Help: Jackson San Dimas 1989

[J.Sotelo]

Hey Folks!

After a long time visiting this forum just to enjoy (and learn) with other peoples posts and threads, It is time for me to ask for help! (and give you all "Jackson/Charvel fanatics" another reason to use all your knowledge and Know-How... )

Well, the thing is: I live in Brazil, and found a "Jackson San Dimas 1989" for sale over here...The seller claims that the guitar is with 100% original parts, and the price is quite tempting (for brazilian standards), US$ 1,000.

The serial number seems to be 6998 and it looks like it's in decent shape. But,what do you guys think...It seems legit?(haha) And could you enlighten a little bit more about this model? (If it's really a "san dimas" or old dinky, etc...)

Here are some pics of the instrument! And thanks in advance for your attention !!

[Number Of The Priest]

I cannot comment on its authenticity so I will leave that to the experts. However I will make a few observations:

1) Your intonation will likely need adjustment since all the saddles are roughly lined up instead of staggered!

2) The bridge pickup and pickup ring are slightly crooked.

3) The fretboard edges seem very sharp!

4) Do you have a photo of the front of the headstock?

Very cool guitar otherwise! $1000 is very fair for a real USA Jackson in my opinion.

[toejam]

1) Your intonation will likely need adjustment since all the saddles are roughly lined up instead of staggered!

Not necessarily. I, as well as some other members here, have had Floyds that perfectly intonated where every saddle was in a perfect straight line. It looks weird, but it happens.

[Number Of The Priest]

True, the location of the saddle would be highly dependent on multiple factors:

1) What tuning you choose

2) What string gauge you choose

3) How high your action is

4) How stretched out your strings are

5) Possibly how much magnetic pull that the pickups exert on the strings to affect its vibration

[charvel750]

Right about the intonation issues: it can be intonated with all saddles at the same distance. And it's not a ""San Dimas" in that it was made in 1989, which makes it an "Ontario" model with the leftover SD plates they continued to use. Cool guitar, nice ebony board.

[xenophobe]

Probably one of the first 24 fret Dinkys. No lower horn cutout, pull up route, ebony board? Nice 1989 Custom Jackson!

For where you are, that's definitely a fair price as long as there aren't any issues. The faded gold hardware looks bad, but that's only cosmetic and easily replaceable.

[J.Sotelo]

I cannot comment on its authenticity so I will leave that to the experts. However I will make a few observations:

1) Your intonation will likely need adjustment since all the saddles are roughly lined up instead of staggered!

4) Do you have a photo of the front of the headstock?

Well, about the intonation and bridge issues...If I get the guitar, I'll definetly take this to visit my local luthier for the proper adjustments. (Since I'm not very good with this, It's always good to leave this job in the hands of some reliable pros...And since I like to use 011 gauge strings, tuned 1 step down...well, you got the point!Some adjustments are inevitable! )

And these were all the pics avaible in the ad! But the seller posted a youtube video of the guitar...that I'll post below!!

[J.Sotelo]

Right about the intonation issues: it can be intonated with all saddles at the same distance. And it's not a ""San Dimas" in that it was made in 1989, which makes it an "Ontario" model with the leftover SD plates they continued to use. Cool guitar, nice ebony board.

Exactly!! By the serial number I could check it was made in Ontario. But I mentioned "San Dimas" trying to figure it out the model name... Since It's something between a SD and a Dinky... But, it seems to be 'just' a "Custom Jackson" ! hahaha

And that Ebony board is my favorite feature of the guitar...definetly!

[J.Sotelo]

Probably one of the first 24 fret Dinkys. No lower horn cutout, pull up route, ebony board? Nice 1989 Custom Jackson!

For where you are, that's definitely a fair price as long as there aren't any issues. The faded gold hardware looks bad, but that's only cosmetic and easily replaceable.

Yeah! Thanks a lot for the insights on this one!! Well, the faded hardware really doesn't bother me, since It's easy to solve (as you already mentioned). And I also think it's cool, cause the "vintage" vibe (and historical weight) of an almost 30 year old Jackson is one of the things that makes this guitar so appealing to me!

And also this thick blade of ebony used on the fretboard!( I must admit, that's my favorite feature on this guitar! )

[J.Sotelo]

Well, Thanks a lot for everyone that collaborated with the post so far!!!

Here is a video of the guitar, that seller put in the ad:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3z0DAZIm44

[Number Of The Priest]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3z0DAZIm44

RESURRECTION! It was Halford's guitarists Mike Chlasciak and Pat Lachman with their USA Jacksons that made me want to get a USA Jackson for myself.

[pro-fusion]

Looks totally legit to me for an '89.

The only things that look like they might have been replaced are the tuners (which aren't gold) and the bridge pickup that's lacking a cover (and that's probably an upgrade). The frets look like they've been leveled and re-crowned quite a few times, but then that's going to be true of almost any 25 year old guitar that's been played a lot.

I'd actually be more worried if it looked pristine, since that often means a guitar is a total dog that no one wanted to play very much. A well-loved guitar like this one probably is a great player.

$1,000 would even be an acceptable price for that in the USA.

[J.Sotelo]

RESURRECTION! It was Halford's guitarists Mike Chlasciak and Pat Lachman with their USA Jacksons that made me want to get a USA Jackson for myself.

Hahaha! Awesome, dude!! I met Halford solo carrer after the Rock in Rio in 2001!! That was one of the bests concerts of RiR history (along with Iron Maiden, that same year!)

[J.Sotelo]

And, to close the case, here is a pic of the headstock:





So, I'm almost closing the Jackson deal...I must confess I was really in doubt between getting this one, or a brand new Charvel San Dimas Style 2, black (USA). I Always liked that model (that is discontinued and quite hard to find). And i found it in a music store, while passing through the country side of Rio de Janeiro! (Wich was a surprise to me!!)

Even though the charvel is something around USD 200 expensiver....It really moves me!!


And making a final research about this Ontario Jackson, I found this interesting statement in a page that must be familiar to you all ( http://www.jacksoncharvelworld.net/Identify.html ) :

"Warning: Someone sold the leftover, excess numbered neckplates on the black market, so if you find a guitar with a San Dimas neckplate numbered 5492 or higher, it was not made by Charvel/Jackson!"

So, What the hell!? (Even thou on the oficial Jackson website, it says that the serial number 1506-7303 are referent to 1989 Custom Shop Bolt-On....But they also inform:

"Four-digit Jackson neck plates were reserved only for custom instruments in spring 1990. All production bolt-on-neck instruments were given six-digit USA series neck plates" )

I'm sorry, But I'm getting a little bit lost here!! Am I missing some text interpretation here!?

[J.Sotelo]

Looks totally legit to me for an '89.

The only things that look like they might have been replaced are the tuners (which aren't gold) and the bridge pickup that's lacking a cover (and that's probably an upgrade). The frets look like they've been leveled and re-crowned quite a few times, but then that's going to be true of almost any 25 year old guitar that's been played a lot.

I'd actually be more worried if it looked pristine, since that often means a guitar is a total dog that no one wanted to play very much. A well-loved guitar like this one probably is a great player.

As you can see on this new Picture, It seems that the tuners were gold, somewhere in the past!
And I tottaly agree with you in the "pristine" vs "beat up" guitar topic...! It must be a great, well loved, guitar!!