NEW Jackson

Ron Shalita · From: California, USA

Hi all I was just checking out the Jackson website... very interesting guitars do any of you have one? What are your thoughts on them?
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Been playing all of my life, Lead Guitar, and Pedal Steel, sing Lead and Harmony.. play other Instruments also but I hate to admit to it..

Bill Miller · From: Gaspe, Quebec, Canada

I often check out their website also. They seem to have evolved into a very niche market builder. The more affordable Blackjack models were talked about on here quite a lot at one point. They were a pretty basic sort of entry level guitar at first but over time they morphed into something more sophisticated as more options were offered. In terms of their pedal steel guitars at least, they appear to be a boutique type operation. There are a lot of beautiful one-off 'custom shop ' type instruments that few can afford to buy. I like to window shop but Jackson isn't a brand I'll ever be in the market for. Even if I could afford a high end lacquer guitar, Show-Pro or one of the new MSA models appeal to me as more practical choices.

Johnie King · From: Tennessee, USA

Here is a nice Pro lll Bud with Roller Bearings that Harry an David has rebuilt. $3200

Johnie King · From: Tennessee, USA

Here you go Zane King has played this Jackson 12 string with 7 an 5 an wrist leaver for 12 years or more he would not take love or money for His Jackson steel.

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Johnie King · From: Tennessee, USA

Ricky Harry has done a few Changer finger Bearings for several Sho Bud owners it sure makes the changer fingers smooth as silk. But it is quite a deal to do. It sure beats the metal to metal friction that the old Sho Bud system used. We need to clone Harry An David Jackson they certainly are some of the geniuses of pedal steel pulling systems.

Johnie King · From: Tennessee, USA

I also like the Fact the the Franklin pedal steel can lower or raise a string a hole octave.
Mr. Frank another genius of pedal steel mechanics.

Tal Herbsman · From: Wisconsin, USA

I own an aluminum pro V. I like it a lot. sustains longer than my other guitars. It has the best half stop on any guitar I own. Action is great. Tone of course is subjective, it has a more compressed note than most but pleasing to my ear.

My main gripe is that doesn't hold its tuning as well as my other guitars, possibly because of the aluminum body. Needs a solid hour or two to acclimate to room temp before it settles down.

David Jackson is very responsive and takes good care of you.

Not sure if there's a connection, but I played the Jackson at the two gigs that I felt best about my playing (still pretty awful playing...). FWIW.

Johnny Cox · Posted 12 Jan 2020 1:32 am

Jackson guitars are great. Getting myself a Pro V SD12
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Johnny "Dumplin" Cox
"YANKIN' STRINGS & STOMPIN' PEDALS" since 1967.

George Crickmore · From: Myrtle Beach South Carolina, USA

I have had 2 Jackson Blackjack steels. still have one of them and won't part with it.
Jackson steels are first class all the way.
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Excel S-10,2 Williams 700 Universals,Jackson Blackjack Custom,, Goodrich LDR2 & Hilton Vol pedals,Monster 3500pro power conditioner, Morgan SW100 amp & Cab

Ben Michaels · From: Ohio, USA

Tal,

Ive been eyeing the pro V. On the website it describes the tone as sho-bud like......I know this is subjective and depends on the player, but would you agree? Can you elaborate more on the tuning issues? Does it just happen when there is a major temp change?

Thanks!

Tal Herbsman · From: Wisconsin, USA

Ben: I've never had a sho-bud so I can't really say. My main impressions are:
1. compressed note, this makes the guitar blossom especially higher up on the neck. It's a great guitar to play above 12th fret.
2. a little twangier and more hollow than I like string 10-8 lower down on the fret board (maybe 0-5). I'm sure there's an EQ/amp fix for this.
3. remarkable sustain throughout the neck.
4. My wife likes the tone of the jax better than my p/p. My drummer who has a lot of strong (usually wrong) opinions about everything prefers the p/p. So reasonable people differ on tone.

David Jackson said that the wood bodied guitars are more reminiscent of of the classic sho-bud tone but that the aluminum bodies are close. there's a nice video on their site of RR playing an aluminum guitar (mine).

interestingly he also said that the anodized bodies sound significantly different than the ones with whatever the plastic covering is called . I'd talk to him about it.

re tuning:
1. definitely temp sensitive. In WI winters the body will form condensation under my palm if I don't let it warm up!
2. more hysteresis type issues than my other guitars main issue seems to be A pedal (esp string 10) and string 4 (E) with knees and C pedal. not terrible but enough that I tune once or twice a set. improves with a little oil on the rollers. David Jackson said he could solve it with O rings. It doesn't bug me enough to take him up on that.

I'm happy with the guitar. I agree with everyone else that David and Dawn's customer service is second to none.

hope this helps. If you're in this part of the world feel free to come and try it out.

Tal.

Karen Sarkisian · From: Boston, MA, USA

I owned a Jackson Blackjack for quite a while. It was easily the the best playing and gigging guitar I ever owned. I've since sold it as I am not gigging much anymore but I do miss it ! The tone was really great and it was such an easy guitar to carry around, set up, and take down. I hardly ever had to tune it and it was super stable and precise. Plus Dawn and David are the best !
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Emmons, Franklin, Mullen

Ben Michaels · From: Ohio, USA

Tal,

Thanks for the info!

1. I know what you mean here and that would be a plus for me

2. Same here. Love the twangy hollow sound for me

3. Also awesome!

4. I've learned to always listen to your wife.

I have a stage one with a metal finish and it may only be in my mind, but I swear it has more treble than the non-metal finish ones I have heard. Sounds good to me and cuts a little more IMO.

Do you have to tune on the rods or just the head tuners? That blue guitar he plays/you own looks fantastic btw.

WI is a ways from Ohio. I do go there for work sometimes though. Spotted cow is fantastic. Still in the looking phase for my next guitar as I still haven't grown into the stage one, but already eyeing something with a 4th floor and a V knee.

Thanks!
Ben

David Ball · From: North Carolina High Country

I love my Pro IV. It sounds like a good Sho Bud and plays great. It and my two Madison permanents are really the only pedal steels I've been interested in playing for quite awhile. They have a lot in common, besides just the family heritage!

Dave

Paul Strojan · From: California, USA

I have been talking to Dawn and David about making me a double bender version of their palm bender based on the Buck Trent Banjo design.

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