# Gus G. now playing Jackson Guitars



## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jun 21, 2016)

http://jacksonguitars.com/blog/artist-news/jackson-welcomes-guitar-phenom-gus-g/


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## Hachetjoel (Jun 21, 2016)

I had forgotten about him.


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## Blytheryn (Jun 21, 2016)

Cool, so he's playing basically the same guitar but with a different headstock?


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jun 21, 2016)

I'm guessing it'll look closer to a classic star shape, since ESP's star shape wasn't 100% there.

The ESP looked like a star on a diet compared to the Jackson/Charvel Star.


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## wannabguitarist (Jun 21, 2016)

Blytheryn said:


> Cool, so he's playing basically the same guitar but with a different headstock?



But it's the Jackson pointy headstock, so it's better


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## OmegaSlayer (Jun 21, 2016)

Nice sideburns


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## Possessed (Jun 21, 2016)

Blytheryn said:


> Cool, so he's playing basically the same guitar but with a different headstock?



He finally decided to play the real deal!
His ESP is just a copy of jackson star.


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## Zado (Jun 21, 2016)

Not cool


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## rexbinary (Jun 21, 2016)

I'm really impressed with Jackson and Charvel right now. It seems Fender had gotten serious about those brands here recently.

EDIT: Not because they signed GusG, but because this years guitars are outstanding.


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## Lorcan Ward (Jun 21, 2016)

As long as its the same pickups run through a Blackstar. He has one of the best live guitar tones I've heard.


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## MFB (Jun 21, 2016)

wannabguitarist said:


> But it's the Jackson pointy headstock, so it's better



This.

That thing looks great, let's just hope he can turn it into an import sig model so that Jackson can get back it's roots.


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## Zado (Jun 21, 2016)

Lorcan Ward said:


> As long as its the same pickups run through a Blackstar. He has one of the best live guitar tones I've heard.



He has a signature head right?


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jun 21, 2016)

Zado said:


> He has a signature head right?



Was a limited edition one.


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## wakjob (Jun 21, 2016)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Was a limited edition one.



The Randall T2HH vs the Blackfire 200?

PS was watching some Hellfest 2016 footage of Megadeth this morning. Wow. Very good!


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## manu80 (Jun 21, 2016)

great news. great guitarist, saw him with his band and with Ozzy. Doesn't show off, plays really good .


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## Sumsar (Jun 21, 2016)

About people saying that the shape is originally Jackson and that ESP ripped it off:

The 'Random Star' (ESPs name for it) has been the signature guitar of Akira Takasaki of The Loudness since sometime in the 80's if I am not wrong? I am pretty sure that this version is an original ESP design, though there are many takes on shapes like it like Kramer voyagers and I also think BC rich had something fairly similar at some point or even the Dean ML.


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## Force (Jun 21, 2016)

About time, perhaps Jackson saw an opportunity since he's playing for Ozzy....you know.....like Randy did, they might convince him to go with an RR.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jun 21, 2016)

The Blackfire was limited only 100 - 200 models I believe. The Randall was a full production model until he left for Blackstar.



Sumsar said:


> About people saying that the shape is originally Jackson and that ESP ripped it off:
> 
> The 'Random Star' (ESPs name for it) has been the signature guitar of Akira Takasaki of The Loudness since sometime in the 80's if I am not wrong? I am pretty sure that this version is an original ESP design, though there are many takes on shapes like it like Kramer voyagers and I also think BC rich had something fairly similar at some point or even the Dean ML.



The Akira Takasaki was a ripoff of the Charvel Star made for EVH in 1979s, right down to the Dano headstock.


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## Dawn of the Shred (Jun 21, 2016)

Them sideburns though!! Not much difference between the ESP and Jackson though, but i probably like the looks of the Jackson better. 

The Randall T2HH is a beast though, one of my favorite amps.


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## Science_Penguin (Jun 21, 2016)

Hey, alright. Jackson's a good brand. I don't like them much myself, but on a quality level, they're a fine brand to endorse.

That's a real nice looking instrument.


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## Nag (Jun 21, 2016)

The ESP vs Jackson debate is kinda pointless... I have an ESP and a Jackson that are as close as it gets in specs, and they sound or feel nothing alike. There's a much bigger difference than just the headstock.


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## r3tr0sp3ct1v3 (Jun 21, 2016)

Wait Gus G still exists?


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## Bloody_Inferno (Jun 21, 2016)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> The Akira Takasaki was a ripoff of the Charvel Star made for EVH in 1979s, right down to the Dano headstock.









Also, at this point in time, does anybody really care about how much ESP rip off other designs anymore? They've done it long enough.  I do prefer the Jackson headstock over the ESP on a Star. 

The most interesting thing about the switch to Jackson is Ozzy's perk of liking his guitar players playing Les Paul style guitars lately. I believe Gus made his single cut sig for that purpose. I'm curious what Jackson will come up with... actually, I just remembered Jackson has the Monarkh like with that completely out of place headstock.


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## OmegaSlayer (Jun 22, 2016)

The Monarkh headstock is soooo perfect on the Monarkh, I really really dig it.
I dig this Jackson too, even if I don't like the Star shaped guitars.
The Jackson headstock fits better, but ultimately it's just a question of angle more than shape.

On a side note I'm really digging what Jackson/Charvel is doing lately.


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## Pikka Bird (Jun 22, 2016)

I like the general shape and headstock much better on the Jackson, but I do wish the lower ass-horn would stick out a little more like on the ESP.

Also, the Monarkh with the hollow shark fins looks _very_ nice overall, but the cutaway area just seems very unfinished to me. Like it was drawn on a cocktail napkin and never refined.


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## austink (Jun 22, 2016)

Sweet! Have been a fan of his since firewind. I agree that the jackson shape looks less anemic than the esp.


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## Zado (Jun 22, 2016)

Still like this one better


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## Blytheryn (Jun 22, 2016)

Zado said:


> Still like this one better



IMHO The Latvala is the nicest Explorer I've ever seen. That man has taste. Hate that he's dropped off the map since COB.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Jun 22, 2016)

It's a Star, not an explorer.


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## Blytheryn (Jun 22, 2016)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> It's a Star, not an explorer.



That was officially the worst brainfart I've ever had.  Was thinking of pondman's new explorer and the Latvala has the Explorer stock so my brain must have just gone wonky for a sec.


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## Possessed (Jun 22, 2016)

Alexi and Roope are both long time jackson RR players. I guess when Roope joined ESP, he just could not stand the look of the RR copy. So he went for the star copy lol


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Aug 29, 2016)

He posted a pic for his "prototype", which probably implies a sig model is in the works.


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## ArtDecade (Aug 29, 2016)

That's pretty sweet. Makes me wanna jam with Loudness records!


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## Dawn of the Shred (Aug 29, 2016)

I dig it!!!


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Aug 29, 2016)

ArtDecade said:


> That's pretty sweet. Makes me wanna jam with Loudness records!



Makes me wonder why ESP never made Gus and Akira collaborate.


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## Possessed (Aug 30, 2016)

To be honest, i prefer the traditional Star shape rather than these bevels. But I would like to see more pics of the guitar or a pic of the whole guitar.


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## Zado (Aug 30, 2016)

Dunno if I hate it or love it to death


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## Mangle (Aug 30, 2016)

Jackson is on a serious roll, this is very nicely done! Look forward to seeing more/whole thing.


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## dustygator (Aug 30, 2016)

I also prefer the traditional rounded but can live with bevels. The world needs more star shaped guitars period.

What I can't live with is gaudy signature logos/inlays like the Gojira Rhoads has. I don't like signature guitars that scream "HEY LOOK THIS IS THAT GUY FROM BANDS GUITAR." Stuff like the Mark Morton Dominion is pretty much ideal. It stands out as a signature guitar but not in an outrageous in your face way.

From that pic, the 12th fret inlay doesn't look too bad if that is the only thing.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Aug 31, 2016)

I'm hoping they keep the bevels and ditch the inlay. Just make it blank. The bevels alone show it's unique to Gus G.


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## xzacx (Sep 1, 2016)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> I'm hoping they keep the bevels and ditch the inlay. Just make it blank. The bevels alone show it's unique to Gus G.



I'd agree with this. Inlay is a deal breaker; the bevels I could live with. His guitar though, so I guess that's not up for me to decide.


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## Humbuck (Sep 1, 2016)

I'm curious to see the beveled version more but fwiw, I like his ESP sigs better.


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## mottobur (Sep 2, 2016)

I ended up with this ESP Gus G Star. Should've wiped the fingerprints off it...

Saw his new video with the Jackson...are they gonna start selling those? I'm a star guitar whore. Need more.


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## Floppystrings (Sep 2, 2016)

Bloody_Inferno said:


> Also, at this point in time, does anybody really care about how much ESP rip off other designs anymore? They've done it long enough. .



Jackson never used designs that weren't theres before?












Here, I circled every unoriginal designed on a page from their 1983 catalog:


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## Floppystrings (Sep 2, 2016)

Bloody_Inferno said:


> I do prefer the Jackson headstock over the ESP on a Star.



I don't mind copies at all but this is kind of...silly to say the least.


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## Bloody_Inferno (Sep 2, 2016)

^ Yeah.. about that:






That's where it all began. An Ibanez copy of a Gibson.

You also completely missed the point of my post.


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## Possessed (Sep 2, 2016)

Floppystrings said:


> Jackson never used designs that weren't theres before?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Jackson made the traditional shape much sharper. Esp did direct copy. And why the guitar marked with circle isnt original? Dont you see single hum?


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## Wildebeest (Sep 2, 2016)

OmegaSlayer said:


> Nice sideburns


They match his headstock.


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## exo (Sep 10, 2016)

Looks like they took a classic "star" and added the bevels from a Hamer Scepter.


I like.


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## feraledge (Sep 10, 2016)

Floppystrings said:


> I don't mind copies at all but this is kind of...silly to say the least.



I love explorers, can even get behind an ML, but for the life of me, why can't I like the Star?!?


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