What is the Ultimate USA Jackson to have...

[Daywalker]

Having sorted my finances out somewhat I have found myself starting a USA Jackson fund....

Given that i want a dinky/soloist genuine USA Jackson with an awsome paintjob - what series is the "series to have" for now and a future investment and who in Great Britain can be trusted to obtain and deliver my dream guitar?

The USA Jackson ranges and factory or origins confuse me somewhat...

Thanks

[DonP]

I want a bengal tiger SL2H.

[danastas]

IMO, the current USA Jackson that will retain its value best is the archtop. You'll find a lot of players on this site looking for archtops (even today) and in general drooling over them.

Something like these... which back before the price increase probably cost in the mid to high $2k range.

[Daywalker]

I was hoping people would say that because i already have a *cheapy cheapy* MIJ Dinky Archtop AR and the shape of it is easily the most attractive i think. I love that guitar but i want to treat myself...

Would be awsome to have a *real* archtop. That quilted top is a looker.

[Sinistas]

Were there any Jackson Archtops that could be considered cheap?

[wilkinsi]

Tobacco Sunburst Archtop WR1, Ebony Board, MOP Sharkfins, Standard Jackson headstock, OFR, Sustainer system, black hardware... in a figure-hugging case that doesn't weigh a ton or need it's inards bashing down. ... Not cheap though..

[LEOKV2]

In my case, the "ultimate" Jackson was a KV-2 with a quilted maple, a 5 piece neck made of mahogany and walnut, a mahogany body, ebony fretboard, EMG's, stainless steel frets, etc. Trans red or green.

Before the crazyness took over Jackson, that guitar was pretty much in my spending range, which was in the mid 3K. Suddenly, the same guitar was over 6 K ! And in order to have a guitar in the 3K range again, meant that I would order a custom shop KV-2 which was pretty much like a stock KV-2, except with the "custom shop" logo.

Weird people.

[j4vice]

martinmusicguitar

[Daywalker]

Were there any Jackson Archtops that could be considered cheap?

I was told 3 weeks ago my a member of this forum that my Dinky AR was the "cheap version".

Personally i think it's gorgeous and although i picked it up a year old for £300 10 years ago - it is insured for a little bit more than that.

[Newc]

Well, the "Ultimate USA Jackson to have" is entirely subjective, as you can see.

If you're looking at off-the-shelf as opposed to Custom Shop, and you've stated your preference for the Strat-shapes, then you have the Dinky, Soloist, Collen, and SLS to choose from. I find the SLS body shape more comfortable for me than the SL or DK (shorter horns changes the way the guitar sits on you), though the USA model does not have a Floyd option, and I don't like the way that hardtail they use looks. Looks like something they stole from Fender, or Fender forced onto them.

Can't say what paintjob to get. If you're going Custom Shop, pour the majority of the money into a 5A quilted top with a trans finish that really shows off the figure. If you're going USA Select, flametops are all you get to choose from, except with the Collen.

If you're worried at all about resale value, don't get a graphic unless the guy that paints it is very famous and will die before you sell it, otherwise you're going to be stuck with it.

trem vs non-trem is a sticky choice; not too long ago the people that are clamoring for stringthroughs today were clamoring for Floyds, so either choice will leave you with a similar-sized market to sell in either way.

Personally I'd go with H-H rather than H-S-S, simply because of personal tonal preference, so that rules out the PC1 and SL1 and leaves only the DK1 and SL2H.

[Daywalker]

Thanks Newc, - That is really helpful!

In the UK (near me) there is no-where i can while away my saturday afternoons drooling over the jackson range and obviously the USA ones are fairly hard to find in the UK.

It took guts after 78 posts to finally turn around and say, "to be honest i don't really know much about the Jackson-Charvel range at all!

Im not really looking to sell it in the future - but there is something special about knowing that your guitar is special and that if you were to sell it, it would be a sought after guitar. Strange that...that you feel good about the fact it would sell well but because of that you would never sell it :-S

[shobet]

Where in the UK are you?
Darn Sarff or oop North?

[toejam]

That Archtop Soloist would probably be the ultimate for me! I'll take one like that and one with a Floyd.

[followthereaper]

That Archtop Soloist would probably be the ultimate for me! I'll take one like that and one with a Floyd.

+1 and regular inlays instead of just the 12.

[SouthernXer]

+1 and regular inlays instead of just the 12.

Me too. I either need all the inlays on the neck or none at all.