Need opinion on a fix up soloist!

[Fender]

Hey everyone! I've only been a member here for a couple of months, but i've been a Jackson fan for a very long time. Even before i played guitar i always responded to the guitars i saw on randy in my dads Osbourne albums. When i started playing at 12 i drooled to one day have a pointy headstock with ''jackson'' written on it. Nothing much has changed, 8 years later i want more but this time with ''made in usa'' on it, but i digress.

Heres is the deal. There is a local sale that popped up today. It's for a supposed USA Jackson that needs full restoration. The man explains that it was sanded completely down and was about to get paint job. There are no tuners, no bridge, no pick up. I don't know if he has them, but i am not too worried. Also he apparently converted it to a hardtail and says it can be easily returned to spec. I guess that means he simply bolted new holes for a hard tail or he did that and filled the trem post cavities.The body looks accurate but i am not good at spotting differences. It says made in USA on head stock and has dotted inlays. Here are the pictures. He wants for 400$ for it, but i will try to get it at 200$. Do you guys think it's a worthwhile project?

[Nightbat]

Trash it

headstock is fubar

(Edit: and I'm now checking the gallery to find out if the jackson logo is original
...hmm seems some do have the 'N' under the washer)

[Jason1212]

That looks to be a San Dimas era student soloist. What is the serial #? At 200 I would go for it, but 400 is high.

[DonP]

$200 might be ok.

$400 - no way.

It looks pretty scary.

[Fender]

I know, but i like to get my hands dirty. Besides the prime stuff would be to finish sanding out down. I am just going to stain it lightly and not to take any chances i am going to have it cleared professionally. I want a nice gloss front and back but i want i don't want it too thick on the neck. I don't want it to be unfinished cause it's not much of a jackson thing, but you know. He says that everything is included cept pick-ups. Perfect cause it was either going to be jacksons or seymours and i promised myself the soloist i always wanted would come with a breed and some fender blues singles. Anyways il let you know if i get any news. If anything il send it away while i am on my BMQ in april, when i get back il have a shinny new restored jackson. I still want more info. I emailed him for the serial number. Where would it be located? There is no neck plates and i don't know if it was stamped behind the headstock and sanded off , which would pretty excessive sanding.

[Fender]

That looks to be a San Dimas era student soloist. What is the serial #? At 200 I would go for it, but 400 is high.

I think you're right. Are these good guitars? I know that not everything Jackson made in the 80's could be good, but what would you say this one would be in comparison to some of the other soloist and even import charvels? I am not going to ask value cause it lost most of it with the paint, but if i can get a guitar that would normally be worth 1000-1500$ depending of condition for less, than i am happy and i get to decide what i want to do with it.

I will need to be a kahler trem it seems. Never had one, but it's as good a time as any since Kahler started making bridges again. I think they sell reissues.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Ah, I personally would walk away from that for any price, especially $400. I paid a couple hundred bucks more for an SL2 in pretty decent shape.

For $200 if you're OK with the project nature, and the fact that the "pointy" headstock has been "de-pointed" and the extra holes and filled tremolo posts and all that stuff don't bother you then I guess it's a fair price for a project.

[Cygnus X1]

Ah, I personally would walk away from that for any price, especially $400. I paid a couple hundred bucks more for an SL2 in pretty decent shape.

For $200 if you're OK with the project nature, and the fact that the "pointy" headstock has been "de-pointed" and the extra holes and filled tremolo posts and all that stuff don't bother you then I guess it's a fair price for a project.

Concur but for one "point".
No matter how much work you do you will always
regret what they did to the headstock.

Unless you happen to like your Jacksons with a Kramer "hockeystick" on it.
In this economy even though some Jacksons seem to be climbing...there are some great deals to be had.
I would hold for now.
Get a MIJ bolt on to hold you over for a little while.
Those are great deals as well.

[Fender]

Concur but for one "point".
No matter how much work you do you will always
regret what they did to the headstock.

Unless you happen to like your Jacksons with a Kramer "hockeystick" on it.
In this economy even though some Jacksons seem to be climbing...there are some great deals to be had.
I would hold for now.
Get a MIJ bolt on to hold you over for a little while.
Those are great deals as well.

I have , i bought two DK2 skull and bones dinkies in the past two months. I've got horrible gas. I didn't notice the headstock, i guess you guys are right.

[MetalMedal II]

I will need to be a kahler trem it seems. Never had one, but it's as good a time as any since Kahler started making bridges again. I think they sell reissues.

The serial # should be stamped in front of the 24th fret on the fingerboard.

It may have had a Kahler flatmount trem on it, but if it did, most of the route was filled with a chunk of maple to match the neckthru maple, and very well as I don't see much of a seam. It looks like it's ready for Floyd with not too much work.

The rounding of the headstock is a bummer, but if it could be had for under $300 and didn't have any neck twist issues (and is legit), I'd go for it.

[RacerX]

"Safety" headstock! HAHAHAHAHAA!! I'd laugh ya off the stage!!

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

"Safety" headstock! HAHAHAHAHAA!! I'd laugh ya off the stage!!

:idea:

We can shred if we want to
We can leave your friends behind
'Cause your friends don't shred and if they don't shred
Well they're no friends of mine

[m2pmd70]

Since it needs a complete refin and some woodwork anyway it shouldn't be THAT hard to return the headstock to something resembling its original shape. I'd tackle it... if it was $100. *grin*

[micha]

OMG, I almoust forgot about that song...
that videoclip was classy...



the logo doesn't look original to me either.
as nightbat said; the n is under the washer and the whole "Jackson" should be more on the side anyway.

besides from being ex-ponty, it doesn't look much like this IMO


I'd stay away from it and wait for a soloist on ebay.
if the paintjob is fugly enough they can be had really cheap once in a while.
if you're after a project anyway; I'd wait for that.

[Fender]

Yup i agree with you guys. I think i will wait a bit more. I check the adds everyday. There are some nice ones but USA jacksons have some of the highest value in my area. Or maybe because there aren't many old or plain ones. I would expect this one, in original condition with a flat color to fetch almost 1000-1100 in montreal. I'd trade my two Dk2 Skullies for just one soloist. I've always wanted one