Archimedes
Veteran XV
I actually traded for this guitar a little over a month ago, but I wanted to write a review after getting it setup and playing on it for a while. I found a guy on Craigslist that wanted $700 for a 1994 Jackson Professional Soloist XL, and, since I was short on funds, I offered him my 1985 MIJ Strat plus some in trade. After a little wheeling and dealing I came home with this:
The specs for the Professional series can be found here:
Guide to the Japanese Jackson Pro series guitars from 1990 - 1995
Review
Playability
I absolutely love playing this guitar. At first I was hesitant to make the trade because I was hoping to get a guitar with an ebony fretboard, but the rosewood on the Jackson is silky smooth and shred-worthy. Though the frets are nickel, my fingers still glide across the strings and bending is incredibly easy. The neck is glossy but surprisingly quick - not at all like the thick, sticky gloss of a Les Paul. Before I traded for the Jackson I tried out some new Jacksons in a local guitar shop and I didn't like how thick the necks felt in comparison to other guitars; however, this 1994 Jackson Professional has a very thin neck, reminds me of the Ibanez Wizard-style. The licensed Floyd Rose feels a little more "loose" than the Original Floyd on my Carvin, but it actually bends string notes higher than the Original. In the future I might change it to one of the low profile Floyd Rose Pros.
Tone
The guitar came loaded with the stock pickups and they produce great tone, especially for heavy metal. As I'm playing on the lead channel through my Peavey 6505+ I can roll back the volume to get a smooth distortion, and the sounds cleans up nicely on rhythm channels. The best tone comes from diming the guitars volume and kicking on some distortion and overdrive - it has wonderful sustain for solos and excels for crunchy metal rhythm playing. The Jackson totally nails the sound of 80s thrash metal, but it is versatile enough to handle modern metal.
Aesthetics
What else is there to say about Jacksons? I think it's beautiful. While I initially was wary of getting another black guitar, I was sold on the Jackson as soon as I saw it. Plus, galaxy black is way cooler looking than normal gloss black. The Jackson is in nearly perfect condition - as if someone kept it in the case and barely played it.
More Pictures
Video
I actually recorded a video of me playing a Metallica solo on the Jackson the other night, and I figured it would make the review even more comprehensive. I am playing through a Peavey 6505+ Combo with a Maxon TS808 Overdrive pedal in front of the amp. Caveat: I am not the world's best player, and I am posting this video for the sake of this review. Yes, I know I flub a note during a rest in the solo. Nevertheless, I hope you guys enjoy!
The specs for the Professional series can be found here:
Guide to the Japanese Jackson Pro series guitars from 1990 - 1995
Review
Playability
I absolutely love playing this guitar. At first I was hesitant to make the trade because I was hoping to get a guitar with an ebony fretboard, but the rosewood on the Jackson is silky smooth and shred-worthy. Though the frets are nickel, my fingers still glide across the strings and bending is incredibly easy. The neck is glossy but surprisingly quick - not at all like the thick, sticky gloss of a Les Paul. Before I traded for the Jackson I tried out some new Jacksons in a local guitar shop and I didn't like how thick the necks felt in comparison to other guitars; however, this 1994 Jackson Professional has a very thin neck, reminds me of the Ibanez Wizard-style. The licensed Floyd Rose feels a little more "loose" than the Original Floyd on my Carvin, but it actually bends string notes higher than the Original. In the future I might change it to one of the low profile Floyd Rose Pros.
Tone
The guitar came loaded with the stock pickups and they produce great tone, especially for heavy metal. As I'm playing on the lead channel through my Peavey 6505+ I can roll back the volume to get a smooth distortion, and the sounds cleans up nicely on rhythm channels. The best tone comes from diming the guitars volume and kicking on some distortion and overdrive - it has wonderful sustain for solos and excels for crunchy metal rhythm playing. The Jackson totally nails the sound of 80s thrash metal, but it is versatile enough to handle modern metal.
Aesthetics
What else is there to say about Jacksons? I think it's beautiful. While I initially was wary of getting another black guitar, I was sold on the Jackson as soon as I saw it. Plus, galaxy black is way cooler looking than normal gloss black. The Jackson is in nearly perfect condition - as if someone kept it in the case and barely played it.
More Pictures
Video
I actually recorded a video of me playing a Metallica solo on the Jackson the other night, and I figured it would make the review even more comprehensive. I am playing through a Peavey 6505+ Combo with a Maxon TS808 Overdrive pedal in front of the amp. Caveat: I am not the world's best player, and I am posting this video for the sake of this review. Yes, I know I flub a note during a rest in the solo. Nevertheless, I hope you guys enjoy!