NGD: Jackson Mania

vel0c1ty

vel0c1ty

New member
I just picked up this black SLX on Craigslist today, and I absolutely love it. Got it for $300, seller was very amenable, put up with my constant emailing and badgering, overall very satisfied. But I noticed that it doesn't have a serial number. Is this a known issue? Also, it came with a Full Shred neck, but only one coil has hex screws, rather than the both coils I see on the website. Are these things something to worry about?

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Re: NGD: Jackson Mania

vel0c1ty said:
I just picked up this black SLX on Craigslist today, and I absolutely love it. Got it for $300, seller was very amenable, put up with my constant emailing and badgering, overall very satisfied. But I noticed that it doesn't have a serial number. Is this a known issue? Also, it came with a Full Shred neck, but only one coil has hex screws, rather than the both coils I see on the website. Are these things something to worry about?

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Click to expand...

On Jackson neck-thrus, the serial number is frequently stamped into the end of the fingerboard. Also, if that pickup has a row of hex screws and a row of fillister screws, it's probably a Screamin' Demon rather than a Full Shred. It's primarily a bridge pickup, but a few have been known to use it in the neck position instead.

Edit: From a bit of research it seems that the serial number on SLXs is usually on the back of the headstock.
 
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Are you sure it's a Full Shred neck? One row of hex and one row of fillisters is stock on the Screamin' Demon, unless the previous owner modified the Full Shred.

And, yeah, PICS!!!
 
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As usual we're all "jumping the gun" here and should be waiting for pics.!!! LOL!!!

Being a die hard Jackson fan: I took a look on Jackson's website.

To me it seems that SLX models are shipped with "Duncan Designed Distortion" pickups not???

Whatever the case: nice. Basswood body??? Nice. In my humble opinion possibly nicer than Alder.

P.S.

If you're gonna change pickups: INVADER!!! LOL!!!
 
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Sorry guys, I'll get pics in later today. It's just that my phone camera sucks lol. But yeah, the serial number is supposed to be on the back of the headstock. And the Screamin' Demon in the neck is the most plausible explanation, I never knew that a bridge pickup in the neck position would sound that good!

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Re: NGD: Jackson Mania

Oh yeah, it's already got an Invader in the bridge. It sounds really good both clean and distorted.
 
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Sorry for the crap picture quality.

As you see, no serial number.... But I'm happy with it! The gloss neck is surprisingly tolerable, for me, who usually can't stand them. (The LTD Les Paul copies are another exception.)

I noticed the trem posts have pressed into the wood forwards, deforming it, which sucks. Any fixes?

I also noticed while setting it up that when I get it to the action that I like, there's quite a bit of buzzing compared to my other guitars. Is this just a characteristic of neck-thrus?
 
Re: NGD: Jackson Mania

Congrats!! looks like it was modded with coated springs too! No, buzzing isnt a characteristic. its an issue with your set up. Im sorry to say, it could be that since the trem set screws are canted forward, you will prolly have to raise your action to compensate which is prob where your buzz is coming from. if the screws are forward, the strings are lower.. may have to fill and redrill.
 
Re: NGD: Jackson Mania

Silver screws on the logo side, black hex on the other? Yup that's an SH-12 Screamin Demon

How's the neck position sound in that guitar?

Hmmm Floyd Special bridge? Really recent model or replaced, I wonder? Looks like a recent model... and explains the "lack" of serial and made-in info. Check out the rear views of a modern SLX on Sweetwater --- it has a serial and MASSIVE "crafted in china" painted over the top of the finish... previous owner just scrubbed that off
 
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The neck sounds amazing. I would've never thought it was a bridge pickup.

And why would someone scrub the serial off?
 
Re: NGD: Jackson Mania

vel0c1ty said:
The neck sounds amazing. I would've never thought it was a bridge pickup.

And why would someone scrub the serial off?
Click to expand...

It said China in a bigazz font... like readable from a distance bigazz font... on a guitar most people would expect to be Japan or Mexico or even USA I guess?
 
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Would wood glue and toothpicks work fine for filling and redrilling? And what size drill bit would you use for drilling the holes? Thanks.
 
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Makes sense... guess I'm reading too much into it. The build quality is right up there with my USA Fender, though. Thoroughly impressed.
 
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If you want to do it properly, i would use a wooden dowel. That way it will fill completely. tooth picks IMO would be more prone to failure under the pull of the strings and springs.. Tooth picks would be fine for tightening up a hole such as for a strap button.
 
Re: NGD: Jackson Mania

BloodRose said:
If you want to do it properly, i would use a wooden dowel. That way it will fill completely. tooth picks IMO would be more prone to failure under the pull of the strings and springs.. Tooth picks would be fine for tightening up a hole such as for a strap button.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. I may just replace it with a Gotoh, but it's working fine for now.
 
Re: NGD: Jackson Mania

Well FIRST of all: I had to do a double take at a black Jackson, with an Invader, being photographed on that wooden coating type floor adjacent to white tiles!!! I kid you not: I have the IDENTICAL floors in the joint where I am currently (nearly went to the trouble of putting my black Jackson in the identical position on the floor and taking a pic.!!! LOL!!!). Hate them (the floors that is). Whatever happened to good 'ol carpets!!! LOL!!! (I'm renting obviously!!! LOL!!!).

Moving on (from the floors!!!).

Bear in mind something before tearing the thing apart:

Jackson guitars (mine anyway) have some type of metal cover that's screwed into the body, underneath the Floyd, and that spans from the one trem. post to the other. In short: the trem. posts can only move SO far and no further as it is keeping them in even if they've worked loose. They'll never come out that's for sure (assuming the presence of this cover on yours of course). Somewhere around these parts there is indeed a pic. of this cover (will try find it for ya). If it were me and for what it's worth: I'd try the wood glue/superglue/toothpicks/matchsticks/sawdust (take your pick) method(s) first as I don't think that, because of this cover, the trem. posts are under too much stress as they're not left to cope on their own.

Other thing you MAY want to check is if the trem. post screws are indeed the right ones i.e. I had an issue when changing trem. post screws on one of my Jackons (from Jackson stock to FR Special Series). I used the new FR Special Series trem. post screws but without changing the trem. posts themselves. Even although the threads are the same and there was no problem there: it appeared as though the FR Special Series trem. post screws had some slight play in them when in the Jackson trem. posts and I could see that they were slightly skew. Long story but I put all the stock Jackson hardware back onto this guitar and the problem disappeared (as did some other problems with the FR Special Series).

As to why no serial number: I cannot help. All my Jacksons (now and before) have (had) bolt on necks and the serial numbers are on the neckplates which doesn't help you of course.

But suffice to say: YEH!!! That is one LOVELY guitar!!! (As I suspected would be the case by the way!!! LOL!!!).

Oh: and if you REALLY don't like the gloss/smooth neck then just have it sprayed i.e. my Jackons have all had some type of satin spray/finish applied to the back of the necks (no idea what it is as both were done by a Luthier).
 
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Lol, you should post that pic of the black Jackson and the two floors so I can see how both pictures match up! Coincidentally, I'm also renting too.

About the metal cover: I took out the FR Special to lube the knife edges (invaluable trick btw), and I didn't see a metal cover/plate, sadly. So it's just the two posts by themselves, explaining why the angle of which they have crept up to is getting a bit extreme. Oh well. All it's affecting is intonation (which I've already compensated for).

And for the screws, the SLX ships with the FR Special from the factory, so if that is the case, the previous owner must've screwed around with it prior to the exchange (pun intended). I'll take a look next time I change the strings.

So, the most likely explanation for the missing serial number is the scrubbing it off by the previous owner as Adieu suggested. Sucks that the folks at the factory just stamp it over the finish.

I've warmed up to the gloss neck, and realized that it's just different to a satin neck or oiled neck, not inferior or superior.

Now I can see why you have such an obsession with Jacksons, cause the craftsmanship that goes into every one of these is stellar. I just finished applying a tung oil finish to the neck of my Jackson PS-2 and I'm liking it a lot more. It definitely needed some fixing, lol. I suspect there will be many more Jacksons to come!
 
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Here you go (for a laugh!!! LOL!!!):

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Only good thing about these floors: this is a huge open plan space with no carpets and very little furniture. I have a crappy Samsung soundbar in the lounge and it sounds HUMONGOUS in this space i.e. natural reverb is out of this world!!! LOL!!! Other than that: they're cold and everything and everybody slips on the darn things!!! LOL!!!

Here's a pic. of the plates I was talking about (below). Apparently they're called something like "tremelo bridge plate" or something???

32pcs-New-Chrome-Metal-Electric-Guitar-Double-Tremolo-Bridge-Plate-Studs-Anchor-Insert.jpg_640x6.jpg

Here's a link also: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4-Floyd-Rose-Electric-Guitar-Tremolo-Bridge-Studs-Anchor-Inserts-replacement/32485378028.html.

The link is only for reference purposes i.e. I'm sure there's other more popular and reliable places to purchase from.

I think they may have been added as standard from a certain year though (my two current Jacksons were bought during 2017).

Those FR Specials I don't like. Posted about this before. Matter of fact I think you answered me on that same thread. Long story short: if these stock Jackson things ever pack up then it's FR ORIGINAL Series all the way. And I can tell you it'll be well worth it on YOUR Jackson i.e. that's certainly a more expensive model than my Jacksons.

Matter of interest: what are you lubricating the posts with and why???
 
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