Long-form Grover Jackson interview

[Dominic]

These are also available elsewhere to download, of course, which is what I normally do.

I've seen no mention of this interview on here, but as I know we have have many Jackson/Charvel fans among us, I thought I'd share.

Yes, Grover really does go on a bit, but I don't mind that at all with long-form podcast interviews, as long as I don't have to keep looking at the screen. I know a few of you can't take Delray, but I thought I'd sling up links here anyway. He's got some really great stories out of so many dudes I was interested in hearing from (recently, Geoff Tate and Eric Peterson, ferrinstance).

I'd never heard the "EVH got the idea for tapping indirectly from Tal Farlow's chord extension technique" before, and I've read an awful lot of guitar mags/forums/etc. over the years. Some of the other early LA scene guys Grover remembers are also worth looking up. And of course, Jackson also knows that there is the right way, the wrong way, and the Yngwie.

[Mahler]

Amazing find. I love these sort of things!

[Megametal7]

I love that dude for making Jackson guitar, I’ll alway play Jackson. Saw his interview with Friedman it was really interesting to watch. All the stories and his side of perspective.

[Mike]

Finally listening. Mike Sherman mention in part II, so Chris is actually in this!

[jacksonplayer]

Very cool listen. A few details I'm sure are fuzzy with the passage of time--he most certainly wouldn't have sold Ace Frehley an expensive guitar in 1971, as Ace was a nobody at that point.

I never knew the details of how Jackson/Charvel's ownership changed over the years. More seedy than I would have thought.

[Mike]

Very cool listen. A few details I'm sure are fuzzy with the passage of time--he most certainly wouldn't have sold Ace Frehley an expensive guitar in 1971, as Ace was a nobody at that point.

I never knew the details of how Jackson/Charvel's ownership changed over the years. More seedy than I would have thought.

Some of what Grover says contradicts things the other employees say happened, so I tend to take anything from that era with a grain of salt, since they were all working AND partying too much, but I believe Grover's version of Wayne to Grover sellout is probably closer to reality.

IMC was shady as fuck, though.

[jacksonplayer]

Some of what Grover says contradicts things the other employees say happened, so I tend to take anything from that era with a grain of salt, since they were all working AND partying too much, but I believe Grover's version of Wayne to Grover sellout is probably closer to reality.

IMC was shady as fuck, though.

I hadn't realized that the Akai situation was also shady as fuck, and that lasted a long time. Essentially, Jackson was owned by con artists from 1986-2002.

I need to watch that Charvel documentary, too.

[Mike]

I hadn't realized that the Akai situation was also shady as fuck, and that lasted a long time. Essentially, Jackson was owned by con artists from 1986-2002.

I need to watch that Charvel documentary, too.

The Akai thing was shady as hell. We were endorsers then, too, and had no idea.

[jacksonplayer]

It's good to hear Grover admit that there are dogs among the San Dimas Jacksons and Charvels. I've had at least one and played others. My current one, J0456, is certainly not among them. When they got it right in that 1200 sq. ft. dumpy little shop, they got it *really* right.

I'd be curious see one of the guitars they slapped together quickly for GC in the morning to try and get money in the bank by 2pm that day. It's probably someone's cherished possession now. Wow!

[Mike]

It's good to hear Grover admit that there are dogs among the San Dimas Jacksons and Charvels. I've had at least one and played others. My current one, J0456, is certainly not among them. When they got it right in that 1200 sq. ft. dumpy little shop, they got it *really* right.

I'd be curious see one of the guitars they slapped together quickly for GC in the morning to try and get money in the bank by 2pm that day. It's probably someone's cherished possession now. Wow!

I'm guessing a lot of bullseyes and tigers - just grab a body and a neck, and the dudes that ordered them can wait. The pre-1987 days of the log are apparently really a mess.

I also liked his tacit dismissal of nitro, before mentioning it again in relation to the ultra-cork Friedmans.

[jacksonplayer]

I also liked his tacit dismissal of nitro, before mentioning it again in relation to the ultra-cork Friedmans.

He does have a lot of hype man in him, for sure.

The interviewer was the one who dogged on Fender for going to poly in the '70s, and Grover sort of went along for the ride there. The problem was the thickness of the paint job with all the undercoats, not the paint formulation. Even that problem has been highly exaggerated by the corksniffers. I've also read that "nitro" paint formulations have all had poly in them since the early '70s. You're never going to get the exact paint formulation Gibson and Fender used in the '50s, even if that actually mattered.

[Mike]

He does have a lot of hype man in him, for sure.

The interviewer was the one who dogged on Fender for going to poly in the '70s, and Grover sort of went along for the ride there. The problem was the thickness of the paint job with all the undercoats, not the paint formulation. Even that problem has been highly exaggerated by the corksniffers. I've also read that "nitro" paint formulations have all had poly in them since the early '70s. You're never going to get the exact paint formulation Gibson and Fender used in the '50s, even if that actually mattered.

You're especially not going to get the '50s stuff, but even the '80s stuff is now classified as toxic waste by the EPA (see the old Kramer plant in Jersey).

I'm so tired of that argument - oh man, gotta have nitro! I don't own a single guitar with it.