It's Official - FMIC/Jackson is on Crack !

[guitarzan2]

I put a lot of thought into my art and am happy to have the chance to put my Tshirt painting skills to use. There are some people who appreciate the unique art that other artists associated with J/C ,including myself, put alot of effort into, with out any great pay.

Without great pay? Wow man !!!! Seriously, they are marking those guitars up THOUSANDS !, you need to renegotiate your pay.

[Digitised]

hi mike,
i seriously love my tribal flame soloist, you did a great job on it, well worth the cash!

[Hamner1]

Guess you dont know the difference between a custom shop and a korean run. specially for a MH-1000 since its a carved top, leftie and you probably added a ebony fretboard and transparent finish. Even though its expensive (ill take it for 1 1/2 grand less, and if my dealer get me that) the ESP custom shop is in high demand these days.

Why would anyone pay $1000 for a Korean made production run guitar. I would say that is way overpriced. And by logical deduction if the cheap product is overpriced than the custom shop guitars will also be overpriced. My opinion is $6600 for a custom shop is overpriced even if it is list price.

[Brooke]

I know wht you are saying. But am rather insulted to have the effort I put into these NAMM guitars compared to some cheesy shit you would get at a Tshirt booth in your local mall. I don't look at guitars with out graphics and think, those lazy bastards didnt put cool graphics on that high priced guitar, but rather put some unstable figured wood on it instead. I also own quite a few guitars with nothing but killer woods. I hardly feel my graphics effect the tone. It is a matter of taste and dont find it nessecary to insult the individuals choice.
I put a lot of thought into my art and am happy to have the chance to put my Tshirt painting skills to use. There are some people who appreciate the unique art that other artists associated with J/C ,including myself, put alot of effort into, with out any great pay. Appreciate the fact that you have the opportunity to not buy them. I don't expect people all to have a taste for art on guitars, but at least respect the work and effort that the individual puts into the guitar for those that do. I for one am thankful to have the chance to share my art with everyone, regardless of their tastes...Im not pushing my shit on anyone.
If you don't like it, don't buy it. You do have a choice, exercise it with out insulting the hard work of others involved.

My Jaw just dropped...

[MikeStrat]

I put a lot of thought into my art and am happy to have the chance to put my Tshirt painting skills to use. There are some people who appreciate the unique art that other artists associated with J/C ,including myself, put alot of effort into, with out any great pay. If you don't like it, don't buy it. You do have a choice, exercise it with out insulting the hard work of others involved.

There is no denying that Mike Learn is an amazing artist. Although it could have been worded better, I understand where the comments are coming from. I think the problem is that these incredible guitars are priced out of reach for the majority of the typical Jackson buyer. And the ones who can afford these guitars for $5,000+ are typically 35+ y/o are most likely not going to spend that kind of money on a guitar with the skulls, blood, tits, etc. on it.

I'm in that catagory. Although I can look at Mike's guitars and say that is a bad-ass guitar, there is no way I'm going to pay that kind of money for it. Mainly because I'm not 20 y/o anymore. I'm spending my money on quilt and flame top PRS guitars. Altough I can play, as a 39 y/o guy who has the money to spend on these guitars, I would feel like an ass sporting a guitar with those graphics. In other words, these graphics/guitars are obviously geared toward the younger market. But the younger market doesn't typically have $5k-$10k to plop down on a guitar.

No offense intended to Mike. Jackson just needs to get their shit together so they can get your amazing talents out to a larger and better targeted market. Just my opinion.

[pro-fusion]

Besides the fact that there's no way in hell I'd ever buy a $5,000+ guitar, one other thing about the recent price increases bothers me. Jacksons have always been "players' guitars", meant for a working, serious musician. My impression is that those folks generally don't buy $5,000+ guitars at all, since a working guitar is going to get dinged, gouged, and probably beer-soaked. And the rock stars that would buy such guitars to gig with get all their instruments as freebies anyway.

Moreover, a working guitar is probably not one with crazy tops or graphics that are clearly meant to be hung on someone's wall. I call it the "PRS-ization" of Jackson, and I hate it. There are plenty of companies/builders that make wall art in the shape of a guitar. It's sad to gradually lose a builder of quality "real" guitars.

[Learn Guitars]

I myself am quite shocked at the pricing. I totally agree and am not insulted by your comments at all. I really do understand everyones feelings on this. It puts me in an awkward situation. I want to have the chance to paint more guitars. I would love to see my stuff on guitars in a much lower price bracket. It is hard to perpetuate a market in the range that they are presently pursuing. I don't really think it is my art that is making the guitars out of the pricing range that most would or could afford. Jackson's pricing guideline is really none of my business, but I do know it effects the level of demand for my work. I for one couldnt ever imagine paying what is being asked on these guitars. Perhaps, this is why I build and paint my own instruments and have been doing for years based upon my inability to afford a 3k instrument. I mean, who really can? I hope that things change in this pricing issue, and I will be discussing some of this with the management at NAMM. Great discussion that I hope maybe hits home at FMIC. I, for one, would love to have a Custom Shop guitar someday.

[Kendorob]

I've been excited this year to get 2 USA Jackson's because of the exchange rate change (I'm in the UK) If you find a good dealer who will look after you its much cheaper than buying in the UK. The prices are expensive but I think they are worth every penny. I would love to have a guitar with some degree of personalisation or custom artwork. Its very difficult to put a price on getting something special. I've seen some of the custom artwork that I don't care for but a few that I think are wonderful. It just seems a shame that people can't get what they want. My dealer has been trying to get a price from Jackson for a CS order for me for 2 months but they won't reply. I'm not sure that people will ever be able judge wether a price is fair until they get the customer service aspect sorted out. Is there a market for stock guitars being refinished if CS guitars are so out there price wise?

[sonicsamurai]

this debate is interesting however i cannot comment fully because THERE ARE NO FUKKING USA JACKSONS HERE!?!! where are they??!?!? GOdammit!! I'm sick to the back teeth of only being able to find £400 imports short of trvelling to the other side of the country!! If i am to comment on USA pricing i'd at least like to be able to see some USA guitars round here first!!

[Kendorob]

I mean I would be happy to have Mike repaint a guitar, it wouldn't have to go through the custom shop to be special.

[Kendorob]

I've been keen to promote the idea of getting your own USA Jackson shipped to the UK. Its perfectly fair, you have to pay the duty so its not cheating the government. The local dealers don't stock USA Jacksons so you aren't taking their business away. Yes it stinks that we can't go into the city and pick out the guitar we want but I took the plunge and got into an e-mail dialogue with a music store. I got a good feeling from this and went ahead. I've bought two more guitars from them since and I love all of them. Its good business for the dealer to look after you. I will happily do it again when I can raise some more money.

[Szostak]

I admit the Jackson CS's are really expensive right now, this Death kelly with the skull from Guitar asylum is like 6000 bucks! Its gorgeous but totally unrealistic I mean....and also those RR with cutaways also from guitar asylum...

But Jackson arent the only ones about smokin's crack b4 fixing prices for CS

Take the exemple of ESP

you take a LTD Mh-1000, its worth like a lil less than 1K (like 900)

you send a Custom form sheet to ESP, asking for the SAME SPECS than the Mh-1000 but for a lefty, and they reply you that such an axe, hand made by ESP, would cost 6600$

I mean, fuck off

how much bs is that? wow...

[sonicsamurai]

I've been keen to promote the idea of getting your own USA Jackson shipped to the UK. Its perfectly fair, you have to pay the duty so its not cheating the government. The local dealers don't stock USA Jacksons so you aren't taking their business away. Yes it stinks that we can't go into the city and pick out the guitar we want but I took the plunge and got into an e-mail dialogue with a music store. I got a good feeling from this and went ahead. I've bought two more guitars from them since and I love all of them. Its good business for the dealer to look after you. I will happily do it again when I can raise some more money.

who did u get urs from?

[guitarzan2]

Some really good discussion here. I hope the brass at FMIC has the insight to actually read this(although I doubt it).

Somebody made a really good point. By the time a guitar gets up to the $3K-$5K+ range, who wants to risk actually playing it anywhere? Hell, I have several guitars I paid $2K for and for the most part, they just hang on the wall as wall-art and only come down when nobody is around to mess with them and I can sit down to play them and not risk dinging them up.

You know what I've been buying a lot of lately and playing them to death? $250-$400 killer used Japanese Ibanez RG's. Those guitars with a stock V8 pickup play just as good as any USA Jackson and they're pretty much disposable. If I put a ding or nick in one, who cares? 2 more can be found in a few days on evilBay.

[roodyrocker]

I must say that I disagree with the notion that 35+ year olds won't buy graphic'd guitars. I'm 45 and will gladly play in public a Mike Learn or Dan Lawrence type skulls, flames, blood drip, carnage, etc... graphic'd Jackson but like everyone else here, I can't pay the $5000+ prices for them At NAMM last year I don't recall anything for less than about $7500 or so. I'm not big on plain, natural tops. I can handle some transparent tops but give me loud fancy graphics by Mike Learn any day