Import Jackson @ Thrift store - looks fake

[TheChaos]

My friend runs a thrift shop and we found an import Jackson in the back and I can't figure out if it is real or not. I only have a picture of the headstock at this point. The jackson logo looks like it is nearly falling off at the top. The black body is a little thin and has a chip that reveals a red sparkle paint job under it...the black looks like plastic. It has 2 humbuckers, a vintage trim, and it is rear routed. The serial number is 01051182. I think it was made in 1991, but where did it come from. Anyone have a clue? Is it worth giving them $25 or $30 for it?

[rjohnstone]

It's legit.
It's a JS1. Piece of crap.
Made in India.
More like 2002, not 1991.

[TheChaos]

It's legit.
It's a JS1. Piece of crap.
Made in India.
More like 2002, not 1991.

Is it worth getting and then routing it for a floyd or is it just junk? I thought about using the neck on a charvel model 3 that I have because the frets on that one are screwed.

[RobRR]

Its bottom of the barrel, but for $30 its a steal!

[Carbuff]

Yeah, if the neck isnt worn out or bowed, its a steal at that price.

[Inazone]

My first Jackson was a mid `90s JS1, and it was actually quite good, even without any upgrades. If you can get one for really cheap and spend a few bucks on hardware and pickups, you should get a lot of use out of it.

[nhspike]

I put a jt-590 on my son Jake's, two years ago, and it still plays really nice... swapped pickups too, since the stock ones were a bit harsh.
Sometimes they can be players!

[sixx_ gunner]

Where the hell are these in my neck of the woods!? All I ever find is CRAP or POS copies of the guitars I would love to own....

Good Find!

[Guitardude86]

I bet fett's on his way over there right now

[Sunbane]

Are you guys sure about this? The truss cover looks anything but authentic to me, but then again it's not often that I see a JS up close. However I think that the OP has good reason to be wary:

The black body is a little thin and has a chip that reveals a red sparkle paint job under it...

It's a refin for starters. God knows what parts they've put together to make this thing.

Is it worth getting and then routing it for a floyd or is it just junk? I thought about using the neck on a charvel model 3 that I have because the frets on that one are screwed.

I would stay away from it. If it is indeed a genuine Jackson, it's not a good one anyway. Yes, it is likely to be junk. The JS-series are not exactly praised for their excellence, and are not on par with the model series neck you're replacing. I would look for a genuine model series neck, or at least a DK-2 neck.

[Inazone]

Parts mutt? Probably.

Fake? Doubtful. Nobody with an ounce of sense would bother trying to fake a bottom-end import. Less than an ounce, maybe.

[Sunbane]

Well, considering that chinese pirate manufacturers don't even bother to get the body shapes right in many cases - it wouldn't surprise me, no.

[Jack FFR1846]

If I found it, I'd do what I do with any guitar I'm considering buying.....play it for an hour. If I like it and it's fun to play and I can set it up ok, then why not? Without string locks, I'd clamp down that trem with 5 springs and remove the arm and just play it as a hard tail. I have one guitar (a Stagg) that I've done exactly that with and it's fine.

jack