Looking for advice on upgrading a Jackson Warrior

GhostPuncher

GhostPuncher

New member
I've been eyeballing the Jackson warrior and would really like to get one. The JS series has basic hardware and Jackson pups. The X series has better hardware and EMGs. The custom series is just a couple grand more than I'm willing to spend. I would replace the pups with Duncan passives on both the JS or the X series. I guess I'm wondering what the body quality would be on the JS vs the X because I feel as though I could just upgrade the JS and get all the hardware that I want at a lower base price. Thanks for any replies.
 
Re: Looking for advice on upgrading a Jackson Warrior

Historically, Jackson has put more money into better wood and fretwork for their imports than most other companies, but have used the cheapest hardware and electronics. These are easily replaced, though, and can turn even the JS series into a serious gigging instrument. I've owned just about ever model and range of Jackson import over the years, and Warriors are my favorite so I'm a little more critical of any flaws in those than say a Rhoads or a Dinky.

I've not had a bad import Warrior. I've upgraded many of them to Floyds and Duncans, and they're excellent players, as long as you know how to do a proper setup. However, because they are mass-produced in a high-volume facility, you may run across one where the frets are not so great, or the bridge is misaligned, or where the neck was bolted in crooked. These things happen to every brand at that price. However, if you find one where all those are good, the rest is easily corrected.

I'd say start with the JS and upgrade as you go, starting with the pickups and pots. The bridge will last a couple of years at least with heavy Steve Vai-style abuse, and can be swapped for an OFR.
 
Re: Looking for advice on upgrading a Jackson Warrior

If you are going to choose between these two, I would get the cheaper option if you are going to gut the electronics anyway. Play both and see what plays better, and live with the stock electronics for a few weeks, so you know what problems you want to solve with the new pickups. Let us know how it turns out.
 
Re: Looking for advice on upgrading a Jackson Warrior

Thanks for the reply. You both mirror my thoughts. The first guitar I bought as a kid was a used BC stealth with a Kahler trem.
Of course I ruined it due to things better not remembered. I like the sharpness of the Warrior better than the stealth or Xiphos. I played one at a local shop and it was suprisingly well balanced and light. I'm going to wait and see if Jackson drops some new colors for 2016 before I start. Thanks again.
 
Re: Looking for advice on upgrading a Jackson Warrior

Probably won't add new colors for 2016 to the Warriors, unless someone invents something more black than black. The white bevels thing from a couple of years ago was the only new thing I've seen them add to the imports in recent memory, other than the all-white JS32. Need to get myself one of those and put a DK2M neck on it :D

They did add the Army Drab to the neckthrough reverse-head import WR, but I'm not fond of the rosewood board or the reverse head. Not looking to drop $700 on a neckthrough Warrior with a rosewood board, when for a few dollars more you can get still a KV import with a nice black ebony board.


For some reason, the import Warrior is still the left-handed red-headed step-child. No maple boards with black fins, no 7-string, no SLS head option, and a weak selection of colors. No gunmetal grey, Army Drab (either one a perfect base for a Warbird/Bolted Steel/WWII airplane graphic) only on the one model, Floyded version doesn't have a natural finish option. It's like they're trying too hard to get the Metal players who have already moved on to 7, 8, and 9-string Strat-shapes.
But as long as I can buy spare parts off Ebay, I can make (and have made several of) my own mutts. So far I've got 2 black, 1 metallic black, a metallic blue, a trans red flametop, and a slime green sparkly refin.
 
Re: Looking for advice on upgrading a Jackson Warrior

Yep. No new colors. The neck swap is a good idea. I'd want to keep the fins with ebony. I'd like to go white and swap those nasty zebras for some Duncan's ASAP and then hardware along the way. I went Schecter with a sustainiac over the X army drab warrior all because of that volume knob. It's only on that green model too. I just have this craving for a warrior that I'm having trouble shaking off.
 
Re: Looking for advice on upgrading a Jackson Warrior

You should see what i did to $beers jackson warrior. I turned it all skelter.
 
Re: Looking for advice on upgrading a Jackson Warrior

If you've got pics I'd love to see it. I got the warrior. It's got a few issues. String alignment seems to be the worst of it and it's not too bad. I'll try a neck adjust. For being the low end, I like it better than the Schecter. It must be the neck. It's really comfortable too. No lean and it doesn't break my back. The hardest part I think will be choosing pups. The JB/59 is perfect in my Ibanez. Im considering the black winters but I'm afraid of too much output and loss of low end. I think I'm trying to reproduce the stealth.
 
Re: Looking for advice on upgrading a Jackson Warrior

Warriors like the PATB 1 or 2, and either a 59 in the neck or a JB in the neck wired for series/parallel switching (series for crunch, parallel for cleans).
 
Re: Looking for advice on upgrading a Jackson Warrior

I played a new JS32T Rhoads a while back and it's miles ahead of the old JS32 guitars that the stores used to stock. The neck felt so much better. The new ones have the "speed neck" profile and binding. To me that's one of the most important aspects of the guitar. You can always change the pickups and hardware. But even the pickups on the new one didn't sound bad. I wouldn't feel like I had to immediately swap them out. Now I'm thinking about getting one of the JS32T king Vs.
 
Re: Looking for advice on upgrading a Jackson Warrior

Yeah, the pups aren't that bad, but after playing it almost non stop since getting it, I'm missing the clarity when I play my favorite chords. The 9s it came with made it sound super crispy and the 10s I put on make a serious case for new pups. I'd say if some one just played simple rhythm and palm mutes they'd be fine. The JS series is a decent affordable beginner but looked at closely reveals its flaws. I knew that going in and had every intention of beefing it up. I'll consider it a learning experience that could potentially leave me looking through a hole in my pocket. But I kind of think it will be worth it.
 
Re: Looking for advice on upgrading a Jackson Warrior

I pulled the trigger on the Ferrari red King V. It should be here around next friday. I agree with you, I'll probably sink some money into it, but I think it will be worth it. Pickups will be the first thing to get replaced. I've got a pearly gates for the neck, just gotta decide on a bridge pup. I want something high output with nice bass and midrange response without the high end cutting my head off. I was thinking maybe a Black Winter or a Custom. Sounds like the Invader would work, but it's hard to get over the ugly oversized screws.
 
Re: Looking for advice on upgrading a Jackson Warrior

I had nothing but good things about the custom and BW. The invader seems to be 50/50 but from the description I wouldn't consider it. I'm gonna keep the custom in mind for a BC rich Bich that's been collecting dust, but I like the Warrior so much I want it to be my go to at home. I'm pretty sure I'm going with BW. It definitely needs a new volume knob. There's slight noise at about 3/4 up. A red v sounds nice. I picture it with a mirrored pick guard.
 
Re: Looking for advice on upgrading a Jackson Warrior

I dig the old school thrash sounds these JS dish out. With a little OD pedal and EQ tweek I got some old Laaz Rocket tones.
I'm no a fan of playing Rhoades or Vs but looking at them make me want one. Let me know how it feels, as in lean. I'm sure it's light. That BC rich I've got leans like my kids hanging on it. All black on that Ferrari red would look sweet. Btw I think the invader screws look mean. I wouldn't mind them in the BWs.
 
Re: Looking for advice on upgrading a Jackson Warrior

New vol pot, FRS, SD black winters, brass block, intonized, and sounding like a totally different guitar. It's so crispy and clear. So fun to play. You can feel the weight difference but it still isn't as heavy as a Schecter. It's so metal. There seems to be a great mix of high and mid to make those notes cut through. The low end is tight. It took an hour to get used to it and tweak my gear. Now it needs its own amp. image.jpg
 
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