Jackson/Charvel/EVH 2024

[eaeolian]

I've also been impressed with the X series Chinese stuff. I imagine there could be some consistency issues, but the ones I've tried have been as nice as any non-US Jacksons I've played. I was truly shocked with how good the first rainbow crackle I came across was. Not even "for the money" either, it was a really nice guitar, period.

The crackle Soloists are pretty much exact clones of USA SL1s with cheaper materials. The fretwork has been spot on, too. None of these things apply to the Indo X-Series Soloists, which tend to have frets that range from "good enough" to "nice to see they're employing the blind", and the neck shape is...not a Soloist.

That was one thing that jumped out on the SL3 - the neck was that "I can play this all day" carve that the '90s production Soloists had.

 

[Nightside]

I've been eyeballing that SL3X but the really bright and porous looking laurel is putting me off. I wish they would just stick with the amouranthe fretboards from the JS series. At best, those look like a black ebony and at worst they look like a medium dark rosewood. And the grain is so much tighter and smoother. Between rosewood and ebony.

 

[groverj3]

I've been eyeballing that SL3X but the really bright and porous looking laurel is putting me off. I wish they would just stick with the amouranthe fretboards from the JS series. At best, those look like a black ebony and at worst they look like a medium dark rosewood. And the grain is so much tighter and smoother. Between rosewood and ebony.

I have on more than one occasion wondered how much laurel boards darken with a typical oiling, or if they can be easily dyed without a lot of mess. Otherwise, the x series soloists look like a pretty good deal to me.

 

[groverj3]

The crackle Soloists are pretty much exact clones of USA SL1s with cheaper materials. The fretwork has been spot on, too. None of these things apply to the Indo X-Series Soloists, which tend to have frets that range from "good enough" to "nice to see they're employing the blind", and the neck shape is...not a Soloist.

That was one thing that jumped out on the SL3 - the neck was that "I can play this all day" carve that the '90s production Soloists had.

Yep, 100%.

The Chinese factory seems much more consistent than the two Indonesian ones they've used for pro series stuff. With the WMI-made stuff being a tier above as well.

 

[Nightside]

I have on more than one occasion wondered how much laurel boards darken with a typical oiling, or if they can be easily dyed without a lot of mess. Otherwise, the x series soloists look like a pretty good deal to me.

I've tried dying a fretboard once. Never again. I used the popular Fiebings leather dye. It's a purple tint. It gets on everything. It doesn't seep into the wood grain. It just builds up a layer on the surface and you rub it off onto your fingers over time. After a week or two your fretboard starts feeling nasty and gunky.

 

[Nightside]

I have on more than one occasion wondered how much laurel boards darken with a typical oiling, or if they can be easily dyed without a lot of mess. Otherwise, the x series soloists look like a pretty good deal to me.

I actually wrote to Jackson asking about something else and told them the amouranthe is a great looking and feeling fretboard wood that should go on the X series. Or anything below wherever they start using ebony. Leave the Lauren and Paul Ferrell to Fenders.

 

[JimF]

Lauren and Paul Ferrell

 

[Decapitated]

Ok, maybe this is a stupid question and has been answered before - why doesn’t Charvel make more pointy headstock guitars other than custom shops?

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Ok, maybe this is a stupid question and has been answered before - why doesn’t Charvel make more pointy headstock guitars other than custom shops?

I think it's a conscious thing done to distinguish the brands, just like there aren't a lot of Strat head Jacksons right now.

 

[eaeolian]

I think it's a conscious thing done to distinguish the brands, just like there aren't a lot of Strat head Jacksons right now.

That's exactly it. I guess they figure anyone who wants a pointy Charvel bad enough can pop for a US CS.

 

[MASS DEFECT]

This came out of nowhere. The CS version was just posted a couple months ago. A Vogg sig cant be far behind.

 

[Nightside]

This came out of nowhere. The CS version was just posted a couple months ago. A Vogg sig cant be far behind.
View attachment 146777

Like a Keef Merrow meets Misha Mansour.

 

[MASS DEFECT]

Like a Keef Merrow meets Misha Mansour.

Put a tremolo in there and piezzo switches and you got yourself a Jackson EBMM Petrucci hybrid. lol

 

[nightsprinter]

This came out of nowhere. The CS version was just posted a couple months ago. A Vogg sig cant be far behind.
View attachment 146777

Is that a real name or did a cat walk across the keyboard

 

[gunch]

It’s Ukrainian

 

[somethingsomething]

This came out of nowhere. The CS version was just posted a couple months ago. A Vogg sig cant be far behind.
View attachment 146777

Jackson coming out with their own RGD.

 

[phillybhatesme]

Well shit...bit the bullet today on a Jackson 7 string. I've been thinking about trading my headless 8 string for a 7 string and this is just checking the exact boxes I need it to check for me.

This is my first Jackson too. Very excited.

 

[groverj3]

This came out of nowhere. The CS version was just posted a couple months ago. A Vogg sig cant be far behind.
View attachment 146777

I don't know the player, and it's missing a Floyd in order for me to want it, but I do rather like that. I'm going to guess it's either Korea or China.

Edit: Headstock says Korea on the Sweetwater website. Not a bad value proposition there.

 

[groverj3]

Well shit...bit the bullet today on a Jackson 7 string. I've been thinking about trading my headless 8 string for a 7 string and this is just checking the exact boxes I need it to check for me.

This is my first Jackson too. Very excited.

Curious about these. Definitely post.

 

[manu80]

is it me or prices are getting more logical vs what we saw the last 2 yrs ?. Even the baritone new models have features that could have gone for 2k...