Japanese Jackson FATAL FLAW

[@AndGuitar]

Change the Floyd saddle screws to shorter versions or swap out the trem for the Gotoh 1996T which has a flat knife edge as well as a normal knife edge. That flat side allows you to compensate and move the bridge a little right or left. It’s doable!

[@brandonharris9160]

Nice insight, always wondered what that cut on the plate was for

[@stiiimes]

I've got an iceman with the exact same issues. Quality control sadly no longer exists with most guitar makers outside of custom shop models

[@jonnyd1645]

Following, I have a white one with ebony board, and same low E string issue. I read that the locking nut for these is incorrect, theres a slightly narrow string spacing nut that floyd rose makes and it should have gone on these as well as the other Japanese Jacksons from that era, I also have an SL3 with this issue despite it having a Jackson branded chrome tremolo. I havent tried it yet but that could fix the problem. I have however, pulled the nut off and noticed a slight amount of wiggle room to nudge it over while still being flush with the neck edges, It helped alot but I could see these guitars benefiting from a slightly narrow nut with slightly narrower string spacing. My RR5, also from that era, has no issues, but then again its a hardtail.

[@GarryParker]

I still love that guitar. Have you tried the EMG 57? I just put one in my Dinky project and it sounds amazing thorough my DSL. They come in some cool metal finishes as well.

[@jgmopar]

For me i found with floyds the stock Block on the trem sounds the best. I have tried bigblocks and always end up removing and putting stock back on. I have a guitar like that but mine is the high E has no room. That guitar looks awesome. Best of luck with the fixes.

[@johnmoser2689]

Totally dig how this channel is very Real and honest... good stuff

[@mtbryce766]

You’re refreshing af. A real person with personality. Subbed

[@jeffpritz2933]

Did you just recently sell this? There is one up on Oxford guitars.

[@stevenpipes1555]

Be careful. Your problem could be a crack in the wood, between the mounting post of the floyd, and the bridge pickup cavity. Ive seen it so often on floyd guitars. They rout the bridge pickup so close to the bridge that the small amount of meterial cant take the preasure and the post hole cracks. Its hard to see, but could cause a shift in the bridge placement enough to cause your problem. Its It's worth checking before you do anything to drastic!

[@dantilan]

Had a Japanese made RR24 that had the exact same issues to the point where I'm not even convinced that it's a QC issue rather than a design flaw. Their current Rhoads lineup sucks anyway, unless you're willing to give up a kidney and get a RR1.

[@jed_shred_guitars]

Used prices are out of hand too

[@megadeth-1a885]

oh man i have a horror story with a brand new dean exile 7FR just from a few months ago. Makes jackson look like gods

[@p4fizzle]

Just a thought, but could you replace the nut and then file a spot for the low E a bit further in?

[@jed_shred_guitars]

That would be easy if it were not a locking nut. The nut is actually perfect places. It’s the bridge post that we’re drilled just a little two far to the bass side.

[@p4fizzle]

@@jed_shred_guitars Lol, I even watch you play with the trem in the video and forget about locking nuts *face palm* I think it would be worth taking to a guitar guy, it could be an easy fix for them. Might be able to re-route the body and move the bridge position. That would also fix the trem issue if they took it a bit deeper

[@andyt5559]

i would say they actually look evenly spaced strings, but the mass of the low E makes it appear closer to the edge, if your downtuning are you compensating by using heavier strings?

[@ozzuk616]

Try an R3 nut it may bring the string spacing in a little it is a wider nut 1 11/16 but comes with a narrower spacing of the outer strings might keep your low string off the edge of the frets.

[@jed_shred_guitars]

Do you mean an r2? Jackson’s come with an r3. The problem is tolerable for now, and I love the wider string spacing.

[@williambentley5877]

Hey I'm a new subscriber. Great channel and content. I have a charvel 650 xl that is neck through body. The high e string rolls off the same way. I have learned to get the slop out of my fingering though lol

[@zoeyjune2193]

Are you that van guy?

[@peachmelba1000]

Aside from getting that excess wood out of the trem cavity, the easiest fix is to get a new locking nut with narrower overall spacing.

[@niall0]

Was just going to say that, might be able to change from R3 but to R4 or whatever it is

[@soundmattersuk]

Dude I love that guitar too and couldn't put it down either. Bought a DV8 instead and regret it. Smoking video (lol and subbed 😂)

[@azrul666]

Dude, my 2004 MIJ RR J2E RR24 has that same issue within the cavity.. it bugs me too. too shallow, although I don't use the whammy bar that often, but I do sometimes wanno go Steve Vai or Alexi Laiho with it, but can't. 😅😅😅

[@msean100]

Is it your camera or is that neck and body bowed

[@jed_shred_guitars]

It’s the camera.

[@brandonharris9160]

Don't try an 85 unless you want the least versatile pickup ever. The 81 is more neutral and usable for multiple genres

[@xb5883]

Lol the hit before filming

[@captainhotbunz659]

I can see the problem clearly. It’s not a Gibson SG… that’s the only problem I see🤣 Joking… Sweet guitar dude!

[@jrraven3230]

😊hey Jed😊

[@stuartkeithguitars4251]

I see the mishandling of the US flag. Plus I'm glad the routing limits the tremolo. Anything to limit tremolo. You're okay...just messing with you....I make the guitars at my site.

[@TarynnElizabeth619]

It’s router time!

[@punchmcchainsaw4644]

Pretty sure these were sub 1k new?

[@jed_shred_guitars]

Naw, they were more. The 2009 Jackson price list has them at $2149.99 usd. Obviously retail is a lot lower. It’s hard to figure out how much they went for when they were new, but I remember buying on for 1,400 when they were new and returning it because it had a bunch of issues.

[@punchmcchainsaw4644]

@@jed_shred_guitars whoaaaaa, just found my original invoice from 2010. I got my RR24M for 569 shipped brand new. What a time to have been alive.

[@thisguy2973]

From a luthier perspective, the relief needs to be taken out of the neck. You can see the up-bow in the video.

[@jed_shred_guitars]

If I had up bow I would need to add relief. I was using a very wide angle lens which warps the image you are seeing, giving the illusion of an upbow. I has .002” relief on the treble side, and .004” relief on the bass side.

[@tulyar1043]

Your Jackson is a neck through, therefore the Floyd bridge has been installed too far over to the bottom 6th string. Needs moving back over to where it should be. Perhaps a couple of millimetres might do it. Even the Jackson Custom Shop has been guilty of doing this.

[@jed_shred_guitars]

I’ll bet they drill the holes using an old worn out jig. I’ve got a drill press available to me and will probably plug and redrill at some point.

[@tulyar1043]

@@jed_shred_guitars Or maybe used the wrong template. Have you checked the string spacing at the bridge? On some cheaper bridges the bridge saddles vary in width a bit which can widen the string spacing and cause the problem on your jackson. Only needs two or three saddles to do this. Since the Custom Shop fiasco at Jackson's a few years ago, no one in Europe can order a full custom instrument anymore. Having looked on the website few weeks ago, can't now even have your own spec neck dimensions or shape. It is my gut feeling that Fender intend at some point in the future to shut the Jackson Custom shop and only sell production line guitars with the Jackson name on them.

[@IMPULSOESTATICO]

Fucking MusicMan also has this issue on their majesties (strings not aligned with the neck) completely unacceptable for a $4k guitar

[@Perasis]

You forgot to watch your own video "How to tell if a guitar sucks and not waist your money on it" :P

[@mark6302]

I got my first jackson a few months ago, indonesian, the fit and finish was fucking horrible.

[@jed_shred_guitars]

Sounds about right

[@leonardosilva-xu2lu]

man, if i were you, i'd either sell the guitar or bust out one of these solutions: 1-get a gotoh 1996t with a flat knife edge, that lets you compensate for that. 2-route the guitar for another bridge entirely, like a kahler or an evertune, 3-replace the nut for a slightly narrower one, like the fr r2 or r7 sizes. this way you should be able to make the strings a bit closer together, but it will rob you of that wide fingerboard feel, like an ibanez or gibson and make your guitar feel more "fendery". 4- go "fuck it, fuck everything" mode, fill the trem cavity with replacement wood, drill it all for a gibson style bridge and tailpiece, but put a floyd rose FRX.

[@chriscullen6949]

ah nobody dime sqeals anymore anyway

[@bertall1ca]

Nice guitar. 12v mod that 81 before you try an 85. Also, you may want to try still try moving the nut closer to the treble side to give you a little more room for your low E string problem. I had the problem with a Washburn. Loosened the strings & nut; then pushed the nut towards the treble side as I tightened it back down. It was only like 1mm of a shift but it made a big difference. If that's not enough, you could try a 42mm nut if yours is a 43mm.

[@spoonerluv]

Modern guitar manufacturers: Our goal is to offer you a no compromise experience Jackson: So we engineered in a bunch of compromises, good luck

[@D.Guitar]

Floyd Rose makes a bunch of nuts. Different string spacing... A slightly narrower string spacing locking nut will improve the issue with the 6th string. At least up to the 9th fret... I've done stuff like that on a few guitars. Not necessary a slimmer nut. Just the string spacing.... Idk. Check it out. Floyd Rose has a list on the back of the locking nut package..

[@guitarsbymetaljay]

The alignment of the neck and bridge is critical that's very poor quality control that would drive me nuts but if you can live with it more power to you

[@ripperberserker4773]

try a R1 locking nut

[@davidfaustino4476]

This is my biggest pet peeve about guitars. Happens quite often even in expensive instruments. This is the first thing I look for when I buy a guitar.

[@ribbitism]

i have the same issue on my jackson, its the same shape V too but its the high e side thats too close to the edge of frets. thankfully mines a bolt on so i will likely 'fix' it by moving the neck but dang. jackson obviously need to fix their template routing rocedure to do bridge and necks at the same time, in a straight line.

[@larryshelby2100]

Is the low e riding too close all the way to the first fret ? I had a similar issue with an ltd mh 1000 . The nut wasn’t installed properly. I got a new Floyd nut with a little smaller string spacing and doweled the old screw holes , centered the new nut . Worked great . Figured to share .

[@BfaltS1K]

I had a Jackson rr3 that the high E string was too close to the edge any vibrato you'd slip off really disappointed by Jackson quality control.

[@APBTrent]

New nut? I had a similar problem with string alignment.

[@keithlloyd1249]

subbing for the smoke clouds alone!

[@PhillipMiass]

I thought the guitar caught fire in the beginning.

[@w1zard0f0h]

I have the same problems with my Kelly.

[@naamloos1337]

cool, i like learing about repairs

[@davidfiodorov3383]

Im planning to get mij kelly std pro for 400 euros. It's most likely a 91-95 model. Bridge humb was changed to dimebucker. I would be pleased if someone could share some experience of using old school kellies such as std pro, xlr or ke3 models

[@shelbyavant5081]

I bought a Kelly XL new in 94. I still have the neck on a custom made King V body, it's one of the best necks I've ever played, and I've had them all.

[@markashlock3752]

Love the videos

[@teddnagurski5583]

Would a new nut with tighter string spacing fix the neck issue?

[@claire6650]

it could yeah, that would be my first try Like swapping to a R2 nut might fix it

[@nomnom112]

Any interest in selling it?

[@jed_shred_guitars]

No, I’m going to hold on to this one. Thanks though

[@seanthompson9718]

This happened to me with my Jackson I was impatient I just took a hammer and a flathead screwdriver chipped them right out smoothed out with a little sand paper.

[@theneverwas2835]

You really have to watch out for those fires between takes. Just looking out for ya.

[@zigmej]

this is inasne. they are not tested like at all? factory tours lie?

[@Therionx]

Damn that low E is to close to the edge . QC issues

[@disco4535]

Love the old Jacksons. Hated V's until I was playing drums for a band and the guitar player had a purple King V from like '06 and I fell in love with that thing, played it any time he put it down lol

[@Highrollinhunter]

I love V's I had a Dean VX that thing kind of sucked because it had tuning issues. I feel like trying to get a used gothic Explorer or a Kelly with a Floyd Rose.