I picked these up in 2013 as I was going a bit wild in wanting to try things I had not had a chance to previously, in a "Let's see what a shred guitar is like" kind of way. Now after a while of neglecting the pile of guitars (but not in a Yngwie way) I have sold a few and want to assess the rest for stay or go.
I think these are Japanese from the early 90's, but what I have found online about that range is a bit confusing. Plus they don't say Japan on them anywhere I've seen yet. I'm not yet ready for an A on my Charvel/Jackson history exam, but from what I gather it seems that Charvel went to Japan first, and then they started producing Jacksons at the same factory.
Right off the bat mine don't quite match up with the serial number FAQ, in that it's the Dinky XL that has the 91xxxx serial number, indicating 1991 manufacture, and the Fusion XL that has the 2xxxxx indicating 1992 manufacture, both in the 6-digit scheme. The FAQ says it should be the other way around, with the Fusions having the 90xxxx, 91xxxx etc. scheme. I do note that it was a post by a junior member, and I have seen other mentions elsewhere of the same schemes but nothing authoritatively tying it to one model or another. It seems odd that the same factory would maintain two numbering schemes (we've never heard of that, have we?) but who am I to say. Otherwise:
"Toothpaste" logo and "Professional" on the headstock, check (although "toothpaste" seems to be more a Charvel thing; Jackson logos don't seem to change much)
"Dinky XL" and "Fusion XL" on the truss rod cover, check
Bound necks and headstocks unique to the XL line, check
Black and chrome 6-digit serial number neck plates linked to early 90's Japanese production, check
Jackson-branded (Duncan Designed?) pickups, check
Jackson-branded Floyd Rose-licensed by Schaller trem on the white Dinky XL, check
Charvel-branded Floyd Rose-licensed by Schaller trem on the black Fusion XL, not really a check but not surprising in light of the history and looks vintage-appropriate
Apparently there was supposed to be a "Made in Japan" sticker on the back of the neck. Mine don't have them, but the white Dinky XL does have a patch of adhesive where one might have been.
What do I want from the experts? I want to know how confident I can be that these are Japanese from 1991 and 1992. I reason that they are not counterfeit, because the reward for the effort to reproduce so many elements would not be viable at the price point, but were there other eras of production from other factories that had the same elements that could cause mistakes in identification? That isn't so easy to Google.
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mrjamiam
I picked these up in 2013 as I was going a bit wild in wanting to try things I had not had a chance to previously, in a "Let's see what a shred guitar is like" kind of way. Now after a while of neglecting the pile of guitars (but not in a Yngwie way) I have sold a few and want to assess the rest for stay or go.
I think these are Japanese from the early 90's, but what I have found online about that range is a bit confusing. Plus they don't say Japan on them anywhere I've seen yet. I'm not yet ready for an A on my Charvel/Jackson history exam, but from what I gather it seems that Charvel went to Japan first, and then they started producing Jacksons at the same factory.
https://www.axebition.com/electric-guitar/jackson-dinky-xl
https://www.axebition.com/electric-guitar/jackson-fusion-xl#
https://www.jcfonline.com/forum/equipment/import-jackson-guitars/89666-jackson-professional-series
https://www.jcfonline.com/forum/equipment/import-jackson-guitars/103845-import-serial-number-country-of-origin-faq
Right off the bat mine don't quite match up with the serial number FAQ, in that it's the Dinky XL that has the 91xxxx serial number, indicating 1991 manufacture, and the Fusion XL that has the 2xxxxx indicating 1992 manufacture, both in the 6-digit scheme. The FAQ says it should be the other way around, with the Fusions having the 90xxxx, 91xxxx etc. scheme. I do note that it was a post by a junior member, and I have seen other mentions elsewhere of the same schemes but nothing authoritatively tying it to one model or another. It seems odd that the same factory would maintain two numbering schemes (we've never heard of that, have we?) but who am I to say. Otherwise:
"Toothpaste" logo and "Professional" on the headstock, check (although "toothpaste" seems to be more a Charvel thing; Jackson logos don't seem to change much)
"Dinky XL" and "Fusion XL" on the truss rod cover, check
Bound necks and headstocks unique to the XL line, check
Black and chrome 6-digit serial number neck plates linked to early 90's Japanese production, check
Jackson-branded (Duncan Designed?) pickups, check
Jackson-branded Floyd Rose-licensed by Schaller trem on the white Dinky XL, check
Charvel-branded Floyd Rose-licensed by Schaller trem on the black Fusion XL, not really a check but not surprising in light of the history and looks vintage-appropriate
Apparently there was supposed to be a "Made in Japan" sticker on the back of the neck. Mine don't have them, but the white Dinky XL does have a patch of adhesive where one might have been.
What do I want from the experts? I want to know how confident I can be that these are Japanese from 1991 and 1992. I reason that they are not counterfeit, because the reward for the effort to reproduce so many elements would not be viable at the price point, but were there other eras of production from other factories that had the same elements that could cause mistakes in identification? That isn't so easy to Google.
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