All user reviews of 4/5 for the Jackson Pro Soloist SL3

The SL3 got a few updates around this time, and I noticed they tend to be a bit more solid than the previous years for whatever reason. The guitar has the following specs:

Alder body with a veneer for certain finishes
Neck-thru maple neck
Rosewood fretboard with 24 jumbo frets
HSS configuration
Licensed floyd rose bridge
5 way switch
sharkfin position inlays
master volume, master tone

UTILIZATION

The first thing that I notice is that the upper fret access on these neck-thru models is wonderful. You can easily reach the upper frets without any issues at all. The fretwork is pretty decent on these. The ends were nicely rounded so they don't cut your hand while moving up and down the neck, but the frets could use a bit of a level. I noticed some fretting out when bending on the higher frets, and it was a bit of a pain when I started lowering the action. The floyd rose on this is decent, but I recommend replacing it with an original floyd rose if you can spare the extra few bucks. I find that they feel a lot better than the one that's installed on this.

SOUNDS

The guitar has actual Seymour Duncan pickups installed in it. The JB in the bridge can be a bit bright, but it depends on how much you like bright tones. I find that I tend to like brighter guitar sounds, so it suited my style for that shred 80s kinda sound. The SH1N in the middle is pretty useless. Even in the 2 and 4 positions, it was just so hot that it didn't really lend itself to getting a good clean tone. The SH1N in the neck is awesome for leads. In fact, it's one of my favorite single coil humbucker neck sounds. However, the clean tones are a bit dismal, so keep that in mind.

OVERALL OPINION

The real Duncans that were installed in this are a wonderful addition to the SL3. They really make this guitar come alive. I've seen these for awesome prices on Craigslist, so I recommend searching there or eBay first to find the best deal on these. I also recommend replacing the floyd, but it's your call.

I walked into the local music store and saw this guitar. I always wanted a neck-thru Jackson, and they gave me a great deal on this guitar since it was a floor model. They might have changed since I bought mine, but this one had a licensed Jackson floyd, 24 frets a rosewood fretboard, maple neck and alder wings. I don't remember the neck or middle pickups, but the bridge was a Duncan JB. It had your typical five way blade switch with a volume and tone knob.

UTILIZATION

The guitar was put together alright. The fretwork wasn't the best, and the floyd was pretty trashy. I was never able to get the action I wanted out of the guitar. The neck-thru construction allowed for great access at the higher frets, and the sharkfin inlays gave it that signature Jackson look.

SOUNDS

The sound of the guitar was average. Back then, I was more concerned about playability than anything else. The JB was fairly bright in the bridge, and everything just seemed to scream "budget." I never use the middle pickup, but the neck wasn't too terrible sounding. I think I later replaced it with a Hot Rails, but I can't remember.

OVERALL OPINION

Jackson is becoming a bit less relevant in today's market place. ESP and Ibanez are taking up the budget superstrat market where as Suhr is really soaking up the higher end market. Keep in mind that I'm not really a fan of neck-thru guitars' tone today, so I'm basing my opinion off of that. I also never bothered replacing the bridge pickup, which might have been a good idea. The floyd was just total trash, though. The fine tuners were awful, and the thing was made of pot metal. I think they might have fixed this on the newer revisions, but I'm not 100% sure.