Finally, a firecrackle

[DonP]

Scored this on craigslist in Nashville. Two weeks ago when I was here I got the snakeskin USA BCR ST-III. My wallet has been on a loosing streak.

San Dimas neck plate with an s/n starting with 47xx. What does that mean? Ontario, "Canada":ROTF:

Trust me, it looks much better in person than on my shitty cel phone camera in the hotel room.

I picked it up at 9:15pm, so no chance to play it. EMG81 in the bridge. Need to swap that out for a covered Jackson. JT-6 seems to be in good shape. No trem bar. What type do these need? An Ibanez bar or something?

[Hellbat]

I have a feeling Axewielder hates you right now.

I believe the JT-6 will take original Ibanez Edge bars.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Nice!

[DonP]

Any ideas of what year? I never thought I'd get a USA Jackson this old.

One more question. If I pull it apart and find work order numbers, can I find out what the original humbucker was?

and one last question I swear.

The place where the scarf joint is located I can "feel" most likely because two different pieces of wood were used which changed dimensions over time at different rates. Should I sand down / smooth this transition or just leave it? I'm not one to muck up a classic axe.

This is one place the USA BC Rich might be better. The ST-III neck is one solid piece of perfect quarter sawn maple. Very nice.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Don, I would probably put a couple three coats of Tru Oil on it, and then lightly sand it with 600-grit to smooth it out. :dunno:

[TheShadow]

Very nice! Love crackles....

[amimbari]

crackles are so different and trendy/dated, I don't think in the near future I'm ready to give mine up just yet...lol

[Scooter]

Very nice. I've not seen one with a 'tight/small' pattern like that.

[Johnnyryche]

Congrats! Nice firecrackle. Let's see some better pics when you get time.

[DonP]

Unfortunately it sounds like crap because of the wiring. The neck doesn't seem hooked up, and the pickup switch seems to engage a cap like a Tele tone.

[MetalMedal II]

Unfortunately it sounds like crap because of the wiring. The neck doesn't seem hooked up, and the pickup switch seems to engage a cap like a Tele tone.

Doesn't surprise me that the neck isn't connected with the EMG in the bridge. Active's can be wired w passives, but most of the time people just leave the neck out. But the pickup switch altering the tone is a bit weird. Did you peak at the wiring yet? The original bridge pickup was likely a J80 or J90(C), unless it had an active system in it originally, then there could be a J50bc in there, but I doubt that since those were usually paired with a J-200 single-spaced neck pu and not a J100 which is what that looks like....you like my runon sentence!

[neilli]

Any ideas of what year? I never thought I'd get a USA Jackson this old.

Without looking at the Jackson website I'd say 1988, but you can check the serial there. They made a lot of red crackles and blue crackles to those specs at that time. I had a blue one for a while. It was kinda dull looking

One more question. If I pull it apart and find work order numbers, can I find out what the original humbucker was?

You could find the w/o number, but Jackson don't offer an information service unfortunately. But it would have had a Jackson pickup in it, and I'd guess at a J90C.

There was someone selling one just like that on the Seattle CL for ages, and I think it got down to $350 or so in the end...

[DonP]

1988 is correct. Actually March 22 1988.

No work order number or other markings other than the "Rick Jones" stamps (of approval?).

I was able to pull the fairly new EMG-81 out with little trouble. Here's how it was wired: EMG-81 on all the time, and the single switch in extra if switch to the middle or neck pickup. They didn't replace the OEM pot with the EMG 25K pot either, making it easier to put back to stock. I just got to find a J-80(C). I figure with a weak 6.18K single, a J90C would be too much power, and I have J90C's in two axes already.

[Nagash02]

crackles are so awesome ! I would love to have such one :

http://wildwestguitars.com/jackson/pages/rr1_crackle_4468.htm

[DonP]

They are nice. Mine is sitting in pieces as I try to score a pickup.