickup you wanted and throw it in there and your still at half the cost of a new guitar.

One thing to get ready for though, most RR's have dings on the fins and some have chunks missing. That makes it difficult to find a clean used one but they are out there.

Now, a shameless plug for my RR3

[BenoA]

Thanks guys for your help. I'll keep ya posted.

[slash-ed]

I think $250 is a great deal if there's nothing wrong with it.

[jrnic]

Go for it at that price. Last year I picked up a "new" RR3 at Guitar Center at a closeout price of $299. I think I got a good deal. Only had one small chip at the edge of the "wing." It is black so it was easy to touch up. It's what I believe is a 2005 also. It has chrome hardware too. The bridge is your basic Jackson found on alot of other imports made during that time. I've had no problems with it, it stays in tune fine for me. As for the pickups, it came with the Duncan Designed "Detonators," which are decent pickups. I believe they are import versions of the Duncan Distortion, (even though they look like the Duncan Invaders.) They sound very similar to my ears. Recently I upgraded the pickups to a set of EMG's, 81 in the bridge and 85 in the neck. The guitar sounds so much better now and has the sound I am looking for, which is 80's metal. Overall I am not regretting for one second buying this guitar. Again, go for it. If the condition is decent, you can't beat the price.

[wilkinsi]

Brit shops are too stingey to have sales and usually knock next to fuck all off their prices. $250 (£125)? That's bloody cheap, even for a used RR3.

[GMPX]

I bought a new RR3 from a shop on Ebay. Out here in Australia the prices the music stores charge for a RR3 is a joke -

http://www.venuemusic.com.au/Products.asp?ProdID=4559

The one I got new from Ebay just a couple of months back, it was $650 with a genuine hard-case incl shipping. I had it shipped to a friend in California and bought it back with me to Australia on a recent USA trip so I saved on international shipping too.
Mmm, $1299 or $650, I'm feeling pretty happy with my purchase.
Oh, for $250, I'd buy it to just say I had two of them :-)

Cheers,
Ross

[delt]

Uh... round here (same area) just the gig bag would be worth about $250

jk.. but no kidding i paid about $150 u.s. (a few years ago) for a RR/KV case shipped from the U.S. no really, happy to have it here, but looking at the price i paid for it, import/customs/everythig... W. T. F.....

[MartinBarre]

For that money, I say grab it. I don't have a problem with neck access on mine. I've never been overly happy with the pickups on mine (Duncan Designed, DiMarzio Fred/PAF Joe, now Invaders) but I'm learning how to fit pickups anyway!
For £125, that is a real bargain, well, to someone in the UK anyway!

[satch0922]

For that money, I say grab it. I don't have a problem with neck access on mine. I've never been overly happy with the pickups on mine (Duncan Designed, DiMarzio Fred/PAF Joe, now Invaders) but I'm learning how to fit pickups anyway!
For £125, that is a real bargain, well, to someone in the UK anyway!

Stick a Seymour Duncan SH-10 in there....you wont regret it.