New Guitar Day: PC-1 Back in the Stable!

[shreddermon]

One thing I noticed; I am pretty sure that my "sears headstock" PC-1 had a flame maple neck, whereas this one has a flame maple fretboard and a regular maple neck. Has my memory failed me, or did Jackson change the neck construction? If so, when?

The only neck construction changes they've done were:

- stopped using quilted maple for fretboards, switched to flamed maple. (Rumor has it quilt isn't as stable.)
- swapped the headstock to stratheads.

The never used flamed maple necks. Nonetheless, every once in a while, a flamey-ish neck randomly comes out of the custom shop on a guitar - PC1s and others. You probably just got lucky with that old one.

[AlexL]

Is it just me, or does it look like the headstock might be angled back like a pointyhead? Just an optical illusion in the pics? Or maybe that's the reason for no string retainer bar?

It's all an illuuuuuuuuusion!

No, the headstock isn't angled.

I emailed Brian McDonald, and he got back to me right away and said that it should have the retainer bar. We're working out a plan to see what to do about it. If he can send me one, I'll install it. If he wants an authorized center to do it and we can find one locally, I'll do that. But I'm not going to send it anywhere. This guitar is PERFECT, and I don't want to risk shipping damage just to get a retainer bar added.

- E.

[AlexL]

The never used flamed maple necks. Nonetheless, every once in a while, a flamey-ish neck randomly comes out of the custom shop on a guitar - PC1s and others. You probably just got lucky with that old one.

OK, thanks. Yeah, I'm almost positive my old one had some flame on the back; must have been a fluke.

- E.

[shreddermon]

http://www.warmoth.com/hardware/bridges/pdf/Floyd_Rose_Parts.pdf

$5.50 from Warmoth. I'd just order one up, and not deal with the hassle of a repair center or whatever.

[quadperson]

Absolutely fricken beautiful. I too, am a sucker for chlorine.

[Bryan]

Awesome quilt on that one! Congrats!!

[scotty]

I have yet to play one but they sure look good, especially that one. Those have a mahogany body and a sustainer, right?

[AlexL]

http://www.warmoth.com/hardware/brid...Rose_Parts.pdf

$5.50 from Warmoth. I'd just order one up, and not deal with the hassle of a repair center or whatever.

Thanks. I'll see if Brian can get me an exact replacement, and if not, I can go down that route. I have to order a gold humbucker ring like I had on my last one, too.

- E.

[AlexL]

I have yet to play one but they sure look good, especially that one. Those have a mahogany body and a sustainer, right?

Yes on both counts. Brought it to jam night last night and used it on a Paul Stanley song we were messing around with; sounded very, very good. I love mahogany.


- E.

[Ben...]

That's such a nice guitar. I wish the local music shoppe would allow me to try the one they've had on their wall for the last year collecting dust because they won't let anyone try it.

[wilkinsi]

Be grateful you've got one to gawp at. The only USA Jackson over here I can find is a snakeskin DK1 caked in body scratches and they still want £1800 ($3600). And they won't let anyone touch that either (note: AFTER it's already been mullered).

[AlexL]

That's such a nice guitar. I wish the local music shoppe would allow me to try the one they've had on their wall for the last year collecting dust because they won't let anyone try it.

Interesting business strategy.

- E.

[shredmonster]

Best bolt-on guitar made as far as I'm concerned.

Certainly as good as you can get without going full custom.

I have played all the top boutique guitars - Suhr, Anderson, Langcaster, Baker, Warrior, Zion, etc... The PC1 IMO is as good as high quality as any of them.

[sparky]

Beautiful guitar. This may be a stupid question but why do they use a string retainer tree on a guitar with a locking nut?

[rjohnstone]

Beautiful guitar. This may be a stupid question but why do they use a string retainer tree on a guitar with a locking nut?

You want your strings to be flat across the nut before you lock it down.
One, it keeps even pressure and string contact on the nut, and two, it makes tuning a guitar with a Floyd much easier.
Try tuning a guitar with a Floyd and a non-angled headstock without a string tree and you will see what I mean.
As soon as you lock the nut down, everything goes sharp.