Differences Between 2011 JP6 vs 2014?

[Tonyp145]

Hi guys, I have a 2011 JP6 Mystic Dream that I bought new at Guitar Center a few weeks ago. It came with some issues so they are ordering me a brand new one which is currently being built. It's supposed to ship next week. I was just wondering if anybody knows if there will be any differences between the two guitars? Have they changed the specs at all since 2011? TIA for your help.

 

[Tis BOOLsheet]

I would think the 2011 model did not have stainless steel frets. The new one will.

 

[MrJJoncas]

SS frets and the tromolo is a bit different. That's all I can remember.

 

[Tonyp145]

Interesting, I've never played a guitar with stainless steel frets, do they last longer than nickel? Any tone difference?

I'd like to know more about the tremolo, are you saying they redesigned the bridge or just the whammy bar itself?

Sorry for all the questions, I've played a lot of guitars over the years but this JP6 is really a different beast. I've fallen in love with the guitar I have and just want to be sure the new one will be pretty much the same. Thanks.

 

[Firewalker]

I am a huge fan of ss frets now. Tone difference to me is negligible at best and they are ultra durable. Case in point, I got my guitar almost 2 years ago, played the hell out of it since then and the frets still look new.

 

[Tonyp145]

Do you use stainless steel strings? I just did a little research, looks like nickel strings wear out quickly with SS frets, is that your experience?

 

[Tis BOOLsheet]

Interesting, I've never played a guitar with stainless steel frets, do they last longer than nickel? Any tone difference?

I'd like to know more about the tremolo, are you saying they redesigned the bridge or just the whammy bar itself?

Sorry for all the questions, I've played a lot of guitars over the years but this JP6 is really a different beast. I've fallen in love with the guitar I have and just want to be sure the new one will be pretty much the same. Thanks.

stainless steel frets will last a lifetime against nickel strings. I have never heard of anyone needing a refret of stainless steel frets from regular play. In addition to that they are far smoother-- facilitates vibrato and bending. It's a huge difference that you will notice instantly. Some people complain of a difference in tone. That is mind over matter. No one has ever tested this theory-- that SS frets to the human ear sound different from nickel-- in a controlled environment. And having played both, and having a pretty good ear, I can find no difference in tone attributable to those tiny piece of metal.

It's been my experience that strings wear out quicker on my nickel fret instruments due to corrosion/oxidization.

 

[Tonyp145]

Thanks for that info, I look forward to checking that out. I use Thomastik-Infeld Power Brights, love those strings, would hate to have to switch.

I'm curious about the earlier post about the tremolo, anyone know anything about that?

 

[Kenji20022]

The old, and then the new.

The Treble Side Trem Post was moved farther away from the High E string saddle. When you dive bombed, it would cause the saddle to hit the trem post and causing issues for people that dive pretty far. There is no nickel string wear on Stainless Steel Frets, coming from someone who has had them for a long time that is simply a myth.

Your sweat and gunk will kill your strings far before your frets will LOL. As far as I know it's just something techs say because they prefer to work on nickel frets, less tool wear on Nickel than in Stainless so it makes sense. From a players perspective, Stainless is the way to go, they're perpetually shiny, polished, and smooth to play for the foreseeable and who doesn't want that.

 

[Tis BOOLsheet]

Agree with the above on the SS frets and tech work. I know a lot of very good techs who will flat out refuse to work with SS frets. It's hard on their tools, plus it's not like they're going to get to work on them in the future since there's virtually no wear. From what I've heard a lot of guitar MAKERS don't want to use SS frets because their machines aren't built to handle them in large quantities. *cough*ibanez*cough*

 

[billy carr]

My jp6 was made in 2011. I play the heck out of it, seems like the frets really wore fast. It did get more playtime than anything I've ever owned.

 

[Tonyp145]

Great, thanks for all the help guys. Kenji I really appreciate the info about the bridge. I've got a question about strings but I'm gonna start a new thread rather than hijacking this one (can you hijack your own thread?) Thanks again!