Needing Advice buying an RR1

[Bielzaoo]

Sup !! 1st Post ^^

So here´s my story:

I Currently own an ESP KH-3 and im looking to buy an rr1. I do not live in USA, so this guitar is very expensive due to import taxes from my country, i did some research for info on Jacksons, and i got here.

Well let´s go:

I looking to buy this guitar, used. Its a 96 EDS rr1, serial UO 3306, seems in Mint condition, ill post some pictures on the end of the post.
It has some downsides in my view:
No more duncans, the owner got 2 EMG 85 on it. My ESP is loaded w EMG´s too, and i do not apreciate having 2 guitars with same pickups.
No More Original Floyd, it was replaced by an GOTOH Floyd.
This guitar is very beautiful and im really in love with it, but the owner is asking 4k dolar on it.

The cheaper I can get for a New one is for 3.5k dolar ( a black rr1, not EDS ) if i can get a friend that goes to USA bring one for me.

So what u guys think i should do? I own that ESP for like 14 years, im not rich, i´m a semi-pro guitarrist ( i work on other things than music ), I saved that money working a long time, and the time to buy a new guitar just have arrived. I always loved rr1, just can´t make my mind on this new vs used thing, and the values. Oh, and i can´t import used instruments too. That EDS is currently on my country.

Here go the picks

[KK666]

too much money for nothing, u can get that under 1500 with OFR

[toejam]

The Gotoh is actually an upgrade, and seems lots of people prefer them to the OFR. You could always tell the seller that it's no longer original since it's got the Gotoh and EMGs and see if he'll give you a discount.

[Bielzaoo]

too much money for nothing, u can get that under 1500 with OFR

I can´t import used instruments ( thats my gov rules ). Thats not an option T_T.

My options are:
Buy new 3.5k Dollars - IF i can get a friend bring me one from USA.
Buy this used EDS RR1 4k dollars
Buy a new from a local store 5k dollars ( well i know i hate the fuckin government and those fucking taxes. Its like paying for two guitars wtf !?!??! )

Import taxes here work like this:

500 dollars = free of tax
>500 dollars = 50% tax of the exceeding price.

So new rr1 on USA= 2500. Exceeds 2000 of the 500 limit. Tax = 50% of that = 1000. So if i got no 3rd party involved ( a local store ) the cheaper i can get is 3.5k.

Thanks for the tips ToeJam ill try them =)

So, do you guys think that a 96 custom color Jackson may be better build than a new one? The owner said something like golden years that kind of blablabla

[xenophobe]

I looking to buy this guitar, used. Its a 96 EDS rr1, serial UO 3306, seems in Mint condition, ill post some pictures on the end of the post.
It has some downsides in my view:
No more duncans, the owner got 2 EMG 85 on it. My ESP is loaded w EMG´s too, and i do not apreciate having 2 guitars with same pickups.
No More Original Floyd, it was replaced by an GOTOH Floyd.
This guitar is very beautiful and im really in love with it, but the owner is asking 4k dolar on it.

Welcome to the forums!

I would put EMGs in all of my guitars. I have 3 guitars with EMGs right now. I love the 85 the most. It's dark and brooding. It's darker and more evil sounding than the 81, which is tonally flat and designed for heavy signal processing.

The Gotoh Floyd is much better. Since trying one I have replaced 4 Floyd Rose with Gotohs. Once you try one, you'll probably never want a OFR again.
I even wrote an in-depth review, look at it here:

http://www.jcfonline.com/threads/133613-Battle-of-the-Floyds-Gotoh-vs-Schaller

If you want a cheap USA Jackson, buy one from someone here or off ebay US that is willing to ship internationally. Used USA Jacksons sell for about $1000 and even if your import fees and shipping are $1000 (which they will not be), you're saving a lot of money. Or contact Matt's Music. He will ship internationally. Jackson dealers in Europe rip people off.

[RacerX]

I can´t import used instruments ( thats my gov rules ). Thats not an option T_T.

My options are:
Import taxes here work like this:

500 dollars = free of tax
>500 dollars = 50% tax of the exceeding price.

So new rr1 on USA= 2500. Exceeds 2000 of the 500 limit. Tax = 50% of that = 1000. So if i got no 3rd party involved ( a local store ) the cheaper i can get is 3.5k.

Draconian much? What country is this?

[Force]

.......and I thought I had a hard time in Australia getting guitars.

Sounds like it would be cheaper for you to just move to a normal country. I hope you can sort this out, that EDS is gorgeous.

[DonP]

Used USA Jacksons

He already said he is not allowed to import used. I'm not sure how his government tells what is used or new? Can you fake it as new?

[xenophobe]

He already said he is not allowed to import used. I'm not sure how his government tells what is used or new? Can you fake it as new?

No idea. If it's that expensive, he should take a vacation in the US and buy one here then fly home. Hell, I almost went to Japan so I could order an ESP from one of the retail environment Custom Shops....

[Axewielder]

OK I've got to know what country doesn't allow you to import used guitars. :think:

I'm also not boarding this Gotoh over Floyd crazy train.

[Bielzaoo]

1st thing: Thanks for all the Feedback!

I live in Brazil!

We can´t import nothing used. The gov excuse is, by doing that we are " trashing " the industry. A common example they give here is used cell phones. If we allowed the import of used cell phones no one would buy it new from our own factorys, leading to industry crash. Not that i care or agree, thats just how things works here, i couldnt fuckin care less. We can import only new products whatever they are ( we the common people ).

About the Brazilian Import taxes, recently an US jornalist from Forbes, Kenneth Rapoza wrote an article, clearing saying we are being robbed on Car imports. Just for a note on the same article he exemplifies on the price of a car, an Grand Cherooke. Here in Brazil it costs U$ 89,000 dolars. Thats right. That car on USA is like 28k. Becouse of taxing and stuff we gotta pay 3 times more, Fuck that ( Thats their way to say : Buy a car made here in your country, make our industry stronger etc, BUT WE DONT HAVE ANY LEGENDARY GUITAR FACTS HERE). Here´s a link to that article : http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoz...rand-cherokee/

So let´s back to the guitar stuff!!!

Thanks xenophobe for the great floyd article. It was very well written and informative. Traveling to USA will net me same price as i buy new from here. 3.5k to buy a new rr1 + 1.5k fly tickets = 5k, same price as a new buying from a store here. Cheapest i can get its IF a friend or family of mine goes to USA ( i wouldnt have to pay fly tickets ) i get the guitar with taxes, 3.5k. And becouse that EDS is here, on my country i can buy it used, for 4k. We have a lot circulation of used Gibsons, Fenders, but fuck that. I want a Jackson.

So that bring me to this:

W8 for some known ppl travel to USA and bring me one for 3.5 or buy that EDS. Harsh world. Now u can say why i waited 14 years to get another really good guitar.
About that dillema, can i ask if the quality of the jackson´s is the same since they moved to fender´s? That EDS in 96 is listed as " custom color ". Does that makes it "better built" than a Brand new rr1?

Thanks for ur time guys, and youre being very helpful to me. I must be VERY certain before i choose that guitar becouse probably it would take another looooooooooooooong time to buy another one.

[xenophobe]

I'm also not boarding this Gotoh over Floyd crazy train.

That's ok, some people can't tell the quality difference between a USA custom shop and a MII either.

[len]

For 3.5k i'll hand deliver my eds RR1 anywhere you'd like

[decadence5423]

1st thing: Thanks for all the Feedback!
W8 for some known ppl travel to USA and bring me one for 3.5 or buy that EDS. Harsh world. Now u can say why i waited 14 years to get another really good guitar.
About that dillema, can i ask if the quality of the jackson´s is the same since they moved to fender´s? That EDS in 96 is listed as " custom color ". Does that makes it "better built" than a Brand new rr1?

The Fender buyout of Jackson hasn't affected the quality of USA Jacksons. A 1996 RR1 should be about the same as a 2012 RR1. The only reason they are going to be different is because a different builder worked on it. I've heard that early 90's USAs had quality issues but I can't confirm nor deny it... could be BS for all I know.

Maybe you should move to the US if you really want to buy Jacksons
In the US we have the complete opposite problem with imports. We don't tax imports enough (or not at all... really) so just about every market is flooded with with imports here!

[xenophobe]

The Fender buyout of Jackson hasn't affected the quality of USA Jacksons.

Not true. That's the one thing Fender has improved with Jackson. QC is far better. Reports of USA's with problems were fairly common before the buyout. For a span of a year or so, there would be a new thread about a new QC issue as much as 2-3 times a month. Its not that Jackson is making fewer mistakes, it is that those mistakes are being caught during production and more guitars are stalled mid-build or at final inspection due to needing to be "corrected" and these guitars get put back in the queue. This has has caused a new issue, and that is, its lengthened the wait times considerably.

I used to consider the wait times another issue completely, but have come to learn that the higher QC is directly responsible for for the increased delivery times.

Also adherence to build sheets has supposedly improved greatly, but that took a few more years to accomplish.