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James... « Metal machine »
Published on 02/26/12 at 07:33 Alder body (flamed maple top on transparent finishes)
Neck-thru-body quartersawn maple
Die-cast tuners
Ebony fingerboard
24 jumbo frets
Mother-of-pearl shark fin position inlays
Bound fingerboard and headstock
Matching headstock on transparent finishes
Inlaid mother-of-pearl Jackson logo
Seymour Duncan JB TB4 humbucker (bridge) and Classic Stack humbuckers (middle, neck)
Master volume, master Floyd Rose Original double-locking 2-point tremolo
25-1/2" scale
5-way pickup switch
Black hardware (chrome on transparent finishes)
CTS pots and Switchcraft switches
UTILIZATION
Seems like these have been the prototypical "super strats" forever. Shredders everywhere pretty much agree, whether they use them or not, that these are the original deal. I have the swirl model, which I think looks pretty darn cool. The finish on these, by the way, is very very nice. And for 2k I think it should be. Jackson USA has not diminished very much in quality over the years. This is a well appointed axe. Ebony on the fingerboard feels good. The fretwork is great. Action and tension are good. I have never been a huge fan of alder bodies, but with the set thru neck it kind of works. I like the neck on these SL1's okay. It's kind of like a fender neck that has been tapered more toward the body. The compound radius is a nice touch. I wish everyone would make them like this.
SOUNDS
This is not gonna sound like a les paul guys. Thru neck or not, we are talking about an all maple body and neck with alder wings. It's gonna sound like a buzzsaw. I'm not a huge fan of the JB pickup, but in here it actually sounds pretty decent. It's not overly fat in this guitar. This tone will cut...and I mean that. No muddiness allowed here. Single coils are stacked. So you won't get any literal single coil or fender sounds out of the sl1. Kind of a bummer really. But then again, who is gonna want that with this guitar?
OVERALL OPINION
You are pretty restricted with what styles of music you can do with a guitar like this. Even in the studio it's off limits for anything other than rock or metal. I think it would benefit from a pickup change, not because the stock pickups are bad, but because I would just like something different. Build wise, this guitar is worth the asking price. No real flaws anywhere on it. I have had JAckson USA stuff that I was not happy with, but fortunately this one is flawless. I would say try before you buy. You never know what junk might come in the mail.
Neck-thru-body quartersawn maple
Die-cast tuners
Ebony fingerboard
24 jumbo frets
Mother-of-pearl shark fin position inlays
Bound fingerboard and headstock
Matching headstock on transparent finishes
Inlaid mother-of-pearl Jackson logo
Seymour Duncan JB TB4 humbucker (bridge) and Classic Stack humbuckers (middle, neck)
Master volume, master Floyd Rose Original double-locking 2-point tremolo
25-1/2" scale
5-way pickup switch
Black hardware (chrome on transparent finishes)
CTS pots and Switchcraft switches
UTILIZATION
Seems like these have been the prototypical "super strats" forever. Shredders everywhere pretty much agree, whether they use them or not, that these are the original deal. I have the swirl model, which I think looks pretty darn cool. The finish on these, by the way, is very very nice. And for 2k I think it should be. Jackson USA has not diminished very much in quality over the years. This is a well appointed axe. Ebony on the fingerboard feels good. The fretwork is great. Action and tension are good. I have never been a huge fan of alder bodies, but with the set thru neck it kind of works. I like the neck on these SL1's okay. It's kind of like a fender neck that has been tapered more toward the body. The compound radius is a nice touch. I wish everyone would make them like this.
SOUNDS
This is not gonna sound like a les paul guys. Thru neck or not, we are talking about an all maple body and neck with alder wings. It's gonna sound like a buzzsaw. I'm not a huge fan of the JB pickup, but in here it actually sounds pretty decent. It's not overly fat in this guitar. This tone will cut...and I mean that. No muddiness allowed here. Single coils are stacked. So you won't get any literal single coil or fender sounds out of the sl1. Kind of a bummer really. But then again, who is gonna want that with this guitar?
OVERALL OPINION
You are pretty restricted with what styles of music you can do with a guitar like this. Even in the studio it's off limits for anything other than rock or metal. I think it would benefit from a pickup change, not because the stock pickups are bad, but because I would just like something different. Build wise, this guitar is worth the asking price. No real flaws anywhere on it. I have had JAckson USA stuff that I was not happy with, but fortunately this one is flawless. I would say try before you buy. You never know what junk might come in the mail.