USA Custom Select - your thoughts?

[Kisonen]

Reverse sharkfins and bevel color options would be nice.

[Newc]

Haven't read all 8 1/2 pages, but I do like the "semi-custom" idea. Glad to see they're tackling issues that have been discussed here for years.

As for speeding up the CS time, that could easily be done by requiring more options than "I just want a regular USA Select Soloist with single-hum or h-s". Those are mostly cosmetic options imo that can easily be remedied by not flipping the switch and/or wiring your USA Select for bridge-only operation, or putting in a 3-way blade and only wiring up the bridge and neck pickups in an h-s-s. Yes, you have an unused pickup in the guitar. Get over it, because that is the sort of thing that causes Custom Shop backlogs. If the looks matter so much, send it off to be capped and customized by Mike Learn or another shop.

I'd say require a minimum of 3 woodwork options before it will be considered for the CS:
1. Must change core body wood from current USA Select versions, or add figured top.
2. Must change neck profile from current USA Select versions (SL, KV, SD, or custom-spec), or neck material, or laminated necks (maple with stringers).
3. Must feature an inlay design or material option not found on current USA Select model (abalone instead of mop, PCS Rhoads fins, reverse/ziggy, etc).
After that, and ONLY after, the pickup configs could be added.

This way you can pass on the h-s or 1-h rev-head USA Select SL1/SL2 builds, and focus on true customs like custom body shapes.

[xenophobe]

In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy it for it is, and take advantage of that as much as possible.

And anyone who has wanted these little changes should take advantage of it too. I just think it's too great to be true to last, so get your orders in ASAP. I'm probably getting one in too. lol

[Newc]

"Due to the volume of 'semi-custom' orders backing up the regular production, we will no longer accept semi-custom orders"

[shreddermon]

I think it's highly doubtful that they'd kill it or stop taking orders. However, if it is more sucessful than they expected, it would not be unreasonable to expect a significant price increase in the future, possibly with some new options added.

[decadentdave]

Link to these guitars?

[Nightbat]

I think it's highly doubtful that they'd kill it or stop taking orders. However, if it is more sucessful than they expected, it would not be unreasonable to expect a significant price increase in the future, possibly with some new options added.

well, there's where we won't know how marketing will react

if it's highly succesfull because of the price, increasing price might just grind the whole train to a halt

[shreddermon]

Which could easily be addressed by reformulating prices again, or simply holding them steady for a couple of years for demand to catch back up.

Boy, we are one big forum of Monday morning quarterbacks sometimes, aren't we? LOL

[Newc]

Well, some of it is based on past experience. We know they like to take away things we like and force-feed us things we don't.

First the JacksonStars semi-customs are taken away, then the NASL is dropped from that series (a tragedy for me personally), then the entire line is phased out, removing the only option for a 24 fret Rhoads. Then we get a limited run 24 fret RR import that has limited features, and then it's dropped completely.

We finally get USA-made Charvels, but no Strathead option, and they're all 24 frets and called "San Dimas ReIssues". That flops and we get a half-baked "anniversary" model that doesn't sell because of the 1-hum v-trem layout that maybe 10 people wanted. Finally we get another run of USA-made Charvel Strathead Strats and a Tele, but no Star option aside from CS, then they're moved to Japan with no price reduction, and still no production run Star, then finally the entire Charvel line is rebadged Shecters, where we finally get a non-Charvel Strathead Star. If I wanted a Shecter/ESPee Star....

Frankly I'm surprised they kept the DK2M alive so long, since it seemed to be doing well, but even then it's been changed from black fins to offset dots. FUCKING DOTS. People must really hate the Warrior, since it's still available, and even neckthrough now.

So based on past experiences, I predict they'll drop the whole "semi-custom" idea pretty quick, or at least severely limit the options, and the affected model. Remember that scene from The Jerk where he's working the carnival and telling the guy which prize options he has? That's what I envision. Or the Ford Model T routine.

[neilli]

I can see where you're coming from on that Matt, and absolutely, sometimes you wonder if they have done any market research testing at all. But in my opinion it's not at all bad in the last few years:

In terms of Charvel, the SoCals seem to have been a success as were the EVHs. Not sure how well the Warren Ds have done, but I know TMZ shifted a ton of their 'oiled' guitars. I've not heard much good about the 'desolation' guitars though.

Jackson have had their downturns of course, not least the limitations of what the legal people will and won't sanction, the fuckups from the CS and the RIDICULOUS 2 year wait. But I'd say overall, the Jackson side of things is much improved over what it was 10 years ago. The artist roster is looking much more healthy, the production range seems to being streamlined (getting rid of stupid things like the SL1T for a start) and yes, it seems a shame (not least historically) to loose the Japanese production, but then I'm sure back in 86 people hated that Charvels were made in Japan, and likewise the same in 1991 when Jackson went 'overseas'.

And you have to consider that (at least I assume) they won't stop making stuff if people are buying it. And by that token, just not enough people were buying the NASL (and the XTRR, PC Archtop, PC Supreme, Kelly Star etc etc).

[xenophobe]

You also have to consider, they can't give you everything and shouldn't. There has to be a reason for one to opt for a full CS guitar.

[RacerX]

Remember that scene from The Jerk where he's working the carnival and telling the guy which prize options he has?

[Ward]

Such a great flick.

[Newc]

I don't know how many NASLs were made, but they were made for about 3 years (2000-2003 from the serials I've seen) and came in several price and spec ranges - from dots on rosewood to mop+abalone on ebony. All were neckthrough, and all were mahogany. I've seen relatively few on the used market. Maybe 7 total (of which I've owned 5, and still have 4).

That tells me they sold reasonably well, and those that have them are keeping them, just like with the Candy Plum and Pagan Gold SoCals. I had 3 or 4 of the Tangerines from the first run over the couple of years they were around, but have only seen a handful of the others. Same goes for the Slime Green Style1. I know they were made in limited numbers, but retention is high.



As for the Collen Archtop, that was more of a cost/labor issue, as I understand it; they were very time-consuming to make because of all the carving/arching on the front and back, and they made very little money in return.

The KellyStar was just an ugly fucker


I'm wondering if the SLnT will be an option in this new program. Would make sense. They could serve the relative handful who want those models without committing to a full-batch production run. Remember, if you add a given model into the production schedule, you lengthen the schedule overall, so if you stick an SL1T batch (of 12?) after the regular SL1 batch and before the SL2 batch, the SL2 batch run is pushed farther back. Waiting 3 or 4 months for an SL2 then becomes a 5-6 month delay. Customers with money burning holes in their pockets won't wait. You know how musicians are - we're broke and we like it, money in-hand is money wasted on bills and shit

[Newc]

Now replace that with "You can have a Dinky body in black, maple neck, bound ebony board, 24 frets, mop fins, Floyd, regular headstock, and your choice of inlaid logo or decal"


As for "market research", they do plenty of that. They know we're all assholes, so whatever we say we want, they do the opposite for that reason. That's why Shreddermon's Customs always get fucked up. "Hey, this is one of those JCF guys, right?" "Yeah." "Put the Kahler nut on it."