NGD: Jackson #3!!!

[beaubrummels]

Sorry to hear. My Indonesian SL3X, which is very similar, is lined up perfectly and the fit and finish is just fine to me, though overall the finish feels a bit 'fragile'. Hope the next manufacturer you choose gets you what you want. Are you thinking of going away from the 'big names' and thinking of booteek makers? I'd be interested in what you choose and how it turns out.

[Top-L]

1. Document the issues with all 3 guitars
2. And yes, call them out on socials, and when they get back to you, provide the information with pics
3. Don't settle until they make it right
4. If they don't make it right...take your money elsewhere.
5. This guitar needs to be sent back, too.

I am sorry this happened 3x. There is no excuse for this.

How are they going to make it right? Ive lost probably 30 hours over last two weeks, buying, setting up, documenting, then returning.

I should be happy right now with a new guitar, but i feel deceived. Short of paying my hourly rate for all the lost time and frustration, there is not much they can do.

If they are passing junk guitars from some chinese factory onto consumers, without even a qc check, i will never buy another of their guitars.

[Top-L]

Sorry to hear. My Indonesian SL3X, which is very similar, is lined up perfectly and the fit and finish is just fine to me, though overall the finish feels a bit 'fragile'. Hope the next manufacturer you choose gets you what you want. Are you thinking of going away from the 'big names' and thinking of booteek makers? I'd be interested in what you choose and how it turns out.

I have no idea. The whole purpose of buying a new guitar is to de stress and enjoy life. This has had opposite effect.

[Mincer]

Send it back then, lesson learned, and tell your story to anyone considering a MIC Jackson.

[Top-L]

Send it back then, lesson learned, and tell your story to anyone considering a MIC Jackson.

I don't think this is a MIC issue but a Fender issue. They didn't QC the guitars, so they are just sending whatever comes from the factory direct to customers. They had to have known these were bad, or else they would check them and put QC stickers on them like they do in the Sweetwater pics for all of their other guitars.

I really had my mind set on that crackle finish in basswood. The solid/poplar SL3X not as interesting to me.

[GuitarDoc]

Usually "third time's a charm", but in your case not so much. Time to forget about the $900 Jackson and move on to a better product. Lesson learned (the hard way).

[Top-L]

It would be particularly bad "luck" that both SL3X necks were as bad as they were.

That cheap JS34 had a good neck. Years ago I bought a cheap $300 superstrat with a serviceable neck. The last two LTDs I bought have excellent necks.

Law of averages suggests that every once in a while they will produce a bad neck, but QC will filter those out. They put a QC sticker on all the good ones and sell them at retail. That I got two particularly bad necks without an "inspected by" sticker suggests to me that these failed inspection, but Fender decided to push them out anyway. If you look at the pics on sweetwater, you will see that all the pictured SL3X have the stickers.

[Top-L]

Each guitar was from a different retailer and both showed a shipping label on the box that they came from Fender warehouse. So these are a bad allotment of D-stock (or worse) guitars that Fender decided to sell as new.

I might try my luck with one of the indonesian ones, but their construction methods are suspect. I might as well spend a little more for a Korean LTD or Ibanez.

I really wanted a blue guitar and I loved the crackle finish. What a shame.

[Rex_Rocker]

Not sure if it's a MIC Fender problem, but 3 out of 3 is a ****ing offense.

Not sure if these are made in the same factory as the Classic Vibe stuff. I'd supspect they'd be. That misalingment issue is unexcusable. Sucks to keep giving that guitar chances, and it just keeps disappointing.

[Mincer]

I don't think this is a MIC issue but a Fender issue. They didn't QC the guitars, so they are just sending whatever comes from the factory direct to customers. They had to have known these were bad, or else they would check them and put QC stickers on them like they do in the Sweetwater pics for all of their other guitars.

I really had my mind set on that crackle finish in basswood. The solid/poplar SL3X not as interesting to me.

Could be, but I haven't seen any Fenders (no matter where they are built) with these sorts of issues. Maybe purely Jackson? The Charvels I've played have been wonderful.

[Phantasmagoria]

I'm inclined to agree with the OP that these are probably rejects being passed off as new which is a shame...and kinda unscrupulous...