Jackson custom shop vs ESP custom shop

Leveraged Sellout said:
Thanks! It’s all mahogany with that maple top. It’s a beast of a guitar post-setup/wiring issues

They make killer guitars, just don’t be disappointed if it arrives from the factory dinged and sort of unfinished lol

I’d have ordered way more Jackson custom shops btw, just the 4 year wait plus insane prices have held me back
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That’s where I’m at with ordering new. Off their rocker with these prices. My custom shop soloist on the left (after pickup swap) with my buddies on the right. Guitars awesome, but probably going to move it for one with a recessed floyd. I just cannot get used to it with the amount of down picking I do.

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PiggySmallz said:
Haven't had a chance to plug it in yet unfortunately. It showed up 2 days ago
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You must be traveling cause if a guitar showed up and I couldn’t plug it in for 2 days, I’d have pulled all my hair out lol!!!

Post some clips if you can, it’s stunning!!
 
Bram576 said:
That’s where I’m at with ordering new. Off their rocker with these prices. My custom shop soloist on the left (after pickup swap) with my buddies on the right. Guitars awesome, but probably going to move it for one with a recessed floyd. I just cannot get used to it with the amount of down picking I do.

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First off, those two are insanely badass!

Where is your wrist hitting/catching/not feeling right? Or is it a different issue?
 
I have no experience with either the Jackson or ESP CS. I realize that no company, even a Suhr or Anderson, is going to be 100% perfect. However, what my personal experience has shown me, and what I've heard, is that issues with them are EXTREMELY few and far between.

From what everyone is saying about the Jackson CS, that isn't the case, and it appears issues crop up frequently enough to make these complaints somewhat common. For that price and wait time, this shouldn't be the case. Taking all of this into account, my recommendation is that unless your dead set on a Jackson, I'd avoid them after hearing all of this.
 
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Leveraged Sellout said:
First off, those two are insanely badass!

Where is your wrist hitting/catching/not feeling right? Or is it a different issue?
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I had a USA Jackson SL2H with a Mahogonay top and maple body for about a year and it was a phenomenal guitar. (Production not CS) However, I kind of had the same issue with the Floyd. It just wasn't comfortable, and I felt that the angle of my wrist was odd when I played. I ultimatley sold it because of this. If I'm going to use a Floyd, I prefer something like the Ibanez Lo Pro, Ibanez Edge or Gotoh (Edge is a Gotoh actually) on my Suhr. They are lower profile and much more comforable to play for me. I just can't get along with non recessed fully floating Floyds.
 
Bram576 said:
Yeah it’s a bummer, for the leads, and any alternate picking best guitar I’ve ever touched for me. But the down picking on my wrist just feels so weird. I’m a death metal dude so the down picking is a must.
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That’s a bummer man, what do you think you might replace it with?
 
Leveraged Sellout said:
I have two ESP Custom Shop Guitars that are absolutely flawless and play like butter…

I have one Jackson Custom Shop guitar that is fine to play and sounds great but arrived with a ding from the factory and also the wire to ground the pickup was just floating in the cavity and never attached…had to have the wire fixed and get the guitar setup after the fact.

I also have a Jackson USA Rhoads that arrived with a stripped screw in the Floyd…but plays phenomenally and sounds incredible

I love all 4 of them but with a 4 year custom shop wait from Jackson and the insane prices, I’d get an ESP Custom shop guitar. Higher likelihood of a better quality guitar plus the yen is weaker compared to the USD so you’ll get more bang for your buck. Just my $.02

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Those ESP's are the first I've seen with an actual headstock I like . Most I hate but those are sweet and follow the Explorer design.
 
I would really love one of these shops to do a crackle finish for me, but seems to be a no go for most. Kiesel does them, but I’m extremely paranoid of ordering from them from what I’ve heard.
 
Leveraged Sellout said:
@ccn @PiggySmallz not quite hanging on the walls but on the stools at the store a few years ago

@Bram576 it was Ikebe if I remember correctly but it’s been a while and my understanding is ESP is not making explorers anymore (Gibson strikes again lol).

If you can find someone with a Japanese passport, ESP will damn near make you anything!!!

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That's amazing! I'm beyond jealous
 
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PiggySmallz said:
That's amazing! I'm beyond jealous
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For whatever it’s worth, I never have the luck in these types of situations…it was the first time I’ve actually ended up with the exact instruments I was after…a massively rare occurrence in my life!

We all have that moment as a kid where you look up to a guitar and go, “oh man, that’s the one”…and these two were it for me.

I’ll never forget the day they actually arrived (after getting held in customs :oops: ) and I opened up the boxes and just stared at them like a retard. I was that same 16 year old kid again, just sitting there with snot running out my nose and drooling.

Doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s a nice warm feeling
 
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