Japanese vs USA Jackson Soloists - materials, hardware, etc.

[trapzilla]

Hey folks-

Can anyone provide me input on japanese soloists? I have one in my sights, but not sure what their quality is like... Also price ranges for them.. Any input is greatly appreciated! thanks!
Shawn

[ShredHead42]

* * By Japanese soloists do you mean the SL-4? if so, it's still neck through, has the same duncans as the americans and everything else - except the tremolo. *it's Jackson's lo-profile floyd copy that looks exactly like the Ibanez lo-trs 2. *The price is right around $1000 i think, i could very easily be wrong. *

[trapzilla]

ShredHead42 -

yes, meant the SL4. *thanks... it looks like MusicYo has them for $799. *

Anyone else know about the quality, tho? Thanks!

Shawn

[vwall]

Being a Jackson fan, i highly recommend you run far and fast from anything thats not a usa. you will be lucky to get half what you paid if you try to resell it.
I went thru this jackson thing a few years or so ago only to find that though *i had cool japanese guitars, like *2 kelly's (1 flame top), soloisist, rhodes neck thru V pro, I was having a hard time to sell them.
as far as construction, they are not gonna have the same pick ups as the usa models, not gonna have the same bridge as the usa use Schaller or Floyd and the Jap use Jacksen lic under floyd.
As far as wood goes, the same wood is not used on the Jap model as the usa guitars and the fret boards are not the same quality, if its a jap its likely rosweood where the usa are ebony. furthermore, the electronics and pots are not of the same calibre. Andif it does have shark fin inlays, they are not the mother of pearl but a cheaper plastic version.

Hope this helps.

scott

Heres a pick of my USA custom shop pre production soloist
Jackson USA


(Edited by vwall at 12:42 pm on Sep. 20, 2001)

[trapzilla]

Cool! thanks for saving me some $ !!! appreciate your input!

Shawn

[ripl3y]

Quote: from vwall on 1:11 pm on Sep. 20, 2001
Being a Jackson fan, i highly recommend you run far and fast from anything thats not a usa. you will be lucky to get half what you paid if you try to resell it.

Ouch!
I recently bought a soloist style body made in the U.K. (for £40)
Not exactly to the mm shaped like a USA soloist, but not far, and constructed of higher quality woods than a factory job (IMHO). 4A Flamed top on and Indian Rosewood top and then on a base of Honduras (not Brazillian) Mahogany.

the fret boards are not the same quality, if its a jap its likely rosweood where the usa are ebony.

Well, Rosewood (Brazillian) is now an endagered species and you certainly won't find any fresh cut Rosewood on sale in the market now (it's illegal), non are being cut anymore (thank god) but current supplies must be made use of (Indian is still available and more desireable if you ask me, and not long before it becomes endangered also), so although Ebony has some endearing properties it still really isn't as much a saught after wood than Rosewood.

Mother of Pearl (and more so Abalone) is running short all over the world.
Abalone is in real dire straits at the moment and I'm sure is not far from world wide ban also.

Please try to be eco friendly.
It may sound like I'm some sort of hippy, but I care about our worlds resources and there is plenty of suitable alternatives.

gl

Steve

[vwall]

:thumbsup:

[trapzilla]

Maybe they should destroy all Jem555's , and recycle them into Jem10th's? ;-)

[Jimi D]

Steve's been reading this month's Guitarist...

Anyway, environmental issues notwithstanding, I want an Eerie Dess Soloist BAD!! There's one in a local guitar shop - used - priced at $1800CDN after tax, and that's INSANE! but it's so tempting.... {sigh}

[trapzilla]

what do you guys think of this one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI...tem=1463486779

[bduersch]

I have a transparent blue SLS (like the one in the e-bay auction) and I absolutely love it. The tone is great. I have the original pickups in mine, which are a SD Jazz and a SD Pearly Gates. The Jazz is very smooth, the Pearly Gates brings decent chunk, and in between is pretty useful, too.

My only two gripes about the guitar are that it has a finished neck and that it only has 22 frets, but neither of those are show-stoppers. It's worth it to have a fixed-bridge guitar around the house.

I think the guy in the auction was asking a little much for his. I nabbed mine in near mint condition for about $700 on e-bay.

--B

[trapzilla]

Cool, thanks for the input.. Now, how does a soloist compare to an ESP M1? I think the M1's (at least some..??) are neck thru - but most have a floyd on them... any input on the M1? thanks again!!!Shawn

[vwall]

And this too was a fav guitar of mine. I was a HUGE ESP player too.
I have had almost all the Lynch models as well as a few m1 and M2 guitars. I also had a Mirage deluxe.
I personally loved the ESP's but they lack tone quality and that's why I no longer play them. I still kept a pre production lynch though
If you are looking for an ESP, I suggest a neck thru arch top horizon early 90's model or a mirage deluxe from the same era, make sure they have 24 frets though, if you get an 80's model, the trem cav., is not gonna be routed out and your Floyd will be the cheap top mount one. If its between the Jackson usa soloist and an ESP, go with the Jackson... remember the ESP started out as a replacement parts guitar company where Jackson has been quality forever (USA line only)

[ShredHead42]

Quote: from vwall on 1:11 pm on Sep. 20, 2001

as far as construction, they are not gonna have the same pick ups as the usa models, not gonna have the same bridge as the usa use Schaller or Floyd and the Jap use Jacksen lic under floyd.
As far as wood goes, the same wood is not used on the Jap model as the usa guitars and the fret boards are not the same quality, if its a jap its likely rosweood where the usa are ebony. furthermore, the electronics and pots are not of the same calibre. Andif it does have shark fin inlays, they are not the mother of pearl but a cheaper plastic version.

Actually the pickups are the same. *The body is Alder with a neck thru maple neck. *It has a rosewood fingerboard. *It's only 22 frets though. *Here's a link that has the spec's: http://www.jacksonguitars.com/Soloist/SL4VB.html

[vwall]

good info!
Last i looked... and was prolly a few years or more ago, the usa model p/ups were different than the mij and mik models..

good heads up