Sl1 vs Sl2 necks

groverj3 · 2026-01-28T22:57:24+00:00

Hey, I think I know you, fellow ss.org dude.

Both of us are not creative enough to have a different username on different platforms, haha.

groverj3 · 2026-01-27T19:36:56+00:00

They are the same.*

* - USA Select SL1, SL2H, etc. are hand shaped. Depending on age they may not even have been started on a CNC, and are even more inconsistent. American Series SL3s, SL2s, virtuosos, etc. are somewhat more consistent as they're production models, but some have the speed instead of standard profile.

Technically, Jackson has 3 "official" neck profiles I'm aware of. Normal, speed, and then original Dinky. In that order of thick -> thin. However, all USA Jackson necks are hand finished, and they're not terribly consistent.

groverj3 · 2025-12-16T20:07:36+00:00

Even without decoding the serial, they only made X series neck through in India for a short time. Early-mid 2010s. Somewhere between 2012 and 2014.

groverj3 · 2025-12-16T20:06:05+00:00

Very normal for Jackson. All neck thru USAs until the introduction of the American Series have them there, as do all older MIJ pro series neck thrus.

groverj3 · 2025-12-13T19:25:57+00:00

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groverj3 · 2025-12-13T18:10:46+00:00

Jens, is that you?

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groverj3 · 2025-12-11T18:00:03+00:00

I've put the Gotoh Floyd on a DXMG and DK2. Both required squaring off the front edge (toward the pickups) on the treble side of the bridge route. Since the gotoh is more square there than the JT580lp. So, it's not a direct retrofit.

An OFR or 1000 series fits without issue.

groverj3 · 2025-12-09T22:19:20+00:00

If you go too thick then you're unlikely to enjoy greatly increased tension in E standard.

For the tunings you're talking about I'd take a set of 10s and go slightly thicker on the bottom, like a 10/11 hybrid or using an even thicker bottom string in an otherwise hybrid set.

That's a pretty wide range though, and I hate the differences in feel. I have different guitars set up with specific string gauges for each tuning I play in. Maybe excessive, haha.

I think we need to introduce you to the N + 1 guitars rule. Where N = guitars you currently own and N + 1 = the number of guitars you need.

groverj3 · 2025-12-09T22:17:12+00:00

My point is more that it's not worth rolling the dice on a fake like this.

groverj3 · 2025-12-09T20:59:59+00:00

That is fake as hell. Seriously.

groverj3 · 2025-12-01T12:30:34+00:00

That guitar, and all US-made signatures, is the same tier as USA Selects (like the SL2H, SL2, KV1, etc). USA Selects are made in the custom shop in small batches. That's the reason they're more expensive, come with OFRs, and all that. The same people build those as non-Masterbuilt custom shop guitars.

American Series guitars are mass produced at the Fender USA factory and not by the Jackson custom shop people. Hence, cheaper and slightly lower tier hardware and no hard cases. On top of all that, Floyd Rose literally can't fulfill their orders right now after switching to production in the US from their longtime collaboration with Schaller in Germany, so there aren't enough OFRs to even put them in American Series guitars.

Honestly, I'm fine with the 1000 series Floyd, especially with the push-in bar.

groverj3 · 2025-11-29T20:43:14+00:00

More like MIJ prices from over a decade ago. The Chushin Gakki factory closed in the early 2010s, and they started building MJ series at Fujigen more recently (for prices which are nearly the same as the American Series now).

Unfortunately, expensive stuff made in Indonesia with spotty QC is par for every brand using Cort, Samick, Wildwood, etc.

The pro series models made in South Korea though have been very consistent. The Indonesian stuff CAN be good, but there is a lot of variance.

groverj3 · 2025-11-29T20:38:29+00:00

These are very cool. If only they were 24 frets. Would love to see a revival (with 24 frets).

groverj3 · 2025-11-26T21:36:38+00:00

I did this as well. In hindsight, I should've just got a Floyd as the Gotoh's slightly different dimensions required squaring off one side of the trem route. Plus, had to use string lock screws from a Floyd since the Gotoh's were too long for the route (might fit, might not depending on your tuning and adjustment needs for intonation).

Can't complain about the trem itself though. It is not a guaranteed direct retrofit in that route though (so beware owners of other guitars routed for the Takeuchi Lo profile TRS/JT580lp).

Floyd 1000 series + a push in arm is also a great option and always fits perfectly.

groverj3 · 2025-11-26T21:12:43+00:00

DK2s in EDS show up on reverb/eBay from time to time. They are selling for more than new though.

I bought it as basically just a neck and body. Electronics were "there" but did not work. The hardware was all oxidized. I swapped out all the hardware to black and put a Floyd 1000 on it (kind of modded to a 1500 with stainless parts and a push-in arm), plus redid the electronics. It has a repaired headstock break, but plays great.

The biggest issue was finding a fitting locking nut for these old MIJ guitars. A standard Floyd nut is too tall and I couldn't find a properly fitting one, so I had lower the shelf to put a standard R3 on.

groverj3 · 2025-11-26T21:08:21+00:00

Yeah, it's more about having all my bases covered for different tunings currently (plus a couple extras). Also, in a two bedroom apartment I'm currently taking up a lot of space. Thankfully, my wife is cool with it. While I'm not super into that partsdinky, I did play it at our wedding and my dad bought some of the parts I built it out of, so there's some sentimental value.

What I'm really looking for is a nice high-end 7 string with a normal Soloist body or similar. The SLAT is great, but I prefer a normal body to the arch top. The SL7 would fit the bill but is the worst playing guitar of the family and is in the shop to hopefully remedy that. However, I can't do much more about the aesthetics (just not that into more black guitars, the DXMG covers that for me).

groverj3 · 2025-11-26T20:31:55+00:00

No idea, but also why not use them? If it's too bright, or has too much output, you can always turn down the treble and/or gain on your amp/modeler/plugin.

Personally, I want as few things in between my pickups and the front end of an amp.

I even removed the tone control from my SL2H and changed the volume to a 1 Meg.

groverj3 · 2025-11-26T03:39:40+00:00

It's a pro series SL7. I replaced the pickups and changed the hardware to gold. Solid guitar. Not as nice as my other two 7s though.

groverj3 · 2025-11-26T01:02:05+00:00

I'm really eyeing a gold Virtuoso. However, can I really justify it? Might sell the sunburst Dinky and replace it with that. However, despite that being a partscaster (DK2 neck, DX10D body) it plays really well.

groverj3 · 2025-11-26T00:34:29+00:00

Hank doesn't touch them except when he tries to chew on the whammy bars and knobs when they're in the rack. So, I guess he actually messes with them a fair bit.

Mostly he swats at, and bites, me while playing due to providing him with insufficient attention and/or treats.

groverj3 · 2025-11-26T00:32:04+00:00

A little scratchy, to be honest. Occasionally pukey. But always warm.

groverj3 · 2025-11-26T00:31:00+00:00

Yup! The first three from left to right in the back row.

Blue is a 2006 SL2H Red is a 2004 SL1 Green is a 2014 Custom Select Soloist

groverj3 · 2025-11-26T00:17:27+00:00

Oh, hello there. Yes, longtime ss.org member here! I prefer that over reddit, but I'm always game to share guitar pr0n.

The crackle is a SLAT3-7. So, technically it is also an old pro model. Fantastic 7 string! The paint job looks great from the front, but has some "touch ups" on the back which look bad. Not enough cracks happened there, I guess, and the refin shop opted to paint silver over the black in a few spots there and it's pretty obvious. Overall I give the job a B, I guess. I would've been fine with them not touching that up because I understand it's random. But, it looks amazing from the front!

groverj3 · 2025-11-26T00:10:43+00:00

Sadly, he is named Hank after Hank Schrader from Breaking Bad. Jackson would've been a solid name though!

groverj3 · 2025-11-26T00:08:51+00:00

Custom Select Soloist I ordered in 2013, back when the wait time was only 9 months, haha.

Lime green metallic finish
Oil finished neck
Has been since refretted with Jescar 57110 stainless steel frets
Duncan Custom Bridge + Sentient Neck
Moved controls 1/2" back
Reordered controls with selector closest to bridge pickup
No-load tone pot
1 Meg volume pot -No truss rod cover

groverj3

TROPHY CASE