Jackson USA Custom Shop Soloist

This was a custom shop Soloist that was ordered for a client of ours. It was given to me to set up, so I took it upon myself to give it a quick test drive to make sure everything was all right. Given that this is a custom shop model, it has the utmost attention given to it, unlike certain other Jacksons. The guitar features a mahogany body, a neck-thru maple neck with an ebony fretboard, 24 extra jumbo frets, reverse sharkfin inlays, an original floyd rose, HSS configuration, one volume, one tone and a five way switch.

UTILIZATION

I really liked the fretwork on this model. It had balled fret ends, and you don't normally see that, even from Jackson. They were an absolute pleasure to play on, and it was almost as if the guitar was massaging your hand. The guitar didn't have a quilted or flamed maple top, and that was kind of a shame for a high quality Jackson, but it did have one of those really cool Nebula graphics on it. I really enjoy those for whatever reason, but maybe that's the inner 80s coming out in me. That, or I'm just a total nerd.

SOUNDS

The guitar had a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge and two Quarter Pounders in the neck and middle. The JB in the bridge worked out quite nice with this wood configuration. It was just thick enough to where the treble in the JB didn't overwhelm everything like it tends to do in most neck-thru guitars out there. It was also cutting enough to where it would cut through a super dense metal mix. The Quarter Pounders are super hot and super noisy singles. They work great for that old school tone, but they're getting a bit dated. Even the in-between positions were kinda iffy compared to today's singles. That's about the only thing I would change.

OVERALL OPINION

If you have the money and can afford one of these custom Jacksons, they're worth checking out. The guitars are overpriced for what they are, and I feel certain other guitar builders are better, but it's all relative as to what looks you're going for, what features you want, etc. They're solid guitars, but there's no way I'd pay full price for this thing.

Channel 24 cases conductor.
Khaller original easel, changed in 2000 by a Floyd Rose Original hard work after trapping.
Changed by a bridge pickup Seymour Duncan SH6.
Two simple micro (neck and middle) not replaced Fender Strat Custom Shop 1969.
Phase inverter added on Seymour Duncan humbucker.
Ebony.

UTILIZATION

Handle ideal for rock, all types of rock.
Jumbo frets a little difficult at first but after a pleasant time to adapt.
Access to acute extremely easy.
Weight a bit heavy due to the thickness of the body.

SOUNDS

Ideal for heavy distortion (Seymour Duncan SH6) and crunch on simple, especially the neck pickup tones that give very close to a strat.
Sustain a bit weak. Also used to play a Les Paul, so in terms of sustain,'m a little demanding.
I play mostly on a Marshall JVM410H + 1960A cabinet.
Also recording with Eleven Rack.
The clean sounds are not powerful enough, or present.
In effect: Eventide TimeFactor, Boss Chorus ensemble, MXR 10-band EQ, Wah Morley BAd Horsie 1, MXR EVH Phaser.

OVERALL OPINION

I have this guitar for 24 years.
I spent thousands of hours and do not change.
The handle has never moved. Strength, reliability and robustness are the words that come to this guitar. As for sound, they lack a bit of personality and warmth.
Excellent value for money in terms of reliability and durability.

The custom shop soloist will match that saw numerous soloist by year, control, etc. ... they are all different.

For me, it's a model 1987 in Pearl White

24 frets neck through, maple, topped with an ebony fingerboard with pearl markers (known as tooth sharks). Pitch of 25.5

The wings are made of poplar.

The bridge is a Jackson JT-6 with a block-type string Kahler.

For pickups (passive), then:
- A J-50B bridge (Which I replaced by a J90-C)
- An intermediate in J200
- A stick in J200

Each microphone is controlled by a switch on / off

The guitar features a boost (active), the gain medium of control I-1200.
It can boost up to +6 db mids around 650Hz.

For knobs:
A volume
Tone
Gain control of the I-1200

UTILIZATION

The overall ergonomics of the instrument is absolutely perfect.
Stratovolcano shape with indentations that are obvious. A balance which can not be blameless.

Attention guitar weighs anyway. Even if it's not a Les Paul, plan a good strap.
The only regret is the volume knob a little too far back, which prevents the effects of violoning. (Anyway, I do this with a volume pedal).

The 3 switches can be less convenient than a 5-way switching. But, in contrast, has more possible combinations.

The handle is a marvel. The Soloist lives up to its identity. The handle is a bit thicker than an ESP horizon, but it is also a little flatter at the back.
The key is slightly wider, though not as wide as a Gibson neck.
This version does not compound radius (Radius evolving along the key) newer versions.
Anyway, the notes literally fall under the fingers and printing facility is really on top. Access to acute could not be better.
The neck is much better is more pleasing than the ESP Horizon.

Resonance vacuum air balanced ... Rather see it with an amp!

SOUNDS

I play many styles, but I have a weakness for the progressive metal, heavy metal, music for guitar leads ...

I use a Fender Dual Showman Red knobs. For distortion, an Ibanez Tube King Overdrive and Hardwire TL-2 Metal Distortion.
And effects:
- Chorus This set-2 (analog version)
- Hardwire DL-8 Digital delay
- Hardwire RV-7 Reverb
- Boss GE-7 Equalizer

When I plugged the guitar, the first reaction was: "Oh **** able! But it sounds!"

In general, we have a sound that is very rich, very generous, absolutely warm. Some things that has a mojo to the Gibson, but with a different tonal balance.
The soloist has a little less present severe and pervasive, and full of all mediums beautiful, softly you warm the heart.

The bridge pickup is very dynamic, responsive, capturing every nuance of your game has an incredible wealth and we recognize at once the "real" stock inherited from the PAF humbucker. Senior medium are its domain. By distortion, screaming like he knows he must stand and harmonics with the typical biting guitars of the 80s.
Single defect on the one I had, very noisy (He could have picked up Radio Moscow). I replaced by a J90-C
The J90-C resumed at almost exactly the same response curve, but with a higher output level and a larger dynamic. harmonics are more prominent and sharper attacks.

The 2 single pickups are very surprising in the sense that they really do not sound like simple. They sound more than just fat, but less shrill than simple (so forget the sounds stratabound is dead!).

Through the microphone is not really a micro medium. It is rather a less fatty than the bridge pickup, with more dynamics and nuances in overdrive. And this is the first time I like a microphone in an intermediate position.

The neck pickup will make you feel any "thing". I can not define the sound of this microphone. The best of his Fender, Gibson sound, and his PRS, without any of them. Unique! What's a Jackson. It sings, it is hot, voluptuous. In its full, you have the stamp slightly fluted characteristic of neo-classical pieces. And nothing will stop you no longer take you for Slash.

You activate the 2 singles, and is the ideal clean sound funky!

And other details of any importance: All the pickups are balanced in volume. And that there is no denying it's beautiful!

The I-1200 is something great! It is a boost very "discreet" in the sense that it is not ugly as some boost that arise as a hair on the soup.
Here, the move boosted mode does not shock and helps clear the road in the mix when hiring a solo. Bravo Charvel / Jackson!

Associate a musical style to that guitar is a mission impossible! She adapts to everything.

OVERALL OPINION

This is not my first guitar. I had some nice Gibson Firebird Studio, Schecter C-1 30th Anniversary, ESP Horizon II FR ... and many more ...

If this guitar was a car, it would be an Aston Martin, elegant and classy.
If it were a violin, it would be a Stradivarius, the wonderful secrets.

What I like most: Everything!
What I like least: The fact of not having made this choice before.

If with the experience I had to make the election again? But how could I not make this election before?