Re: Jackson Wants YOU!
Regarding the visibility in stores - dealers won't order what they can't sell, and tire kickers don't buy. If you want to know what a USA Jackson is like, go play whatever import models are in your store, pick out everything you don't like about it (i.e. neck profile, action, hardware material/quality, pickup quality, etc etc) and imagine those things were all fixed - there's a USA Jackson.
I also disagree strongly with the price increase - you will not sell more of them by matching the prices of USA Gibsons and PRSs, because Jackson are still under the label of "them Hair Metal geetars", so "serious" players who want a PRS or Gibson are not going to buy a USA Jackson most of the time.
Who IS the typical USA Jackson buyer? Probably not a guy working on Wall Street drawing a 6-figure income.
Beef up the Professional Series - binding on the head and neck, USA pickups, Schallers instead of JT580s, 24 fret Rhoads, etc etc. Rosewood's fine but darker rosewood is more attractive to buyers. I'm not seeing as many ebony boards out in the "real world" - it's maple and rosewood, so go with that.
Seriously pursue high-profile artists and offer the new higher-quality Professional models as freebies to keep them.
For the Charvels, I'd just keep them as the Strat-bodies (full-size Strat shape with rounded edges) and Star bodies, 22 frets, 25 1/2" scale. Jackson would keep the DK-1 with 24 frets, and I'd look at bringing back the Fusion as well.
Nothing wrong with USA bolt-ons, so how about Warrior, King V, and Rhoads USA bolt-necks?
They cost less to make and are less expensive to buy, which means they'll sell more. The RR3 is still a strong seller, right?
Newc
Regarding the visibility in stores - dealers won't order what they can't sell, and tire kickers don't buy. If you want to know what a USA Jackson is like, go play whatever import models are in your store, pick out everything you don't like about it (i.e. neck profile, action, hardware material/quality, pickup quality, etc etc) and imagine those things were all fixed - there's a USA Jackson.
I also disagree strongly with the price increase - you will not sell more of them by matching the prices of USA Gibsons and PRSs, because Jackson are still under the label of "them Hair Metal geetars", so "serious" players who want a PRS or Gibson are not going to buy a USA Jackson most of the time.
Who IS the typical USA Jackson buyer? Probably not a guy working on Wall Street drawing a 6-figure income.
Beef up the Professional Series - binding on the head and neck, USA pickups, Schallers instead of JT580s, 24 fret Rhoads, etc etc. Rosewood's fine but darker rosewood is more attractive to buyers. I'm not seeing as many ebony boards out in the "real world" - it's maple and rosewood, so go with that.
Seriously pursue high-profile artists and offer the new higher-quality Professional models as freebies to keep them.
For the Charvels, I'd just keep them as the Strat-bodies (full-size Strat shape with rounded edges) and Star bodies, 22 frets, 25 1/2" scale. Jackson would keep the DK-1 with 24 frets, and I'd look at bringing back the Fusion as well.
Nothing wrong with USA bolt-ons, so how about Warrior, King V, and Rhoads USA bolt-necks?
They cost less to make and are less expensive to buy, which means they'll sell more. The RR3 is still a strong seller, right?
Newc
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