Hiatus of Pro Mods

[The Rossness]

A while back I had heard that the Pro Mod San Dimas Charvel's were not dead, but on Hiatus. Does anyone know when they are coming back and what, if any changes the line will have?

Peace~

[xenophobe]

They're done. Any new guitar will be from a different manufacturer and probably carry a new model designation.

[RacerX]

They're done. Any new guitar will be from a different manufacturer

:think: WTF?

I heard a rumor they will be made in Mexico...but it's just that, rumor. I'd bet JCMI is sitting back and gauging reaction to the MII X stuff...with a view to doing ProMods there.

[Devotee]

They're done. Any new guitar will be from a different manufacturer and probably carry a new model designation.

Source?

[Rich#6]

I thought that Jackson and Charvel now had different staff running them right? Bionic only does charvel and so on.

[xenophobe]

Source?

How about this:

:think: WTF?

I heard a rumor they will be made in Mexico...but it's just that, rumor. I'd bet JCMI is sitting back and gauging reaction to the MII X stuff...with a view to doing ProMods there.

Or how about the Japanese factory that made the Pro Mods went bankrupt and closed down after FMIC shipped all the production orders to China? There is no more factory in Japan, hence Japan will not be able to build them. So they will be built eslewhere. And when changes like this happen, they generally tend to give the new line a new name so there is distinction between products.

[Carbuff]

Judging by the new adrian smith sdx Indian made model, it would seem as though an Indian made promod could be done fairly easily. That thing is an output jack and a pickguard away from a socal.

[RacerX]

after FMIC shipped all the production orders to China?

? Again, WTF? JCMI did not send unfulfilled "production orders" to China, MIJ models are on hiatus. Desolation was always going to be Chinese, for price point.

There is no more factory in Japan, hence Japan will not be able to build them. So they will be built eslewhere.

You / we don't know this for a fact, Mike. JCMI implied they may be looking for another factory in Japan.

Bottom line, everything is up in the air at this point, so you quoting things as fact is kinda odd.

[xenophobe]

Yeah, I should state that as speculative.

As for the reasons why the Japan shop went bankrupt, is because all of a sudden they had no more guitars to build. They went from full production to having nothing to do. Whose fault is that? EDIT: And I'm not making that up. You can read that shit here on the forums.

[diablomozart]

i thought the speculation was that the factory was damaged in the tsunami much like the nitto/toyo tire factory (yep...no more japanese tires for a bit either)...but hey ive been wrong before and damn sure will be wrong again...d.m.

[84sups]

I thought because of the electric plants being destroyed they weren't able to operate.

[xenophobe]

That was the speculation. Someone came into the thread and provided more info.... it's on the forums here if you want to go look for it. The owner of the plant was some Japanese dude that was nearing retirement age. The plant was up and running and did not suffer from the power outages after the earthquake. Business as usual, then all of a sudden the orders dried up.

The speculation was that the yen had gone up, the dollar had gone down and they weren't making much, if any from the guitars they were making because of some contracted price or something. Old dude was in some serious debt as well because of this. Once the contract ran out that was it. It's possible they wanted more money than Fender was willing to pay. Charvels started being manufactured in China before the Japan plant shut down. Japan plant shut down because there was no more work for them added to being in debt... bankruptcy.

So it may not be honest for me saying that Fender purposely tanked the Japan shop, but it's not really all that far off if you ask me.

FWIW, I have not verified any of this nor do I plan to. It's over and done with really.

[Carbuff]

That was the speculation. Someone came into the thread and provided more info.... it's on the forums here if you want to go look for it. The owner of the plant was some Japanese dude that was nearing retirement age. The plant was up and running and did not suffer from the power outages after the earthquake. Business as usual, then all of a sudden the orders dried up.

The speculation was that the yen had gone up, the dollar had gone down and they weren't making much, if any from the guitars they were making because of some contracted price or something. Old dude was in some serious debt as well because of this. Once the contract ran out that was it. It's possible they wanted more money than Fender was willing to pay. Charvels started being manufactured in China before the Japan plant shut down. Japan plant shut down because there was no more work for them added to being in debt... bankruptcy.

So it may not be honest for me saying that Fender purposely tanked the Japan shop, but it's not really all that far off if you ask me.

FWIW, I have not verified any of this nor do I plan to. It's over and done with really.

Yes, thats the story as I remember too. One of our members from Japan spoke to the dude or his son if I recall. Its buried in an old thread somewhere. Maybe titled "No more promods for Europe" or something like that.

[VanHoosen]

Yeah, I talked to a dealer in Arizona called Rainbow Guitars a few weeks back about the story behind the limited Elite Jackson's out of Japan, and he definitely made it sound like the Japanese factory was essentially having the plug pulled on them by Fender because of the X-Series and Desolations.

[xenophobe]

Yes, thats the story as I remember too. One of our members from Japan spoke to the dude or his son if I recall. Its buried in an old thread somewhere. Maybe titled "No more promods for Europe" or something like that.

And it kind of sickens me that there are some apologist "Jackson Fans" here that suck up and kiss ass to this Fender bullshit. The Jackson brand I fell in love with was an anti-establishment, rebel company that did what the big companies were too afraid to do. Now they're owned by FMIC. The irony.

Sorry, not a fan of FMIC. If you have any doubts, look at what ESP has done in the same time frame Jackson has. They pretty much took over the metal scene. They traded places.

FMIC has horribly mis-managed the Jackson and Charvel brands and assets, IMO. They should have reissued a limited model series a reissued Model 6, Model 4 and 750XL instead of moving production to China and coming out with cheap Ibeenshecterized guitars....