Jackson USA with no "Made in USA" text on neck?

[VicKettlehead]

I want to buy nice old style Jackson, one strange thing for me - it doesn't have "Made in USA" text on the neck. Is it legit?

https://imgur.com/a/miEZcmJ

[pianoguyy]

can't even see the headstock well enough to confirm that it isn't there, let alone enough detail to say something is 'legit'


but, to answer the question assuming you saw other pictures that you didn't post....
it is totally possible that MIU is not on the headstock of an MIU. also possible is that CS isn't on the headstock of a CS.

also possible is:
the MIU is there but underneath a tuner
the guitar is 'legit' but was refinished/modified
a mutt
a parts guitar
a parts guitar with store bought logo

[Number Of The Priest]

Might be a 1989 guitar. Toejam mentioned in this thread https://www.jcfonline.com/forum/equi...shark-fin-neck how some guitars didn't say Made in USA on the headstock. That guitar is even somewhat similar to yours too, including same JT590 tremolo and same control layout, suggesting the same year of 1989.

[pianoguyy]

were those other pictures always at that link or were added after I said I couldn't see enough?

based on the other pictures -
it looks like it it has been refinished. and maybe even had a different tremolo.

[pianoguyy]

there's no MIU. which could be because the logo is so close to the edge.
There's no circled R (someday I'll learn how to write that). which could be because the logo is so close to the edge.
And why doesn't that truss cover fit.

[toejam]

And why doesn't that truss cover fit.

That truss rod cover would be for guitars that used to have the JT-6 behind-the-nut lock. Either someone put the wrong cover on, or it used to have the JT-6 nut and was converted to a real Floyd nut.

[CaptNasty]

The markings in the tremolo cavity, neck pocket, and neck heel seem correct. The work order # on the heel of the neck and in the tremolo cavity match, so I do think that this is a matched body and neck.

The 4 digit serial # was used on USA bolt-ons through the 80s. The 4 digit serial # was reserved for USA Custom Shop instruments from 1990 forward.

The body shape is not a Dinky shape. The edges are too soft and the horns do not have that “Dinky” look to them. It is a strat body. That is a good clue. 1989 saw the catalog debut of the Dinky Strat Style. Once the Dinkys were out, the Strat style fell off pretty quickly. So this reinforces it as an 80s guitar in my mind. It also makes me think odds are it is pre-1989.

The serial number places the guitar at 1987-1989. My 1989 Dinky Style is serial # 6399. This one is 3660. I think that will place this guitar in ‘87 or ‘88.

If this guitar is an ‘87 or ‘88 it is a Jackson “Strat Body” according to the Jackson catalogs from those years. If it is a 1989 it is a Jackson “Vintage Style” according to the catalog.

The headstock logo appears to be mother of pearl. This matches the logo color specified on the heel of the neck. Also the overspray in the trem cavity does not reveal any different color than red. Unfortunately the color is not specified on the trem cavity stamp. But taken together, if the logo is original then I don’t think the headstock was refinished. Since the headstock and body colors match and the trem cavity overspray does not indicate otherwise, I don’t think the body has been refinished either.

For the bridge, 1987-1989 was an era that Jackson was pushing their Jackson branded licensed Floyd. You had to sacrifice a Kramer to put a Floyd on any other guitar brand. That and the truss rod cover makes me think the OFR is after market.

The way the truss rod cover overlaps the “Jackson” logo on the headstock doesn’t look right. Can’t imagine Jackson releasing something that amateur.

Do you have an idea of the claimed year of the guitar?

I think if you take it all in. The pocket stamps and the correlation of data on those stamps coupled with the serial # suggest that this a USA Jackson even though it does not have “made in USA” on the headstock. There are documented cases of USA Jacksons that did not have “Made in USA” on the headstock. I think it is probably a 1987 or 1988 Jackson Strat Body. But the truss rod cover really bothers me.

[pianoguyy]

That truss rod cover would be for guitars that used to have the JT-6 behind-the-nut lock.

I know that. You know that.
It really is just a matter of why it is there.

The guy wants to know if the guitar is legit because it has no MIU on the headstock. Well, that cover is another anomaly.


*But I am not sure that is a JT-6 cover. The bottom is flat. JT6 covers had that little tab that went under the center lock.

[CaptNasty]

*But I am not sure that is a JT-6 cover. The bottom is flat. JT6 covers had that little tab that went under the center lock.

I agree. Feels like someone swapped the bridge and nut and put a different truss rod cover on it.

[Andrew85]

I've seen dozens of American Jackson guitars without the label "Made in USA". There are a lot of such guitars among the Archtop JA series (1987-1989)

[JJ119]

VicKettlehead

That's very nice looking.


​​​​​​​Did you end up getting it?

[Grimspound]

Firstly hi all, as this is my first post here.

Just wanted to say that that serial number doesn't correspond with a San Dimas era guitar. According the the serial number decoder on the official site it would have been made in Ontario? Can someone confirm or explain the discrepancy?

As far as American made Jacksons without the 'Made in USA' label, I have a 90's USA Rhoads that doesn't have it, and a newer Soloist which does, so I think it's possible that the label depends on when/where the guitar was built?

[pianoguyy]

Just wanted to say that that serial number doesn't correspond with a San Dimas era guitar. According the the serial number decoder on the official site it would have been made in Ontario? Can someone confirm or explain the discrepancy?

yes. someone can confirm and explain it.

[Grimspound]

yes. someone can confirm and explain it.

Yeah, I've seen your list of possibilities. Care to say which one you would put your money on?

[metalhobo]

many ontario jacksons had neck plates which had the san dimas address