Needing opinions of the JS1600

NIKRthelegend · #1 08-26-2009, 08:48 PM

Hey guys,

recently I've been thinking about buyin the JS1600. I have a BTB JS1000 and was gonna get a 1200 but I figured since I had the 1000 I didn't really need it. I want the 1600 mainly because it has a fixed bridge and obviously without the floatin trem, it is a LOT easier to set up and get a decent sound of it

The thing is, hardly anywhere has any user reviews of it. I've seen 2 reviews on Harmony Central, and a thread on here about someone owning one (but no opinions of it). So, this goes out to anyone who actually has one...

Is it a decent guitar? Does it actually sustain and hold tone as well as it's advertised as doing? And are the auto-trim locking tuners (planet waves?) any good?

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks much,

Nick

yellowshirtguy · #2 08-26-2009, 10:12 PM

If I were to buy a fixed bridge JS it would be the JS700 or JS2000. 1600 really doesn't appeal to me at all.

spins · #3 08-27-2009, 01:07 AM

i absolutely love mine, great sustain, the tuners are perfect, i have nothing bad to say about the js1600. I also personally love the color and non matching headstock

THEE HAMMER · #4 08-27-2009, 02:25 AM

I've grown to like them alot since i tried my first one. It is simple and tasteful.
It sounds great if you are doing the whole Satch thing, If you are into death metal steer clear though, but through a laney vh100 or a marshall dsl50 these things have some kick.

the tuners are a plus, not only do they do a swell job of holding tune, but the auto trim is a bonus and works well on the guitars i've tried them on.

The only gripe i had was the coil tapping... it didn't sound as good as the tap on my old js1000bp or my strat, it sounded rather hollow. (imo)

Prices on these are really good too.

NIKRthelegend · #5 08-27-2009, 02:33 AM

Ah right yeah

Lol, I ain't too big a fan of the Death Metal scene ahha. I'm very much into rock, especially instrumental stuff such as Satch's work. That's the main reason I bought the 1000.

So, is the tone actually real nice? And how long would ya say it can sustain maximum when set up proper? Cheers guys for help.

NIKRthelegend · #6 08-27-2009, 02:42 AM

Also, anyone who actually has one currently, would it be possible to put a vid up of it on youtube or somethin? Like, a demo?

THEE HAMMER · #7 08-27-2009, 03:01 AM

Tons o sustain. Feels like a hardtail strat tbh.
I was just warning about the death metal thing due to some buyers thinkind dimarzio=doomsday or the fixed bridge is for extreme de-tuning etc.
But for your prog,classic rock, shred, satch, country, bebop, etc. etc. etc. it works.

I'll email up some buddy's who have em and see if they want to stop being shy and post some vids.

NIKRthelegend · #8 08-27-2009, 03:11 AM

Cheers alot mate

I'd really appreciate it

And thanks for all your help x)

smooth55 · #9 08-27-2009, 12:11 PM

I'll throw in my two cents from playing one at Sam Ash a while back. I made a comment about it in another thread but did not really go into much detail. Mine was not set up all that well and I don't think the strings were properly stretched because I did find it going out of tune more than I expected with the planet waves tuners. I've since played it again and had no such problems. It had plenty of sustain and I never felt like notes were cutting off prematurely when I played acoustically, or with an amp. I'll second what someone else said about the feel of a hard tail strat. Tonally, it is different from the other current JS models. I think a lot of this is due to the mahogany body despite the same pickups. I didn't find it having as much mid-range as my JS1200, a somewhat darker voice. I'll leave it up to you to decide if you like it or not, I would probably swap out the pickups for variety's sake anyway. It was definitely heavier than the other JS too, not quite as easy on the shoulder after a while. From an aesthetics perspective, I personally prefer the JS2000 if I was going to pick up a hard tail JS but the finish is nice on the 1600. I wish it had a matching headstock. The wood look is great with a natural or see-thru classic finish but on the silver, I feel like they skimped a little.
Aside from those very selective personal gripes, I thought it was a great guitar and definitely a good option for a hard-tail mahogany to add some tonal variety to your arsenal.

rastachild · #10 08-27-2009, 06:55 PM

i own a js6 and a js1600. the js1600 is basically a 're-issue' of the js6, but with some aesthetic changes (finish, tuners). other than that, these guitars are basically the same. the js6 has a slightly warmer tone, but i'm assuming that's because the guitar is 17 years old and is broken in. that being said, the js6 is the best sounding and playing guitar i own. the js1600 is very close.

regarding the js2000, i would never choose that one over the js1600. mainly because the js2000 is basswood (nothing against it, just not the sound i prefer) and the main reason for a fixed bridge imo is simplicity and ease of string changes. if i wanted to fool with a double locking system, i'd just get a js1000/js1200 and a tremsetter and have my choice of floating or locked.

smooth55 · #11 08-28-2009, 12:12 PM

I agree with you Rastachild, my preference for the 2000 is based mostly on the color, not the bridge style. That being said, how do all the hard-tail JS users get by if they enjoy playing Satch? I realize you don't need a trem to play a lot of his stuff, but there are somethings you just can't do without one.

Magical Muffin · #12 08-28-2009, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THEE HAMMER

I was just warning about the death metal thing due to some buyers thinkind dimarzio=doomsday or the fixed bridge is for extreme de-tuning etc.

If a guitar has a pickup it can do death metal.

djohns74 · #13 08-28-2009, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smooth55

I agree with you Rastachild, my preference for the 2000 is based mostly on the color, not the bridge style. That being said, how do all the hard-tail JS users get by if they enjoy playing Satch? I realize you don't need a trem to play a lot of his stuff, but there are somethings you just can't do without one.

Of course, if you have a JS, even a hard-tail, it doesn't necessarily mean that you have to play Satriani, and if you want to play Satriani, you don't have to use a JS.

rastachild · #14 08-28-2009, 02:51 PM

+1

i love satch, but i don't really play along with his music much anymore. i used to have several floating trem guitars and then realized it just wasn't part of my style and sold them all. although that was before the tremsetters came on the market, so maybe i'll get one in the future just to have around.

NIKRthelegend · #15 08-30-2009, 08:48 AM

Cheers for all the help guys. 2 days after I posted this it turned out my Mum and dad already had bought me one, cos I got real good exam results xD So, now I have one.

I'll be posting a video demo of it on youtube in the next few days, so if you want to see it, search: NIKRthelegend.

The guitar looks and sounds awesome. Headstock actually looks pretty good in real life, tuners are very good, tone and sustain are wicked...

This is one powerful axe and I is lovin it boys! xD Haha