Need some Jackson USA soloist advice please!

[Acapulco Gold]

I have been chasing a Jackson shredder for a while, with no luck and all of a sudden 3 are available.
Could someone give me some info on these models? They are all USA.

1986 Soloist S2h (San Dimas built), non-recessed floyd
1990 Soloist SL1 (Ontario), recessed floyd
1997 Soloist (Ontario), recessed floyd

I won't be able to try them but I looked at videos and quite like the sounds of the San Dimas Soloist, could it be because there is more wood? No trem recessed, smaller control plate on the back and the neck carve had not been thinned out yet.

I quite like the 1986 soloist but it is very heavy and it's much more expensive than the other 2. I know part of the value is from the 'san dimas mojo' but are the San Dimas builts so much better than the Ontario? Is there a noticable difference on tone or feel on the recessed vs non-recessed floyds? I like the toggle switches on the 1990 ontario, it has a crack in the finish, but not the wood, and the seller agreed to cut me a discount to get the guitar refinished.

In fact, the 1986 soloist is almost the price of the other 2 together! Is it really worth that much more, or such a better guitar?

[Number Of The Priest]

Post photos (preferably with serial numbers) so we can positively identify, confirm, and analyze to give more info. Also, if you're not shy, state the prices. Hard to make a judgment call when we're flying blind here.

To post photos, use any free image host https://www.google.com/search?newwin...31.OHoViRDmq1c and post the links here. I prefer www.imgur.com as my host, but they're basically equivalent.

The 1986 guitar would have been a one-off build. Generally speaking, it would fit into two broad categories: a Soloist Custom (ebony board, sharkfin inlays, bound neck/headstock) or a Soloist Student (rosewood board, dot inlays, unbound neck/headstock).

The 1990 guitar would likely have been a production model Soloist. 1990 was when American-made production models began. It would likely have been called Soloist Custom (yeah, the same name repeated from above, but denoting a "different model") but had standardized specifications: Bill Lawrence humbucker and two Jackson single coils, recessed Schaller-made Jackson JT590 tremolo, ebony board, sharkfin inlays, bound neck/headstock.

The 1997 guitar is likely an SL1. The SL1 debuted in 1996 and was the successor to the Soloist Custom mentioned in the above paragraph. Specs were basically the same as the Soloist Custom except the pickups are now Seymour Duncan, and the tremolo is a recessed Original Floyd Rose. The SL1 has remained unchanged ever since.

[Acapulco Gold]

thanks, I'll try get some pics.

1986 sl2h is £1250
1990 sl1 is £700
and the 1997 is £800

I'll update with pics tomorrow

[Number Of The Priest]

The prices for the 1990 and 1997 are very good (USD$900 and USD$1000). The price for the 1986 is not unreasonable (USD$1500). But of course we'll wait for the photos before jumping to conclusions.

[neilli]

The reality there are good and bad guitars from every era. Not everything made in the SD era was good - I've had a few dogs. But 1250 quid for a 2 hum with factory Floyd is a great price IMO, assuming it's a custom (sharkfins on ebony) not a student (dots on rosewood). Also, there aren't that many SD soloists with that spec around, but there's plenty of 1990/97 soloists out there..

[DonP]

+1 We need pictures.

[Acapulco Gold]

here is the 1986 San Dimas, floyd and emgs are factory original, it's a heavy guitar:



And here is the 1997 SL1:

[Acapulco Gold]

Just waiting on the moderators to approve my post with the pics

[Mossezhoffen]

I'd take the San Dimas since 2h with floyd specs is a bit more rare. And it's a one off custom versus production soloist.
Non -recessed floyd feels like a les paul since it sits higher off the body and neck has an angle. And to me the price is alright.

[Acapulco Gold]

I had posted the pics but got a message the moderators needed to approve it, don't know why it hasn't happened but I'll try to describe the guitars better so I can make a decision.

1986 San Dimas is a 2 humbucker model with EMG's and a factory installed non-recessed Floyd in black. It's got the old style decal logo and it supposedly pretty heavy.
1997 Ontario is HSS, with the stock Duncans, recessed floyd. It is dark red, or burgundy so it looks black in low light, but you can see it is dark red with light. It's also pretty light at 8 pounds.

I know I'd prefer the lighter guitar but i do prefer a bigger neck, which I think San Dimas could have over the 1997 SL1, but I prefer 2h setup rather than HSS, although I am not sure I would like EMG's, I love Metallica and Zakk but prefer my sound to be more versatile, more like Iron Maiden. I think I would prefer the Seymour Duncan pickups, and have just realized all my guitars, except the Mosrites, have Seymour Duncan pickups by now. I do have a spare JB humbucker, so could pop that in the 1986, but then it wouldn't be original anymore.

I feel the 1986 is a better guitar, more valuable, easier to sell on and the epitome of Jackson 80's but I'm just a noob, getting my first Shredder, and have quite a collection of guitars that I could move if I had my heart set on an early Jackson, but I've never played a Jackson so tough to tell at the moment, I feel I'll be happy with either, but somehow, the 1986 San Dimas attracts me more, even if it's on boring ole black finish.

[Number Of The Priest]

Most people here use an external free image host, as I suggested in my first reply to you way above. That way, you can insert the links to the photos themselves in your reply at any time, and no need to wait for a moderator to do anything.

[Acapulco Gold]

I don't have image hosting, and some pics are in my inbox. I've never had problems posting pics in all the other forums. Just my luck, I need advice on a Jackson, everyone says go to the Jackson forum, and now they won't let me post pics, guess I'll try over at the strat forum

[neilli]

Try one of the facebook groups.

[Number Of The Priest]

I don't have image hosting, and some pics are in my inbox. I've never had problems posting pics in all the other forums. Just my luck, I need advice on a Jackson, everyone says go to the Jackson forum, and now they won't let me post pics, guess I'll try over at the strat forum

Instructions:

1) Save the images from your inbox to your computer.

2) Register an account at a free image host as per my instructions in my first reply to you. Example: http://www.imgur.com. Some free image hosts don't even require account registration. Example: https://imgbb.com/

3) Upload the images from your computer to the free image host.

4) The host will generate image links for you. Copy and paste the links in your next reply on this forum.

It really does not get simpler than this.

[Acapulco Gold]

/