Which should I buy!

[TrutheYashikawa]

Basically I want a flying V

I've been looking at
Jackson King V KV2 £2.9k
jackson corey beaulieu kV6 £2.9k

I'm leaning towards the KV6 because I prefer the body....but I wouldn't mind having either one.

Now my mate reckons Jacksons are poorly made :/ and he recommends
ESP E-11 Arrow £2.1k

and I quote he reckons the ESP wipes the floor over the Jacksons.

Is there any truth to this? Apparently Jacksons are now days poorly made?

Thanks

[Mincer]

Re: Which should I buy!

Well, at those prices, either guitar will be well made. It would be worth going to find these in stores to play first.

[NegativeEase]

Re: Which should I buy!

Jeez, you shouldn't have ANY issues spending that money.

General rule of thumb (for solid body guitars)

In my experience with guitars and comparing what it cost to bring a top sounding instrument to market -after about 1200-1500 bucks your guitar is not going to sound any better with increased cost, only more appointments and aesthetics added.

there may be slight sonic differences with exotics added etc -but no appreciable tonal advantages -just very slight preference/opinion differences.

[The_Junior]

Re: Which should I buy!

Aesthetically, I would lean toward a King v. An older used one if you can pinpoint any production years of the best rep.

[weepingminotaur]

Re: Which should I buy!

What Mincer and NegativeEase said. Get out there and try those guitars yourself. Higher than $1500, you're paying for appointments and aesthetics, not better sound.

[orpheo]

Re: Which should I buy!

Not exactly true. Over that amount, more care should have been put into wood selection to prevent warping, to improve the overall quality and consistency. And most importantly... Better fretwork and attention to details at higher pricepoints. That means, nuts that are cut better,nuts that seat better in their slot, fret ends that all look exactly the same, no gouges out of the fretboard edge where someone slipped his file because he's in a hurry, more care into the buffing and finish.

[NegativeEase]

Re: Which should I buy!

Not exactly true. Over that amount, more care should have been put into wood selection to prevent warping, to improve the overall quality and consistency. And most importantly... Better fretwork and attention to details at higher pricepoints. That means, nuts that are cut better,nuts that seat better in their slot, fret ends that all look exactly the same, no gouges out of the fretboard edge where someone slipped his file because he's in a hurry, more care into the buffing and finish.

Honestly, If you are NOT getting top quality fretwork, nutwork, and buffing and finishing at a 1500.00 price point -you are buying from the wrong guitar makers. it's a guitar that any professional assembly line capable luthier can deliver -it's not rock science.

[TrutheYashikawa]

Re: Which should I buy!

I was going to buy from GAK...I've spoken to them and they said they quality check each item that comes in to their stores so basically they should all be good.

I only started this post because
a) my friend reckons Jacksons are trash....even at those prices
b) his ESP is proper quality

However I've read another post and Zerberus (this super well knowledgeable guy) says Jacksons > ESP!

Forget about the value for money issues...which guitar would you guys buy for the whole metal scene?

I only care about tone.....from what you guys have been saying I should just get the cheaper ESP and maybe replace the pickups if I felt I needed to! Again I'm only pushing this because Zerberus swears by Jackson......so I'm thinking there must be something to his preference.

I've done a little research on youtube and generally speaking the ESP sounds inferior to the KV2! and the KV6 :S

[TrutheYashikawa]

Re: Which should I buy!

Ok Conclusion:

I found the KV2 and KV6 going on ebay second hand for a much better price than the 2.9K they go for.......also I prefer the finish and the pickups to the ESP E-11 Arrow....

Basically I just chose the cheaper one on Ebay because the KV2 and KV6 are mostly identical but with differnet pickups......so I ended up with the KV2......it looks incredible......it sounds just like it looks!

Not knocking the ESP, it was a serious contender but the KV2 just seemed way more value for money for the 2nd hand price i got it for.....you just can't complain it is a LOVELY sounding guitar.......I'm not into the active pickup things so it also saved me some money replacing pickups, I don't mind them, i just find the KV2s are much cleared when they growl on metal tones!

[orpheo]

Re: Which should I buy!

Honestly, If you are NOT getting top quality fretwork, nutwork, and buffing and finishing at a 1500.00 price point -you are buying from the wrong guitar makers. it's a guitar that any professional assembly line capable luthier can deliver -it's not rock science.

Wait, wait wait...

you're educating me on the economics of guitars?

My dear fellow forum member: I make my own guitars; I have my own brand. I also work for the best guitar manufacturer in the Netherlands, one of the top in the world (aristides). Believe me when I say that I know the difference between a 1500, 2500 and 4500 dollar guitar. I know what goes into making each guitar. Because I had to do the calculations myself and figure it out as well.

[TrutheYashikawa]

Re: Which should I buy!

Wait, wait wait...

you're educating me on the economics of guitars?

My dear fellow forum member: I make my own guitars; I have my own brand. I also work for the best guitar manufacturer in the Netherlands, one of the top in the world (aristides). Believe me when I say that I know the difference between a 1500, 2500 and 4500 dollar guitar. I know what goes into making each guitar. Because I had to do the calculations myself and figure it out as well.

Wow thank you very much for making this post I agree with you 100% but when people post stuff like that it makes me doubt myself a little ahaha...

Anyway give me your website I'd love to check out your company!

After I sell my 3 guitars (Fender, Ibanez, EVH Musicman) I will buy one from you! Probably a super strat along the lines of a Jackson SL1 Soloist! As you've probably guessed ill be keeping my KV2 but good news is my Musicman has a lot of interest on EBAY so I hope to sell it very soon! The Ibanez is only cheap but the Fender is like 900-1100 pounds

anway thanks again!

[NegativeEase]

Re: Which should I buy!

Wait, wait wait...

you're educating me on the economics of guitars?

My dear fellow forum member: I make my own guitars; I have my own brand. I also work for the best guitar manufacturer in the Netherlands, one of the top in the world (aristides). Believe me when I say that I know the difference between a 1500, 2500 and 4500 dollar guitar. I know what goes into making each guitar. Because I had to do the calculations myself and figure it out as well.

So you are saying you cannot deliver top quality fretwork, nutwork, and buffing and finishing at 1500.00 USD price point? -these are the 4 factors I cited.

-sure there is always a difference in detail as cost elevate as you point out and I don't question your expertise and pain -but bringing a properly finished guitar to market can end where more luxury appointments pick up and keep increasing costs and without knowing what features and appointments are in your base model -your criticism makes no sense My comment is what should be expected in the marketplace right now -as I can get a top quality guitar for 1500 new in US or in Asia -and apparently not in Europe as you say -and I believe you

as that would help explain why there are hardly an European manufacturers in Guitar stores in Amsterdam (save mostly old Framus, some Czech guitars and Irish Loudin acoustics and some NL Suhrs Strat copies) . I was just there in September -went to dozens of shops.... I wish these shops weren't so American and Asian centric honestly.

I tired my best to purchase a Netherlands made guitar while there, so I'd wish I'd communicated with you earlier -I'm back in Europe this spring and will look again in Amsterdam and would love some recommendations -I own no European made guitars and was looking for something special.

[NegativeEase]

Re: Which should I buy!

Wait, wait wait...

you're educating me on the economics of guitars?

My dear fellow forum member: I make my own guitars; I have my own brand. I also work for the best guitar manufacturer in the Netherlands, one of the top in the world (aristides). Believe me when I say that I know the difference between a 1500, 2500 and 4500 dollar guitar. I know what goes into making each guitar. Because I had to do the calculations myself and figure it out as well.

Without knowing the base features of the guitars he is referring to -his comment is irrelevant -but I do not question the validity of his comment in his market.

If he is making a feature rich base model with prestige appointments -of course his cost to bring a quality guitar to market will escalate outside of my basic comment.

Also, he is in Europe -so labor, tax and market differences he could better explain as challenges of course.

I'm stoked to hear about a guitar maker in Netherlands -as every shop I went into kept saying there's not much outside of individual boutique mfgs happening in Europe that they can sell.

[TrutheYashikawa]

Re: Which should I buy!

Not looking to argue with you buddy, I know for a fact there are SUPERB guitars out there that are value for money, but you gotta remember there are also expensive ones like classic Fenders and Gibsons that go well into the thousands and they are considered LEGENDARY.......at my local guitar shop we have a http://www.edgwaremusic.com/petermaxbaranet.html this is going for 20-35000 I can't remember exactly, but you're getting prestine wood+finish with incredible pickups that really drive the sound!

So to say there isn't a big difference or there shouldn't be, is SOMEWHAT erroneous!

Most people end to buy their SERIOUS guitar when they reach a certain level of playing quality and they tend to go for classic fender strats 5000+++

Again doesn't mean you can't compare a reasonable one with an expensive...I'm just stating a few facts!

[nexion218]

Re: Which should I buy!

I'd like to hear what makes a 3k USD USA Jackson trash... It really sounds like a seriuos case of brand preference and it is quite irresponsible to give advice based on personal preference instead of objective opinions...

The thing is that in my experience, 1000-1500 USD won't get you perfect fretwork, finish etc on production line guitars. Thats the hard reality. As I see it, sub 1000 USD you get decent build quality, so-so wood, 2nd tier PUPs and subpar hardware and the total lack of quality control. For 1000-1500 you get the fancy PUPs, decent to great woods, decent to great hardware and still questionable QC. Another grand or so gives you the QC and finishing touches. As a consumer, I do not feel that the fret polishing and setup I had to do on my Pro Series King V would've been worth 2000 USD to have it perfect right out of the box. Besides the KV2 has medium jumbo frets, which I do not like. Below 1000 USD the guitars that went through my hands needed some serious attention or even some hardware upgrade to make them playable. Above the 1k mark it was just setup and some finishing touches... Sure, I'd like to have an axe laying around with a MADE IN USA line on the headstock, but most every companies are asking stupid money for it.