Mishas Sig?

[Sermo Lupi]

The Jackson has a 3A top so it is what it is, not sure what people aren't grasping about that.

Well, on the one hand, obviously no brand is immune to the tops debate--EBMM, PRS, Gibson, Jackson...pretty much all of the big brands have caught flak for it at some point. However, on the other hand, the complaints aren't that hard to understand. Firstly, the wood/top grading system isn't very reliable, especially when comparing the systems used from brand to brand. It isn't nearly as universal as people seem to believe, nor are the lower-end tops of a given grade widely advertised, so I think the surprise some people are having when they open their cases is understandable. At the end of the day, and as this thread has continually proven, the 3A grading classification doesn't shed much light on what kind of top you'll receive when the guitar arrives. Just in the two examples posted by Johnathon above, by some other company's metric, that'd be like a sub-3A top and a 5A top...huge difference between those two.

That said, this is a production guitar we're talking about here, and the previous poster was comparing it to a company with a specific upgrade option for better tops, not to mention probably the highest quality wood library in the industry, and on the other hand, with a brand that is operating on a much smaller scale and specializing in very high end custom guitars. Of course their wood selections are going to be better. The only problem is, there's no way I'd want that guitar posted above--even if we can justify that it IS a 3A top, it just doesn't look good, plain and simple. Especially not compared to some of the more spectacular examples of this guitar that we've seen thus far. The better solution in my opinion is to charge a higher premium for the trans-finish models and be more selective with the tops that go on them, even if that means there's less of them available for sale. Not good from a business perspective obviously, but as a consumer, that's the only way I'd take a gamble on one of the trans finishes without being able to preview it online from a retailer. (Although personally, I find myself preferring the opaque finishes on these anyway...the silverburst looks especially awesome).

 

[kabz]

The Jackson has a 3A top so it is what it is, not sure what people aren't grasping about that.

It really sounds like you're confusing personal preference with build quality... or you found a dud Suhr which is not easy to do along with a dud Misha sig.

Suhr and Anderson are usually virtually identical in build quality with different feel, and again in the same ballpark as PRS.

I don't own one of these and am unlikely to buy one, but I've seen enough guys that I know that know quality guitars talking about how great these are and have played enough USA Jacksons to say something doesn't add up with what you're saying What were the actual issues with the Jackson, or did you just not like the top and feel of the guitar?

3A top on a $3,000+ guitar that has build quality issues that I 100% had no clue about until after playing it then visiting this thread and reading it through.
That's just unacceptable to me. So my starting point is PRICE.
I don't know how else to say, I wanted to LOVE this guitar. I wanted to BUY this guitar. After playing it, it feels cheap for what it is.

And aesthetically you can say Suhr and Tom Anderson are virtually identical, but you have to be on another planet to say that they are on the same level of playability, sound, and build quality.
The TA was FAR superior. (Btw that Tom Anderson drop top was on sale from $4450 to $3430 or something so again, fair comparison based on PRICE alone.
And didn't even bug me that it was a bolt-on.

Man, I've lusted over Suhr's. Big Guthrie fan, and always meant to play one, and they are fine guitars. My goal that day was to play several. TA guitars stole the show, though.

And I tried it out at Mesa Boogie Hollywood, so you can call them and tell them they have a dud Suhr.

But there's absolutely no "confusion" on my part.

 

[technomancer]

Again playability and sound are completely subjective, a setup you don't like or pickups you don't like the tone of will screw either. For example I really dislike BKP Painkillers and the upper mid spike they have. Does that make them bad pickups? No it means I don't like them.

So what was off about the build quality? You have yet to mention anything that was actually wrong or off about any of the guitars other than you didn't like them and you didn't like the top on the Jackson. Bad fretwork? Finish flaws? Poorly cut nuts? Flaws in the woodworking? improperly sanded necks? What was wrong with the build quality.

 

[kabz]

Again playability and sound are completely subjective, a setup you don't like or pickups you don't like the tone of will screw either. For example I really dislike BKP Painkillers and the upper mid spike they have. Does that make them bad pickups? No it means I don't like them.

So what was off about the build quality? You have yet to mention anything that was actually wrong or off about any of the guitars other than you didn't like them and you didn't like the top on the Jackson. Bad fretwork? Finish flaws? Poorly cut nuts? Flaws in the woodworking? improperly sanded necks? What was wrong with the build quality.

My bad,start with minor go to major
First the neck felt unevenly finished, some parts felt smoother on the maple and other parts felt rougher.
Some Frets felt "sharp" at the edge - I've played instruments that have some "Bite" on the edge of the fret, but never anything that sharp.
In this case only some were sharp around the nut and around 12th fret.
Volume knobs were weird, had a good amount of resistance, but I could see that growing on me, still felt strange at first.

Binding was weeeeird. The binding looked off. It seemed to not fit right in the neck pocket, and the neck joint felt like there was too much room.
I was alarmed by the space between the neck and the body, I was expecting there to be none.

The binding was very disappointing. There was almost a slight angle to it, that I thought was intentional, but it wasn't. It just kind of drifted, and didn't feel "in-line"
I should have snapped a photo.
The top I already mentioned was ho-hum, nothing impressive, and it doesn't pop like all the photos and videos I've seen of it.
This was at Sam Ash for anyone curious.

No complaints about the sound at all. Tried through a 1990s original dual rectifier. It sounded sweet, which is really the only consolation.

 

[HeadofaHessian]

I'm loving my HT6 and HT7 I also have a prs holcomb and prefer my Jacksons to it. I feel like so much of this is subjective.

 

[p88]

They're 3A tops, the better tops are GOING to be the exception

See, I agree with you 100%, Jackson have done well to cover themself by listing the model as having a 3A top. According to that, the better tops ARE going to be the exception.

I just don't think jackson are doing much to help themself by using these exceptionally topped guitars to advertise the model. Whether we like it or not, pictures speak more than words, and when you see a good top on a stock photo, then receive a typical 3A top after having ordering one blind, you'd be annoyed. Well i would be.

If someone was to claim that the tops used in the stock photos are the same grade as the less visually appealing ones, then the categorisation "3A" is redundant given the wide fluctuations in appearance.

 

[narad]

See, I agree with you 100%, Jackson have done well to cover themself by listing the model as having a 3A top. According to that, the better tops ARE going to be the exception.

I just don't think jackson are doing much to help themself by using these exceptionally topped guitars to advertise the model. Whether we like it or not, pictures speak more than words, and when you see a good top on a stock photo, then receive a typical 3A top after having ordering one blind, you'd be annoyed. Well i would be.

If someone was to claim that the tops used in the stock photos are the same grade as the less visually appealing ones, then the categorisation "3A" is redundant given the wide fluctuations in appearance.

Yea, I mean, basically no one went into the Holcomb/Waring sig runs expecting something exactly on par with what they actually play, given the runs stated 10 tops and they're really playing private stock. Disappointing that a 10 top designation can be put on an instrument run whose tops were largely crap, but at least you had some indication you were explicitly signing up for something "less than". Since Jackson doesn't have so much of this distinction, I'm disappointed to see a difference between what they ship to Misha and what they ship to customers/fans. The usual footnote "* Misha Mansoor, seen here with a 5A maple top Juggernaut. Jackson HT models with 3A maple top." type of thing, and then apparently no consistency to even stay exactly at 3A (and making a couple here and there noticeably way better than others) isn't helping things either.

Call me crazy, but signature gear should be essentially on par with what the artists are playing unless otherwise noted, and kudos for guys like Paul Gilbert who will just show up in some town and grab any PGM model and have at (though being a painted guitar, his actions mostly just demonstrate the guitars being up to his general quality standards, not in their pretty materials).

 

[p88]

i really hope it doesn't seem like i'm hating on misha or jackson - i've been lusting after the HT6 ever since i saw this thread:
http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/showthread.php?t=281373

in fact, i have actually saved up enough money to buy a HT6, but just cant find one with a good enough top. it's really frustrating because i want to buy this guitar, but all the specimens i've seen are really lackluster.

so instead, i've decided to save a bit more and get a jackson custom select...that'll teach 'em...haha

 

[Casper777]

Well I guess I solved all these 10-top AAAAAA issues by ordering the orange one!!

 

[bulb]

Well I guess I solved all these 10-top AAAAAA issues by ordering the orange one!!

Haha awesome, I hope you love it! My orange one is my personal fave out of my collection!

 

[Casper777]

Haha awesome, I hope you love it! My orange one is my personal fave out of my collection!

I'll definitively let you know what I think of it when I get it (if you care )

 

[Casper777]

Haha awesome, I hope you love it! My orange one is my personal fave out of my collection!

Hey Misha, by the way can we know finally how many Orange ones will be produced?

 

[Ambit]

The concept of multiple laminated woods is for the purpose of stability when it comes to necks, multi-piece bodies aren't inferior to one piece bodies. It's a production line, and they're not going to separate body woods on that level for the sake of a cosmetic feature that you literally will not look at unless you look at your guitars instead of playing them. My HT6 is a one piece body and the 7 is a 2 piece body.

As far as the neck, it's a signature and it's not your preference or mine but the person who designed it. Wenge/Rosewood/Flame Maple/etc are all fine and dandy for guys like me who record more than they're out performing. And those might look cool, but try touring with exotic woods and let us know how that turns out for you. I have never had to adjust my truss rod, save for a string gauge change to keep the neck relief set the same way it was with heavier strings. The stability of a one piece maple neck has been proven time and time again.

Aristides is fantastic as well, some of the best guitars ever and great people. You'll enjoy your 070 when you get it. If there's anything to complain about it's the lack of quality tops coming out, and while looking for an Amber HT6 with a nice top it's hard to want to fork over the cash for something that looks like this

EDIT: There's actually some really nice ones on Reverb, but I'd hate to buy blind and end up with a guitar that looked like that when all the promotional videos are pushing the model with a top like this

http://imgur.com/a/y6g73

100% agree. I think it's a little ridiculous how much these tops vary. I've seen some amazing ones, and some awful ones. Must not be much quality control over at Jackson.

This top..... This guitar needs to be sent back to Jackson.

https://reverb.com/item/2111454-jackson-usa-misha-mansoor-juggernaut-ht6-electric-guitar

 

[Passtheapathy]

100% agree. I think it's a little ridiculous how much these tops vary. I've seen some amazing ones, and some awful ones. Must not be much quality control over at Jackson.

This top..... This guitar needs to be sent back to Jackson.

https://reverb.com/item/2111454-jackson-usa-misha-mansoor-juggernaut-ht6-electric-guitar

Oh gosh. I've quickly browsed the pictures of that one before and I was convinced that it must have been some bad photos. Looking a little closer, though...it's hideous. That guitar is a B-stock item that should be sold at a large discount.

 

[toiletstand]

i dunno id definitely like to see that one under better lighting.i notice the contrast on the top is a little lighter/different on the laguna burst models

 

[Mraz]

Too expensive imo.. Sadly, otherwise would have gotten it.. Now I rather get a custom kiesel DC7X

 

[narad]

i dunno id definitely like to see that one under better lighting.i notice the contrast on the top is a little lighter/different on the laguna burst models

They're not double-stained. It still doesn't account for a top looking like crap from 4 different angles.

 

[katsumura78]

The tops are very hit and miss. I went through two Laguna bursts before I just said screw it and grabbed a matte blue frost. The basswood sounded better to me so it was worth all the trouble returning a couple guitars.

 

[kabz]

The tops are very hit and miss. I went through two Laguna bursts before I just said screw it and grabbed a matte blue frost. The basswood sounded better to me so it was worth all the trouble returning a couple guitars.

Dude, yes.

I've played this guitar on 5 different occasions, and the time I played the matte black basswood model, it felt much better in regards to construction, and the sound was more defined, and fuller.

I still think it's wayyy overpriced, and given how much Misha has bounced around in the past with his signature models, I can totally see him get a signature model with a different company (imagine if he chose Kiesel )

But I'm sure bulb is gonna be loyal to Jackson for now because it seems like despite the price, they are selling just fine.

 

[SnowfaLL]

Dude, yes.

I've played this guitar on 5 different occasions, and the time I played the matte black basswood model, it felt much better in regards to construction, and the sound was more defined, and fuller.

I still think it's wayyy overpriced, and given how much Misha has bounced around in the past with his signature models, I can totally see him get a signature model with a different company (imagine if he chose Kiesel )

But I'm sure bulb is gonna be loyal to Jackson for now because it seems like despite the price, they are selling just fine.

The Misha love + the Kiesel hate would make SS.org implode