Help! Question about an archtop Soloist

[johnan]

Hello! I've been reading this forum with great interest for a long time but I just joined since I am now the (very very very) proud owner of a USA Jackson archtop Soloist.

I have a question for you guys: my guitar's serial number is JA 0453 and it was built in 2005. I noticed that the appearance of the binding on the necks looks somewhat strange: there are parallel lines running along the binding as if it is “laminated” and not one piece. Unfortunately I do not now how to upload a picture to show exactly what I mean. Also I noticed that the black dots on the binding are not completely flush and I can actually feel them when I run my finger along the binding.

Is this something common with the binding of soloists built in this year or is it some kind of problem?

Thank you in advance for the help, it is great to join this forum!

[Number Of The Priest]

Welcome! I am assuming you have a SLATQH, SLATQM, or SLATQ90 model.

To upload photos, choose any free image host (https://www.google.ca/search?num=100...31.3oG0Tv6Uj3s), upload your pictures there, and then copy/paste the generated links here in your next reply.

[johnan]

Thank you so much Number of the Priest! I just did it. The links to the photos of my guitar are these:

https://ibb.co/DGVJBJJ

https://ibb.co/F5GpcZt

Any ideas regarding the binding will be appreciated!

[Number Of The Priest]

Wow, amazing looking guitar. Looks like a Custom Shop version of the SLATQH. It actually has a flamed top rather than a quilted top. Could you also show a close-up photo of your identification tag?

I have those striations on my 1998 USA Soloist's binding as well:

[johnan]

OK now I am relaxed! This is my tag:

https://ibb.co/523v68t

Can you also feel the dots when you run your finger along the binding, or are they completely flush?

[Number Of The Priest]

Thanks for the photo of the tag! 2005 Soloist Archtop Custom, solar color, very nice! How did you discover that guitar?

On mine, each side dot is an extremely shallow "divot". If I wasn't purposely trying to feel subtle differences in the height of the binding in comparison with the dots, I may not have ever noticed before. And I just realized today is the 15th anniversary of me owning that guitar and still I never noticed.

[Johnnyryche]

Great looking soloist!

[johnan]

It is a long story! I have a friend who runs a guitar shop. He also makes one of the best hi-gain handmade amps around (check the KOURBIS amps). He actually got this guitar from a guy who claimed that he purchased the guitar directly from NAMM (I don't remember which year) where it was on display. Then he gave the guitar to my friend (he actually exchanged it with a VHT amp and cab) who intended to keep it for himself but actually never used it. The guitar has been sitting all these years in its case as my friend meant to put it up for sale but never got around to it. I had seen the guitar many years ago but I didn't realise that he still has it. Finally when I decided to pull the trigger on a USA Soloist he suggested to me to buy this one and voila!

I am very happy with the purchase as the guitar is practically new since none of the previous two owners used it! (hence the protective plastic film on the truss rod cover). The guitar is realy beautiful (the photo I uploaded doesn't do it any justice) and unique!

Now regarding the dots I imagine that the protrusion of the side dots is more subbtle on your guitar due to the fact that the neck is painted and maybe the final coats of lacquer were applied both on the neck and binding making things more smooth? On mine the neck is unfinished and maybe the dot protrusion is more pronounced for that reason. Also on some points on the neck I can just feel a minute "step" between the neck wood and the binding which I also attribute to the lack of lacker which would perhaps cover it up.

[johnan]

Thanks Johnnyryche, nice to be in the forum!

[Number Of The Priest]

Great story! You bought a "time machine" guitar.

The neck on the SLATQH was finished but a Google Image search shows me a SLATQ90 that has what I imagine is an oiled neck. Your Custom might be extra special if it is also oiled or unfinished, as none of the production humbucker-equipped models had oiled necks. Do you have any photos of the back of your guitar?

What pickups are in your guitar?

[johnan]

I don't have any photos of the back of the guitar but I will take some tonight and I will post them tomorrow...As far as the pickups go they have been changed by my friend when he got the guitar and he installed EMG's (I suppose 81/85 but I am not sure, I will have to ask him...). I don't know what pickus were initially installed in the guitar (...I suppose I will have to ask him that too!!)

In any case, I am not too keen on the gold hardware and I am considering the idea to change everything to black chrome. I will take also the opportunity to upgrade the (Schaller standard) tuners fitted to Gotoh locking ones (they come in that very nice Cosmo Black finish). I will have to let it settle first though since I am not also sure if it would be a smart move to change too much the original appearance of the guitar. What do you think?

[Number Of The Priest]

I imagine that the original pickups would have been the usual Seymour Duncan JB/Jazz like the SLATQH, but since your guitar is a Custom Shop, it could have been anything.

Nothing wrong with changing the hardware. Just keep all the original parts safe in case you wish to return the guitar to its original look.

[johnan]

OK I am back! This is the back of the guitar: https://ibb.co/P60HQBz . Also a have few more questions as I want to make sure that everything is OK with my guitar:

1. On all the Jackson headstocks I’ve seen on the internet, the “Custom Shop” logo is placed very close to the “Made in U.S.A.” logo, with the “Shop” being in the same line with the “Made in U.S.A.” logo. On my guitar, the “Custom Shop” logo is placed a little further apart from the “Made in U.S.A.” logo and a bit higher so that the “Shop” is not aligned with the “Made in U.S.A.” (photo attached: https://ibb.co/WBY0Gxf ). Is this a flaw of my guitar? Are there any other guitars with the same arrangement?

1. I noticed also another minor “flaw”: the lacquer of the body has also been applied on the side of the fretboard (on the part of the fretboard that is coming into the body, i.e half of 18^th fret, 19^th, 20^th, 21^st up to the end). As a result, the colour of the binding is slightly darker in this area due to the applied lacquer. This can just be seen in the attached photo: https://ibb.co/d65BrvS. Is this considered a flaw, or is it normal practice of the Jackson factory?

1. Finally, the guitar is fitted with Schaller tuners: https://ibb.co/ckbP46n . I think that the position of the fixing bolts on these is slightly different to the Jackson Tuners. Does anybody know if I will be able to replace the Schaller tuners with Gotoh/Schaller locking tuners without making additional holes on the headstock?

[Catharpin]

You won't need to make additional holes but the tuners will be slightly off the 90 degree angle to the headstock.

[johnan]

Thanks for the reply Catharpin, this is valuable info! Have you done this change on your guitar?