The white, pinstriped, asymmetrical Flying V-inspired model, constructed by Grover Jackson, Tim Wilson, and Mike Shannon of Charvel Guitars (later renamed Jackson), was Randy Rhoads' first Jackson prototype. The guitar had Seymour Duncan pickups, an ebony fretboard, medium frets, a Stratocaster-style tremolo, and a maple neck and body (neck through body). Jackson's name was originally applied to the prototype from the Charvel factory. Randy gave the guitar the nickname Concorde, after the sleek, white supersonic plane, even though the initial plan was to call it The initial SIN.

Randy believed that the 'Concorde' was not sufficiently different from the classic Flying V in terms of shape, so he redesigned the following version. His approach was to make the instrument's upper 'horn' longer so that the body resembled a shark's fin more. The second prototype was black with a gold pickguard, had a fixed tailpiece with strings anchored in the body, and had the updated body form. Grover locking tuners and Seymour Duncan humbucking pickups (TB-4 bridge and SH-2 neck) were features of this instrument.

Four prototypes were commissioned, including two more string through body models. One was black with brass hardware and reversed shark fin inlays, and the other was white with gold hardware and inverted shark fin inlays. The latter was subsequently unintentionally sold at the NAMM Show. The image shows this fourth prototype. Before these two guitars were finished and before Rhoads could provide Grover with any criticism, he passed away in a plane tragedy in March 1982. The first guitars to be offered for sale under the Jackson Guitars brand were these updated prototypes.