Are the USA Select and the Custom Shop guitars made by the same people at Jackson?

[Dog Boy]

Just cause Pablo may have built a particular USA Select on his coffee break doesn't make it a custom shop.

This should be engraved in stone at the top of the "Classifieds" section.

[Nidec]

This should be engraved in stone at the top of the "Classifieds" section.

+1

[Newc]

I have never been to the facility, but if I were running the company CNC would be used across the board and I'd run the company like a race car shop (which is what I do now). I'd use CAD to design, CAMto manufacture, and CMM to check everything. I think the paintwork would still be hand done though, it's always nice to have unique art on a guitar.

Interesting idea, but then you can do paint by robotics as well, particularly graphics, and get more consistency. Hand-painting doesn't really translate to the neck carve where someone may have gone a bit too deep in one spot, or not as deep in one spot, which gives a neck a unique character. Not a divot or a goose-egg, but just enough difference for you to go "hey, that one spot's different".

[Administrator]

I was thinking of getting a USA Select series guitar. One of the best Jacksons I had played was over 10 years ago and it was a top of the line import Soloist. I had played some of the post-Fender take over imports. And I don't much care for them compared to the imports before Fender took over. So, I figure the USA Select series Jacksons would similar but better than the imports Jackson were making before Fender took over.

[church2224]

I was thinking of getting a USA Select series guitar. One of the best Jacksons I had played was over 10 years ago and it was a top of the line import Soloist. I had played some of the post-Fender take over imports. And I don't much care for them compared to the imports before Fender took over. So, I figure the USA Select series Jacksons would similar but better than the imports Jackson were making before Fender took over.

The Fender buyout really means nothing imho. i think there are plenty of threads on this forum discussing that. Both eras made their share of defected guitars, a thread over at the Jackson Guitar Palace discussed this I own a 2007 SL2H and i absolutely love it, probably my favorite guitar. A lot of people are dividing on the issues. Many will agree the quality is still there, but they just cannot "connect" with the post-Fender guitars. Just make sure you get the guitar from a good dealer. Not Musicians FIEND, Guitar Center, Sam Ash, ect.

I know Corpsegrinder has a lot of guitars built in both eras, as him about differences and different models.

[Administrator]

The Fender buyout really means nothing imho. i think there are plenty of threads on this forum discussing that. Both eras made their share of defected guitars, a thread over at the Jackson Guitar Palace discussed this I own a 2007 SL2H and i absolutely love it, probably my favorite guitar. A lot of people are dividing on the issues. Many will agree the quality is still there, but they just cannot "connect" with the post-Fender guitars. Just make sure you get the guitar from a good dealer. Not Musicians FIEND, Guitar Center, Sam Ash, ect.

I know Corpsegrinder has a lot of guitars built in both eras, as him about differences and different models.

I like that story I had read where post buy out. Jackson was left to keep doing what they had always been doing.

What dealers would you recommend? I've bought guitars from some of those big companies. They came sealed from the factory.

How is the setup on the USA select series guitars? I figured they should be spot on compared to imports. But I read somewhere that some have had problems with the setups from the factory on the USA select series.

[church2224]

I like that story I had read where post buy out. Jackson was left to keep doing what they had always been doing.

What dealers would you recommend? I've bought guitars from some of those big companies. They came sealed from the factory.

How is the setup on the USA select series guitars? I figured they should be spot on compared to imports. But I read somewhere that some have had problems with the setups from the factory on the USA select series.

Mine came fine, just de-tuned. Good Fretwork and all, but like all guitar companies a guitar could have problems while shipping such frets ends getting sharp because of the wood reacting to temperature, so do not blame Jackson for that, as some cases it might not be them, just the natural order of things. A good luthier can fix the setup just fine. I have all my guitars properly set up by my luthier once I get them. A lot of people think that a problem that can happen on most guitar happens on Jacksons because of the buyout, which is entirely untrue, just a fact about guitars period. Go to Seventring.org and a lot of unbiased non brand based forums, Jackson gets a lot of respect.

Good dealers include: Custom Metal and Classic Guitars, Matt's Music, Wlhourby's Music, Fuller's Vintage Guitar, The Music Zoo, Piney Hills, and Guitar Asylum. I have never heard of a bad Jackson coming from any of those dealers. Custom Metal and Classic guitars is great actually. Talk to WarkkWarriorr about them. They have also been great people to talk to about guitars and seems to really like being a Jackson Dealer.

I have played a fair amount of Post Fender USA Jacksons, and I have never been less than impressed with them.

[emperor_black]

what's more surprising is that the mods let the username 'Administrator' through.

[Animus]

Mine came fine, just de-tuned. Good Fretwork and all, but like all guitar companies a guitar could have problems while shipping such frets ends getting sharp because of the wood reacting to temperature, so do not blame Jackson for that, as some cases it might not be them, just the natural order of things. A good luthier can fix the setup just fine. I have all my guitars properly set up by my luthier once I get them. A lot of people think that a problem that can happen on most guitar happens on Jacksons because of the buyout, which is entirely untrue, just a fact about guitars period. Go to Seventring.org and a lot of unbiased non brand based forums, Jackson gets a lot of respect.

Good dealers include: Custom Metal and Classic Guitars, Matt's Music, Wlhourby's Music, Fuller's Vintage Guitar, The Music Zoo, Piney Hills, and Guitar Asylum. I have never heard of a bad Jackson coming from any of those dealers. Custom Metal and Classic guitars is great actually. Talk to WarkkWarriorr about them. They have also been great people to talk to about guitars and seems to really like being a Jackson Dealer.

I have played a fair amount of Post Fender USA Jacksons, and I have never been less than impressed with them.

What is up with Guitar Asylum anyway? I've contacted them on two occasions over the last few months to inquire about a guitar and they never respond. Guess they don't like to sell. lol

[Newc]

I'll say this on the Pre-Fender/Post-Fender issue:

I've had various USA-made Jacksons with tuneomatic bridges that were built Pre-Fender, and the low E would not intonate on any of them. Not the '97 USA SLS, not the USA Roswell, not the USA Archtop Soloist, not the USA Custom Shop ash-bodied King V.
That was the main reason I got rid of them and the main reason I've purposely avoided tom'd Jacksons. I'd seen enough of them to know that Jackson could not properly locate a tuneomatic.

The Roswell Pro and GroverJackson Roswell intonated fine, as does my one tuneomatic'd JacksonStars NASL (which FMIC killed). Apparently the Japanese measured before drilling.


However, I've got 2 KV2Ts, a Custom Shop SLS, a Dominion, and I've had an SLS3 which were all built post-Fender and they intonate just fine.
I don't know if it was Fender's doing or if JCMI found and fixed the problem just by coincidence, but I'm really glad this issue got fixed.

[Carbuff]

What is up with Guitar Asylum anyway? I've contacted them on two occasions over the last few months to inquire about a guitar and they never respond. Guess they don't like to sell. lol

Maybe they were too busy moving into their new store. If its the Miller Place store, they just moved to a new location in Rocky Point, a mile down the road. I think theyre all moved in now.

[emperor_black]

ok, a new myth has surfaced - the quality of wood used for custom Jacksons (that bear a 'custom shop' in the logo) is superior to the ones used for regular USA jacksons. True or false?

[Hellbat]

ok, a new myth has surfaced - the quality of wood used for custom Jacksons (that bear a 'custom shop' in the logo) is superior to the ones used for regular USA jacksons. True or false?

Depends if we are talking pre-Fender or not...

[emperor_black]

[church2224]

Depends if we are talking pre-Fender or not...

I am guessing that Pre/Post fender is nothing but a myth on this forum lol. Because a lot of people come here with new Post-Fender Jacksons and love them . Sorry I am still new, after like 5 months lol/

The alder and maple and is great on my USA, never played a Custom Shop Jackson, so really I cannot answer that question