Product: Jackson Custom Soloist
Price Paid: US $3400
Submitted
01/25/2005
at
10:32am
by
Christopher
Features
:
10
Year: 2005
Made: USA
Frets: 24
Quilted Maple with Red Sunburst and Quilted Headstock
Controls: Master Tone, Volume, 20db gain boost
EMG 81/85 with EMG-Pi2 and EMG-AB
The electronics are Active
Body Wood: Alder
Neck: Maple
Finish: Transparent Red Sunburst over Quilted Maple
Body Style is a Strat type
Bridge: Floyd Rose Pro unit with locking nut
Tuners: Jackson Type(Locking nut takes care of the rest)
Neck cut: Jackson call it a "Speed" style, I call it ICE. IT is a neck through.
Guitar came with a Hardcase which will be changed to a Flight case.
Sound
:
10
Music Style: Pantera, Steve Vai, Megadeth, Joe Satch, Yes, Thin Lizzie
Ozzy, Lee Ritenhour, Rush...the basic is if the guitar is good then I want to learn it.
This guitar can hit just about everything on the list above. Yes is a little hard with Lee Ritenhour next in line but its all a selection of pickups. THis giutar is not noisy except when drive, gain and other controls are maxed out (no Gate). Its nothing that I don't experience with PRS, Gibson, Fender, ESP and Gretch guitars.
The sound (EMG81/85) goes from Jazz Mellow to Dimebag buzz with clean strat thrown in at the proper split and setting.
The nice thing is the sustain from the neck through setup and the floyd rose bridge, its long, predictable and retains its punch from attack to last ring.
The only dislike is that I can't but another one to hang on the wall to just look at, the finish on the quilted maple body and headstock is a work of art. A close second is the price but paying for one of the best will cost you.
My rack consists of a Triaxis, G-Force and a BBE 442. I run out to a Marshall El 50/50 and a Carvin Tube power amp (New Unit). I have 4x12's and 2x12" loaded with Celestion Vin 30's and EV 10M's. The Jackson sounds delicious.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
The Factory action needed adjustment, no big suprise. Once I settled on what worked best I had my local shop tweak it up and was supprised to find out that the action could be so low without buzzing, lets see how long it stays there as this is a new guitar. With new setup the pickups needed to be balanced and it came out well. The sound is equal from low to high.
The look of this guitar is wonderfull, the quilted top is matched to perfection and the transparent finish gleams in the lights, its a killer. There were no visable flaws, scratches or imperfections that I could see. Everything on this guitar works and sounds exceptional.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
With regard to live playing, it feels like my old jackson and that unit has weathered over 10 years of playing live. I have never had the hardware chip or crud up even when it has been struck by someones head or my rack. The finish is in the same cateorgy as my old Jackson and PRS, sometines its worth it to pay the piper. THe first thing that I do is replace the standard strap pins and go with lockers. Even with an old clunker its not worth the emotional cost when locker are so cheap, although Jackson puts a high price on the lockers, why I don't know when they are so cheap at your local music store.
Dependability is the name of the game here, and short of getting beer in the electronic cavity I see no issue. I always have a backup, when people pay to see you play they are not looking to watch you change strings. Keep the momentem going, it just makes for a better show.
Customer Support
:
9
I have dealt with Jackson before and in the early days they were great.
Now a days you can't send the guitar back to the fabrication shop, you have the have an authorized service center make the repair. Keep in mind that Jackson?s have a limited lifetime warranty and they mean it.
Overall Rating
:
10
I have been playing for 31 years, Electric and Acoustic. The first time I purchased a JAckson a vast majority of people were playing
them. My loyolity to Jackson was securied the first time I picked up my new Jackson many years ago and today my faith was renewed. Keep in mind that I have only purchased the custom shop units. I have never played the SL1,2 or 3 nor have I played the Dinky guitars.
If any of my Jackson or PRS guitars were stolen I would need to hunt down the person and advise them of the BAD decision that they had made.
Regarding a comparision with other guitars, every guitar is different, the Jackson Soloist fits me like a glove. DOn't get me wrong, my PRS is great its just that I like the 16" compound fretboard radius better than the PRS 10". I like the attitude of the Jackson better than the PRS. Its all personal.
