School me on Jaydee SGs.

Gassage

I have a pal in the US that's a pro player and thinking of getting a JD SG. Nashville player who loves the Sabbeth Iommi SG's Jaydee made.

My experiences of JD are mixed- I've seen awful boat anchors and poly finishes yet the refret they did on my 64 strat was incredible.

Can I get some context, thoughts and input pls?

Ta.

TheMarlin

I visited the factory a few times in the 80’s, my friends dad worked there.  The guitars were stunning quality. 

I’ve never seen a bad one.  Suppose the will build to your budget, so if you want a cheap one,  expect a cheap one. 

HarrySeven

I had a very early one, many years ago, and stupidly sold it - it was absolutely stunning. Kicked myself ever since.

Then again, so has pretty much every other vintage JayDee I've ever owned (early '80's Explorers, Flying V's etc).

The only hiccup in my experience has been a few Hooligan superstrats, which, errrr...felt a bit indifferent.

Gassage

Thanks chaps. Keep them coming.

EricTheWeary

I went to the workshop in Bordesley a few years ago, the chap I talked to said their main business was building guitars for export to the USA so chances are your friend In Nashville is more likely to know someone with one. 

Their website desperately needs an update, the prices of the guitars seem surprisingly reasonable but I suspect that’s because they probably aren’t up to date. 

Hooligans used to float around the used guitar shops of the West Midlands but gawd knows when they last made one of those so I wouldn’t see them as representative of the quality.
I was going to say @fastboy might know but he hasn’t posted on here since May 2015, wow. 

Schnozz

Really nice but as you say, really heavy. I liked the basses but I they're too heavy for me now.

PhilKing

I had an Explorer in the early 80's and it was a great guitar.  I only changed it when I was offered a p/ex on a 79 Hamer Sunburst.  Part of the reason that I got rid of it though was the size of it in the case.

HarrySeven

Actually, I think I might still have a JayDee somewhere. I'll have a dig around the next time I'm in the studio.

TheMarlin

I bought a Custom a made Flying V bass from Jayden in around 1987. It was built for Geezer Butler, but Sabbath cancelled the order at the last moment. 

They took the active pickups out, put in a set of 70’e Fender Precision pickups they had lying around, and sold it to me for £125.  Metallic black with two metallic grey stripes. 

My cousin is a bass player, so he begged me to sell it to him - which if course i did. His sister dropped it and broke the headstock off, Jayden repaired and respirated the neck for free. Lovely lovely people. 

Sounds amazing. I could buy it back, but I can only play short scale bases, I just can’t hit the frets cleanly, to used to guitar fretboard. 

guitars4you

I can't ever recall selling any JD SG's - Back in the 80's I use to deal with JD - mainly sold the Mark King Bass and the Roadie Active Bass that had similar details to the MK model - Sold a few Explorer based models and of course the Hooligan, mainly with Floyd Rose as the EVH Frankenstein vibe was so popular - But can't recall ever selling an SG