KE3 on the way, what more can I learn about it?

[MartinBarre]

Hold on there squeezebox, what makes you say that? What's the serial # ?

On the RR3? It's 9728247. It used to have a sticker on the neck (I took it off ages ago) and I'm sure it said "Made In Korea".

[René]

Hi Martin,
your Rhoads must be a japanese one. I think there weren't any rhoads which are built in korea but in india (for example the JS1, etc.)... but i'm not sure!
As said: Every RR3, RR4, RR5, JRR, PerformerSeries, etc... Rhoads were built in Japan. You can relax...!

[René]

Martin, could you give me or us a pic of your axe?

[Jayster]

congrats jairic, a ke3 is a highly playable and fun guitar - how about posting a pic after you get it?

[Newc]

Hi Martin,
your Rhoads must be a japanese one. I think there weren't any rhoads which are built in korea but in india (for example the JS1, etc.)... but i'm not sure!
As said: Every RR3, RR4, RR5, JRR, PerformerSeries, etc... Rhoads were built in Japan. You can relax...!

Survey Says:

[X][X][X]

Sorry, but for a brief time, all imports were moved to India except the PC3. I think it was 2001? 2000?

Anyhoo, the Performer models are the easiest ones to spot - narrow/Fender-spaced 12th fret dot inlays means Japan, wider Gibson-Explorer-spaced 12th fret dots means India.


Mother of Pearl has no tonal properties, so it doesn't matter what the inlays are made of.

You may have traded down according to dollar value, but you definitely trade up as far as construction quality goes. Alder beats Agathis. As I understand it, isn't agathis closely related to basswood? Like, it's the "bad" basswood that gave basswood its bad rep?


Martin - I'd have to see this sticker myself. I was unaware they built anything Jackson in Korea. I always heard they just used Japan and India.

[MartinBarre]

Martin, could you give me or us a pic of your axe?

Of course, I've posted it on here before. Here you go:






Maybe the sticker DIDN'T say "Made In Korea". I can't remember exactly but I thought that's what it said. Same with my SL3, that had a sticker too and I really don't recall them saying "Made In Japan". I'm pretty sure they didn't, but I could be full of crap.

[Jayster]

I thought the rule of thumb was if your serial number starts with 97 = Japan and 00 = India. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Plus on the Indian models with dot style fret markers their is an extra wide gap.

[MartinBarre]

I thought the rule of thumb was if your serial number starts with 97 = Japan and 00 = India. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Plus on the Indian models with dot style fret markers their is an extra wide gap.

You're probably right, and I'm just full of crap.

[Confuse-a-Cat]

You're probably right, and I'm just full of crap.

Yep! I'm not aware of Jackson making anything in Korea, and the RR3s and SL3s are definitely Japanese.

[MartinBarre]

Yep! I'm not aware of Jackson making anything in Korea, and the RR3s and SL3s are definitely Japanese.

Are you implying I'm full of crap?

[Confuse-a-Cat]

Are you implying I'm full of crap?

I can smell it from here! :P

I jest, I jest!

Oh, and I can't remember If I've said it before or not, but your RR3 is awesome.

[MartinBarre]

Thanks mate. I just wish it was a neck-thru, but of course that would have added a LOT of £££ to the price.

[VitaminG]

Survey Says:

[X][X][X]

Sorry, but for a brief time, all imports were moved to India except the PC3. I think it was 2001? 2000?

Survey Says:

[X][X][X]

the low end ones did, but the Pro series remained in Japan.

Anyhoo, the Performer models are the easiest ones to spot - narrow/Fender-spaced 12th fret dot inlays means Japan, wider Gibson-Explorer-spaced 12th fret dots means India.

How does that rule-of-thumb work with the PS4? (offset dots)

Wider dots can also mean made in Korea. For a period, Performers were made in Japan & Korea.

The serial number is a better indicator. If it starts with a 9, it was made in Japan.

You may have traded down according to dollar value, but you definitely trade up as far as construction quality goes. Alder beats Agathis. As I understand it, isn't agathis closely related to basswood? Like, it's the "bad" basswood that gave basswood its bad rep?

Agathis is actually related to mahogany.

Martin - I'd have to see this sticker myself. I was unaware they built anything Jackson in Korea. I always heard they just used Japan and India.

* see above

[RacerX]

To summarize: Here are the people who do not know what they're talking about: MartinBarre, Rene

Here are the people who are consistently wrong and should just stop with the foot in mouth thing: Newc

The go-to guys: Vitamin G, RacerX

[MartinBarre]

To be fair, I never CLAIMED to know what I was talking about.