Is this a real Jackson? Seller says it`s a 1988 Custom Shop.

[danim1236]

Hello, I'm from Brazil and the happy owner of a JDR 94 and a beautiful 1995 DK1 USA Custom Select, but I'm not someone who really knows Jacksons.

I saw an ad on a kind of e-bay in Latin America that seemed strange to me.

"Jackson Usa Custom San Dimas Superstrat 1987"

The serial number is 6998, but the neck plate says San Dimas.

The ad explains the following:

"Jackson San Dimas 1988 Pro Guitar Custom Shop Made in USA Jackson tuners (USA) Schaller Floating Bridge (Made in Germany) Jackson Custom Pickups (USA) mahogany body Maple neck Fingerboard in Ebony Jackson Circuit (USA) It has Malagoli pickups installed but on sale the original Jackson Humbucker USA pickups go together. It comes with a well-used original Jackson case, the case only has a lock and a small part of plastic that has dried out. Marry over 30 years old. Awesome Jackson guitar. The varnish is peeling due to being over 30 years old. The guitar is flawless. It has a unique timbre. And one of the most interesting things is that her Plate is one of the few that still has San Dimas, and at the time the guitar was produced in Ontario. Jackson/Charvel guitars moved to Ontario in the late 80's and some guitars were applied to San Dimas plates because they still had them and there was no point in throwing away the Plate. NOTE: THE PAINTING VARNISH IS COMING OUT BECAUSE OF THIS BEAUTY'S 30 YEARS OF LIFE."

Well, my DK1 has 27 years and the neck, body, frets and bridge are like new, so 30 years means nothing to me, unless it had passed bad times.

But what really concerns me is the price. Musical instruments are really expensive in Brazil. My DK1 was very under-priced due to covid19, not being a RR which is "THE Jackson" and a lot of negotiation here and I paid more than USD 3000,00. The original price was circa USD 3800,00.

The mean price for a Jackson USA in this kind of ad is USD 3500,00. This guy put a price of USD 1800,00. It seems not possible even with the painting damage...

He says he needs the money and is selling a Fender and a Gibson for low price too.

[danim1236]

I could not put attachments, so I will put links to the photos.
The guy says the pickups are malagolli (medium to good Brazilian brand) and have the original ones.
The guy says Jackson has put the "San Dimas" neck plate because they had many left and there was no point throwing them away.

Really don`t know what to think. If it`s real I can buy and restore it, if not I can warn people it`s fake.

Thank you.

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[pianoguyy]

San DImas plates on an Ontario-made unit is not an issue. His story is true, they already had the plates printed and used them up.

The paint cracking is a non-issue. It doesn't happen to all of them, but there were batches that... for lack of a better phrase, it just didn't take. In fact, I have a snakeskin that looks awesome because of it. It is a shedding snake skin. Cracks. Peeling.
My issue with the statement is simply - it has nothing to do with age. Mine cracked and never got any worse. The peeling only gets worse when I mess with it. But if I leave it alone, it stays as is.




But....
It is not a San Dimas. - Not a San Dimas factory. Not a San Dimas body style. It has a San Dimas plate... big deal. It is a Dinky.
And it is not a Custom Shop, or, at least... All USA guitars were made in what is now the Custom Shop. So, yes, it is a custom shop, but it isn't a Custom Shop.

Basically, his entire title and model name is bogus. It is a 1987 Dinky, everything else is just a hodge podge of sales terms used to draw attention without being either accurate or inaccurate.




Worth noting - I can't recall seeing a chrome Schaller on a USA. It doesn't mean they don't exist. It just means I don't remember them.

[pianoguyy]

Worth noting - I can't recall seeing a chrome Schaller on a USA. It doesn't mean they don't exist. It just means I don't remember them.

Wouldn't the Schaller make it 1989 or later?

[metalhobo]

1987 thru whenever, the main choices would have been kahler or jt6. not to say the factory wouldn't have put on a schaller if the customer asked for it.

btw if we're to believe the numbers were sequential, there's no way 6*** is 1987. my 1988 strat is 2***. so it's probably more like late 1989. if you really want to know the date, ask the seller to photo the neck pocket. or buy it and look yourself.

[rjohnstone]

It's not a Dinky, it's a short scale Fusion. Which didn't exist in 1988.
Dinky had 22 frets in the 80's and early 90's, not 24.
The neck plate is from 89-89 era.
The heel cut and front lower horn cut all scream at min, an early 90's Jackson body.
My guess is it's a USA Fusion reassembled from parts.

If I remember correctly, a standard 25.5" scale 24 fret Dinky still has room for a center pickup, where a 24.75" short scale Fusion does not.

[ed]

That kinda screams parts guitar to me. Even the schaller has been compiled from 3 different trems chrome baseplate and possibly original screws and gold saddles.
Would have to see the base of the neck/neck poscket to know more i guess and the scale length and such. Also did they do the big electricity cavity back in 88?

[danim1236]

Thank you very much pianoguyy, metalhobo, rjohnstone and ed.
The responses were very quick. Thank you.

So it seems a Jackson anyway. Yet not a very valuable one, but still a USA Jackson. It`s really cheap for a Jackson.

I`ll ask guy to take a photo from the neck pocket.

[metalhobo]

Also did they do the big electricity cavity back in 88?

they did. dunno about the shaped heel area tho

[metalhobo]

I'm glad to see rjohnstone chime in. his analysis seems spot on

[diablomozart]

It's not a Dinky, it's a short scale Fusion. Which didn't exist in 1988.
Dinky had 22 frets in the 80's and early 90's, not 24.
The neck plate is from 89-89 era.
The heel cut and front lower horn cut all scream at min, an early 90's Jackson body.
My guess is it's a USA Fusion reassembled from parts.

If I remember correctly, a standard 25.5" scale 24 fret Dinky still has room for a center pickup, where a 24.75" short scale Fusion does not.

there is a notable exception...my gc 25th anniversary is, indeed, a 24 fret dinky...i think there's 43 of them out there...d.m.

[john.w.lawson]

It's a 90's fusion

[rjohnstone]

there is a notable exception...my gc 25th anniversary is, indeed, a 24 fret dinky...i think there's 43 of them out there...d.m.

True, but this ain't one of them.

[Razor]

I just gotta say it was good to see all y'all chiming in on this one.

[DonP]

Some things don't add up.

The neck looks like a Charvel Fusion Deluxe / Fusion Custom neck with a decal replaced.

The only Fusion with dual humbuckers I remember was the MIJ Fusion HH with cherry red mahogany body. USA'a and MIJ PROs with HSS with the "wah wah boost" JE-1500.

Or it could be something custom I guess. I'd want to see neck pocket or additional proof.