Hey guys WTH is/has been going on w RRTs?

[V-man]

I was helping someone elsewhere on a RRT purchase when I stumbled on a new to me/old to most discovery. The RRT tailpiece is placed way off in this aesthetically terrible location right up against the ass of the guitar. This is a major deviation from the true design conceived by Randy and Grover, and though I have seen it before on cheaper models (RR5s), I had never noticed that it actually is on current US series Rhoads models as well!

For those of you in the dark about what I am talking about, compare the picture of my 92 PCS set up the way God, Randy, and Grover intended:



... with the tailpiece location of this:

http://www.jacksonguitars.com/produc...uct=2803061803


When did they start doing this crap? Why did they start doing this crap? Did they start with the cheaper models and leave the US alone at first, or did they change the line in one fell swoop?


My guess is that the change happened all at once when/after Fender acquired Jackson and it probably affected all guitars at once. I suspect the motivation was a cost-cutting measure so they could use the same jackplate for all models (stringthrough and tremolo) instead of having two seperate jackplates.

I am very curious to get to the bottom of this and would gladly call and post if someone could give me their customer service contact info (email/phone #). Your input is appreciated too.

[Grandturk]

Well, it would decrease the breakover angle and keep the strings from hitting the back of the TOM on their way to the tailpiece. Over on the Les Paul Forum, this would be paramount to tone.

Randy/Grover didn't design it with a Floyd either. Are you pissed about that too?

[Sinistas]

My guess is that the change happened all at once when/after Fender acquired Jackson and it probably affected all guitars at once. I suspect the motivation was a cost-cutting measure so they could use the same jackplate for all models (stringthrough and tremolo) instead of having two seperate jackplates.

Have a problem? Blame Fender.

[Jack Napalm]

[toejam]

When did they start doing this crap? Why did they start doing this crap? Did they start with the cheaper models and leave the US alone at first, or did they change the line in one fell swoop?


My guess is that the change happened all at once when/after Fender acquired Jackson and it probably affected all guitars at once. I suspect the motivation was a cost-cutting measure so they could use the same jackplate for all models (stringthrough and tremolo) instead of having two seperate jackplates.

What the hell are you talking about? The RR1T didn't come around in the lineup until the year 2000. Fender didn't buy Jackson until November 2002.
Kirk Hammett's '85 Custom Rhoads looks the same as the RR1T.

[shreddermon]

When did they start doing this crap? Why did they start doing this crap? Did they start with the cheaper models and leave the US alone at first, or did they change the line in one fell swoop?

The bigger question is why do think this is "crap" at all?

RR1Ts have been like that forever, and they work/look fine. And you're comparing a limited edition "let's make it as (reasonably) close to the original" copy of Randy's black guitar to a regular production USA Select model. That's apples and oranges. ...Did you happen to notice that the bridges and tailpieces are totally different hardware between those two guitars, as well? Doesn't mean the new one is "crap". Just that they went "old school" in copying Randy's guitar with the PCS to make it as true to the original as possible, including what hardware was used and where the V plate was placed.

[Hellbat]

Now my RR1T is a piece of shit and I didn't even know it.

Up until I knew it has a shitty v-plate placement it was the best playing guitar I'd ever held too...

[V-man]

Well, I certainly received an education today, but not what at all what I would have expected.

[chef_jackson]

I couldn't have askied for a better guitar than my RR1T to be honest...the tail piece rocks just were it is. I'm sure if Randy were alive today he would agree. Guitar tech has come a long way sincr the 80's so Im sure Jackson has a good reason for the tail piece being where it is....Just my 2 cents for what it's worth. Here's my baby....

[Zerberus]

When did they start doing this? When they finalized the specs on the Rhoads and took it into production

[DalyTek]

Granted, my knowledge is far more limited than most of you guys on this subject, but aesthetically speaking, I think it looks much better with the tailpiece "right up against the ass of the guitar."

[Zerberus]

^^ I agree, I find the pickguard on the PCS version too "elongated" as a result of the sharper angle and I also think the PCS tailpiece looks big and gaudy, as well as "lopsided" (which is to be expected since it´s just a Gibson tailplate wheras the production ones are asymmetrical and unique to the Rhoads).

In shorter terms: I find the production version of Tailpiece and guard flow much better with the guitar´s lines..

[StukaJU87]

Guess I am partial to the PCS bridge and PCS in general.

[V-man]

It just looks wrong to me comparatively speaking (the non-PCS). It looks like the arch was miscut and they barely had enough room to slap on the tailpiece and there is too much string spacing between the tailpiece and bridge, not to mention it appears to be mounted off-center.

I can see the "gaudy argument" though that may be unduly influenced by the gold hardware, but the tailpiece mounted where it is enhances the rakish asymmetrical design of the body by aligning the eye with the traditional setup of a '58' stringthrough juxtaposed with the body.

[toejam]

Guess I am partial to the PCS bridge and PCS in general.

I love the PCS bridge, just not the placement of the original V-plate of the PCS in general.
Here's the old RR1T I got from you, I thought it also looked better with the black control plate instead of gold. It did get returned to all black hardware and traded to Pete. I still prefer my gun metal gray RR1T (which was also at one time yours )...and I did have Dave make me a black PCS bridge like Kirk's that I still have to slot the saddles of.