Jackson guitars, which are notoriously outlandish and always attention-getting, have earned a reputation over the past several decades as the axe of choice for those who want to get the ultimate bang for their buck. Due to the history of the Jackson brand and the use of many of its guitars by popular bands, the Jackson line of guitars are sought after, bought and sold many times over. One unfortunate consequence of this activity is that many Jackson owners wind up with a Jackson guitar but don’t know which one it is. Luckily, it’s not difficult to determine which Jackson guitar you own.
Go to the Jackson Guitar support page (see Resources.) Click the 'Support' menu option on the right side of the screen, and then click “Serial Number and Product Dating Information' on the next menu.
- One of the many questions I constantly get (and love!) is how to decode a Corvette’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The VIN can contain some interesting information including Body Style, Engine Size and if the Corvette may be one of a select number of special edition Corvettes.
- Hello, i just recently purchased a used Jackson Soloist Professional series. It is either late 80s or early 90s. It is one of the imported from japan.
- The first serial number used was a Strat-style guitar withthe Heineken beer bottle label painted on it, November 9th, 1981. These neck plates say 'Charvel PO Box 245, San Dimas, Ca, 91773'. The last San Dimas Charvel was #5491, built in January of 1986. Original style neck plates with numbers 5492 and up were supposedly destroyed but some.
- I have a Jackson I bought secondhand in 2002. It is a bolt on. Tobacco burst woodgrain body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard. The serial number is 926168.
- I have a Jackson electric guitar with a mystery serial #. The number has 8 digits and it is NOT a 'Professional' model. Here is its serial number: 00010827. Could somebody help me? Update: i want to know what year it was made, where it was made, and the model.
The Serial Number Charts Refer to USA-made Jackson & Charvel instruments only. The below information was taken directly from Jackson Guitars website. On Neck-Thru Body Models: The serial number is stamped into the fingerboard at the last fret. On Bolt-On Neck Models: The serial number is stamped into the neck plate.
Examine your guitar to find its serial number. If you have a bolt-on neck, the serial number should be stamped into the neck plate. If you have a neck-through-body model, the serial number should be stamped onto the fingerboard at the last fret.
Look up your serial number in the appropriate table. For bolt-on models, check the table at the top of the page. For neck-through-body models, check the table at the bottom of the page.
Match the serial number with both the category and year in the table to figure out which guitar you have. For example, if your serial number is '0001JJ-0091JJ,' you have a ’94 Jackson Junior guitar.
Tip
If you can’t find a serial number anywhere on your guitar, or the one you find doesn’t match one in the tables on the support page, it’s likely that you have a knock-off guitar instead of a true Jackson guitar.
1980 to present. Jackson is a guitar manufacturer originally owned and operated by Grover Jackson, a partner of Wayne Charvel of Charvel Guitar Repair.
It started with the creation of the “Rhoads” V model guitar, originally designed and used by guitarist Randy Rhoads.
The Jackson name went on the Rhoads rather than the Charvel name because he felt the design was too shocking for Charvel’s regular customers.
Grover started the Jackson guitar company and Wayne Charvel sold his interest in the Charvel name to Grover Jackson on November 10, 1978. [Source: wikipedia]
It started with the creation of the “Rhoads” V model guitar, originally designed and used by guitarist Randy Rhoads.
The Jackson name went on the Rhoads rather than the Charvel name because he felt the design was too shocking for Charvel’s regular customers.
Grover started the Jackson guitar company and Wayne Charvel sold his interest in the Charvel name to Grover Jackson on November 10, 1978. [Source: wikipedia]
Jackson tribute and resource pages
Dating Jackson Guitars
From ebay wiki [please note I have copied this text so its not lost – the original link has died. Info seems to add significantly to the Fender site info].
Any Jackson that says “Professional” on the headstock is an import.
There are no known/verified “Prototypes” that were made in the USA and have “Professional” on the head.
Jackson’s Serial NumberChart does not cover Imports.
Jackson serial numbers do not use 0’s as “blanks” – if there’s a 0, it’s part of the number.
Import neckthrough models are serialized in the following manner: Jnnnnnn ; The letter “J” followed by 6 numbers, with the first number indicating the year of manufacture. J000123 means it was made in 1990, J100123 means it was made in 1991, etc etc. I haven’t seen a recent neckthrough import, so they may be using 7 numbers by now. In any event, if the serial number is “J” followed by more than 5 numbers (including zeroes), it was not made in the USA.
Neckthrough model serial numbers are always stamped on the end of the fretboard after the last fret. Some bolt-on models that did not have a neckplate are also stamped at the end of the fretboard.
USA-made Jackson guitars and basses do not always say “Made In U.S.A.” on the head, but they never say “Professional”, “Performer”, or “Concept” on the head.
Any Jackson that says “Professional” on the headstock is an import.
There are no known/verified “Prototypes” that were made in the USA and have “Professional” on the head.
Jackson’s Serial NumberChart does not cover Imports.
Jackson serial numbers do not use 0’s as “blanks” – if there’s a 0, it’s part of the number.
Import neckthrough models are serialized in the following manner: Jnnnnnn ; The letter “J” followed by 6 numbers, with the first number indicating the year of manufacture. J000123 means it was made in 1990, J100123 means it was made in 1991, etc etc. I haven’t seen a recent neckthrough import, so they may be using 7 numbers by now. In any event, if the serial number is “J” followed by more than 5 numbers (including zeroes), it was not made in the USA.
Neckthrough model serial numbers are always stamped on the end of the fretboard after the last fret. Some bolt-on models that did not have a neckplate are also stamped at the end of the fretboard.
USA-made Jackson guitars and basses do not always say “Made In U.S.A.” on the head, but they never say “Professional”, “Performer”, or “Concept” on the head.
Jackson guitar catalog scans
1977-2006 audiozone.dkincludes price lists and manuals – awesome reference site
Jackson Charvel Pricelists
2008 Jackson Pricelist colour | 2008 black & white
see Jackson amps
Jackson Kelly Guitar Serial Number
Images Jackson Roswell Rhoads eBay:
![Serial Serial](/uploads/1/2/5/3/125383420/438065401.jpg)
![Jackson Serial Number Decoder Jackson Serial Number Decoder](/uploads/1/2/5/3/125383420/883095297.jpg)
Jackson guitars offered guitar amplifiers in 1970s and 1980s. Some were made in the UK.
Example http://www.chambonino.com/work/miscguitar/misc3.html
Vin Number Decoder
Images eBay:
see Jackson Ampworks