New Pro series!

[markD]

i think jackson would be smart making the imports in mexico. the mexican strats are great instruments - very constant in fit and finish - and have been since their introduction.

[xenophobe]

Somebody call the whambulance... All this complaining about USA vs imports is ridiculous. If you want Jackson to follow a business model that you think would benefit the company, become a shareholder or investor. Otherwise, shut the fuck up and take some solace in the fact that the Custom Shop still takes orders. What you don't realise is that Jacksons (import or not) have never had so many options nor features as now.

Wait.... lolwut?

*looks at your join date*

Ah, nub.

Pick any USA model. Go look how many options you have for finishes. Two or three.

Yeah, that's a LOT compared to the past when there were at least a dozen different color options plus several different graphics options. You actually have less options.

[joshulator]

Wait.... lolwut?

*looks at your join date*

Ah, nub.

Pick any USA model. Go look how many options you have for finishes. Two or three.

Yeah, that's a LOT compared to the past when there were at least a dozen different color options plus several different graphics options. You actually have less options.

I think he meant features offered across the entire product line, in which case I believe he would be correct.

[xenophobe]

I think he meant features offered across the entire product line, in which case I believe he would be correct.

A large percentage of the veteran users here don't care about the imports.

There were more color selections back then just for the USA Selects than the number of products across the entire line now.

He is still wrong.

I'm still waiting for the Jackson beginner's package with an amp, gig bag, instrument cable and guitar for $99. We're almost there. K-Mart Blue Light Special for $79 coming up!


Here, just to prove my point, these are the color options for almost all USA Select guitars (meaning that you can get any USA Guitar with any of these finishes, from 2001):

[markD]

yeah, 2001 was a good year for jackson!! i could still get a USA with a graphic for $1300 - new!! and i did. i think i bought 4 USAs that year....

[xenophobe]

yeah, 2001 was a good year for jackson!! i could still get a USA with a graphic for $1300 - new!! and i did. i think i bought 4 USAs that year....

Yep, the good ol days when you actually had way more choices. And $1300 adjusted for inflation today is $1700. There was a recent price increase... USA Selects are now retailing for $2700-$2900. So they're more expensive and you have far LESS choices.

I miss the mothership.

[VanHoosen]

The kid that buys that or gets that for a birthday is gonna realize how much of a POS it is and will likely want something better from a different brand because most of the Jacksons they'll ever see are crappy ones at GC.

Or not. Beginning guitarists don't necessarily have the best knowledge for what constitutes a good playing and reliable guitar. I'm sure everyone can remember back when the deciding factor for picking your new guitar was color and body style. I sure as Hell can, and I was definitely one of those kids stuck with a shitty Jackson. I had an old Dinky Performer that I picked up used at GC that was beat beyond repair for $150, and I definitely thought was one of the best guitars out there. Fast forward a few years, a few scales, a few techniques, and a few arpeggios later and I suddenly earned the ability to tell that I had outgrown the thing. I sold it and eventually traded up for a better Jackson.

And does anyone ever see good guitars period at Guitar Center? Sure, they have like 3 Les Paul Standards and few USA Strats, but what about the rest? All shit in my opinion - and exactly what I would expect from the generic big box store of instrument suppliers. I can't even but picks or strings there anymore.

[markD]

Yep, the good ol days when you actually had way more choices. And $1300 adjusted for inflation today is $1700. There was a recent price increase... USA Selects are now retailing for $2700-$2900. So they're more expensive and you have far LESS choices.

I miss the mothership.

personally, my thought is that fender/jackson is pushing the USAs to be more competitive with gibson and PRS guitars. that, and i almost think that there is another push to make the USA guitars CS only...

[joshulator]

A large percentage of the veteran users here don't care about the imports.

There were more color selections back then just for the USA Selects than the number of products across the entire line now.

He is still wrong.

Don't get me wrong. Personally I am in a position where I can afford a USA guitar, have two and can tell the difference from the Pro series.

However, there's a lot more to a guitar than paint finish. I would propose that in 2001 there were likely less features to choose from. Within the last couple years we have been offered 24 fret RR guitars and relatively high end 7 string soloists.

I've lost track of what is still available with all the recent changes, and perhaps when it is all said and done you are the one who is right.

[xenophobe]

And does anyone ever see good guitars period at Guitar Center? Sure, they have like 3 Les Paul Standards and few USA Strats, but what about the rest? All shit in my opinion - and exactly what I would expect from the generic big box store of instrument suppliers. I can't even but picks or strings there anymore.

Yes. My local GC used to stock at least 5 or 6 USAs at any given time and it wasn't uncommon to see a CS Jackson there every once in a while... I bought this one there a number of years back, but I sold it off a while ago:

personally, my thought is that fender/jackson is pushing the USAs to be more competitive with gibson and PRS guitars. that, and i almost think that there is another push to make the USA guitars CS only...

I'm fine with USA Jackson being CS only. I just wish they would make a new brand for their beginner's guitars.

Look at the used market. If you bought a new USA right now for $3k, how much would you be able to sell it for in a few months if you didn't like it? You'd likely take over 50% loss. That's because of brand name dilution... most people who see a Jackson selling for thousands of dollars must be confused when you can get something almost the same for $199 new.

There are a handful of aficionados or guitar nerds that knows the difference. Most guitarists aren't guitar nerds like us.

Don't get me wrong. Personally I am in a position where I can afford a USA guitar, have two and can tell the difference from the Pro series.

However, there's a lot more to a guitar than paint finish. I would propose that in 2001 there were likely less features to choose from. Within the last couple years we have been offered 24 fret RR guitars and relatively high end 7 string soloists.

I've lost track of what is still available with all the recent changes, and perhaps when it is all said and done you are the one who is right.

There are more price options, I don't care about price options. There are also many cheaper guitars with options that used to be CS only. That doesn't matter to me either.

Some people believe quality > quantity. Obviously not here. I'd rather have 1 usa Jackson than a half dozen imports.

My options have been severely limited. USA Jacksons only have 2-3 color options for each body style. What is more important to you, a flood of sub-$500 imports with limited finish choices or more options for USA guitars?

Either way, the amount of choice given has diminished because overall, the amount of options per body style is most likely less than the number of finish options you used to have.


So if I wanted to buy a Harley Davidson, there should be a Made in Taiwan Fat Boy version for $1000 USD.

[Nightbat]

personally, my thought is that fender/jackson is pushing the USAs to be more competitive with gibson and PRS guitars. that, and i almost think that there is another push to make the USA guitars CS only...

So, just raising prices makes a guitarbrand of the same 'standard' as Gibson and PRS?

or would you expect someting more for that money? (more options, faster productiontime)

Or is it just the personal feeling of being able to wave a 3k+ guitar in people faces?

[markD]

as far as "just raising prices", that's not my call. personally, i think jackson falls short - not because of the quality, but because of the lack of stock. PRS still makes a WONDERFUL guitar - it is expensive, but they are available. jackson makes a great guitar, but they are not that available and the wait times are stupid. gibson is hit-and-miss, their quality fluctuates so much considering how much they cost.

and there are MANY people that get off on the "personal feeling" of being able to wave a 3K+ guitar in people's faces. there are quite a few dudes on this board that come across that way - whether they really DO is another question....

[DarkkWarriorr]

personally, my thought is that fender/jackson is pushing the USAs to be more competitive with gibson and PRS guitars. that, and i almost think that there is another push to make the USA guitars CS only...

If this what Jackson is aiming for, it's going to fail eventually! Jacksons aren't what vintage collectors normally look for, they're Metal guitars and only appeal to the few of us. Paying $2500-$3100 for a select model is already a bad idea to begin with! Most of us won't be able to resell these guitars for $2000 (Average $1700 tops in today's market) even if they're in extremely mint conditions and never been played.
$1700 is what these guitar should be at with the variety of options included.

[markD]

i totally agree. it is the biggest reason i only have 2 jacksons left, and pretty much do not consider them as something i am interested in owning anymore. i never cared for the imports, and they priced the USAs out of my reach while reducing the options...

to me, jackson is already dead.

what i like about these new imports is that they look more like current guitars, and NOT guitars stuck in the 80's. these seem to be the kind of guitars the modern "metal" kids want. jackson needs to build a newer, more youthful fanbase in order to survive the changing market. these guitars COULD be what does that.

[Maiden89]

The reason I liked Jackson's in the first place is because they didn't look like everything thing else. Maybe they were kind of stuck in the 80's, but thats the whole reason I loved them. If their gonna start looking like everything schecter and ibanez are doing I'm probably gonna stick with buying used.