The Steel Guitar Forum

Very good observation Chris. The Jackson's are innovative.

Rick K, You're right they do make 12 strings. On another post someone posted the picture of Zane King showing the Keyhead end of the guitar. After looking closer at the picture it is a 12 string. Now what about a keyless blackjack 12 string

I will be in contact with David Jackson on Monday of next week. I will ask David about building a keyless 12 guitar and the future of the Jackson Edge Ultra Lite guitar. I will post his response on 3/28/11. Not to brag, I am a Representative for the Jackson Steel Guitar Company.

Not to brag, I am a representive for the Jackson Steel Guitar Company.

Representative?

Amigos! Attached are a couple of rough photos of my beautiful Jackson Custom Blackjack. This is a 12 sting guitar with my E 6/9 Tuning that has 7 pedals and 5 knees. If you haven't heard about the sliding pickup design on these Jackson guitars then you are missing out on one of the best kept secrets in the community of steel guitars. I have not had a chance to put up many You Tube videos lately but I hope to get some exhibits of this steel guitar on fairly soon.

I played this guitar in the Jackson room in Dallas. Here's what I know for sure....this guitar likely has the best tone ever on a steel guitar. I'm doing things on this guitar that I have never envisioned playing. It truly has changed the complexion of my playing and sound. Even folks who have heard this first hand agree this guitar is something to be reckoned with.

Good news is this is only the beginning to what I think may be the ultimate. I spoke yesterday at length with David Jackson and he has some ideas and plans on another 12 string that I'm really stoked about. David and Harry are not only splendid people but brilliant. The mechanics of their instruments are just simply superior. I agree the "look" of the Blackjack is not typical. But neither is a Corvette either and folks tend to love those things. Even still, if you prefer the more traditional look then Jackson has those too. That all being said, recently Jackson built a black and red Blackjack that to me was just not only beautiful but also fit well within the traditional look of a steel guitar.

If that isn't enough for you....then just wait until you hear some of the stuff I'm working on now with my Jackson Blackjack....it's a steel guitar tone like I have never heard and witnessed...let alone had right under my hands.

Lastly, someone mentions here about a keyless model. I'm a life long keyless player. I have spent almost 30 years playing one. I believe the keyless concept has been tried and will remain just a novelty for the most part. This is also true of keyless standard guitars. There are some real advantages to a keyless guitar if you are going to lower strings on one end and raise on the other. Outside of that the trade is not worth what you give up with the ease of being able to tune the guitar. Plus, there are some overtones obviously happening in that keyhead that is absolutely critical. It's really that simple. I hope don't offend anyone because I sincerely love keyless steel guitars but where tone and ease of use is concerned I like this guitar in the pics below.

I also had David raise up my fretboard. I hope he does this on future models. To me, when you sit down behind the Blackjack and the fretboard is further away than normal from the strings it sort of throws your eyes for a loop. You can see on my guitar that is more typical plus it just looks better as well.

Zane,I'm green with envy!

Zane that green burst lacquer is gorgeous. Wow. The Jacksons did a bang-up job on mine as well. This is a Pro IV, a more traditional model that captures the simplicity of the older Sho~Buds. But it plays like butter and sounds way better than any Sho~Bud I've owned. Stays in tune gig after gig. I've done a bunch of sessions with it, and it comes across clean as a whistle in the studio as well. It's a keeper for me. I do want a lacquer Blackjack though. Maybe next March in Dallas.

More detailed pics here: http://chrisledrew.shutterfly.com/pictures/10

Zane, Thanks for your post and explanation of your Jackson guitar. I should have taken more pics of you in Texas. Your playing was superb.

Stu, I thought you liked my Jackson BJC the best....?

Chris, If you want a Jackson BJC, you had better order it now. Most all of the Jackson guitars in the Jackson room were already sold. There weren’t any BJC guitars for sale at the 2011 TSGA Show.

How can it be called a "Black"jack, if'n it don't be black? Just kiddin'.

That green one that Zane has is 1000% better looking than the stock black model. Just my (uncalled for and probably un-qualified) opinion.

And I have no doubt it is a great playing guitar. I don't think the Jackson's are capable of producing crap guitars (Maverick and pot metal Super~Pro's aside). And even those are pretty decent guitars.

Thanks for the heads-up, Mike...I will give David lots of lead time if I decide to order one.

Mike,I can't make up my mind...or what's left of it!

Jackson Steel Guitar Company has no plans to build a keyless pedal steel guitar. This comes from David Jackson, as he says there are too many tone issues to deal with.

I just spent a little time the other day playing Boo Bernstein's new BlackJack Custom.
It not only looks really cool, but it's a serious professional steel guitar. Sounds and plays like a dream.
It's definitely not a glorified student model gtr.

Good point, Skip. Blackjacks have taken off from their original "student" vibe; they were never meant to be that anyway. But they are coming into their own nicely with the lacquer finishes and whatnot.

I saw Boo Bernstein's new Black Jack Custom at the 2011 TSGA Show. I like the black top. It is a great looking Jackson. Maybe we should start a Black Jack owner club and we could all meet at The Texas Show and strut our guitars. Just an idea.

I spent a fair amount of time in the Jackson demo room at the Dallas show and I must say that all of the Jackson Steel models are superb. I was particularly taken by the most recent Blackjack innovations. The "Acoustic" model and a prototype with a sliding pickup are just plain fantastic. It's not just innovation for innovation's sake. These are really very meaningful designs. Hearing Zane and Rusty playing Blackjacks and Mike Castleberry playing his SD10 was a real treat. We had some serious fun with some great amps including Brad Sarno's SMS Classic, a new Sarno prototype, a Little Walter. In all cases, the combination with Blackjacks was stunningly good.

Regarding the ashtray recessed key head... I wasn't a huge fan at first, now I almost like it better. Like Chris L. said, Emmons design clones are the norm. The older I get, the more I appreciate the innovative designs...
TC

Hi all, this is a very interesting thread, thankyou all.

T.C. for the benefit of those of us unable to attend the Dallas show, can you please say more about the various amps you refered to and why you think they articulate so well with the Blackjack?

Thanks

Stuart

Stuart,

As a baseline amp, we used a Sarno SMS Classic preamp with one of my new SPLIT self-powered model VB12 and a non-powered VB12 running off the amp in the VB12. VB12 is a new model that I am about to release that has a tunable port that allows open back or ported back and everything in between. VB12 is very similar in size and look to my standard CB12 model. It also weighs less - about 26lbs.

Brad also brought a new tube preamp design prototype that we switched out with the SMS Classic. It was really great to see Brad in action when we would play and listen to various players. Brad or one of us would hear something that we'd like voiced differently and Brad would open the prototype, change parts and get it back into the "critical listening lab" in about two minutes. And the best part is that what we'd ask for would be there!

Dan Tyack was nice enough to bring his awesome Little Walter head to the "lab" and we ran it's speaker output to my VB12 non-powered cab and the post output tubes line output into a Wet reverb pedal into my self-powered VB12. Dan was kind enough to play that rig (man alive is he good at what he does). That was one cool sounding combo.

Over the course of the weekend, the great Tommy Dodd stopped by and played the Jackson prototype into the SMS Classic / VB12 rig (stunningly great tone and touch) There's a youtube of a song that he played on that rig. It's wonderful and the guitar wasn't his setup. The mark of a true pro.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-L8pQQv4dw

Ken Fox brought one of his tube amps by and we took the extension speaker out into an EDI box that knocked the level down to line level. We ran that line to the self-powered VB12 and added enough of the self-powered speaker to make a beautiful sounding 15" with tube power meets 12" with 300 watts behind it rig. Rusty Rhoads played that rig on his Saturday night evening set. He played the SMS Classic/VB12 rig on his afternoon set. Both were very nice.

I would be remiss if I didn't re-mention Zane King's contribution. He plays so great and his 12 string Blackjack 12 sounded just fantastic and huge through the baseline SMS Classic/VB12 rig.

Also many thanks go to my good friend from NYC, Rob Segal who has a superb ear and was instrumental in helping describe and isolate nuance in the various rigs.

We all had a blast and heard some amazing sounding steel tone the likes of which I've not heard. Even David Jackson, who's heard it all, said it was the best steel tone he'd ever heard. He even went as far as to tell me not to change anything because we are there. That was extremely humbling and encouraging.

I think the amp setups allowed the steel guitars to articulate so well because I go for purity when I design and Brad goes for character when he designs In my mind it's all about allowing the sound of the instrument to come through unmolested by lumps and bumps on the amp's response. The SMS Classic's tube circuit really respects the tonal signature of the guitar while gently removing some of the unwanted midrange. IMHO, that's the magic of a great tube preamp design. Combine that with a faithful powered speaker with plenty of headroom and that equals TONE!

TC

Thankyou for your unstinting reply and the high level of detail you gave. I guess it stands to reason that at the passing of so many great players from the older generation that a new breed of players are rising and with them comes new improvements in equipment and sound.

For my part, I like the appearance and sound of the Blackjack; it seems (from my little experience) to capture something classic in both appearance and timber, AND something new and exciting at the same time. That is the recipe for universality.

Stuart.

I posted this a couple of days ago in the Steel Players section but I wanted those of you on this thread to see me playing my new S-12 Blackjack Custom. This indeed is a very innovative steel guitar. I had David Jackson do the green because I did want the guitar to have a "LDG" retro look. That's why I chose green. I also had David give me the flexibility of placing the pickup where ever I wanted it. He came of up with a sliding pickup design. Check this out. I think you'll agree that even though it may not "look" like the most conventional steel guitar it sure 'nuff sounds like a steel guitar!

http://www.youtube.com/user/jacksonstee ... -irC-i1Mgo

Zane your new Blackjack is indeed a very beautiful guitar. I listened to your soundtrack on YouTube, this is also an amazing sound. I have a collection of original Sho-Buds, and a new Madison 63, But I believe your new Blackjack looks and sounds as good or even better than any of the originals. It appears that David does indeed have some very innovative ideas on new guitars. Congratulations on your choice!