They can't even get the name right...

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

So, I ordered (from Jackson, through a local dealer) an SL2H. It arrived a couple of months ago, and it was pretty piss-poor, quality wise.

So yesterday, I go to pick up the replacement, which seems pretty good. I don't have my glasses with me, and I can't see too well up close without them.

So when I get it home I look it over.

- Floyd saddles are crooked (they rotate when you tighten them... You have to pay attention to make sure they don't, and they did not)
- Neck pickup only has half of the "tape"/ribbon on it - How in the hell do you grab a pickup to put it in a ring, install it in a guitar, wire it up, etc, and NOT NOTICE THAT HALF OF THE CLOTH RIBBON IS MISSING?
- Contamination over the MOP logo (it's easy to miss straight on, but unbelievably obvious from an angle)
- Some light scratches in the fingerboard
- Bad crowns on the frets (flat spots) which, I don't expect to see on this class of instrument




Everything fixable except the logo.

These two aren't the only Soloists I've looked at which have a lot of quality issues.

Actually, I'm not at all impressed with the Charvel Custom Shop as of late, either.

I don't quite know how to explain my feelings about this. On the one hand, I'm extremely disappointed with Jackson and Charvel quality as of late, and despite what anyone says about "It's a warranty issue" or whatever, why are they, repeatedly, shipping out poor-quality guitars? Why should I be the one to point out the flaws, and then wait, while the Dealer and Jackson have my money, for them to get their shit together?

On the other hand... It's a cosmetic issue. I'm tired of waiting for Jackson to send me a Soloist that is made right, and somewhat worried that the next one I'll get will be even worse.

How the hell did they miss the pickup thing?

How could someone have not noticed the logo issue?

I mean, really... How do you paint over something like that, wetsand, buff, etc, and not notice it? :think:

Please, Charvel/Jackson... Your employees need a good vision plan. :ROTF:

[wilkinsi]

Isn't this the second one you've ordered and had problems? Sounds like you should start looking at the used market instead.

[BRADSTANG]

sorry i guess they maybe have been having to cut back either on employees or pay, that can have an incredible effect. might be they had to employ new employees willing to work cheaper, who knows?

[Spivonious]

Man, I would be pissed if I got two guitars that had quality issues, especially for how much they're charging.

[Grandturk]

I say send it back and get your money back. Is it possible the dealer you're working with is on the "B" list and Jackson ships them the stinkers?

[plon]

If the neck pickup is a 59, that's how they come from Seymour Duncan.

[BeëlzeM]

What a shame man. Some very unacceptable flaws.

Is it me or is that binding not so clean as well?

Jackson really needs to get their stuff right.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

If the neck pickup is a 59, that's how they come from Seymour Duncan.

Seriously?

I've taken a lot of '59's out of guitars (even recently) and I never noticed that.

Is that the two-conductor version by chance? This is the first time I've ever run into a Duncan that's not splittable, so maybe that's why the tape is different?

[Grandturk]

Does Duncan still do paper tape on the single conductor '59 and the new-style tape on the 4 conductor '59s?

[RJF]

I'm having a hard time seeing anything really wrong with the logo.....

[Musician78]

So, I ordered (from Jackson, through a local dealer) an SL2H. It arrived a couple of months ago, and it was pretty piss-poor, quality wise....

I agree. I just got a C/S and I think the quality is subpar as well. I have the same issue with the neck pickup as you mentioned. Also in the spring cavity, there is a screw poking through about 1/4". Minor issues for me, and I can get over them, especially since the guitar is so beautiful, but after paying more than 3 grand for a guitar, I would have expected no imperfections anywhere. I have a 2001 USA KV2 and that one doesn't have these issues. I can guarentee I will never buy another Jackson guitar though. I love the ones I have, and I always will, but next time I want to spend some serious cash, (or really any cash) on a guitar, it will not be a Jackson.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Isn't this the second one you've ordered and had problems? Sounds like you should start looking at the used market instead.

Yep, ordered it, one arrived, it was crappy. They returned for credit and this is the replacement.

I'm having a hard time seeing anything really wrong with the logo.....

Do you want a job at Jackson? They may be hiring in Quality Control.

Take a look at the second pic, between the "S" and the "O"

See that white blob of gunk? It's UNDER THE CLEAR.

There's also some on the "A" and on the bottom of the "K".

I agree. I just got a C/S and I think the quality is subpar as well. I have the same issue with the neck pickup as you mentioned. Also in the spring cavity, there is a screw poking through about 1/4".

Yes, the pickup cavity ground screw. The first time I saw this on a Soloist, I thought the body was cracked.

Now I am used to it. But I did notice on this newest one, that instead of a little crack there is about a 1/4" of paint removed and the screw seems to stick out a little further.

Is it possible the dealer you're working with is on the "B" list and Jackson ships them the stinkers?

I think you're probably joking (unless you know something I don't, I have a very hard time Jackson would have a "B-list" of dealers) but I've seen a few "stinkers" at JCF Sponsoring Dealers, too. It's not the dealer.

Hell, the white Charvel I had was from them, that was a damned nice guitar, put together, fit was astounding, just what I would expect on a Custom Shop guitar.

Then, there's these:



That is not the tightest neck pocket ever, is it?

And then, take a look at the little gap between the neck and the guitar body...




Nothing special there... Except I HAD TO MAKE IT!

Honestly the white one wasn't too far off (and it's a pretty good guitar, really.)

But the red one had the neck binding crushing into the face of the guitar body, which had slightly warped the heel of the neck (luckily did not de-laminate the fretboard!) and required the frets to be leveled.

It is hard to tell since I have not seen every guitar they have shipped lately, but when you see this many "meh" guitars in a row, you start to wonder what the hell is up. :dunno:

[Musician78]

Apparently the need shorter screws. Not that complicated...

[Grandturk]

I think you're probably joking (unless you know something I don't, I have a very hard time Jackson would have a "B-list" of dealers) but I've seen a few "stinkers" at JCF Sponsoring Dealers, too. It's not the dealer.

Hell, the white Charvel I had was from them, that was a damned nice guitar, put together, fit was astounding, just what I would expect on a Custom Shop guitar.

Then, there's these:

I'm not joking, and no company would ever admit to doing it, but I guarantee that for some dealers, they are absolutely "checking it twice" before they go out the door. And it all has to do with how much product they're moving and how bad off the manufacturer would be if they lost that particular avenue of distribution. A chain like Sam Ash is not going to send a guitar back to Jackson. One customer don't like it, and they put it back up on the wall.

As for the neck pocket gap - that's pretty small and wouldn't bother me, but if it did, I would send it back.

The fingerboard tongue on the body - that would bother me. That's a pretty close tolerance - but about what I remember from my Fusion. They should have the recessed floyd route/neck pocket depth just about down to a science. Any manufacturing defect that caused a rise in the fretboard should be sent back.

[javert]

- Neck pickup only has half of the "tape"/ribbon on it - How in the hell do you grab a pickup to put it in a ring, install it in a guitar, wire it up, etc, and NOT NOTICE THAT HALF OF THE CLOTH RIBBON IS MISSING?

I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing this. I myself have been experiencing all sorts of "minor" flaws, like sharp frets that stick out slightly beyond the binding, strings slipping off the fretboard (perhaps due to a badly centered nut or whatever), raw wood in the Floyd Rouse routing, pickups that have been wired wrong, logos that look like they fell partly off before the clear coating was applied, etc. Not really major stuff, but some of it does affect playability and re-sale value and some that of it is just disappointing for a $2000 guitar.

About the pickup, if you are referring to the 2 vs. 4 conductor thing, then I can confirm that they definitely put 2 conductor '59s in some models. I've had two where that was the case.