Am I alone????

[pianoguyy]

I will just repeat what everyone else already said, and then spin it in a way that justifies posting the same shit over and over...


Yes, a good guitar is a good guitar, and you can buy some of these mass produced things and never find the same one twice, some good some bad.
So, then, how does a shopper even know where to begin. You don't start buy going to every Wal-mart and playing every starcaster that they have hoping to find a decent one. You start with the brands that have the proven track records of quality. Sure, you can read the forums and find story about the f'd up one that Jackson made last year. But you don't get devotees to an almost brain washed cult like status the way Jackson has by making nothing but junk. Grover Jackson was a genius. A real genius. Not an Apple Genius.

Plus, let's not forget, a Samick guitar may play well today, new, fresh from the factory. But it is made of inferior parts. It will not last twenty years. It will not provide you with a lifetime of 'oh my god, this thing is awesome' the way I do when I pick up my 27 year old Jackson.

[leftykingv2]

Not an Apple Genius!!! Very Nice!!!

[Steel City Psycho]

I would love to own a USA Jackson, that is one thing I am missing from my collection, and really want one for nostalgic reasons, but I have never found one I liked.

My first "real" "quality" guitar was a '96 DR-3 I bought brand new from Musicians Friend when I was in HS. It was my only guitar for years and I literally played that thing to death, I still own it and will never get rid of it, but it's not playable.

I went through a few years (10) of despising the strat shape and didn't own any strat shaped guitars but that one. In fact I was never really a big strat fan, in '96 when I bought the DR-3 I really wanted a B. C. Rich Warlock, but at the time they were no longer in business, so I bought the DR-3 because it was a Jackson and had a reverse headstock and sharkfin inlays (never been big on dots either ). Then one day I busted out the DR-3 for the first time (in 10 years) and just holding it "felt right", so I decided I needed a "shredder super strat" again and set out playing every USA Jackson I could. I played RRs, KVs, Soloists, KEs and none really felt right. I liked the speed necks of the KV and KE, the RR and Soloist necks I didn't care for, but I wanted a soloist and didn't want to go CS. In fact the guitar that felt most like that Jackson and the one I ended up buying was an ESP Horizon.

For me to own a USA Jackson, it would have to be a full custom, not even the custom selects have the options I want and I will never spend that much $ on a guitar. I have a personal limit of $2500 for 1 guitar.

[leftykingv2]

The USA Select Jackson line has all kinds of different body styles and neck profiles to choose from. I find it very difficult to believe that out of all the different USA Select models you can't find one that "You like." What USA Select models have you tried? And what did you not like about them. I have tried a bunch of different USA models from the KV2 to the Rhoads, SL1 AND SL2H. Warrior, Kelly and all of them are great guitars. There wasn't a single thing to dislike in my opinion on any of those models.

[Steel City Psycho]

The USA Select Jackson line has all kinds of different body styles and neck profiles to choose from. I find it very difficult to believe that out of all the different USA Select models you can't find one that "You like." What USA Select models have you tried? And what did you not like about them. I have tried a bunch of different USA models from the KV2 to the Rhoads, SL1 AND SL2H. Warrior, Kelly and all of them are great guitars. There wasn't a single thing to dislike in my opinion on any of those models.

Well, I'm glad you think I shouldn't have disliked them, but I did

I know they have all kinds of different body styles and neck profiles, I've played RR, Soloist, KE, KV. Never played a Warrior or a DK. But they still don't offer the neck profile with the body style I want.

I liked the speed neck on the KE/KV, didn't care for the regular neck on the Soloist/RR, but I didn't want a KE or KV, I wanted a Soloist or Dinky, so I want a Soloist with a speed neck or if the San Dimas profile is the same as my USA Charvel So-Cals then that would be the profile I want, and while I'm at it, I'd want a reverse headstock and reverse sharkfins, hence my "it would have to be a full custom"

[dvscool]

I don’t think there is any “holy grail”. I just don’t. At least not for me. There’s always a better guitar out there. For me, I have tried to buy guitars that I KNOW I will play, and over the last year, anything I wasn’t playing, I got rid of. I only have 12 guitars right now, but I can honestly say I love and play them all. Nothing sits for too long. After months of playing my Jacksons, I pick up one of my Ibanez’s and I’m almost always inspired. After 2 months of playing Ibanez’s, I go back to Jacksons, or pick up one of my strats, Hell, even the JJ BC RICH I just got is fantastic. They all feel different, sound different. I like having/playing different guitars and with different pickups, bridges, etc. I know some guys like to that the SAME thing, so they have consistent feel and tone…..I personally find the differences to be inspiring......

[leftykingv2]

Make sense Steelcity! I was lucky because I love the V body style and the speed neck so I just bought KV2's. The custom shop model I am about to order is a Rhoads with the speed neck 24 medium frets and a reverse headstock with block abalone inlays. It'll essentially be a Rhoads with a KV2 neck. So I know how you feel about wanting a guitar that feels exactly right to you. And when you're spending USA Jackson money you should get exactly want you want in my opinion. You shouldn't have to settle.

[Steel City Psycho]

Make sense Steelcity! I was lucky because I love the V body style and the speed neck so I just bought KV2's. The custom shop model I am about to order is a Rhoads with the speed neck 24 medium frets and a reverse headstock with block abalone inlays. It'll essentially be a Rhoads with a KV2 neck. So I know how you feel about wanting a guitar that feels exactly right to you. And when you're spending USA Jackson money you should get exactly want you want in my opinion. You shouldn't have to settle.

Seriously man,

I really wish I would have just grabbed a Kelly or an SL2H when I was looking because Jackson USA guitars have jumped the most of any brand in the last few years, which is another reason why I'll probably never own one. I remember when I was looking in 2009 a black SL2H was $1799 with case and ESP Horizons were the same price less case, now SL2Hs are $2399 and ESP Horizon FR-IIs are $1999 and now come with a case, so basically in the same amount of time the Jackson went up $600 and the ESP went up $100 if you count the case value at $100 ($200 total)...that's just fucking ridiculous...

[markD]

Maybe I'm biased, but I do tend to play faster, more accurately and aggressive when I have a nice Jackson in my hands. It just feels right. With that said, I wouldn't throw another nice guitar under the bus if I have the opportunity. Right now though, I'm still fantasizing about getting a USA Jackson

funny you say that. i was (and continue to be) disappointed in the "speed" factor of USA jackson guitars. granted, i have really only had PC, DK, strats, and SL1 + SL2H guitars, but the only USA's that felt "fast" like my ibanez guitars were the strats and dinkys. when i go for a face melting guitar, i grab an ibanez. that was the shredder guitar of choice when i was growing up, and they still feel "right" in my hands.

see, it all comes down to preference....

[leftykingv2]

Seriously man,

I really wish I would have just grabbed a Kelly or an SL2H when I was looking because Jackson USA guitars have jumped the most of any brand in the last few years, which is another reason why I'll probably never own one. I remember when I was looking in 2009 a black SL2H was $1799 with case and ESP Horizons were the same price less case, now SL2Hs are $2399 and ESP Horizon FR-IIs are $1999 and now come with a case, so basically in the same amount of time the Jackson went up $600 and the ESP went up $100 if you count the case value at $100 ($200 total)...that's just fucking ridiculous...

Things could be worse they could be charging Gibson USA prices! I know they're expensive brand new but search our classifieds here man. There are a lot of good guys on this forum who are selling really great guitars for fair prices. Who knows you might see something you like. It's worth a shot.

[leftykingv2]

funny you say that. i was (and continue to be) disappointed in the "speed" factor of USA jackson guitars. granted, i have really only had PC, DK, strats, and SL1 + SL2H guitars, but the only USA's that felt "fast" like my ibanez guitars were the strats and dinkys. when i go for a face melting guitar, i grab an ibanez. that was the shredder guitar of choice when i was growing up, and they still feel "right" in my hands.

see, it all comes down to preference....

The "Speed Neck" on the KV2 and KE2 is amazing. I have a lot of nice Ibanez guitars and they do have great shredder style necks but the Speed Neck is better for shredding in my opinion.

[Maiden89]

funny you say that. i was (and continue to be) disappointed in the "speed" factor of USA jackson guitars. granted, i have really only had PC, DK, strats, and SL1 + SL2H guitars, but the only USA's that felt "fast" like my ibanez guitars were the strats and dinkys. when i go for a face melting guitar, i grab an ibanez. that was the shredder guitar of choice when i was growing up, and they still feel "right" in my hands.

see, it all comes down to preference....

Ibanez do make some nice shredder style guitars, but for some reason Jackson necks still feel a little more comfortable to me anyway. When I get my first USA Jackson, I'm probably going to go with a ke2, because I've heard the neck profiles on the soloist are a little thicker and I don't want any guitar neck thicker than my dk2m.

Things could be worse they could be charging Gibson USA prices! I know they're expensive brand new but search our classifieds here man. There are a lot of good guys on this forum who are selling really great guitars for fair prices. Who knows you might see something you like. It's worth a shot.

Guitar Center has a used section on their site and they usually have fantastic deals on their site. You can also negotiate a lower price if you call them (from what I've heard from other guy's on here). If you look around you can find immaculate axes for good prices.