# Opinion on Jackson Performer PS4



## ElasticPancakes (May 6, 2013)

Hi guys

Okay so after browsing the local gumtree, I found this Jackson for around $150. From what I've managed to read up about them, it seems quite solid. Made in Japan/ Korea, alder body, Jackson necks (love em) blah blah and I thought it could be a nice modding project.

My question is: Does anybody have any experience with these guitars? Is it worth throwing some money at to mod the thing? Or rather just keep the cash and put it towards a better 6 string backup.

Cool, any opinions or info on the guitar are appreciated. Thanks.


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## BigBaldIan (May 6, 2013)

Solid construction and sound great with a pickup swap. Unfortunately being in the UK I would have no idea whether $150 is a good deal or not.


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## Force (May 6, 2013)

Yeah, do it.


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## s4tch (May 6, 2013)

For $150, that's a nice deal for a MIJ Performer. Bridge pickup is rather cool, I have a buddy who's been gigging with a PS4 for years now, and kept the original pu. Check the fretwork, frets are not as durable as in a Professional. Timber selection should be all right, pre-Fender MIJ Jacksons are solid guitars. My only concern would be the trem, these are not as stable as an OFR or an Edge/Edge Pro, but parts are easy to get (most Schaller parts would fit), and if you're lucky enough, you'll get a JT580 with it. JT500 is cheapo, JT580/590 is rather nice. (Check this for more input: Tremolo Info Project, floating double locking tremolos and guitar bridges on Jackson Charvel guitars )

I had two JDR-94s at the same time. (http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/standard-guitars/203572-accidental-double-ngd-jackson-twins.html) These were the predecessors of the Performer series. I had bridge issues with one of them, the other was as perfect as a cheap superstrat can get. It cost me less than half I'd pay for an RG550/570, and played equally nice.

tl;dr: I'd surely buy that for $150 if it was MIJ. If the serial number starts with a 9, and the frets are OK, go for it. If it's Korean, check it carefully, they might still play great.


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## elrrek (May 6, 2013)

I had a Jap PS-4, it was a cool guitar and like a twonk, I sold it.

$150 sounds like a good deal. Some people rat on the Performers because they aren't Concepts and the are definitely not Professionals or "Pro" line from Japan. If you ignore all that, they are solid imports and I would take one of those over a similar age Ibanez of the same price range.

If it has the Kent Armstrong pickups, you might consider keeping those.


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## snowblind56 (May 6, 2013)

I've had several of them. They are solid guitars. Probably the best bang for your buck out there. $150 is about as good of a deal as you will find on them. The MIJ ones are much better than the MIK ones. If it doesn't have the Made in Japan sticker on the back of the neck, you can tell by the serial number.

As for the guitar, the neck is almost Ibanez Wizard thin, not your normal Jackson neck. The bridge is alright, but not great. A Schaller Floyd drops right in. And as to be expected, the pickups suck a bag of dicks and need to be replaced. 

They really are great for the money. Solid guitars stock, but they are good modding platforms. Basically add $150 for pickups and new electronics and you have a sweet guitar, that while cheap in price, is better than anything you can buy new in that price range.


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## ElasticPancakes (May 6, 2013)

Cool thanks for the replies guys.

I'm going to go check it out later this week, see if it's up to scratch fret wise and such. I'll mail him later to find out the serial number so long.

Yeah in the pic it looks like throw away standard jackson pups. If I take it I plan on going all out with it and filling in the middle single coil route and refinishing. But who knows, maybe just a pickguard.

Definitely will change bridge, I don't like floyds to begin with, so if I'm going to have one I want a nice one. Will I have to route and all that jazz if I want to drop in an OFR? Are the schaller drop in replacements good? Or I could block the current floyd off and replace the saddles. POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!


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## snowblind56 (May 6, 2013)

ElasticPancakes said:


> Cool thanks for the replies guys.
> 
> I'm going to go check it out later this week, see if it's up to scratch fret wise and such. I'll mail him later to find out the serial number so long.
> 
> ...



As far as I know, the Schaller will be the only drop in replacement. You will probably have to route for an OFR or any other bridge. That being said, I believe the Schallers to be of similar quality to an OFR.


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## s4tch (May 7, 2013)

ElasticPancakes said:


> Definitely will change bridge



I'd wait and see what bridge is in that guitar. Some Jackson trems are actually pretty nice. I've had a DR5 Dinky Professional before, and it featured a Takeuchi-made bridge. The baseplate was made of hardened steel, so it was a very durable unit. I only had to replace a broken saddle with a Schaller one.

As snowblind56 wrote, Schaller trems fit easily in case you get a lower quality bridge with the guitar.


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## elrrek (May 7, 2013)

Read this for info on Jackson/Charvel trems:

Tremolo Info Project, floating double locking tremolos and guitar bridges on Jackson Charvel guitars


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## lemeker (May 7, 2013)

I've had one for years, and still is one of my main players. It was my 2nd guitar, and the first one I bought for myself. Everything on mine has been great. I did put new pups in it years ago. I went with the Seymour Duncan sh6 and sh2n, and a jb in the middle. The trem on it,even though is not an ofr, has stood up admirably.


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