Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

[Johtosotku]

Re: Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

you can get an MII from Thomann for 1399+shipping... But while Thomann excels on anything cheap, he´s the last place on earth (after a certain notorious dealer in Vegas) that I´d buy a guitar, especially a Jackson.... He charges List price on those and heavily discounts the ESPs because nobody buys them but rather the LTDs with near identical features (ESPs biggest mistake so far, but Jackson made the same one twice),... comparison... There are a lot of places that are cheaper, though, even in Europe AFAIK....

I wouldn´t be caught dead playing an ESP live, and sitting the neck is the biggest difference... between a ´96 901 and an M-II of the same era... as you may know the Standard line was discontinued a few years ago and only recently reissued, so no Idea how they are today

I still find it hard to believe that you can´t find a better price on a USA Jackson, though, I can usually get them here brand new for way less than Thomanns price, even cheaper if I buy stateside and Import it myself

Well, Thomann is the only european company that sells actively to Finland and in finnish language. That's a big plus. Also, I've ordered some little stuff some times from there before and they've always been 100% nice. I've yet to hear a single (!) horror story from Thomann, so please, if you have any, post them! Or send a PM. The ESP wouldn't be bought from Thomann, if I went for it, but the KBRR would be.

The M-II price you see in there is one with german VAT, I think. If you'll check out the finnish version of the site you'll see what they charge us.

The cheapest Jackson and about any other guitar they stock I've seen is at www.guitarbargains.com The problem with that place seems to be that they don't have a large stock of guitars, so the wait time is long, and that no one in Finland has ordered anything from them so their accountability is still in question. I'd have to deal in english with them, my deutsch and francais aren't the best either. That's a negative as well, compared to Thomann. I could get a DK-1 for 1950€, IIRC. Still a huge difference. If you know some cheaper shops, PLEASE tell me! I'd rather get a jackson than an esp, but I have limited money. Ordering from the US feels like even a bigger hazard to me.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

Yep I've checked them all out but guitarbargains, I didn't know about it, maybe they'll have some, thanks!
Edit: ah yeah they have LOADS on guitarbargain... sweeet.

Well, check again, I just checked thomann and music store köln and both have them.

The guitarbargains company feels strange to me, they hardly give any information about themselves. I'd feel odd ordering from them, but they sure do have low prices!

 

[Pierre]

Re: Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

The MII is a common model, I meant those like the Maverick, RVs and from the Edwards line.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

The MII is a common model, I meant those like the Maverick, RVs and from the Edwards line.

Oh, ok. You can always ask from here too, if they'd send you one. I already gave you the link earlier on.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

Yeah I'll check it out, thanks.

 

[Breaking the law]

Re: Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

I think I could get a Jackson cheaper from a distributor in Finland than from Thomann..

EDIT: I checked, it was a special offer.. Thomann is cheaper

 

[Nite_Maresz_25]

Re: Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

Aren't the ESP Signature and Custom Shop guitars made in USA?

and IMO it would be a close call between MIJ jackson and MIJ ESP, but I would have to say jackson is better

 

[Pierre]

Re: Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

Well the thing is, MIJ Jacksons are much cheaper than MIJ ESPs. The only Jackson right now I can think of that's as expensive as the cheapest ESPs would be the SL3, maybe also the SLSMG.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

Aren't the ESP Signature and Custom Shop guitars made in USA?

and IMO it would be a close call between MIJ jackson and MIJ ESP, but I would have to say jackson is better

The Signature and Custom Shop are, as stated many times previously in this thread, located in Japan. The cheaper LTD line factory is located in Korea.

Why do you say that Jackson is better? That is quite a rare opinion, please elaborate, if you can! Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

Well the thing is, MIJ Jacksons are much cheaper than MIJ ESPs. The only Jackson right now I can think of that's as expensive as the cheapest ESPs would be the SL3, maybe also the SLSMG.

Other models I can think of are RR5 and the Kevin Bond RR.

But, a japanese DK2 can be found insanely cheap. IIRC I saw one for 450€ at Thomann.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

Ooops I forgot the RR5 and the KB, true that.
And that's exactly what I meant about the other Japanese Jacksons. They're MUCH cheaper for the most than any ESP models. I don't think they're comparable at least by the price. Quality wise I leave this to Zerb and maybe TO because I'd have no idea.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

Ooops I forgot the RR5 and the KB, true that.
And that's exactly what I meant about the other Japanese Jacksons. They're MUCH cheaper for the most than any ESP models. I don't think they're comparable at least by the price. Quality wise I leave this to Zerb and maybe TO because I'd have no idea.

The most immediately noticable difference however, even between different Jacksons japanese models, is the quality difference in hardware. I just counted that to make DK2 as good hardware-wise as higher priced models it would cost about 400€ extra, without work. So you can take the price difference from there.

My DK2 sounds very nice acoustically and is the lightest guitar I've ever tried. The pickups, pots and jack suck, though, and the bridge and frets won't last for long. In my experience.

All in all, I wouldn't go around shouting them as a bargain. After the fulfilled serious (IMO) need of upgrade they aren't that cheap anymore. I guess that the point is that if you want to buy a cheap and good guitar, you buy two different guitars!

 

[Pierre]

Re: Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

Eh I've never seen Japanese ESP for even 900 unfortunately. The cheapest was at least 1,000, that's a lot of upgrades for a 500 bucks dollar at the origin to bring it that expensive. But it's true about the hardware. Hardware can be upgraded, woods can't. And unfortunately about woods it's hard to tell which use 'the best'.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

Eh I've never seen Japanese ESP for even 900 unfortunately. The cheapest was at least 1,000, that's a lot of upgrades for a 500 bucks dollar at the origin to bring it that expensive. But it's true about the hardware. Hardware can be upgraded, woods can't. And unfortunately about woods it's hard to tell which use 'the best'.

Well, the ESP I posted MAP'd at 1379€ with case. The 900€ DK2 doesn't have a case, so there comes a bit of an extra price as well. The way I counted the the upgrades was 200 for EMG 85/SA/SA set and another for Schaller FR. If you went with SD and an OFR the price would easily be even more, at least 150€ extra if I counted right. So it makes it 1050 less case.

Then you have a japanese lower-level guitar designed as a member of an cheaper line compared to a high-end handmade guitar for a couple of hundred euros more. Max 4, possibly only 2. There really isn't any room for complains anymore then.

 

[D-EJ915]

Re: Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

I've played a ('91..I think, lol..) Maverick before and that guitar was sick! Hehe, it was only 600 us dollars, I should've bought it...dad said too expensive X_X!!

Anyway, it felt quite nice and very natural, a very easy guitar to play. If I could easily get one I'd definetely get one over the "M" shape body.

I just wanted to point out that the MV series is awesome, the one I played was rosewood fingerboard, metallic blue with an ESP single-rail pup and SD (probably JB) and it sounded wicked, had a real floyd too.

@#$^ that guitar was a good deal.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Japanese guitars quality; ESP vs. Jackson

I've played a ('91..I think, lol..) Maverick before and that guitar was sick! Hehe, it was only 600 us dollars, I should've bought it...dad said too expensive X_X!!

Anyway, it felt quite nice and very natural, a very easy guitar to play. If I could easily get one I'd definetely get one over the "M" shape body.

I just wanted to point out that the MV series is awesome, the one I played was rosewood fingerboard, metallic blue with an ESP single-rail pup and SD (probably JB) and it sounded wicked, had a real floyd too.

@#$^ that guitar was a good deal.

Sounds very nice! These days they come in stock with a JB and a Hot rails as a slanted neck sc.

I'm really tempted, I think that I could use an axe with a Floyd Rose installed, my earlier FR axe just passed out and I don't quite have money to repair it. That's a big heads up to the Maverick, I don't think that there are other guitars in that price range with similar attributes. We'll have to see what the final price will be like!

Thanks for your help! If you know anything more, please share.