1986 Japan Charvel vs 2016 Jackson SLX Soloist

[OceanView]

I have an original 1986 Japan Charvel Model 2 that I bought back in 86.
I want to get back into playing and was thinking about buying a new solid body Jackson Soloist.
Been looking at either

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Jackson/...=item_page.rr2
or
http://www.americanmusical.com/Item-...l4oaAmaH8P8HAQ

I think these are both made in Indonesia.
How do these compare to the older Japanese made Charvels?
I was thinking about buying this as I always wanted a solid body Jackson.

Thoughts?

[pianoguyy]

You are much better off getting an old Japanese Charvel than a new Indonesian Jackson.

[Number Of The Priest]

I only have a small sample size of experience and wrote about my individual experiences with them here:

Charvel Model 1C: http://www.jcfonline.com/threads/149...ig)-yay-or-nay

Charvel Model 1: http://www.jcfonline.com/threads/150...er-cheap-deal)

Jackson SL3X (basically the SLX with HSS pickups instead of HH): http://www.jcfonline.com/threads/150...-SL3X-Soloist?

Out of those three guitars:

I am keeping the Model 1C because it's magical.

I am selling the Model 1 because it's troublesome.

I have already sold the SL3X, not because it was bad (it was excellent after I restrung and set it up properly) but because I was able to sell it for nearly 2x my original purchase price, while giving the seller a well-playing guitar well under retail price. (I originally bought it very cheaply.)

Keep in mind that I had to evaluate each guitar on a per-case basis. I can't make sweeping generalizations comparing Japanese Charvels versus the Indonesian Jacksons, but I wouldn't hesitate owning more of either if they were good guitars on a per-case basis. I'm sure there are great examples in both categories as well as lemons.

[Mudlark]

I'm sure there are great examples in both categories as well as lemons.

Agree.
I'm not being very helpful, but I truly believe all guitars need to be judged individually. It really grinds my nerves when some dope writes off a whole series based on one/few bad examples...or, worse yet, based on nothing but gossip.

I've heard of far more happy customers than unhappy with the recent batch of post-Japanese imports...China-Indonesia-Mexico.

[OceanView]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I went to Guitar Center and they didn't have either of those in stock (at least the store I went to).
They want me to purchase it so that they can ship it from the warehouse and if I am not happy with it, they will give me a refund.
Seems like a lot of work just to try out a guitar.

I also have been looking at used Jackson (made in USA) models on eBay.
Prices are steep but then they are cheaper than new.
Anyone have experience with the USA models?
Are they really that much better than the Indonesian / Mexico Solid body models?

By the way, I still have my Made in Japan Charvel, this is the only guitar that I have to compare by and was wondering if I was missing out on some of Jackson's better models.

[Number Of The Priest]

There's a whole subforum dedicated to USA Jacksons: http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/7-Jackson-USA-Guitars

Though I'll bet there is the occasional lemon, I don't think you'll find anyone here who detests them on the whole. They're supposed to be a "flagship" product. I don't think you'll find anyone who disrespects the Charvel Model Series either. My Model 1C and my USA Soloist are among my top players. But again, that's a very small sample size, highly subjective, and just one owner's perspective.

If you find a used USA Jackson Soloist for USD$1000 and an Indonesian Jackson Soloist for USD$300, is the USA guitar really >3x better than the import? Only you can say. The SL3X I owned, while not absolutely impeccable like my USA, certainly held its own for a fraction of the price.

[OceanView]

There's a whole subforum dedicated to USA Jacksons: http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/7-Jackson-USA-Guitars

Though I'll bet there is the occasional lemon, I don't think you'll find anyone here who detests them on the whole. They're supposed to be a "flagship" product. I don't think you'll find anyone who disrespects the Charvel Model Series either. My Model 1C and my USA Soloist are among my top players. But again, that's a very small sample size, highly subjective, and just one owner's perspective.

If you find a used USA Jackson Soloist for USD$1000 and an Indonesian Jackson Soloist for USD$300, is the USA guitar really >3x better than the import? Only you can say. The SL3X I owned, while not absolutely impeccable like my USA, certainly held its own for a fraction of the price.

That's good to know.
Where in the world are you getting those prices? I'm seeing USA models used in the $1500+ range.
I have yet to see a SL3X in the $300 range.

[Mudlark]

Again, it comes down to each individual guitar. My '11 DKMGT is Japanese, was $850+ tax with a molded Jackson case when new. Put up against my $2500-3000 '08 USA SL2HT and it's basically an even match. Playability, sound, feel...everything. In fact, a good number of my friends have picked the DKMGT over the SL2HT simply because it felt better in their hands.

[Number Of The Priest]

I'm purely going by my own strict threshold for prices on the used market. I'm a bit of a bargain hunter. Basically, my threshold for USA Charvels and Jacksons is USD$1000 or under, and preferably includes the original case. For Japanese bolt-on Charvels and Jacksons, below USD$250.

In 2004, I got my 1998 USA Shannon Soloist with OHSC for USD$850 + shipping, though I'll likely die before finding another one at a price like that. However, I know American Jacksons and Charvels come up fairly regularly across Canada for CAD$1000 (~USD$750) or under, because I share them with the JCF when I find them. A huge number of recent topics in the E-fraid of E-bay forum (http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/16-E-fraid-of-E-bay) are from me, sharing a variety of Canadian deals.

Anyway, back on topic. In 2016, I bought the 2016 SL3X for CAD$275 (USD$205.29) locally, no case. I recently resold it for CAD$550 (twice what I paid for it) and included a hardshell case. That's still below the CAD$900+ retail price after taxes and the damn thing doesn't come with a case when you buy it new.

The point to my previous post was that if a USA guitar was 3x the price of an import, is it necessarily 3x better? Only you can decide.

[OceanView]

Thanks for the link.
I'm still not too familiar with this site. Although I registered in 2014, I didn't get a chance to look around.
Now that I am back in the market, I am spending more time here and learning as much as possible.

What do you think about this one? and why are you so afraid of ebay?


http://www.ebay.com/itm/282221470040...,ext=ext,bu=bu

[RR4LIFE]

Depends on which company in Indonesia built the SL3X. I think they are currently being made by Cort. From my experience Indonesia World (IWJ) made the best imports. The Samick (ISJ) and Cort (ICJ) are generally not built as well. Inferior tonewoods and overall lower craftsmenship. The RRMG made by Cort I had was terrible. No tone, cheap hardware but most of all the wrong neck profile. On the other hand, the RRMG Pro I still own made by Indonesia World is Killer! Very resonate, good hardware and the neck profile is very close to my '91 Rhoads Custom. In short, look for the imports starting with the serial number IWJ, then see if the guitar speaks to you

[Number Of The Priest]

IWJ is Indonesia Wildwood Jackson (not World).

World (ie - World Musical Instrument Co. Ltd.) is Korean and sadly Jackson/Charvel never contracted them to make imports. World would have been a great OEM after Chushin Gakki (Japan) was no more.

More details:
http://www.jcfonline.com/threads/148...port-Factories
http://www.jcfonline.com/threads/147...hey-Build-For?
http://www.jcfonline.com/threads/148...ars-WMI-Korea?

[RR4LIFE]

Great info thanks! I also own an IWJ JS 23 Dinky and it is of great quality (for a $200 axe).