Jackson USA Select KE2 Kelly

I purchased my Kelly KE2 at a local guitar shop about a year ago. When I saw it for the first time I told my friends that i would have that guitar someday. It is the USA version, neck-through, black with lightning graphic, ebony fretboard w/ mother of pearl sharkfin inlay and bone binding up the side of the neck. Even the Jackson logo on the headstock was mother of pearl. I was in love. The first time I played it wasa few months after I first saw it and I thought, why didnt I play this sooner, because it was the most kick ass guitar Ive ever played. The action was incredible and it sounded awsome. Well that all happened months before I bought it, because it was $2600!! I could never save up that high without buying something else first. so months pass buy before I bought it. And I became good friends with everybody there, even the owner, and he gave me a special deal and let me rent to own it for about $125 a month. I imediateley went to the bank and got some cash to pay the first months rent. And BAM it was mine. Ive never played a guitar as nice as it or anything that even comes close. And nothing ever will. THE END.

everything on it
-pickups (stock pickups, seymour duncans, rocked but soon were replaced by quite possibly the best pickups ever, EMGs baby!!)
-string action is incredible
-the lightning graphic kicks major ass
-stays intune very well
-plays well standing up or sitting down

ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING!!!

Perfect in every aspect; couldnt ask for a better designed guitar

This is the top most ridiculously crazy guitar ever and can never be matched or exceeded by any guitar in the future. This guitar is for metalheads only and not for pussy ass punk rock bitches to even glance sight of this guitar.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Purchased at Guitar Center. I only bought it there 'cos I got a good deal and they had one in stock...had to fight for the deal and go back twice to get the price match...won't buy a guitar from them again. No factory hang tag...pots dirty through sitting around for 6 months. Paid $1100 w/case out the door.

This guitar is awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome, If there was only two guitars allowed to be made by law it should be the KE2 and the SL1.



The vol. knob needs to be moved ( I get mine done by my local repair guy) it gets in the way. But hey...your getting a guitar that blows EVERYTHING away, including a $5000 Les Paul AND it looks great. No more to be said.


the overall quality of the guitar can be described with just one word beginning with 'a'...

awesome.

I wish I had a million bucks, I'd order a ton of custom ones in all kinds of woods, colors and pup options.

Keep it up Jackson! Please don't let the quality drop! (like your overpriced competition did)

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

The Gibson explorer now a days is considered a metal machine, but back in the 80s it was no where near pointy enough for the guitar players of the time. Jackson guitars took the basic Explorer shape and made it more focused for metal. They sharpened up the design overall. They made made it a 24 fret neck through design with an ebony fretboard and Jacksons trademark shark fin inlays. Added a Floyd Rose tremolo system and hot after market pickups. The body is 2 alder wings attached to the side of the maple neck through neck. It has one volume knob and two tone knobs for the two humbucker pickups switched with a 3 way switch.

UTILIZATION

With the neck through design and the body shape the upper frets are very easy to reach. The neck through design means there is virtually no heel to the neck to get in your way. Jackson has extended the cutaway on the lower horn also to make reaching the frets even easier.

SOUNDS

From the factory these guitars come with Seymour Duncan pickups which is great. More companies would do well by providing after market pickups on their guitars from the factory because they would save money on R&D making their own pickups and it would save the consumer in the end from having to buy their own after market pickups. The Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge makes this guitar suitable for all types of music because it is one of the most versatile pickups on the market and this makes this guitar versatile.

OVERALL OPINION

This is a now classic design that is a metal take on the explorer. They are not used that often anymore and that too some people is cool. These guitars are still made in America which is a sign of quality. So if you want an Explorer and a Gibson wont cut it you should look at the Kelly.

The Jackson Kelly is Jackson's take on the Explorer that Gibson has released for ages. It's a more "metal" version that was made famous thanks in part to Marty Friedman. Aside from the unique body, the guitar features an alder body, maple neck with ebony fretboard and shark fin inlays, original Floyd rose, HH configuration, volume knob, tone knob and a 3 way switch.

UTILIZATION

The guitar is a neck-thru design guitar, so getting to the upper frets is an absolute breeze. Add in the fact that the guitar has a bit of an extended cutaway at the bottom, and it's basically shred heaven. The compound radius on this guitar is absolutely wonderful. It has a smaller radius at the nut to allow you to chord easier, and the radius at the end of the fretboard is greater to allow for easier bending without fretting out. The fretwork is very nice on this guitar, too.

SOUNDS

This guitar sounds absolutely ripping. It has a JB in the bridge which has leant itself to nearly every genre in the business. It's mostly suited for rock, but it can do anything from jazz fusion to death metal thanks in part to its nearly perfect EQ curve. The '59 in the neck works great for those fat, fairly smooth lead lines, but it has just enough bite to remain clear under high gain.

OVERALL OPINION

The Kelly is a really awesome guitar, and those looking for a different take on the Explorer shape should not hesitate to check this guitar out. Despite its looks, the guitar is actually very versatile, so it should be able to cover a lot of genres besides just metal.