The contrast from you absolutely shredding back to talking about the guitars in the most gentle voice is fucking awesome. Also lost my shit when you cut the cantaloupe🤣😭
I actually own a jackson Soloist SL3X DX X series blue and silver crackle paint job.i bought it as a Christmas present to myself. I love it , great guitar 🎸
The Jacksons can be awesome if you get a good one but their quality control seems a bit shite. Mine also has fairly sharp frets, but I haven't noticed any of the other issues. Mine did come with a headstock that looks like it's been chipped and then poorly repaired so that's pretty fun lol. Tbh, I really like the "touching a bare piece of wood" feel of the neck, but I'm aware other people might prefer to use protection when touching wood.
Hats off to you for keeping your composure with THAT sort of customer diservice. Jeez, that cost them a sale and yet they won't see it... Anyhow, love your vid, subbed! 🤘
Just ordered the Striker with a maple fretboard using your affiliate link. You're quickly becoming my favorite guitar channel! Keep shredding and cranking out videos!
@Humblee115 it's really nice after a setup. I like the neck a lot bc it's not super thing. Pickups are surprisingly not bad for being an entry level guitar. Pretty clear sounding, maybe a bit sterile. Overall its a great guitar.
You went through what many of us have at GC! Generally atrocious customer service. I stopped buying from them a year ago and never looked back. Just got a Pacer classic reissue and am very happy! Great video!
I got a JS32 Randy Rhoads from Thomann and the only major issue I had was the thread sheared in the B string saddle on the Floyd Rose. I bought another Jackson licenced Floyd from reverb to use for spares. But when it's set up properly the tuning stability and intonation are great. I was playing some slayer and using the whammy bar today. She has a point about the tuning when using the whammy bar but I find if I pull the bar up a bit after using it, it returns to being in tune. I didn't have any issues with sharp frets in mine. Maybe I got lucky or maybe Thomann do a bit better quality control on the products they sell. I don't know for sure.
@@adamtownsend9499 The problem there is the frets and hardware will almost certainly be pretty worn. The Chushin Gakki factory built some incredible guitars (the early Charvel model series and high end Jackson Pro series were fantastic), but as Japanese production costs soared, cost cutting had to creep in. There's a huge gulf between something like a Charvel 750XL or Soloist Pro and a Performer series Dinky. Pickups, hardware, even the frets had to be cheaped out on. Don't get me wrong, a Japanese Performer series has nice appointments such as a two piece body and a FAT rosewood fretboard, and the factory generally produced tidy instruments, but there's a good chance a refret is in order, as is replacing the licenced Floyd (add in routing as it's a cheap copy of the stubby Schaller that was on the more expensive models), and the pickups were bargain bin and sometimes microphonic.
Thanks for the review. Incidentally I've purchased a few Kramer's recently. The Pacers seem to have very sharp fret ends. No issues at all with the Nightswan, Nite-V, or Baretta specials.
Bought a Jackson King V about a year ago. As much as I loved how cool it looked, it didn't work out. It had an insane Neck Dive due to how far from the Neck bolts the Strap Button is. I'm not sure how much of a problem this is with other Floyd Rose guitars, but on the low E, the coiling around the string itself would strip away and be pulled off, letting the string slip out to place.
String unwinding with Floyd type bridges is caused either by worn/incorrectly cast metal or over torquing the string bolts, crushing instead of gripping the strings.
I have a Jackson Dinky from the early 90s that I bought new and it had the same problem of not going back into tune after whammying. The problem was that the screws for the floyd were too far forward and the floyd was rubbing on the body of the guitar, which was stopping it from going back into place.
Funny review :) I bought my Candy Red Kramer 120 back in 91 and it's been my "go to" axe ever since. It's had pickup changes, a replacement switch, and the frets have no more 'level & crown' left in them but I've yet to find anything else as comfortable or playable.
I have a js32 warrior on the way to me. I've seen a few videos stating that they can have some issues out of the box. I just can't not be in love with the warrior body. Im planning to mod it over time and itll get sent to a tech to hopefully smooth out any frets and basically do what can be done to make it better. Your playing is insanely good too! You make it look so effortless!
I watched this video before buying My Jackson JS32 and admit it made me a bit nervous. I had a Kramer Focus I purchased in 1986 or 87 and loved it. The older head stock shape was awesome. I got frustrated with tuning the Floyd Rose and all the broken high E strings and after buying a Strat and a Les Paul, I sold the Kramer. Man I regret that. Wanting to get back into a Floyd Rose I started looking at the Jackson JS 32 and found a new one online at a reduced price. When it arrived I found it had some of the issues you described. Major fret sprout and sharp ends. A couple of hours of filing and sanding cured that. The apparent unfinished nature of the neck was solved with 2 coats of Tung oil and some buffing. Actually, the finish on the neck, or lack there of, could contribute to the fret sprout problem. The guitar may just be over reacting to humidity changes and shrinking. I loved the neck shape. Action was good and frets were good. Luckily the Floyd Rose functions well and guitar stays in tune really well. It is now one of my favorites. If the Jackson folks saw your video they should have sent you a replacement guitar. They really do make some nice instruments. By the way, you Rip on the guitar. Any performance videos out there? How about some lick lesson videos?
I’ve got that Jackson’s, as well. Mine has a few modifications, however. Fish an open core modern pickups, rechargeable backplate battery pack and a full size arcade killswitch
Zzounds rules. Glad you're working with them on the instruments you love. I'm the ESP/Jackson guy and I agree that the Jackson's don't get nice until you hit the Pro line at @1200+. Killer vid. Shit was funny.
I have an ivy green kramer striker, but I changed a lot of stuff on it. I put in gotoh locking tuners, a gotoh 1996t tremolo, cts pots, gotoh knobs, and a neon green seymour duncan JB, also FU tone green springs and a fat brass block.But mine came with sharp frets so I had to file them down. I literally put more money into parts than for the guitar. But hey, I really liked the guitar and it had a lot of potential, I had been looking for a "green guitar" project so when I saw it, I fell in love. Plus the input Jack's on them are sweet. I'm use to ESPs and LTDs with normal input Jack's and jack plates.
So I never had the fret end problems on all of my 4 JS32s and my frets were leveled pretty good, not perfect but good. However I have exactly the same problem with all of my tremolos too. I've discovered that the bridge post screws are extremely extremely soft and mine have notches in them too. Taken them apart and cleaned them fully but nothing helps. My question now is: is "upgrading" to a Floyd Rose special worth the money or not? I'm on a very small budget at the moment and would like to change both of my trems on the guitars but either I can get 2 new FR specials or one 1000 series. Can someone give me any advice?
Get the 1000 and put a trem stop on the other one for now. Youre only going to spend more money on the special in the long run. The 1000 is probably not perfect either, meaning parts arent moving too smooth compared to a schaller or gotoh floyd, but nothing a little 3 in 1 oil or sewing machine oil could not solve. Knife edges are def not going to wear like on the specials or other cheap copies.
The Special? Short answer is no. The baseplate should be ok, but the zinc alloy saddles are shite. It's also too expensive. If your guitar is a keeper and not a stepping stone, then consider a Schaller FR Original, a 1000 series FR, a Schaller Lockmeister or the Gotoh GE1996T. Really it's down to cost and availability. Here in Europe the 1000 is absurdly priced. There's usually no reason to go for the Korean over the Floyd Original. A Lockmeister is a German FR Original without Floyd's name and % added, and around two thirds of the price. The Gotoh is hands down the best value, with a chunky, properly hardened steel baseplate, smooth beveled steel saddles and posts that have a set screw in the centre to eliminate any post movement. It's usually a good deal cheaper than any of the others. The downside is there may be some routing required as the post anchors are bigger than traditional and cheap Floyd items, and the bridge is a touch longer overall and wider at the rear.
If it's just the posts, it's cheaper to get a German Schaller made Floyd Original post and anchor set. The posts are likely to be a different thread, so surgery may be required, but it's not usually a big deal... Make sure the anchors are near enough the same size with digital calipers. If they are, then use a soft cloth and a small bit of wood to use ss a pivot to pull out your anchors via the post with a set of pliers. Keep movements as small and vertical as possible. Heating with a soldering iron beforehand is a good tip, as there might be some glue that needs heat to break the bond. Provided everything comes out clean and the existing anchor holes don't need drilling (they could be shallower than German FR items), just apply a thin smear of PVA wood glue to your new anchors and tap in with a piece of wooden doweling and a hammer until flush. If that doesn't improve things then at least you're half way to performing a straight swap with a higher quality unit as the existing bridge has worn or incorrectly machined knife edges.
7:20 inconsistent spring tension. If the springs the problem, contact Jackson. If the wood of the body was not cured properly, the screw holding the spring in place might be shifting. Contact Jackson.
Very informative video! I love the JS32 series solely as a decent mod platform, but seeing this video definitely makes me want to get an HSS Kramer Striker. Also, I've owned two Beretta specials in the past and loved them, so I already know I'll love how it feels. With an actual FR Special (not bad at all if setup correctly) and much better sounding electronics (in my opinion), the Striker looks and sounds very promising. Thanks for making this video! PS, the JS32's tuning instability is most likely because the nut is shifting on the nut shelf. To test this, just mute the strings between the nut and bridge, flick the strings between the nut and tuners, then use the bar. If the string areas between the nut and tuners change pitch, the nut is shifting and needs to be tightened down to the neck. If it can't be tightened any more, what I do is put some slivers of toothpick in the screw hole, then tighten again. It works about 90%-95% of the time. Hope this helps 🤘
Dang, the Jackson must be a lemon! I tried out four of them at the store and brought home a metallic purple one. One fret needs to be filed a little and a pickup is microphonic are the only issues, but the pickups I was going to replace anyway. No issue with the bridge holding tune.
Your analysis of the Jackson here makes me glad that all of my Jacksons and Charvels are from the 80's and very early 90's. I've got 20 of them, all with either Floyds or licensed Floyds. None of these quality issues existed back then. But don't forget the price point you're talking about here. My first "decent" guitar was considered a "budget guitar." I bought my beloved Charvel Model 4 in 1987 for around $750. That's 750 1987 dollars! She was worth every penny, and is still my favorite to play even though I have many that are regarded as "better." I envy the selection of quality guitars that young people just starting out have to choose from these days. When I started out, a $350 guitar was going to be a nightmare to play, and was still a lot of money in the 80's. I fought off the urge to pick up one of those Baretta Specials when they came out. So darn inexpensive but I just don't need any more guitars. Your demo of the Striker has me fighting G.A.S. yet again!
The beak/banana headstock story. EVH's original "Frankenstrat" used a "jackson neck with a pointy headstock. He did not have an agreement with Kramer at that time. Kramer not wanting to get into a trademark conflict with Charvel/Jackson redesigned the headstock to a "Hockey Stick" profile.
Kayla, I absolutely love your videos and your absolutely correct about the QC from the JS series. Even though that particular series is targeted toward the beginner level player they definitely could do a better job considering other brands are doing it at the price range. I have owned many Jackson guitars from the early 90s through the mid 2000s, Japanese and Indonesian and they were flawless shred machines. After fender purchased Jackson I noticed that you had to buy atleast an X or a pro series to get that level of quality and now your talking $1000 for an import when you can get that Kramer $700 cheaper.
Ha! Even my USA SL2H had some serious flaws such as the clearcoat separating from the metallic paint, as well as inlays lifting from the fretboard in places. Fender has probably been the worst thing to happen to Jackson/Charvel.
I just recently bought the red Kramer too! I liked it for the narrow nut and I did have to set it up. I like it. I like it better than the Jackson I bought a little while back. Great clip!
I own a Jackson JS32Q Arch Top with a Floyd Rose. I both love it and hate it. I didn't have any problems with sharp frets, but the Floyd on mine is weird. The paint started coming off just from my palm muting. Also one of the fine adjustment screws likes to bite into the thread and it makes tuning the d string hit or miss. Unfortunately for me, Kramer is very scarce where I live (Poland), so I doubt I'll ever try one. But all in all I really like my Jackie, especially how badass it sounds with my Peavey Vypyr X2. Great video, great playing. Cheers!
I recently got a jackson RR js32 and I had to do a lot of setup, either the action ended up being high or the truss rod almost maxed out avoiding fret buzz.... My kramer nitev 22 frets is amazing no buzzing, whilst my assault 220 24 frets has a really low action and only a little almost imperceptible buzz on 6th.
"Wow" Kayla I must say that you're guitar technique is absolutely knock out it's as if you're hands have gotten some octopus reflex. Fab Playing. John.
Great video! I have 2 Kramers from the early 80s made in the USA and 2 Jacksons 1 made in Japan and the other is a RR V. Of course I favor the vintage Kramers but the Jacksons are very good with no sharp fret ends. It's been my experience in the past that most Jacksons have very good necks but I don't know about the new ones.
I've been thinking about going with one of these too and i borrowed my brothers jackson and have had the same exact issue with the floyd rose. I think you've sold me on the kramer
lol I have the exact same dinky and the FR is also a problem i ended up having to add in a tremol-no, locking tuners with a string retainer just to keep it in tune. Sucks!! my FR is basically only there for aesthetics.
@@pauln6803 Agreed. I do have a couple of the Japanese Jacksons. They had to follow the rules of the custom shop in America. Excellent quality, for sure.
I had the same fret end problem with my purple Jackson JS34Q. The frets were also rough as a rock. After fixing both, it plays really great and I love it. Definitely check the fret work before you buy one of cheaper Jacksons.
I appreciate what you are doing for the guitar community. However, i just wanna know where i can get a puppy scrunchy and if it will help my tone? Send links for puppy scrunchy if possible. 🙌🏻
Sad to hear about the Jackosn. I love my Jackson and Charvel guitars, but mine are all Japanese built from the 80s, 90s or 00s and not really comparable to the JS stuff. Any idea where eh Kramer was made? I would be interested to know if it's Indonesia or ... somewhere else.
Now I miss my 90's music store again. AARRGGH! Whenever someone bought a guitar new or used from them, they would take you into the luthier room and ask you what gauge string, what action height you prefer, set the intonation to your prefered strings... ARGH! I MISS it so much now! Sorry to hear the music store hell story. Seems more and more common recently.
I used to have a Kramer striker way back in the mid '90s. Second hand day glow pink. Painted it black, didn't like the neck, and gave it to my cousin. Jackson-Fender, Kramer-Gibson.
Personally I love Kramer when I want a strat feel with some massive humbuckers in em I get a Kramer. I got two so far I have a barreta special and a regular one with a stop bar rather than the Floyd. Thinking about getting a striker or a pacer. What do y’all think?
Had the lefty js32 and completely agree. Jackson Floyd was usable but had stiff fine tuners. Put a Floyd original on it and realized the locking nut was slightly off center. Not enough to have a string hang off but still annoying. Always wondered if all licensed Floyd rose specials had that problem because my Floyd original is fantastic. Still have the Floyd and was going to buy another js32 to put it on but then came across the striker and the pacer and I think I’m going to go with pacer because the specs are better then the js32. For example the js32 has a poplar body vs the alder on the pacer.
Yeah my jackson js22 has the exact same problem with the sharp fret ends..which is also mostly why I have little to no desire to play it. I put some good pickups in it too. Sure I can file the fret ends down (I have a fret file).....but do I have the time or energy to? Not really. On the plus side jackson still has a lot of good things about their guitars (especially the graphite reinforced necks) but if you don't want to play it what's the point?
@@vorpalblades It takes longer than that. I did file the fret ends though but it's still not very good and also the fretboard is now marred because of the file. I understand these guitar cos usually only put in the minimal effort to sell something but I can't imagine making sure the frets are nice really costs any significant amount more. So it indicates that they just don't care that much. Which is fine...but also they will lose customers with that attitude which maybe they are ok with. So all in all, I can't go for Jacksons anymore.
I got the JS32 in white on the used market and its good no trem issues. But i got another jackson with a copy of a floyd that has a crappy block that moves. I need to order a new OFR for that one.
Hi, Im a new subscriber ... I know, big whoop lol. I've played guitar for 42 years and know my way around it okay, I have to say you are truly gifted to be that good at such a young age. I hope all the best for you.
So no joke I have an older Kramer Striker and absolutely love it. It needs some love but it plays so good. I came from ESP/LTD guitars but for about 8 years they have just pissed me off and got rid of everything I liked about them. Was very loyal to ESP/LTD but they did me dirty and so my recent guitar was a Kramer. Have to say I am in love with this guitar and the quality versus the price is amazing. Kramer is my go to now I just want them to re-release an Explorer model or EX model my lineup would be complete.
I might give that Kramer a second chance one day. I bought it when it first came out and it had all sorts of faults. I think one QC inspector at the factory let a whole batch through with no inspection. I returned it and later got the completely awesome Beretta special.
Was in guitar center looking at semi hollows. Wanted a 335 but found a used Casino. Played it and it was ok but I wanted to try the 335 up by the ceiling. Asked the counter guy if he could get it down so I could try it and he said “you just played the casino it’s the same guitar” I put the strings I was going to buy down and left. Never going back.
Im debating between this, a charvel san dimas or ltd mh203. This seems affordable however i need to be sure i can fret and play it well. I dont have very big hands so neck radius and frets length are a major deal
I’m 5’4 and have tiny hands, I would go with the Kramer tbh. Charvel necks can be on the bigger side and LTD in that range are just inconsistent. I just picked up a new guitar and went with Kramer after testing out a bunch of different models.
@@JawkneeJay thank you friend. I'll probably go with the striker. I have " non compliant hands" my Epiphone les Paul is the easiest thing for me to play. Dinky, Ibanez I just can't. But I want a tremolo so Kramer it is! 🎸
I have that same Amp head, fan model . . cuz has one too, a 2 2x2 speakers with original speakers, nice .. on that bridge are the springs getting hung up somehow, maybe change springs then use 3 then 4 so forth . . or trash it and get an 84' . . . .
Me and my dad went to a guitar stores, they recommended this Kramer striker and a scheter omen elite 6, I kinda want to do divebomb like dimebag darrell since the only guitar I have is a fixed bridge ( I also want to upgrade to a larger and decent guitar ), which one would you recommend?
the reason why the Jackson doesn't go back to tune is because the Floyd Rose studs move back and forth and are not stationary like they should be. the Jackson Floyd Rose special doesn't use standard individual studs inserted into the body. they use this cheaper plate that goes across held down by two tiny little black screws. if you remove the Jackson Floyd Rose special, you can see this plate. You may need to tighten these 2 screws down better in order so the plate and studs don't move as much. one way to fix the problem is to remove the tiny little screws and replace with some bigger ones, or use some bolts and nuts that go through the wood and hold it down really well. the only problem is the studs that screw into that plate still have some play, but it will work better.
When she cut the cantaloupe with the Jackson i lost my shit. This video was so great Kayla! Thank you for this.
The contrast from you absolutely shredding back to talking about the guitars in the most gentle voice is fucking awesome. Also lost my shit when you cut the cantaloupe🤣😭
Love you.. That cantaloupe cutting was epic! Great playing!
So dope cant wait til you replace zak wylde
Your a fool she's not nearly as good as Zack.shut up
Fucking a! Straight up!
Zakk is soooooo sweating this. She's brushing up on dime's riffs as we type.
I won’t partake of modern Pantera without Kayla.
I’m just saying she could be a better dime replacement
I had high hopes for the JS32 series too. That was very informative (and entertaining), thank you. \m/
I actually own a jackson Soloist SL3X DX X series blue and silver crackle paint job.i bought it as a Christmas present to myself. I love it , great guitar 🎸
Thanks for the review Miss Kayla! 🤘🏼
thank uuuu brandon!!!!
The Jacksons can be awesome if you get a good one but their quality control seems a bit shite. Mine also has fairly sharp frets, but I haven't noticed any of the other issues.
Mine did come with a headstock that looks like it's been chipped and then poorly repaired so that's pretty fun lol. Tbh, I really like the "touching a bare piece of wood" feel of the neck, but I'm aware other people might prefer to use protection when touching wood.
Hats off to you for keeping your composure with THAT sort of customer diservice. Jeez, that cost them a sale and yet they won't see it... Anyhow, love your vid, subbed! 🤘
Hey, thanks for that, Kayla. I'll have to check out on of those Kramers.
Just ordered the Striker with a maple fretboard using your affiliate link. You're quickly becoming my favorite guitar channel! Keep shredding and cranking out videos!
How’s the striker?
@Humblee115 it's really nice after a setup. I like the neck a lot bc it's not super thing. Pickups are surprisingly not bad for being an entry level guitar. Pretty clear sounding, maybe a bit sterile. Overall its a great guitar.
I love Zzounds. Just got a Helix from there. I also got a schecter PT hybrid ultra violet. Sick axe.
Much better than GC
You went through what many of us have at GC! Generally atrocious customer service. I stopped buying from them a year ago and never looked back. Just got a Pacer classic reissue and am very happy! Great video!
Excelente review, muy honesta, y excelente sentido del humor, me encantó.
Every single thing about you just tickles the living piss out me. GC employees in the vid are spot on.
Really enjoyed this one!
Loved this video, the intro was hilarious. Was thinking about getting a cheap Jackson but after watching this I think I’m good. Keep shredding!🤘🎸
I got a JS32 Randy Rhoads from Thomann and the only major issue I had was the thread sheared in the B string saddle on the Floyd Rose. I bought another Jackson licenced Floyd from reverb to use for spares. But when it's set up properly the tuning stability and intonation are great. I was playing some slayer and using the whammy bar today. She has a point about the tuning when using the whammy bar but I find if I pull the bar up a bit after using it, it returns to being in tune. I didn't have any issues with sharp frets in mine. Maybe I got lucky or maybe Thomann do a bit better quality control on the products they sell. I don't know for sure.
you have to shop around, or buy an early 2000's or older MIJ. they can be had for about $300
@@adamtownsend9499
The problem there is the frets and hardware will almost certainly be pretty worn.
The Chushin Gakki factory built some incredible guitars (the early Charvel model series and high end Jackson Pro series were fantastic), but as Japanese production costs soared, cost cutting had to creep in.
There's a huge gulf between something like a Charvel 750XL or Soloist Pro and a Performer series Dinky.
Pickups, hardware, even the frets had to be cheaped out on.
Don't get me wrong, a Japanese Performer series has nice appointments such as a two piece body and a FAT rosewood fretboard, and the factory generally produced tidy instruments, but there's a good chance a refret is in order, as is replacing the licenced Floyd (add in routing as it's a cheap copy of the stubby Schaller that was on the more expensive models), and the pickups were bargain bin and sometimes microphonic.
@@vorpalblades is JHS into the guitar game now?
@@vorpalblades some people sell them for $500-600. I got 2 for under $300 each. Just missed one for $150. I might just be in a good area.
Thanks for the review. Incidentally I've purchased a few Kramer's recently. The Pacers seem to have very sharp fret ends. No issues at all with the Nightswan, Nite-V, or Baretta specials.
idk whats up with the pacers, not a fan of their necks either.
@@KaylaKent Maybe I'll reappropriate it as a cantaloupe slicer. :)
Bought a Jackson King V about a year ago. As much as I loved how cool it looked, it didn't work out. It had an insane Neck Dive due to how far from the Neck bolts the Strap Button is. I'm not sure how much of a problem this is with other Floyd Rose guitars, but on the low E, the coiling around the string itself would strip away and be pulled off, letting the string slip out to place.
String unwinding with Floyd type bridges is caused either by worn/incorrectly cast metal or over torquing the string bolts, crushing instead of gripping the strings.
I have a Jackson Dinky from the early 90s that I bought new and it had the same problem of not going back into tune after whammying. The problem was that the screws for the floyd were too far forward and the floyd was rubbing on the body of the guitar, which was stopping it from going back into place.
Awesome playing as always. Glad you found a new tool for your arsenal. Also your voice makes me want to give you a hug. 😂
It shows your honest opinion very good
Awesome review and I loved the added comic relief. Thanks.
Your playing skills are phenomenal!
Funny review :) I bought my Candy Red Kramer 120 back in 91 and it's been my "go to" axe ever since. It's had pickup changes, a replacement switch, and the frets have no more 'level & crown' left in them but I've yet to find anything else as comfortable or playable.
I have a js32 warrior on the way to me. I've seen a few videos stating that they can have some issues out of the box.
I just can't not be in love with the warrior body. Im planning to mod it over time and itll get sent to a tech to hopefully smooth out any frets and basically do what can be done to make it better.
Your playing is insanely good too! You make it look so effortless!
Please do a detail video on how you set up your stuff.
your vibrato and bends are soooo smooth i need to practice more 😢
I watched this video before buying My Jackson JS32 and admit it made me a bit nervous. I had a Kramer Focus I purchased in 1986 or 87 and loved it. The older head stock shape was awesome. I got frustrated with tuning the Floyd Rose and all the broken high E strings and after buying a Strat and a Les Paul, I sold the Kramer. Man I regret that. Wanting to get back into a Floyd Rose I started looking at the Jackson JS 32 and found a new one online at a reduced price. When it arrived I found it had some of the issues you described. Major fret sprout and sharp ends. A couple of hours of filing and sanding cured that. The apparent unfinished nature of the neck was solved with 2 coats of Tung oil and some buffing. Actually, the finish on the neck, or lack there of, could contribute to the fret sprout problem. The guitar may just be over reacting to humidity changes and shrinking. I loved the neck shape. Action was good and frets were good. Luckily the Floyd Rose functions well and guitar stays in tune really well. It is now one of my favorites. If the Jackson folks saw your video they should have sent you a replacement guitar. They really do make some nice instruments. By the way, you Rip on the guitar. Any performance videos out there? How about some lick lesson videos?
This is exactly what i needed i was considering both of getting both of these guitars
The cantaloupe scene cracked me up 😆
I Luv Your Review. It's awesome to hear real talk. With a touch of Humor to make it entertaining .
Thanks for this 😉
That was awesome. Using the neck to cut the cantaloupe was hilarious.
I had the same issues with the Floyd on my JS32. I ended up putting lighter springs on it. It stays in tune after beating on pretty hard.
I currently have a custom mockingbird stq 8 with a fixed bridge. I have been looking at kramers lately on my feed
I’ve got that Jackson’s, as well. Mine has a few modifications, however. Fish an open core modern pickups, rechargeable backplate battery pack and a full size arcade killswitch
holy cow... your cursing is an art, you make a guitar breathe fire... i wish i could take lessons from you on both! you rock! 😊
Zzounds rules. Glad you're working with them on the instruments you love. I'm the ESP/Jackson guy and I agree that the Jackson's don't get nice until you hit the Pro line at @1200+. Killer vid. Shit was funny.
I have an ivy green kramer striker, but I changed a lot of stuff on it. I put in gotoh locking tuners, a gotoh 1996t tremolo, cts pots, gotoh knobs, and a neon green seymour duncan JB, also FU tone green springs and a fat brass block.But mine came with sharp frets so I had to file them down. I literally put more money into parts than for the guitar. But hey, I really liked the guitar and it had a lot of potential, I had been looking for a "green guitar" project so when I saw it, I fell in love. Plus the input Jack's on them are sweet. I'm use to ESPs and LTDs with normal input Jack's and jack plates.
So I never had the fret end problems on all of my 4 JS32s and my frets were leveled pretty good, not perfect but good. However I have exactly the same problem with all of my tremolos too. I've discovered that the bridge post screws are extremely extremely soft and mine have notches in them too. Taken them apart and cleaned them fully but nothing helps. My question now is: is "upgrading" to a Floyd Rose special worth the money or not? I'm on a very small budget at the moment and would like to change both of my trems on the guitars but either I can get 2 new FR specials or one 1000 series. Can someone give me any advice?
interesting
Get the 1000 and put a trem stop on the other one for now. Youre only going to spend more money on the special in the long run. The 1000 is probably not perfect either, meaning parts arent moving too smooth compared to a schaller or gotoh floyd, but nothing a little 3 in 1 oil or sewing machine oil could not solve. Knife edges are def not going to wear like on the specials or other cheap copies.
The Special?
Short answer is no.
The baseplate should be ok, but the zinc alloy saddles are shite.
It's also too expensive.
If your guitar is a keeper and not a stepping stone, then consider a Schaller FR Original, a 1000 series FR, a Schaller Lockmeister or the Gotoh GE1996T.
Really it's down to cost and availability.
Here in Europe the 1000 is absurdly priced.
There's usually no reason to go for the Korean over the Floyd Original.
A Lockmeister is a German FR Original without Floyd's name and % added, and around two thirds of the price.
The Gotoh is hands down the best value, with a chunky, properly hardened steel baseplate, smooth beveled steel saddles and posts that have a set screw in the centre to eliminate any post movement. It's usually a good deal cheaper than any of the others.
The downside is there may be some routing required as the post anchors are bigger than traditional and cheap Floyd items, and the bridge is a touch longer overall and wider at the rear.
If it's just the posts, it's cheaper to get a German Schaller made Floyd Original post and anchor set.
The posts are likely to be a different thread, so surgery may be required, but it's not usually a big deal...
Make sure the anchors are near enough the same size with digital calipers.
If they are, then use a soft cloth and a small bit of wood to use ss a pivot to pull out your anchors via the post with a set of pliers.
Keep movements as small and vertical as possible.
Heating with a soldering iron beforehand is a good tip, as there might be some glue that needs heat to break the bond.
Provided everything comes out clean and the existing anchor holes don't need drilling (they could be shallower than German FR items), just apply a thin smear of PVA wood glue to your new anchors and tap in with a piece of wooden doweling and a hammer until flush.
If that doesn't improve things then at least you're half way to performing a straight swap with a higher quality unit as the existing bridge has worn or incorrectly machined knife edges.
3:18 is that a Johnson Millennium? I have a 2x12 . Has the ‘real’ Celestions in it . for sale in the Nashville area for a very good price
you need to get your hands on the vintage kramer pacer reissue , just bought one, same as I played in 1984
This is so funny! I love the animation!
Thanks for the head-to-head!
7:20 inconsistent spring tension. If the springs the problem, contact Jackson. If the wood of the body was not cured properly, the screw holding the spring in place might be shifting. Contact Jackson.
Thanks for the great info! And your playing is exceptional!
Very informative video! I love the JS32 series solely as a decent mod platform, but seeing this video definitely makes me want to get an HSS Kramer Striker. Also, I've owned two Beretta specials in the past and loved them, so I already know I'll love how it feels. With an actual FR Special (not bad at all if setup correctly) and much better sounding electronics (in my opinion), the Striker looks and sounds very promising. Thanks for making this video!
PS, the JS32's tuning instability is most likely because the nut is shifting on the nut shelf. To test this, just mute the strings between the nut and bridge, flick the strings between the nut and tuners, then use the bar. If the string areas between the nut and tuners change pitch, the nut is shifting and needs to be tightened down to the neck. If it can't be tightened any more, what I do is put some slivers of toothpick in the screw hole, then tighten again. It works about 90%-95% of the time.
Hope this helps 🤘
Ive got the striker in majestic purple with the maple neck and i find myself gravitating toward it alot
Dang, the Jackson must be a lemon! I tried out four of them at the store and brought home a metallic purple one. One fret needs to be filed a little and a pickup is microphonic are the only issues, but the pickups I was going to replace anyway. No issue with the bridge holding tune.
The melon bit was hilarious.
Increadible playing and great video.
Your analysis of the Jackson here makes me glad that all of my Jacksons and Charvels are from the 80's and very early 90's. I've got 20 of them, all with either Floyds or licensed Floyds. None of these quality issues existed back then. But don't forget the price point you're talking about here. My first "decent" guitar was considered a "budget guitar." I bought my beloved Charvel Model 4 in 1987 for around $750. That's 750 1987 dollars! She was worth every penny, and is still my favorite to play even though I have many that are regarded as "better." I envy the selection of quality guitars that young people just starting out have to choose from these days. When I started out, a $350 guitar was going to be a nightmare to play, and was still a lot of money in the 80's.
I fought off the urge to pick up one of those Baretta Specials when they came out. So darn inexpensive but I just don't need any more guitars. Your demo of the Striker has me fighting G.A.S. yet again!
The beak/banana headstock story. EVH's original "Frankenstrat" used a "jackson neck with a pointy headstock. He did not have an agreement with Kramer at that time. Kramer not wanting to get into a trademark conflict with Charvel/Jackson redesigned the headstock to a "Hockey Stick" profile.
Kayla, I absolutely love your videos and your absolutely correct about the QC from the JS series. Even though that particular series is targeted toward the beginner level player they definitely could do a better job considering other brands are doing it at the price range. I have owned many Jackson guitars from the early 90s through the mid 2000s, Japanese and Indonesian and they were flawless shred machines. After fender purchased Jackson I noticed that you had to buy atleast an X or a pro series to get that level of quality and now your talking $1000 for an import when you can get that Kramer $700 cheaper.
Ha! Even my USA SL2H had some serious flaws such as the clearcoat separating from the metallic paint, as well as inlays lifting from the fretboard in places.
Fender has probably been the worst thing to happen to Jackson/Charvel.
Dude, the canteloupe! That was hilarious! Seriously, very informative video. Thanks!
I just recently bought the red Kramer too! I liked it for the narrow nut and I did have to set it up. I like it. I like it better than the Jackson I bought a little while back. Great clip!
I own a Jackson JS32Q Arch Top with a Floyd Rose. I both love it and hate it. I didn't have any problems with sharp frets, but the Floyd on mine is weird. The paint started coming off just from my palm muting. Also one of the fine adjustment screws likes to bite into the thread and it makes tuning the d string hit or miss.
Unfortunately for me, Kramer is very scarce where I live (Poland), so I doubt I'll ever try one. But all in all I really like my Jackie, especially how badass it sounds with my Peavey Vypyr X2.
Great video, great playing. Cheers!
I recently got a jackson RR js32 and I had to do a lot of setup, either the action ended up being high or the truss rod almost maxed out avoiding fret buzz.... My kramer nitev 22 frets is amazing no buzzing, whilst my assault 220 24 frets has a really low action and only a little almost imperceptible buzz on 6th.
Curious as to how the new striker compares to the original. I have an '88 and it's heavy with a chonky neck. Upper fret access is not so good either.
"Wow" Kayla I must say that you're guitar technique is absolutely knock out it's as if you're hands have gotten some octopus reflex. Fab Playing. John.
Great video! I have 2 Kramers from the early 80s made in the USA and 2 Jacksons 1 made in Japan and the other is a RR V. Of course I favor the vintage Kramers but the Jacksons are very good with no sharp fret ends. It's been my experience in the past that most Jacksons have very good necks but I don't know about the new ones.
Just curious did you make a video about your gear and sound setup? It's so awesome.
Great video kayla love what you do
Thnx for the laugh! The can't-a-lope bit is hilarious!! I don't play no moes and have an '91 Rg 770 I would love to bestow upon thee
Love your amp tone
I bought the Jackson Adrian Smith ( non USA model ) and the frets were sharp on that as well.
Jackson Adrian Smith SDX is made in Indonesia, what did you expect.
@@andynonimuss6298that has to do with climate changes, not the country
I've been thinking about going with one of these too and i borrowed my brothers jackson and have had the same exact issue with the floyd rose. I think you've sold me on the kramer
lol I have the exact same dinky and the FR is also a problem i ended up having to add in a tremol-no, locking tuners with a string retainer just to keep it in tune. Sucks!! my FR is basically only there for aesthetics.
Would love to see you do an S by Solar review. The murdered out explorer version w/the gig bag.
The only Jackson to own is an 80s neck through soloist SL1 from the original custom shop. They are absolutely fantastic.
The 90's also produced some stunners from both USA and Japanese factories.
@@pauln6803 Agreed. I do have a couple of the Japanese Jacksons. They had to follow the rules of the custom shop in America. Excellent quality, for sure.
This woman is a definite keeper! ❤
I had the same fret end problem with my purple Jackson JS34Q. The frets were also rough as a rock. After fixing both, it plays really great and I love it. Definitely check the fret work before you buy one of cheaper Jacksons.
I appreciate what you are doing for the guitar community. However, i just wanna know where i can get a puppy scrunchy and if it will help my tone? Send links for puppy scrunchy if possible. 🙌🏻
Great video Kayla! Can you do a video on how you set up your floyd roses and string height?
ty, but nah theres loads of videos out there on how to do that lol
Sad to hear about the Jackosn. I love my Jackson and Charvel guitars, but mine are all Japanese built from the 80s, 90s or 00s and not really comparable to the JS stuff. Any idea where eh Kramer was made? I would be interested to know if it's Indonesia or ... somewhere else.
Very respectable musician
wow youre pretty impressive my dear. your knowledge and skill is impressive. you have a new fan.
Now I miss my 90's music store again. AARRGGH! Whenever someone bought a guitar new or used from them, they would take you into the luthier room and ask you what gauge string, what action height you prefer, set the intonation to your prefered strings... ARGH! I MISS it so much now! Sorry to hear the music store hell story. Seems more and more common recently.
I used to have a Kramer striker way back in the mid '90s. Second hand day glow pink. Painted it black, didn't like the neck, and gave it to my cousin. Jackson-Fender, Kramer-Gibson.
Personally I love Kramer when I want a strat feel with some massive humbuckers in em I get a Kramer.
I got two so far I have a barreta special and a regular one with a stop bar rather than the Floyd. Thinking about getting a striker or a pacer. What do y’all think?
Great to hear that Kramer is still making killer guitars! Was looking at a Nightswan (that aztec one is beautiufl) but wasn't sure.
The tuning issue on Jackson is spring related. Replace them or see if they’re making contact with wood
I got one of these. Say had to return it, the neck was warped. Traded up for an SM-1.
You should try a Charvel Jackson 750XL I own 1 in snow white and it's the best shredder I own.
Had the lefty js32 and completely agree. Jackson Floyd was usable but had stiff fine tuners. Put a Floyd original on it and realized the locking nut was slightly off center. Not enough to have a string hang off but still annoying. Always wondered if all licensed Floyd rose specials had that problem because my Floyd original is fantastic. Still have the Floyd and was going to buy another js32 to put it on but then came across the striker and the pacer and I think I’m going to go with pacer because the specs are better then the js32. For example the js32 has a poplar body vs the alder on the pacer.
Yeah my jackson js22 has the exact same problem with the sharp fret ends..which is also mostly why I have little to no desire to play it. I put some good pickups in it too. Sure I can file the fret ends down (I have a fret file).....but do I have the time or energy to? Not really. On the plus side jackson still has a lot of good things about their guitars (especially the graphite reinforced necks) but if you don't want to play it what's the point?
@@vorpalblades It takes longer than that. I did file the fret ends though but it's still not very good and also the fretboard is now marred because of the file. I understand these guitar cos usually only put in the minimal effort to sell something but I can't imagine making sure the frets are nice really costs any significant amount more. So it indicates that they just don't care that much. Which is fine...but also they will lose customers with that attitude which maybe they are ok with. So all in all, I can't go for Jacksons anymore.
I got the JS32 in white on the used market and its good no trem issues. But i got another jackson with a copy of a floyd that has a crappy block that moves. I need to order a new OFR for that one.
Hi, Im a new subscriber ... I know, big whoop lol. I've played guitar for 42 years and know my way around it okay, I have to say you are truly gifted to be that good at such a young age. I hope all the best for you.
The CFH solo on the Jackson was total badass!
I'd love to see you continue the shoot out with an Ibanez RG6003FM vs Schecter C-6.
those guys are both fixed bridge guitars
My first guitar that I learned to play on was a Kramer 300st. man I miss that thing
So no joke I have an older Kramer Striker and absolutely love it. It needs some love but it plays so good. I came from ESP/LTD guitars but for about 8 years they have just pissed me off and got rid of everything I liked about them. Was very loyal to ESP/LTD but they did me dirty and so my recent guitar was a Kramer. Have to say I am in love with this guitar and the quality versus the price is amazing. Kramer is my go to now I just want them to re-release an Explorer model or EX model my lineup would be complete.
I recently tried a JS32 and had the exact same problem with the trem not staying in tune.
grrrrrrrr
I might give that Kramer a second chance one day. I bought it when it first came out and it had all sorts of faults. I think one QC inspector at the factory let a whole batch through with no inspection. I returned it and later got the completely awesome Beretta special.
Was in guitar center looking at semi hollows. Wanted a 335 but found a used Casino. Played it and it was ok but I wanted to try the 335 up by the ceiling. Asked the counter guy if he could get it down so I could try it and he said “you just played the casino it’s the same guitar” I put the strings I was going to buy down and left. Never going back.
I miss my Stryker, I had an ‘87 metallic burgundy made in USA.
Im debating between this, a charvel san dimas or ltd mh203. This seems affordable however i need to be sure i can fret and play it well. I dont have very big hands so neck radius and frets length are a major deal
I’m 5’4 and have tiny hands, I would go with the Kramer tbh. Charvel necks can be on the bigger side and LTD in that range are just inconsistent. I just picked up a new guitar and went with Kramer after testing out a bunch of different models.
@@JawkneeJay thank you friend. I'll probably go with the striker. I have " non compliant hands" my Epiphone les Paul is the easiest thing for me to play. Dinky, Ibanez I just can't. But I want a tremolo so Kramer it is! 🎸
I have that same Amp head, fan model . . cuz has one too, a 2 2x2 speakers with original speakers, nice .. on that bridge are the springs getting hung up somehow, maybe change springs then use 3 then 4 so forth . . or trash it and get an 84' . . . .
Me and my dad went to a guitar stores, they recommended this Kramer striker and a scheter omen elite 6, I kinda want to do divebomb like dimebag darrell since the only guitar I have is a fixed bridge ( I also want to upgrade to a larger and decent guitar ), which one would you recommend?
My first Floyded guitar was an 80's Korean Striker, C.A.R. Lot's of fun.
the reason why the Jackson doesn't go back to tune is because the Floyd Rose studs move back and forth and are not stationary like they should be. the Jackson Floyd Rose special doesn't use standard individual studs inserted into the body. they use this cheaper plate that goes across held down by two tiny little black screws. if you remove the Jackson Floyd Rose special, you can see this plate. You may need to tighten these 2 screws down better in order so the plate and studs don't move as much. one way to fix the problem is to remove the tiny little screws and replace with some bigger ones, or use some bolts and nuts that go through the wood and hold it down really well. the only problem is the studs that screw into that plate still have some play, but it will work better.