It is almost impossible to do without proper lighting.
Jackson/Charvel/EVH 2024
- Thread starter JimF
- Start date
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gunch
goof-ass
These feel to me like very expensive free range chicken breasts butchered under a full moon but cooked without any seasoning
MASS DEFECT
SS.ORG Infiltrator
Absolutely weird that they do binding on the headstock, but leave the fretboard without binding.
Riverview
SS.org Regular
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2021
- Messages
- 371
- Reaction score
- 366
Local store had both the black and blue USA Soloists and they both sold in a few months , and it’s a 3250$+ guitar CAD and the economy is rough right now . I think the Virtuoso is 2800 or 2900 CAD , so actually a fair bit cheaper , especially with our taxes here . They are selling well for sure .
Glad to see more hardtails , this is more appealing with the caramelized neck and vibe overall compared to the USA SL3 hardtail model that just came out . That being said , I wish there was a high end HSS , even a HSH model that was a hardtail Virtuoso .
If only the orange model that’s only with a Floyd mentioned above was available as a hardtail ..
Glad to see more hardtails , this is more appealing with the caramelized neck and vibe overall compared to the USA SL3 hardtail model that just came out . That being said , I wish there was a high end HSS , even a HSH model that was a hardtail Virtuoso .
If only the orange model that’s only with a Floyd mentioned above was available as a hardtail ..
Ji Sung
Active Member
I would do terrible things for a multiscale Charvel bass. I doubt it would ever happen, but it would be awesome.
Church2224
Guitar Whore
Got my Virtuoso in today and Holy. Lord. I am absolutely in love with this thing. Next is incredible and the build is fantastic. Review and pics to come.
JimF
Contributor
But would a 15 year old USA Select with some wear be a better workhorse?...
Thats where my brain currently is.
groverj3
Bioinformagician
Jackson has to compete with their own models on the used market now, haha. At least over here, you'd be hard pressed to find a 15 year old SL1, SL2H, or DK1 for the same price or less than the American series.
JimF
Contributor
Ha! Apologies that was more myself thinking out loud! I've been looking at SL2s and there's a players condition one for under $2000 on reverb right now.
groverj3
Bioinformagician
They do pop up for reasonable prices on occasion. Especially if you're willing to do some refurbishing yourself!
I love mine too but how that fat fretboard transitions into the neck shape was a little weird for me at first. I don't feel it so much going down the board but holding a position around the 3rd frets makes it obvious, especially if I get lazy and hang my thumb over it. Otherwise it's a light guitar, with a lot of tonal options (great split tones!). What I did notice the other day looking at it and my MJ Dinky side to side with an old DK2M is that the headstocks seem to be a little different. Maybe it's just a visual impression due to the missing trussed cover but they look a little more tilted and pointy. Almost more sleek. The reverse headstock on my MJ is one of my favorite headstocks ever.
groverj3
Bioinformagician
Jackson has been making subtle tweaks to headstock shape since forever.
The old MIJ pro series actually used an older headstock, too. Older than the contemporary USA Selects. You can tell by the fact that your DK2M's headstock has sides that are not perpendicular to the top surface. If that makes sense.
As they moved to increased CNC processes in the custom shop and for the American Series, templates were digitized and likely tweaked somewhat. There are subtle differences between my SL2H/SL1 (2006 and 2005), my custom select SL2 (2014, more CNC), and any of my MIJ pro/X series (DK2, DXMG, DX10D parts caster).
Let's not even talk about 7 string headstock variations. That's even crazier.
I have found it impossible to keep track of the different lines from Jackson going back all these years. People complain about the nomenclature for Ibanez guitars but I've always been able to diagnose what I was looking at with them way more reliably than with Jackson. You always bring up new bits of information I had no idea about. Thanks!
I feel like the difference with my DXMG isn't so subtle, that thing sticks out at like a 45 degree angle.
groverj3
Bioinformagician
No problem. I like to think I know a bit, but there are definitely members more in the know than I am.
The model numbers themselves are pretty easy to understand once you know the abbreviations. However, they're mixing country of origin and factories within the product lines now making it hard to know what kind of quality level to expect for a given model. They aren't there only brand doing this though.
In the past it was easy. Very cheap stuff (JS series) was made in India and (later) China, anything else not USA-made was Japan and usually solid (Pro Series, X, etc.). Now, pro series is made in Indonesia (at least 2 different factories), China, or Korea, X series in Indonesia or China (was India for a hot minute in the 2010s). Concept/Limited Series is Korea. But hey, MJ series is Japan and American Series is US-made. At least that's easy, haha.
I would say you know quite a bit based on past interactions.
I think the names make sense. My criticism was aimed at what you're pointing out: the fact that the model used to correlate with a certain quality. I understand that we get used to things and they change but with Jackson I am going through a bit of a re-learning process that's been going on for a long time.
I am sure there are some MIC models that are great. I just haven't picked one that I liked yet. The poplar and dry Laurel boards have not been pleasant in my experience. I still want to try the Brandon Ellis Kelly.
Currently I don't have any older MIJ ones anymore. I might get another DKMG eventually. I loved those for the mod potential and like the necks they come with.
At the moment I have a MIK, an MJ and the Virtuoso. The Virtuoso is all around the best sounding out of the three. It's also a very smooth player. The build quality on mine is amazing. I'd say it's on par with my Caparisons if not better. The MJ however is built with higher attention to detail. It's built cleaner but doesn't sound as well and plays a little rougher. The MIK is amazing but was more expensive than the MJ (has the Everyone).
I would rank them as follows and think that's pretty consistent for the ones I have played until I settled on these:
US VIrtuoso – less detailed than the MJ – plays great – punchy and cutting with more tone possibilities.
MJ – more solid build – plays well – softer sound.
MIK – good build, somewhat unpolished – plays great – very snappy with the longer scale.
I'd say the winner is the Virtuoso for how versatile it is but I seem to gravitate more towards the MJ. It's probably because it's featherlight and I favor the lightest guitars. But I also love the reverse headstock.
Jackson is making great guitars nowadays. I have been really curious to try a Gus G model (both he stars and the red Strat). I have heard great things about the cheapest bottle-on star with the pinstripes (the one that started in the X series) and less great things about the neck through. I have only heard great things about the Strat and am dying to try one just haven't found one in a shop yet.
groverj3
Bioinformagician
I trust their stuff built in the USA, Japan, and Korea to be good or great. Indonesia is completely a crapshoot in my experience. Though, people seem to have better luck with then recently. The Chinese stuff is probably more consistent than Indonesia.I would say you know quite a bit based on past interactions.
I think the names make sense. My criticism was aimed at what you're pointing out: the fact that the model used to correlate with a certain quality. I understand that we get used to things and they change but with Jackson I am going through a bit of a re-learning process that's been going on for a long time.
I am sure there are some MIC models that are great. I just haven't picked one that I liked yet. The poplar and dry Laurel boards have not been pleasant in my experience. I still want to try the Brandon Ellis Kelly.
Currently I don't have any older MIJ ones anymore. I might get another DKMG eventually. I loved those for the mod potential and like the necks they come with.
At the moment I have a MIK, an MJ and the Virtuoso. The Virtuoso is all around the best sounding out of the three. It's also a very smooth player. The build quality on mine is amazing. I'd say it's on par with my Caparisons if not better. The MJ however is built with higher attention to detail. It's built cleaner but doesn't sound as well and plays a little rougher. The MIK is amazing but was more expensive than the MJ (has the Everyone).
I would rank them as follows and think that's pretty consistent for the ones I have played until I settled on these:
US VIrtuoso – less detailed than the MJ – plays great – punchy and cutting with more tone possibilities.
MJ – more solid build – plays well – softer sound.
MIK – good build, somewhat unpolished – plays great – very snappy with the longer scale.
I'd say the winner is the Virtuoso for how versatile it is but I seem to gravitate more towards the MJ. It's probably because it's featherlight and I favor the lightest guitars. But I also love the reverse headstock.
Jackson is making great guitars nowadays. I have been really curious to try a Gus G model (both he stars and the red Strat). I have heard great things about the cheapest bottle-on star with the pinstripes (the one that started in the X series) and less great things about the neck through. I have only heard great things about the Strat and am dying to try one just haven't found one in a shop yet.
I agree the laurel fretboards tend to look awful. I wouldn't buy something with one unless I went through a shop where I could see detailed pictures and find one I liked with a good return policy in case something is off about it once it's in my hands.
groverj3
Bioinformagician
Neurosis,
I have a USA custom shop Gus G. First version which was only made in 2018 and barely into 2019. They were either black or white and had the opposing pinstripe and bevels. I prefer that look to the new one with block inlay. Anyhow, they are fantastic guitars but the necks are bigger than you might think. They’re about 42.5 mm at the nut which is a little narrow for me, but quite normal
Not at all the speed neck. I would say about .8 thick at the first fret moving to .9 by the 12th. I can measure it if you want.
I purposely hunted one down because I love really big necks. I hate thin necks. The quality on them is very good because I don’t think they made very many. Most of them have the inlay, but mine is a blank Rosewood board…super solid and stays in tune very well
Is the thickest neck I have on any jackson and I have owned quite a few over the years.
I have a USA custom shop Gus G. First version which was only made in 2018 and barely into 2019. They were either black or white and had the opposing pinstripe and bevels. I prefer that look to the new one with block inlay. Anyhow, they are fantastic guitars but the necks are bigger than you might think. They’re about 42.5 mm at the nut which is a little narrow for me, but quite normal
Not at all the speed neck. I would say about .8 thick at the first fret moving to .9 by the 12th. I can measure it if you want.
I purposely hunted one down because I love really big necks. I hate thin necks. The quality on them is very good because I don’t think they made very many. Most of them have the inlay, but mine is a blank Rosewood board…super solid and stays in tune very well
Is the thickest neck I have on any jackson and I have owned quite a few over the years.
