Can anyone ID this Kelly?

[DalyTek]

I had a Jackson Kelly JS30KE that I really loved, but sold it because I found another Jackson Kelly that I liked even more.

It has black chrome hardware and the two humbucker pickups do not have anything written on them. Other than that, it LOOKS like a KE3 to me, but I would like to know more, if anyone can help. It has a licensed Floyd Rose, one volume knob, 3-way selector, no tone control.

The guy I got it from said he bought it on sale at Guitar Center about 8 years ago, and everything is original on it. There is a gold sticker on the back of the neck that he said used to say where it was made, but it is blank now. (He thinks it was Korea, but not sure.) The serial number on the neck plate is 00011220.

Basically, I'd like to know for sure where it was made, what model it is, what year it was made, and what kind of pickups they are, if possible. Thanks for any help!

[EDIT: Changed picture to one that is (somewhat) clearer, in hopes it might help with the ID.]

[Newc]

KX10D from Indonesia?

Take off the neck and it'll have the model stamped, maybe the year too.

[DalyTek]

Is there anyway to find out more without having to take the neck off? What is the difference between the KX10D and the KE3? They seem identical....

[Sunbane]

Is there anyway to find out more without having to take the neck off? What is the difference between the KX10D and the KE3? They seem identical....

To start off; better hardware and pickups on the KE3. Probably better build quality as well, but all of the imports have certain degrees of "hit or miss" factor to them.

[cixelsyd]

I can't discern from the picture, but it looks like the trem has the threads for the bar on the outside. My KX10D with a JT-500 has the threads on the inside, like a Fender. Not sure if there are multiple models of the JT-500, but I'm replacing mine with a JT-590 (from Germany, of course!) and it has the threads on the outside like an.

[DalyTek]

Yes, the threads for the trem are on the outside. Here is a close up of the whole LFR assembly (and man did my camera ever pick up every last grain of dust!)

[DalyTek]

OK, from my research, it does not match the KE3 or the KX10D exactly.
Here is a list of what I can tell you:

24 Frets
MOTO (or MOP?) sharkfin inlays
Headstock says only "Jackson"
Humbuckers do not say anything on them
LFR Does not say "Jackson" on it, only says "Licensed under Flayd-Rose patents"
Has 1 volume knob and one 3-way toggle
Tuners do not say anything on them
Neckplate does not say "Jackson" on it -- only serial number (00011220)
All hardware is black
Trem are does not screw in, it has a nut to hold it on (see pic above)


Let's see if all that will be enough to make a good ID. If not, will have to resort to taking the neck off (and I have no experience with a Floyd-Rose, so that thought frightens me a little!)

Thanks for any help!

[warlok]

I can't say for sure but I have an opinion on what it is. I had a "JDR Pro" (dinky with reverse headstock and reverse sharkfins) that was a Musiciansfriend exclusive that was made in india. The hardware and everything down to the paint (kinda looked like black plastic coating for lack of a better explaination) looked just like that Kelly. It had:

JT-500 (same as yours)
"Made for OEM's" Kent Armstrong pickups (HSS but look the same as yours)
Neck was exact mirror copy of yours (everything reversed)
Basswood body (pretty lightweight, is yours?)

Your's looks to me like the same thing but a Kelly version. Not really a "bad" guitar just not what I was looking for.Look here at maidenfan's link the the guitar on the left. That's the one I'm talking about. http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/show....php?p=1264937

[DalyTek]

I'm a little lost. Nothing on mine is reversed (standard headstock, standard sharkfins...)

[warlok]

No, Mine was reversed. Obviously I'm not saying they're the same, just it may be one of the same era MF.com or guitar center exclusive ones. Maybe why exact info is hard to find. The pickup design looks the same so I think they probably are the OEM Kent Armstrongs. The serial number is the same layout too if I remember correctly (8 digit starting with 000 on the neckplate with nothing else on it). If nothing else, trying to help ID parts for you.

[DalyTek]

Oh OK, gotcha. I missed that you said your neck was a mirror of mine.
Thanks for trying to help me out.
One question for you: What made you ID my LFR as a JT-500?
From what I have seen, this looks more like the JT-580.
The pickups seem to be alright, but I don't know a whole lot about them.
Oh, and mine is actually pretty a pretty heavy guitar.
I have no idea at all how to ID the wood type.
My paint looks like a nice shiny gloss black, not at all "plastic-y."

Was it a good idea to sell off my JS30KE to get this one? I just want to make sure that I made a good choice. (And of course know what I have!)

[Sunbane]

The JT-500 is a copy of a double locking Schaller Floyd;
* Thick (cast) baseplate without the "made in Germany" stamp
* Short, stubby looking string lock screws.

Your bridge looks a lot like a JT-500. The bar and socket may have been changed by a previous owner, as it is a pretty easy operation to do.

The JT-580 had a much thinner baseplate (often angled at the back), and longer/thinner string lock screws.

[warlok]

The one I had definitely was better quality than any JS-anything I've seen. With most imports it's kinda hit or miss on the build quality. The pickups weren't bad but I was already used to EMG actives so they were less "gainy" (if that's a word lol) than I wanted. I bought it thinking I'd change the pups but wound up not liking how light the guitar was. I've read alot of different opinions about basswood (if that's what yours has) and it's weight. Some say it's heavy, some say it's light. All I know is the one I had was really light and didn't really feel good to me. All personal preference though..
Sunbane explained the JT-500/580 thing. The 500 on my JDR-94 also has the same ferrule as yours for mounting the bar. Must have had some differences in manufacturing or something. Just to add, a JT-590 is Jacksons FR II made by Schaller. Looks just like the 500 but says "mage in germany by Schaller.
And about the paint, knowing alot more now about paint, I think it looked plastic'y because it was a bit hazy any probably need a good polish..

I say play the holy hell out of it and enjoy it!!

[sean1197]

maby a ps6t cause i have a kelly ps6t body laying around that takes the same specs as that and has the same volume switch layout

[DalyTek]

I can say that this guitar is not as neck heavy as my JS Kelly was. It's actually quite well balanced for a Kelly. All I know is that I have read horrible things about the JT-500 and mine seems to hold its tune and work rather well.

Sean1197, I am pretty sure it is not a ps6t because the Performer has the dot inlays and mine has sharkies. I think I may just swap out the electronics and maybe even the pickups. Anyone have any suggestions as to where and what to get?