Dora

Spent some time with this one. Thought it needed a re-string from the previous excessive play but strings are still good. When Grover Jackson moved on with GJ2, I thought he made good strides with the brand name but things were meant to be different along the way. The GJ2 created an impact on me when it debuted. Tried them out at Davis GMC back then & they simply represent good guitar craftsmanship. Good to know he has the OG brand name now to carry his legacy through. Grover Jackson is just that name you know has something promising when it comes to guitar quality.

These Glendora pickups met my standards so they stay put. These are GJ2's in-house pickups that sound more contemporary than vintage. Despite taking meticulous care, wiping down after play, the humbucker  pole pieces are showing signs of rusting so that black cover is there to address this concern. 

Knobs

These are the default knobs in my GJ2. They feature these rubber grip  ring as seen above.

 

It's a great idea but these stain the finger tips.

Simple replacement knobs. 

Eastern GJ2 @ Davis

The Korean-made GJ2 guitars are now available at Davis GMC for your considerations. This V-esque model here is the Concorde.

While this S-type is the Shredder. They are both in the mid-price bracket & manifest very promising QC.

GJ2's gone East

Fresh from Musikmesse 2015, GJ2 now offers a pair of instruments manufactured in Korea- the Shredder (L) & Concorde (R). Further details will be released soon but it's good to know that even a renowned luthier like Grover Jackson acknowledges the worthy Asian craftsmanship. We get more affordable instruments this way but not compromising on quality.

Pic: premierguitar@FB

SALE: GJ2 @ DGMC

The SALE event continues at Davis GMC, this time round- GJ2 guitars. Before that, be sure to know the GJ2 name: CLICK

Pic: Davis GMC

Glendora

This is something new by GJ2, the Glendora models- bolt-on makes compared to their initial through-body models. While there is an implication to tone in this respect, there is also an implication to prices :-)

GJ2: Arete 3-star

I've recently tried the GJ2 you see above, it's the Arete 3-star model. A modest take on a Strat with a humbucking reinforcement & a totally non-strat type body wood- sapele. The guitar's overall tone mimics that of a mahogany voicing but it has a little more depth. The top end here is interesting; a little more bite than the aforementioned but nothing excessively bright. OK, I'd do better than do a head-to-head take of this GJ2 & a mahogany-bodied instrument just because the sapele here looks very mahogany-ish in this manifestation.

Feel wise, the 3-star has a strong Strat influence coming from the neck. In fact, I'm taken aback by this make; it's quite removed from the super-shred feel of the 5-star which I've played before (that thin feel is quite absent here); rounder, more bend inducing. The overall weight is a good interpretation of something sustain inducing but nothing spine-taxing, very SG-like if we have to narrow things down by virtue of familiarity. 

Grover Jackson is instrumental in the use of the Habanero, low output pickups in the Arete models. I respect the pickups' incorporation into the 3-star but they have very little for me in terms of driven tone. I truly feel they are very impressive in conjuring that sweet crunch but when there is a need to rev up some intensity, these pickups are not meant to pull that off. No complaints clean- superb!

The Arete 3-star is now available at Davis GMC, listing for $2.2K. This model does not come with a hard case as specified by the manufacturer.

GJV

Grover Jackson's GJ2 brand has the new Concorde model to offer Randy Rhoads (RIP) fans. This was launched together with the book about the iconic guitarist. Neck-through construction this one.

Arete 3 Star

News indeed- GJ2 has a new line of no-frills model called the Arete 3 Star as seen above. If you don't fancy a Floyd Rose bridge equipped model, this one's for you- it's definitely for me. The bridge here is a traditional whammy unit by Bladerunner (Super Vee) & to keep things affordable, a bag is offered in the purchase package (instead of a hard case). Something to look forward to... :-)

GJ2- now available at Davis

GJ2 guitars are now available at Davis GMC :-)

GJ2... !

GJ2 guitars are making their way here (destination: Davis GMC). This guitar was featured at their Facebook page, one of the models to be shipped to our shores. I had this pic e-mailed by someone- I have no FB account... no intentions to have one.

Word indeed

Grover Jackson made a comeback to the guitar industry recently with his fresh line-up of GJ2 guitars. It's a master's return to say the least but there are already cynics out there challenging his inclusion of basswood in some of his glossed, solid colour finishes, in consideration of the prices these guitars are listing for. It is as if basswood is the ultimate putrid wood in guitardom, any inclusion of it in a master craftsman's consideration would be deemed heretic. Basswood doesn't make a good topic conversation with players either, even rookies dismiss them without further regard. You'd wonder where this impression came from...

I'm not here to champion any wood types when it comes to guitar craftsmanship. The situation is such that certain wood types could conjure magic when they are paired up with the right amplifier/ pickups/ effects; there's no sure formula when it comes to tone. We often failed to acknowledge the circumstances, more engulfed by opinions & unfounded beliefs. I am unofficially documenting words of wisdom by expert builders & Grover Jackson is definitely one for the record. This is his opinion of basswood which reinforced his inclusion of this tone wood for some of his GJ2 models:

Then I found out that basswood has an extremely high strength-to-weight ratio: it's a very stable but lightweight material.

GJ2 @ Davis

Davis GMC is now the official distributor of GJ2 guitars- more news to come... :-)

GJ2

To us guitar dweebs, the name Grover Jackson is all too familiar; Jackson guitars, that's right. Mr. Jackson is back with a range of brand new range of electric guitars under his helm- the GJ2- all to be showcased at the upcoming Winter NAMM 2012. The above model is a glimpse of what's to come.

Here's a worthy quote from Mr. Jackson himself pertaining to the manufactured aging of guitars (that's relic to the rest of us):

If you would like one of our guitars to look like it has been used for years we have the following advice. Buy one of our guitars and play it for years. Guitars are beautiful objects for sure, but they should be played with fire, passion and intensity. Don’t pet it, play the hell out of it. You will have a lovingly aged guitar in no time, a guitar that reflects what you have put into it. Enjoy.