help me with my jackson...

[steveanders86]

i have a jackson guitar that i know nothing about... when it was made, what kind of woods, i dont even know what model it is. i checked out jackson's site and asked some people on Harmony Central, but they refered me here to ask about it because i couldnt find any useful info. The #'s on the chrome plate (where the neck is bolted to the body) says 9702414 any information you can give me or can you point me in the right direction? i bought this guitar about 3 or 4 years ago for around 800 brand new... so i know its not anything super special. but it would help to know anything about it because im a nOOb when it comes to guitars.

Thanks!

[Sunbane]

Can't tell much from that meager info. The serial only tells us it's an import bolt-on Jackson, made in Japan, probably around 2003. How about a pic, or a more detailed description?

[steveanders86]

Can't tell much from that meager info. The serial only tells us it's an import bolt-on Jackson, made in Japan, probably around 2003. How about a pic, or a more detailed description?

its got the skull airbursh design. it has a chrome tremelo bridge. came with duncans in it. has a lighter colored wood on the very edges of the fretboard. 24 frets, bolt on neck... cant think of much more off the top of my head...

[Sunbane]

Ah, that's a "pre-upgrade" DK-2 with the "Pile of Skulls" graphic.
It probably came with "Duncan Designed" pickups, unless they were upgraded to "real" Duncans by the store. The body should be alder, and the neck maple with a rosewood fretboard.

The DK-2 was upgraded in the summer of 2006, when it got real Duncans and an upgraded bridge with a baseplate in hardened steel. Hardware color was also changed to black.

The pre-upgrade Pro Series had chrome hardware like yours. The fretboard edge is actually plastic "ivoroid" binding (it is made to resemble ivory). The binding hides the fretboard ends and makes the neck feel a little smoother when playing.

That's a real looker, and it should be a sweet player too for sure!

[steveanders86]

Ah, that's a "pre-upgrade" DK-2 with the "Pile of Skulls" graphic.
It probably came with "Duncan Designed" pickups, unless they were upgraded to "real" Duncans by the store. The body should be alder, and the neck maple with a rosewood fretboard.

The DK-2 was upgraded in the summer of 2006, when it got real Duncans and an upgraded bridge with a baseplate in hardened steel. Hardware color was also changed to black.

The pre-upgrade Pro Series had chrome hardware like yours. The fretboard edge is actually plastic "ivoroid" binding (it is made to resemble ivory). The binding hides the fretboard ends and makes the neck feel a little smoother when playing.

That's a real looker, and it should be a sweet player too for sure!

interesting. thanks man i appreciate it! :thu:

EDIT: it actually doesnt play all that well anymore. i need to take it to get it setup by a professional badly.

[steveanders86]

is there any kind of modifications that can make the guitar sweeter? i have a G&L legacy guitar with a humbucker in the bridge and its made of alder body, and has a rosewood fingerboard and even unplugged, the guitar just sings and is very punchy. i dont get that same kind of clarity and tone from my jackson (which apparently has the same woods). so is there anything i can do to get my jackson to sounds it absolute best?

[mustaine-who?]

A

A real OFR will do wonders for clarity. Also look at upgrading the pots, 3-way, and output jack.

[wilkinsi]

If it's duncan designed pups, swap for real Duncans or put EMG 81/SA/SA's in (battery required).

[steveanders86]

i upgraded the bridge pickup at first to an EMG 81 and had it like that for a while, then upgraded it to a steve special in the bridge.

im talking for playablilty wise. any tricks to getting it to play better? the G-string is so HONKY an it just doesnt have any livliness.

[Newc]

Put a real Floyd Rose in it and have a professional install a real Floyd Rose locking nut (the neck will have to be slightly modified to accept the nut, but nothing major).

Those are the biggest weak spots. The standard trem and nut that comes with these is pretty cheap, BUT it's easily replaceable, unlike other brands that use cheap woods which cannot be replaced.

[Sunbane]

i upgraded the bridge pickup at first to an EMG 81 and had it like that for a while, then upgraded it to a steve special in the bridge.

im talking for playablilty wise. any tricks to getting it to play better? the G-string is so HONKY an it just doesnt have any livliness.

Have you given it a proper setup? Like, corrected neck bow, adjusted the string height and intonated it? I'm not sure what you mean with "honky"...string buzz? Weird resonances?

[steveanders86]

Have you given it a proper setup? Like, corrected neck bow, adjusted the string height and intonated it? I'm not sure what you mean with "honky"...string buzz? Weird resonances?

i did have a shop set it up a couple times, but it was free and they probably did a shotty job. what i mean by honky, is that the g string resonates terrible and its louder than the rest of the strings and if you hit it with a downstroke beyond a slight stroke, it vibrates way out of tune and then back in after it vibrates for a while. not very musical.

Put a real Floyd Rose in it and have a professional install a real Floyd Rose locking nut (the neck will have to be slightly modified to accept the nut, but nothing major).

Those are the biggest weak spots. The standard trem and nut that comes with these is pretty cheap, BUT it's easily replaceable, unlike other brands that use cheap woods which cannot be replaced.

how much does a new nut and floyd rose cost?

[Vass]

$170 or so.

I'm going to come off like a total douche here. LOVE the DK2's. Great axes. But if you're going to start going off on upgrades (switches, trem, already did PU's twice) you might consider unloading it and going for a used USA for a few more bucks, which will have those "upgrades" standard.

I don't have a problem with my DK2 (actually bought it for my brother so I don't see it much). I can't help but think though that once you get done with the trem/switches +PU you already did we're looking at over a $G, and now you're getting into USA territory if you keep your eyes open.

Vass

[steveanders86]

so the cost of upgrade exceeds the worth of the guitar.. i hear ya. well thanks for the info.