Until the early 1980s, Grover Jackson worked for the guitar builder and manufacturer Wayne Charvel.
Charvel made copies of the Fender Stratocaster and was the first manufacturer with a 24 frets guitar, the "Superstrat". In 1980, Grover started his own company and focused primarily on building individual customer requirements. One of the first customers was the guitar player of Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Rhoads. This became the "RR" model which was based on the Flying V. or Gibson. Due to the high quality of the Jackson guitars, more and more guitar players, especially from the heavy-metal scene, had a custom-made guitar built at Grover Jackson. This resulted in legendary models such as the King V, Soloist, Concert and Dinky. The guitars were produced in San Dimas, California and later also in Ontario, California. In 1985, IMC acquired the greatest interest in Jackson and began to devote more time and attention to a more extensive guitar market. |
While Jackson still makes top products, Jackson also began to produce cheaper versions of their standard designs in Asia
in an effort to make their products more accessible to people with a small wallet. In late 2002 bought Fender Musical Instruments Corporation Jackson IMC, and American productions were moved to the Fender factory in Corona, California. ![]() Grover Jackson |
Jackson Custom Shop Bolt On
From 1987 to 1989, Jackson Custom Shop bolt-on-neck guitars were not assembled in strictly sequential serial number order. Due to a stamping machine error, for example, serial numbers 5234 to 5999 do not exist. Jackson USA Bolt On
Jackson Junior
The serial numbers of Jackson Junior (the only Jackson bolt-on-neck models without neck plates) are stamped into the fingerboard. Serial numbers from 2013 to the present Jackson JS, X and Pro Series guitars from 2013 to the present have a 10-digit alphanumeric serial number on the back of the headstock or neck plate. The 3 letters indicate the production location and factory. Country letter codes: I = Indonesia C = China N = India Factory letter codes: H = Harmony Musical Instruments W = World Music Instruments C = Cort S = Samick The first two digits indicate the year. Example: ISJ1720250 I = Indonesia S = Samick J = Jackson Year of construction = 17 (2017) Charvel
The first guitars produced by Charvel had no serial number.The neck plate only read 'Made in USA'. From 1981 a serial number was punched.
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Randy Rhoads Neck-thru body
Then in Ontario, California. Other Custom Neck-thru's
Then in Ontario, California. Jackson Archtop
Then in Ontario, California. Jackson USA Neck-thru
![]() Randy Rhoads with custom built Sandoval V. |