dissapointed in a Jackson

[mixmkr]

went to a store today to try a Jackson Dinky reverse... all ready to get it if I liked it. I REALLY wanted to like it, as I am wanting a nice shred guitar. I didn't like it at all... the finish, the neck feel, the goofy looking bridge/trem setup, the pickup mounting with wires showing, the tuners... just about everything about it, I didn't care for. Now..that said, there were no $1500 Jacksons in the store, as this was a <$500 guitar.

However, on the other end of things, I played an Ibanez Artcore 335 clone, the thing played like a dream, and looked FANTASTIC. The action was a tad low and the strings wanted to rattle around a bit, but the neck was nice and straight, not twisty or anything, and I am sure with raising the action an 'oopfh', it would be fine. I LOVED this guitar, and probably was a mistake not to get it.

Went to get a Jackson, and almost got a hollowbody Artcore.
Someone help me!!

 

[ibanezrocks]

The artcores are beautiful in every way imaginable for that price, I refuse to believe theres a better guitar for 300 dollars out there.

 

[Dave_M]

I'll second the positive comment on the Artcore series. My AF85 is a dream come true. And I'll agree with the comment on Jackson's guitars too. Even there more expensive RR models leave something to be desired.

 

[turnitdown]

The only really good Jacksons are the USA made models... $1100+...
And the older ones.... which were made in the US anyway...

 

[boingoman]

The artcores are beautiful in every way imaginable for that price, I refuse to believe theres a better guitar for 300 dollars out there.

$300? Whoa. Gotta check one out.

 

[Easto]

The only really good Jacksons are the USA made models... $1100+

I think I would have to agree with both of you. I myself was looking at a Jackson as a beater/shreader guitar i.e. something to abuse and have fun with. All of the ones that I tried that were in the sub $700 range felt incredibly awkward. I know this is just a personal preference... I was going on feel but I was not impressed. I did not feel the workmanship was that good either.

 

[woolybooly]

I bought a 90 fusion soloist and 02 SL-1 soloist on eBay, both USA and for less than $850 and they rock. You can not compare a sub $700 new piece of crap Korean made Jackson until you play a real version. Check out eBay for good deals.

 

[gvarko]

If it's a shredder your after....

You must check out a Schecter.. I was set to buy a Jackson as well, but I don't like tremolos. Almost all Jacksons, ESP's and the like have trems. I picked up a Schecter C1 Elite and dropped in the EMG-ZW set and have a PRS quality guitar for less than $700 with the EMG's...

I will comment on the Artcore..

I think they are fine as long as you don't plan to upgrade the pickups. My friend bought one and we slapped some high end Gibson PU's in there and they sounded like crap. We tried Burstbuckers and Classics and both had terrible feedback and sounded nasty. The guitar center tech said that is because there is no center blocking?? Not sure if that's true but my friends has been sitting, gutted like a fish since he bought it..

That's why I call them IveBeenHad...

 

[honedawg]

Ibenhad

I've had my Ibanez proline for 15 years and it still plays excellent. Last year I went on a search to find top end acoustic to replace my Sigma (korean made Martin) I went to numerous places and played Taylors, Gibsons, Takamines, Martins, Fender etc. I had to get over $2500 before I could find one that I liked better than my Sigma. Don't get me wrong they were better wood and detail but their playability and sound didn't put them over the edge for me. My feeling is that you have to get in the high end to really fing a difference. Now I'm looking into Borgeouis, Everett, and Breedlove but there aren't a lot of places to try them in my area.

 

[mrface2112]

i bought a used (but looks, plays and feels brand new) Ibanez AG75 (sunburst) at the local GC for $200 a couple weeks ago. i LOVE that guitar. plays like a dream and it records fantastically. it's a great contrast to my 88 US Tele, and at $200 was as "no brainer" as they get.


cheers,
wade

 

[ibanezrocks]

I will comment on the Artcore..

I think they are fine as long as you don't plan to upgrade the pickups. My friend bought one and we slapped some high end Gibson PU's in there and they sounded like crap. We tried Burstbuckers and Classics and both had terrible feedback and sounded nasty. The guitar center tech said that is because there is no center blocking?? Not sure if that's true but my friends has been sitting, gutted like a fish since he bought it..

That's why I call them IveBeenHad...

I think most hollowbody guitars, even with better designs would feedback if you put in higher output pickups or used a lot of distortion. The lack of center block just means its a hollowbody and not a semi hollowbody, but i could be wrong too, that was just my impression that a hotter pickup would feedback in almost any hollowbody.

As for a good cheap shredding guitar, the jacksons arent that good unless its a high-end one which I agree are better than the ibanez ones at that price, but from my experience all the rg's are great. If you're willing to pay around 500 you can get an ibanez s, which is really thin and comfortable compared to the square sides of an rg, but theyre both good.