Help me make sense of my Jackson. (NGD also)

[Arsos]

Well I have been dreaming for 10 or so years on getting a Sl1/2 or even a DK1. The combination of those ebony fret boards with the MOP Sharkfins had me gassing hard for years to the point where I would obsess and and look at pics all the time. I finally got one Used from guitar center's online store.
It was way different than I had expected. First off I thought I was getting a Floyd but got a string through, which is no big deal. The binding is a cream color so I am assuming it is old? This thing was alot smaller than I had imagined, especially the neck. From all the pictures I have seen and from the USA KV I Played in person the strings were very far spaced apart, which I like. I was under the impression that Jackson had some of the tallest (for lack of a better word) Necks out there. This one however seems really small and cluttered, also instead of the neck being flat and fast it is very round like a gibson or fender. The guitar center page also said it was built in the custom shop. Is that where all USA Jackson are built? The only thing I know how to make from the serial number is that it is a USA neckthrough made in USA (starting with a "U"). The only thing I can think of is that maybe fender changed their specs when Fender bought them? Perhaps this is a pre fender Jackson? I can post SS number if that would help anyhting.
Pics in next post

[Arsos]

Do the Sl1 and SL2H have different fretboard radius?

[Newc]

All USA Jacksons should have the same radius - 12-16".

The Serial # won't help for anything but determining the year it was made, and there's no "pre-Fender mojo" on any Jackson. Nothing about their design changed. The overall quality stabilised, so it's less likely that you'll find a dog, but none of the USA Selects that were in place in 2002 (SL1, SL2H, RR1, etc) were changed in 2003.

Cream binding doesn't indicate age, only use. The clearcoat could turn yellow due to other factors, such as environment and level of use. Then again, many Jacksons use ivoroid binding instead of white. It's a slight variance, but noticeable.

The Custom Shop does not build all USA Jacksons, however it's not unheard-of to find a Custom Shop piece with a production-line serial #.

Pics would help, or at least a better description, but I'm assuming it's an SL2Ht? 2-hums with a stringthrough? 3x3 head or 6-inline? 3x3 would make it either a USA SLS or Custom Select (USA Select with minor changes, but still not built to the level or cost of a true Custom).

[Arsos]

Which numbers indicate the year it was made? That would be good to know. It is an SL1T 6 inline tuners. I think my pic resolutions are too large or something, No image hosting sites seem to be working.

[Mudlark]

They're numbered sequentially in order of production. For example only: U08900=2001, U14700=2004, U17100=2006, U25200=2013.

[Newc]

^ This. Many years ago you could say "0=1990, 1=1991, etc" but such is not the case today.

Also, you state that the neck "feels like a Gibson or Fender". Is this the back of the neck (profile) or the fretboard (radius) you're talking about? Fender has 3 different radii at least (really curved, curved, and almost playable), and I think 7 known production model profiles (from super thin to V-shaped to bat-necks). Gibson has various neck profiles and radii as well, even on the LP (and even worse on the Epis), so unless you can name names on the models, it's really hard to say why or if your should or shouldn't Soloist feel like either of those.

Lastly, since you say you did play a USA KV and the strings seemed to be spaced far apart, the KV has a thinner neck profile than the SL, which can create the illusion of wider string spacing. I've also owned USA Jacksons with bound necks where the width at the nut was more than 1 11/16" because of the binding, and so it gave the illusion of being almost Classical width. Not to mention the R4 Floyd nut has a wider string spacing than the R3, even though they're the same nut width. It's possible the KV2 you played had an R4 nut.

[Nightbat]

Let's see those pics

[Arsos]

Let's see those pics

[Arsos]

The ebony board on This thing is amazing.

[DonP]

Your guitar is an SL1T. You would think the T means Trem, but no just the opposite

Welcome to the world of confusion. I think your first mistake is trusting anything GC says. They had a $600 import recently they thought was a $1199 USA model. At least you got a real USA.

Your neck is likely like my SL2H which is just like my 60s (thin) necked Les Paul's. If you want a thinner neck, MIJ PRO models are a good choice, or a bolt-on like a USA or MIJ Fusion. You still get the ebony, binding and MOP sharkies.

[Arsos]

Yeah they just had it listed as a Jackson soloist SL1 custom shop lol, and the picture wasn't good enough resolution to even see the bridge so I just assumed I was getting a floyd. No big, just means I can change tunings easier. Most Soloists on there were at about 1500 bucks while I scored this for 1100 so I cant complain, this thing is in great condition too. I was expecting far more usage.

[VitaminG]

Your guitar is an SL1T. You would think the T means Trem, but no just the opposite

T for tunomatic, silly

[walshula]

Nice SL1-T, don't see them very often. The SL2-HT is much more common. I wonder if that would be custom-shop part of it.

Very nice!!! And it is black

[leftykingv2]

As per usual and like other guys have said guitar center knows shit about what they have. That's a USA Select SL1-T. That's not a custom shop guitar. A friend of mine has two of these one in white and the other in black both with the string through body tune O matic bridge. The production model SL1 usually comes with a Floyd yes this is true but having a Tune O Matic bridge doesn't make it custom shop. If you order a USA Select SL1 from any Jackson Dealer brand new you can have any of these three bridges you want for no up charge. These are the bridge options for any USA Select SL1 that are free;Tune-a-matic - String Through N/C Tune-a-matic - Stop Tailpiece N/C
 Floyd Rose Original (Standard) N/C Notice how after Floyd Rose Original it says"Standard." Either way it's a great guitar! Enjoy and rock out bro!!

[leftykingv2]

The ebony board on This thing is amazing.

It's a USA Jackson. Of course it is!