NGD: 1985 Jackson Soloist

[Black Mamba]

Killer guitar. Plays and sounds as good as it looks!

Bigger/higher quality pic here: https://i.ibb.co/wKLmK8p/IMG-0132.jpg

 

[nightsprinter]

Damn bruh how in the hell does that look so mint? Almost 40 years old *long whistle*

 

[kmanick]

Most excellent!!!! Congrats!!!

 

[groverj3]

That is cool as hell.

I want a 1989 as a birth year guitar.

 

[Metal Mortician]

Congratulations!!! 85 IS my birth year guitar! Kahler’s all the way!

 

[HoneyNut]

Wow. That'd be my birthday year as well. What an incredible guitar.

 

[jco5055]

I feel like with mine bring 91, the ideal guitar would have to be an ibby right?

 

[ThomasUV777]

I feel like with mine bring 91, the ideal guitar would have to be an ibby right?

Not persé, 91 Jackson Professional guitars are well worth it

 

[Marked Man]

The world was a better place in 1985.....great guitar!

 

[Shawn]

Very nice score! Looks clean, too. Congrats!

 

[Black Mamba]

Mini review: I've played more in these last few days than I have in quite some time, so I think that pretty much says it all. It's equipped with the original J-100/J-100/J-50 set. I love the J-100 singles: exactly what I want in a Strat-style single coil. The J50 is insane. I know it's cliché to talk about a pickup's 'clarity/articulation', etc... but in all honesty, the note separation on this pickup is incredible. I have no idea why anyone would ever replace these old Jackson pickups, but of course ymmv. Amazing neck, super resonant. Such a killer guitar.

 

[Ben Pinkus]

Awesome find!

 

[jco5055]

What's the neck like? Is it similar to modern jacksons?

 

[AkiraSpectrum]

drop-dead gorgeous!

 

[Black Mamba]

What's the neck like? Is it similar to modern jacksons?

It's a (not overly) thin soft D shape. I tend to focus on pre-1990 Jacksons, so I can't really speak on anything they're doing nowadays, sorry.

 

[gh0styboi]

That is hella cool, man. Really dope guitar. Whoever had it before you clearly took really good care of it. Happy NGD

 

[jco5055]

It's a (not overly) thin soft D shape. I tend to focus on pre-1990 Jacksons, so I can't really speak on anything they're doing nowadays, sorry.

no worries! I'd love to try a couple of 80s jacksons, I think the earliest I've tried was a 1990 or so?

 

[Black Mamba]

That is hella cool, man. Really dope guitar. Whoever had it before you clearly took really good care of it. Happy NGD

Thanks! The back isn't quite as clean as the front, but for as old as it is and being all original with no repairs, I'm definitely lucky to have found it.

no worries! I'd love to try a couple of 80s jacksons, I think the earliest I've tried was a 1990 or so?

All the ones I've owned/played have been awesome. The main reason I seek them out is for the history. Like this one for example is just 22 serial numbers away from Robbin Crosby's second Firebird.

 

[eaeolian]

So, the funny thing is with those Jackson pickups is there's a brief window in '85 where they're quite good, and then they changed something and...they're not after that. Glad you got some of the good ones - although the J-50 is by far they best pickup they made, and I think Grover still makes it as their PAF.

 

[grimmchaos]

Your post made me pull out the '87 Soloist I scooped up a couple years ago. Neck is a little on the thin side for me these days, but man it still plays great.