# Jackson custom shop experiences?



## teamSKDM (Aug 10, 2019)

hey guys I just wanted to know if anyone has had more recent experiences placing orders and reciving guitars within the last 2-3 years with the jackson custom shop. recently I won some money from an accident lawsuit and my favorite guitar ive ever played was a jackson sl2h , my only gripe being i wish it had 2 more strings. now with this lawsuit settling essentially Im interested in ordering an sl2h 8 string with 28" scale stainless frets and regular sl2h stuff like binding , sharkfins, floyd rose, metallic black paint. Is there any reason jackson would reject this build? what could I expect in terms of what to pay , how long to wait , and how interactive jackson will be along the whole process? really want an idea of how things have been recently since most information is older.


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## iamaom (Aug 10, 2019)

Just make sure to specify 24 frets and not 23.


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## teamSKDM (Aug 10, 2019)

iamaom said:


> Just make sure to specify 24 frets and not 23.


 oh god dont tell me this happenned to somebody


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## spudmunkey (Aug 10, 2019)

Yes, but I think the delivery of it was in 2013. Don't take that as a defense...only pointing out that it was outside of your window.


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## Bdtunn (Aug 10, 2019)

I got a custom shop rr-1 through a dealer. It was just under a yeAr. It’s hands down the best guitar I’ve ever owned (and I’ve had a BUNCH!). I also have a kelly on order through the custom shop as well. Build time is around 13 months + from what I was told.


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## cip 123 (Aug 10, 2019)

iamaom said:


> Just make sure to specify 24 frets and not 23.


Definitely make sure you don't accidentally specify 25 frets.


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 10, 2019)

Choice of dealer is important. 

Go with someone who handles a lot of CS (not just Select) Jackson stuff. They'll be able to handle your questions and concern much faster, easier, and more accurately. Don't try to safe a few bucks going with an inexperienced shop, especially with a build like this. 

I highly recommend Matt's Music. 

As for price, you're probably looking at at least $6k, as anything above 6 strings is automatically a Masterbuilt vs. Select.


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## xzacx (Aug 10, 2019)

^adding to that, you should also know they haven’t been taking Masterbuilt orders in a couple years, so your chances of finding a dealer who can actually get one done is...maybe not impossible—some dealers seem to have a little leeway on what they can push through—but let’s call it improbable. On the bright side, if you happen to like B8s, they tend to go super cheap on the used market.


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## Adieu (Aug 10, 2019)

iamaom said:


> Just make sure to specify 24 frets and not 23.



What's so wrong with that?

No one ever sh!ts bricks at 21, 22, and 24.... why not 23?!?


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## spudmunkey (Aug 10, 2019)

It is a joke referencing someone's order for a custom 24 fret Jackson, and Jackson built him one with 23 by mistake.


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## Vyn (Aug 10, 2019)

As @MaxOfMetal pointed out, Masterbuilt orders are closed to pretty much everyone at the moment. @zimbloth might be able to swing something, he gets ridiculous shit in on a regular basis.


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## iamaom (Aug 11, 2019)

teamSKDM said:


> oh god dont tell me this happenned to somebody


https://www.sevenstring.org/threads/ngd-jackson-custom-shop.251619/page-2#post-3763595


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## cardinal (Aug 11, 2019)

At least as of last year, Jackson would not accept a Masterbuild order from any dealer I contacted (and it was all of them as far as I know).

An 8 string automatically means Masterbuild.

So unless things have changed at their shop, there simply is no amount of money that can get you an 8-string custom shop Jackson. They are building only for endorses artists. Which is extremely irritating. They built some hideous 7-strings for the last NAMM show but wouldn't make me a 7-string Dinky or Soloist etc. I didn't even bother to ask about an 8-string and just ordered from Schecter instead. 

I hope I'm wrong! Matt's Music and the Music Zoo are great. I'd start by contacting them.


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## vick1000 (Aug 11, 2019)

Call Sweetwater.


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## Vyn (Aug 11, 2019)

cardinal said:


> At least as of last year, Jackson would not accept a Masterbuild order from any dealer I contacted (and it was all of them as far as I know).
> 
> An 8 string automatically means Masterbuild.
> 
> ...



Haha, I had a similar experience, wanted to order a Rhoads 7, they wouldn’t do it. Ended up with a bunch of Ibanez 7s instead


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 11, 2019)

xzacx said:


> ^adding to that, you should also know they haven’t been taking Masterbuilt orders in a couple years, so your chances of finding a dealer who can actually get one done is...maybe not impossible—some dealers seem to have a little leeway on what they can push through—but let’s call it improbable. On the bright side, if you happen to like B8s, they tend to go super cheap on the used market.



Further adding, I tried looking for an "open" Masterbuilt spot. 

Nope. 

The one guy who I was able to talk to directly wanted stupid money for the slot and I got no assurances from Jackson if they'd even re-spec the not even started build. 

The JCS is basically LACS now.


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## StevenC (Aug 12, 2019)

Is it still possible to order a Fender CS? I was under the impression that Jackson CS and Fender CS were essentially the same operation at this point. How come JCS is so overwhelmed and not Fender?


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## JustinRhoads1980 (Aug 12, 2019)

As much as I love jackson, which my love for them will never die,

The jackson custom shop IMO isn't really a custom shop anymore. You want to do a custom shape? Nope or you have to wait 5-6 years for one, and that is if they don't screw it up.

You want a custom neck shape? Nope, you can't do it. You want a custom wood top? You are going to have to go through a super strenuous process which could take months in order to just get a yes or no answer from them.

Plus for what I would want (if they will even do it) it would cost me 5-7k and at that point I could go to a different shop and get what I want with no boundaries for probably that price or for less. It is just the sad state of things.

And to add, they aren't even doing master builds right now. I don't know how serious the backlog is, but to wait 3-4 years for one either makes me think that there are a shit ton of orders, or they just do not have enough workers to supply the demand quick and efficient enough.


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## xzacx (Aug 12, 2019)

StevenC said:


> Is it still possible to order a Fender CS? I was under the impression that Jackson CS and Fender CS were essentially the same operation at this point. *How come JCS is so overwhelmed and not Fender?*



It it's different builders, and a lot less of them making Jacksons. That brings up the question as to why Jackson couldn't get more builders, but maybe that's easier said than done. Regardless, it doesn't seem to be a priority for Fender, which seems weird as there's obviously demand.


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 12, 2019)

StevenC said:


> Is it still possible to order a Fender CS? I was under the impression that Jackson CS and Fender CS were essentially the same operation at this point. How come JCS is so overwhelmed and not Fender?





xzacx said:


> It it's different builders, and a lot less of them making Jacksons. That brings up the question as to why Jackson couldn't get more builders, but maybe that's easier said than done. Regardless, it doesn't seem to be a priority for Fender, which seems weird as there's obviously demand.



There's some pretty longstanding politics within Fender that has kept the individual custom shops (Fender, Jackson, Gretsch, Guild, Benedetto, etc.) functionally separate. 

They have their own facilities, staff, budget, and very, very rarely share any of that outside special collaborations between individual team members. 

FMIC has seen Jackson come and go from the spotlight, so it's probably them being cautious. They also have some pretty stringent hiring rules and hierarchy, understandably, which makes an expansion more complex.


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## StevenC (Aug 12, 2019)

MaxOfMetal said:


> There's some pretty longstanding politics within Fender that has kept the individual custom shops (Fender, Jackson, Gretsch, Guild, Benedetto, etc.) functionally separate.
> 
> They have their own facilities, staff, budget, and very, very rarely share any of that outside special collaborations between individual team members.
> 
> FMIC has seen Jackson come and go from the spotlight, so it's probably them being cautious. They also have some pretty stringent hiring rules and hierarchy, understandably, which makes an expansion more complex.


What's the Benedetto-Fender connection?


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 12, 2019)

StevenC said:


> What's the Benedetto-Fender connection?



Fender has owned the Benedetto guitar brand for years.


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## StevenC (Aug 12, 2019)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Fender has owned the Benedetto guitar brand for years.


Huh, don't know how I didn't know that. Thanks.

EDIT: I guess there was a licensing agreement for a while, but they're independent now.


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 12, 2019)

StevenC said:


> Huh, don't know how I didn't know that. Thanks.
> 
> EDIT: I guess there was a licensing agreement for a while, but they're independent now.



Huh, didn't realize the split was that long ago. How time flies.


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## cardinal (Aug 13, 2019)

Yeah, the Fender shop is run completely separately. They are "custom" and actually are open to orders but have limits. They will NOT build a 7-string. I never bothered to ask if they'd do 8. I assume not but it's possible that the issue specifically is with 7 strings but that seems unlikely.


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## Vyn (Aug 13, 2019)

cardinal said:


> Yeah, the Fender shop is run completely separately. They are "custom" and actually are open to orders but have limits. They will NOT build a 7-string. I never bothered to ask if they'd do 8. I assume not but it's possible that the issue specifically is with 7 strings but that seems unlikely.



Trying to remember if they won't make a 7 string because they just won't or if old man Gregory has the patent for it stitched up too tight.


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## Given To Fly (Aug 13, 2019)

cardinal said:


> Yeah, the Fender shop is run completely separately. They are "custom" and actually are open to orders but have limits. They will NOT build a 7-string. I never bothered to ask if they'd do 8. I assume not but it's possible that the issue specifically is with 7 strings but that seems unlikely.



No 7-strings, but this is fine: https://www.themusiczoo.com/product...i-masterbuilt-dennis-galuszka-3-tone-sunburst


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## JustinRhoads1980 (Aug 13, 2019)

cardinal said:


> They will NOT build a 7-string



You are wrong. They can make you a 7 string, but the problem is you have to go to the masterbuild option for that. And as of now, they are not doing any more masterbuilds until noticed otherwise due to their backlog. The point is they are still custom, but they have limits that are really strict and don't have a lot of wiggle room, therefore i consider it semi-custom


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 14, 2019)

JustinRhoads1980 said:


> You are wrong. They can make you a 7 string, but the problem is you have to go to the masterbuild option for that. And as of now, they are not doing any more masterbuilds until noticed otherwise due to their backlog. The point is they are still custom, but they have limits that are really strict and don't have a lot of wiggle room, therefore i consider it semi-custom



_Fender_ will not do 7-string.


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## JustinRhoads1980 (Aug 14, 2019)

MaxOfMetal said:


> _Fender_ will not do 7-string.




I just reread that. I am really retarded


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## StevenC (Aug 15, 2019)

Vyn said:


> Trying to remember if they won't make a 7 string because they just won't or if old man Gregory has the patent for it stitched up too tight.


As far as I'm aware Gregory's patent expired, but the patent wasn't really of any value. Because you can't patent a guitar with extra an extra string. The reason Fender won't make a 7 string is because Gregory being a prick really soured them on the idea and they are busy enough to say no. 

There are a few other companies that Gregory has tried to sue over what he thinks his intellectual property is, and they are scare tactics to waste your time and money but he never gets anything out of it.


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 15, 2019)

I just don't think it's a high volume enough item for Fender to concern itself with. Their bread and butter players skew "old school", and as already mentioned, they're raking in orders. 

We might see another Squier at some point.


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## StevenC (Aug 15, 2019)

I wonder if things might be different now with Ron Thorn heading the CS stuff for Fender.


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 15, 2019)

StevenC said:


> I wonder if things might be different now with Ron Thorn heading the CS stuff for Fender.



Did he ever make any 7s?


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## StevenC (Aug 15, 2019)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Did he ever make any 7s?


Not sure, but he's certainly worked on a bunch of 7s for Schecter.


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## cardinal (Aug 15, 2019)

StevenC said:


> I wonder if things might be different now with Ron Thorn heading the CS stuff for Fender.



Ron Thorn told me last year, after he joined Fender, that they could not make me a 7-string.

In theory Jackson and Charvel will do it as a Masterbuild (and an 8-string also), except that they haven't been accepting normal-people Masterbuild orders for a long time.

I know that I'm always plugging Schecter and I really don't want to sound like a shill, but I hounded Jackson/Charvel dealers for years trying to get this done and rarely got any response at all, and even when I did finally get responses, it was always "NO." Schecter was completely different. They communicate every well, and they are up for whatever you want as long as it doesn't infringe someone else's trademarks etc. And their build quality is absolutely top tier. I have no desire at all to waste any more time or mental energy hoping for Jackson or Charvel. 

I've not made a custom order from ESP, but I've played some custom ESPs and holy smokes those are nice too. And they will definitely do whatever you want, particularly if you have a way to place the order and accept delivery in Japan (and then import it to the US yourself).


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## StevenC (Aug 15, 2019)

cardinal said:


> Ron Thorn told me last year, after he joined Fender, that they could not make me a 7-string.
> 
> In theory Jackson and Charvel will do it as a Masterbuild (and an 8-string also), except that they haven't been accepting normal-people Masterbuild orders for a long time.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I wasn't sure if you had asked pre or post Thorn. Oh well.

Also, 100% agree on Schecter.


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## cardinal (Aug 15, 2019)

StevenC said:


> Yeah, I wasn't sure if you had asked pre or post Thorn. Oh well.
> 
> Also, 100% agree on Schecter.



Yeah, as soon as I saw that Thorn joined Fender, I sent him a message to place an order for a 7-string. I was really hopeful that he'd do it and was pretty depressed with his answer.


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 15, 2019)

StevenC said:


> Not sure, but he's certainly worked on a bunch of 7s for Schecter.



Disclaimer: while I absolutely HATE the term (and concept) of calling someone a "master builder", I'd still call Thorn one. Technique and execution beyond reproach. 

But...he's not really pushing the envelope in as far as more strings, longer scales, etc. 

His own "Thorn Guitars" were very traditional in design. Just incredibly well done.


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## vick1000 (Aug 15, 2019)

All the more reason to go with Kiesel IMO, just avoid any option 50 so you can send it back if needed.


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## Zado (Aug 15, 2019)

teamSKDM said:


> oh god dont tell me this happenned to somebody


Of course not, it was specified with 24 frets. And wasnt even the only time Jackson CS delivered some real fun for the web.


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## xzacx (Aug 15, 2019)

Zado said:


> Of course not, it was specified with 24 frets. And wasnt even the only time Jackson CS delivered some real fun for the web.



In Jackson's defense, I don't think I've ever seen a story of someone having a hard time with them accepting a return or refusing to accept a build with mistakes...even when it's been the third time on something as simple as the shade of a specific color. If I remember right, the guy with the 23 fret Kelly (which I'll never be able to figure out how it happened) had the option to return it and ended keeping it. It's crazy though how often I see stories of that shop getting specs wrong. You'd think the process would be expedited a bit if they didn't have to rebuild so much. Dealers seem happy to take those custom build rejects though because they can still sell them to someone else.


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## Thaeon (Aug 15, 2019)

StevenC said:


> As far as I'm aware Gregory's patent expired, but the patent wasn't really of any value. Because you can't patent a guitar with extra an extra string. The reason Fender won't make a 7 string is because Gregory being a prick really soured them on the idea and they are busy enough to say no.
> 
> There are a few other companies that Gregory has tried to sue over what he thinks his intellectual property is, and they are scare tactics to waste your time and money but he never gets anything out of it.



Asinine. How do you claim intellectual rights to something that's historically existed since hundreds of years before your birth?


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## StevenC (Aug 15, 2019)

Thaeon said:


> Asinine. How do you claim intellectual rights to something that's historically existed since hundreds of years before your birth?


He's also tried suing people over 5ths tuning and claims a high A string was his idea.


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 15, 2019)

Thaeon said:


> Asinine. How do you claim intellectual rights to something that's historically existed since hundreds of years before your birth?



It's not that he has an actual claim, he just wants to bully others into submission. 

This has been pretty well documented and discussed.


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## cardinal (Aug 15, 2019)

None of us know the full story. In addition to whatever patents he may have, there may have been contracts made that limit what the parties can do. 

No sense in speculating. End of the day, Fender won't build a 7 string. I've never asked for an 8.

Jackson will do it if you can get a Masterbuild spot. If someone is dead set on it, I'd hound all the dealers to get into a spot as soon as one opens up and plead with Jackson to maybe do it as a NAMM guitar, which might mean you lose control of some of the specs.


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## jephjacques (Aug 17, 2019)

Jackson is in a weird place right now. I can't remember the last time I saw even a new USA Select in a shop anywhere, their regular production seems to be entirely tied up in the Misha Mansoor guitars and the QC on those is allllll over the place. I do wonder how long places like the Music Zoo have to wait on the custom shop stuff they're always bringing in.

I have a masterbuilt Warrior 7 and it's utterly flawless (aside from the dents I've put in it, lol). If you've got the cash and the patience they're definitely worth it.


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## cardinal (Aug 17, 2019)

jephjacques said:


> Jackson is in a weird place right now. I can't remember the last time I saw even a new USA Select in a shop anywhere, their regular production seems to be entirely tied up in the Misha Mansoor guitars and the QC on those is allllll over the place. I do wonder how long places like the Music Zoo have to wait on the custom shop stuff they're always bringing in.
> 
> I have a masterbuilt Warrior 7 and it's utterly flawless (aside from the dents I've put in it, lol). If you've got the cash and the patience they're definitely worth it.



I don't know that the USA Select line is a viable business model now. Imports regularly push over $1500 now, and honestly the quality is pretty good. USA models might cost double that even with stripped down specs, and it's just hard to keep that in store inventory. And while I'd prefer a simple black SL1 to bizarre burl alien burst, it sure seems like a lot of people feel the other way, which makes the USA even harder to sell unless you up the specs, and make it even more expensive. 

A shop can risk having expensive PRS and Gibsons and even EBMM in stock because there's a reasonable chance a lawyer/doctor/etc. will walk in and buy it. But a Jackson is a harder sell to a random walk-in.


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## Aso (Aug 19, 2019)

I am not sure Jackson will do an 8 in everyone of their body styles even as a Masterbuilt. If they would I could see that pushing the 7-8k range since their extra string and Masterbuilt charges are slot. 

I have got three Masterbuilt Jackson's in the last several years and everyone of them is amazing. I even got a Death Warrior built which was and still is my dream guitar. I found another Masterbuilt slot last year and have a Double Rhoads in the works. The slots are really hard to find unless you are someone or you have some connections. I just happened to be in the right place.


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