Time to call bullshit on Jackson USA

[fruitmachine]

Well, long story, finally got my Jackson USA Custom Shop which I supposed was made with precision, in fact it's worse than china. I owned chinese fake Jackson RR a decade ago, the attention to details was much more classy there.

https://imgur.com/a/IHDG9g2

[fruitmachine]

I literally have no idea how mess like that can pass the quality control. Dot inlays, damn it, there must be center vertical alignment.

[hunterkolb]

I could forgive some misaligned side dots, that's the human element.

That paint over the binding by the 12th fret?
Ooof.

edit:upon second look, it almost looks like camera flash, but I can't tell.

[fruitmachine]

I could forgive some misaligned side dots, that's the human element.

That paint over the binding by the 12th fret?
Ooof.

edit:upon second look, it almost looks like camera flash, but I can't tell.

This is something I will see always, every minute playing it. For 4+ grands I can't forgive human element in this place, it's just total lack of quality and control of that "quality". And there are tons of it already in internet, including "WARNING Jackson Custom Shop Quality Control. Worse than Gibson?" on youtube.

[Razor]

So did you place the order or are you the second owner? Where you said you were going through a "middle man" makes it sound second hand. Also have you or the "middle man" contacted Jackson to see if there is any recourse?

[fruitmachine]

So did you place the order or are you the second owner? Where you said you were going through a "middle man" makes it sound second hand. Also have you or the "middle man" contacted Jackson to see if there is any recourse?

Brand new just another guy bought it on my behalf. It's a custom, a dealer model.

Also, there is no finish problem, just flash. Also noticeable glue around some frets and some other minor issues. Things with this price tag must be literally flawless.

[pianoguyy]

I could forgive some misaligned side dots, that's the human element.

That paint over the binding by the 12th fret?
Ooof.

edit:upon second look, it almost looks like camera flash, but I can't tell.

flash
definitely flash

[metalhobo]

Things with this price tag must be literally flawless..

[xxx1]

That sucks.
I know how if feels unboxing your new guitar and seeing a fault like that.
Jackson screwed up my Masterbuilt King V three years ago.
One tuner was mounted crooked and the other mounting holes for the Schaller tuners were not cut deep enough.
So they stick out a bit and don't sit flush on the backside.
Also they messed up the binding transition from the headstock to the neck, on both sides.

I ended up keeping her because Jackson stopped accepting Masterbuilt orders and so my dealer couldn't place another one.
By the way that guitar did cost me $6000+
At least they didn't mess up the side dots on mine. Guess I was lucky?

https://imgur.com/a/I6CGQ9O

[slayer]

Wow, that really sucks! No way I would accept that kind of quality control on such an expensive guitar. I`ve owned a bunch of USA Jacksons, nothing after 2005 and they were all just about flawless and amazing. I hope you can get it worked out man.

[hunterkolb]

I mean the side dots are such a minute, bullshit thing that is either going to bother you or not depending on who you are.
Like, it wouldn't really bother me but I totally understand why it bothers you and I don't blame you.
Leftover glue and other imperfections are bullshit though, no need for any of that on a brand new guitar of that level. Maybe on an Indonesian model that's okay, but not on a USA.

I need to get my eyes checked again

[pianoguyy]

On a whim, I've got one of my MIM Charvel guitars sitting beside me. I checked the dots.
They are, but aren't, aligned.
It's one of those optical illusions.

What I mean is - if you look it from a playing position, they are in a straight line.
But if you look at them as if inspecting the neck... from the tremolo. Then they aren't straight.

The reason they aren't straight is because the neck isn't "even". The various thicknesses and curvatures at various spots cause the dots to be put at different places.


=========
So, in the case of the OP -
I wonder if, since it is the first fret where the neck/headstock has begun to thicken, does that play into it at all.

[CaptNasty]

In July 2020 my Jackson dealer sent back a Custom Shop DK2H-FR that I commissioned. It had a twist in the neck. I don’t know if it left the shop that way or if the twist occurred in shipping. Jackson did not blink. Within 30 minutes of the dealer recieving the guitar, Jackson had provided RMA approval and an overnight shipping label for the return.

What I do know is that my Custom Shop Dinky that was delivered in 2018 is awesome. Finest instrument I have ever played. Quality is outstanding.

I have been ordering custom Jacksons since 1983. My dealer is been the one to inspect and if needed reject my instruments. I also get an opportunity to inspect and sign off at time of delivery.

The defects on your instrument should have been caught by the dealer and rejected before delivery to the buyer. That failing, your middle man should have caught it, he could have refused delivery and ensured the issues were addressed... before you incurred taxes, tariffs, and international shipping costs.

But they failed to detect these issues and now you have a $4,000+ instrument with defects that you bought “used”. You ended up paying brand new pricing on an unwarrantied “used” guitar because of how you went about making the purchase. I would never commission a new custom guitar build through a middle man like you did. As such I find it hard to sympathize.

You did an unusual transaction using a middleman in a different country. Unusal transactions have their risks and unfortunately you got bit with this one. You need to direct some of your anger towards yourself. The custom shop order process accounts for the possibility of issues and rework... if you don’t have a shady transaction.

FMIC warrants this Jackson brand instrument to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for as long as it is owned by the original retail purchaser,

Unless your name is on a receipt/bill of sale from an authorized Jackson retailer you are not the original retail purchaser.

NOTE: This warranty applies only to Jackson instruments manufactured after January 1, 2000 and purchased and serviced within the U.S.A. and Canada. Warranties outside these countries are as defined by the authorized FMIC/Jackson Distributor for your country or region, and may vary from the above in terms and/or length.

If there is a Jackson distributor in your country why buy from an American retailer? If there is not distributor in your country, then you knew you were doing something that would leave you with no manufacturer support and you need to suck it up. You got got.

Any instrument purchased from anyone other than an Authorized Jackson® Dealer.

[pianoguyy]

But they failed to detect these issues and now you have a $4,000+ instrument with defects that you bought “used”. You ended up paying brand new pricing on an unwarrantied “used” guitar because of how you went about making the purchase.

As a business owner, I can fully attest to the fact that people don't understand "how it works". Words like 'new' are legal terms that mean different things to someone with a license than it does to the common joe on the street.

Of course, I also have that same issue in common conversation - "Oh, you are in Band X". "No, I was never IN the band. I just played with them."
It makes getting laid more difficult because those damn investigators at the bar dressed as slutty chicks will use "Yes, I was in Band X" against you on the stand.
But the slutty chicks at the bar dressed as librarians will look at you and say "Huh?"

[toejam]

Also they messed up the binding transition from the headstock to the neck, on both sides.

https://imgur.com/a/I6CGQ9O

The binding is not messed up. That's how it's supposed to look, it's two separate pieces.