I am pretty damn sure I want to pick up a Jackson Soloist, but due to price and availability, I'm torn on which version to get.
As best I can understand, the SL1 and 2 are top of the line while the SL3 and SLSMG are a step down. The major differences I can see:
* USA made (SL1 and 2) vs Japan (SL3 and SLSMG)
* Significantly higher price for SL1/2 vs SL3 and SLSMG. New looks like close to $2k vs $1k. Used it looks like anywhere from $1100 - $1700 vs $600 - $800.
* Ebony fretboard for SL1/2 vs rosewood for SL3...although SLSMG has ebony
* SLSMG have EMG pickups while the others have SDuncans
* SL1/2 and SL3 have shark fin inlays...I need this. Bummed that SLSMG doesn't have them.
* SL1/2 come in a ton of colors
I mean, is it worth holding out for a SL1 or 2? I see a used flametop on Ebay for about $1050 while I see used SL3s for about $700.
Does USA vs Japan make such a difference? I love ebony fretboards, but should I spend more so I can avoid rosewood? EMGs that much of a dropoff to Seymour Duncans?
Really struggling with this decision. I really can only spend at most $1100, but really don't want to spend that much. Wish I had a larger budget.
Thanks. KY
Kyoun1e,
I bought my Charvel/Jackson back in 1990 and I would have to say it is still an amazing guitar. For comparison I do have the rosewood fingerboard w/mother of pearl shark tooth inlays, floyd rose, jackson pickups, and jumbo frets. I've played it so much over the years that the frets have flattened but not to the point where I need new ones yet. Over the years I've noticed that the guitar has aged very well. When I play a "G" at the 12th fret the whole guitar vibrates and sustains, just rings true !!! It's amazing. I thought about replacing the pickups over the years, upgrading from the stock Jackson p/u to ESP's, SD's, etc but now I think it would bring down the value of the guitar.
I just purchased a Gibson Les Paul Custom in November and now I switch between the two. The Gibson has the ebony fingerboard you mentioned and both sound great...but because of the aging of the Charvel/Jackson I feel there equal in quality.
I think you should play the guitars you are interested in and remember, the guitar will pick you when you play it...regardless of it's price. That is what happened to me back in 1990 and I'm still very happy with my choice.
Ambition is the path to success...persistence is the vehicle you arrive in!!!
Tommy Guns,
I hear you on letting the guitar pick you. I went into a Guitar Center and sat down with several Jackson Rhoads, Soloist, Kelly, and Ibanez RG models. The Soloist overall won by a landslide for a variety of reasons.
What I REALLY loved was the ebony fretboard. Just loved it. Not sure I can do without it...and that's the damn killer because the lower end version SL3 has pretty much everything the SL1 has except for the rosewood (and being made in Japan).
And then the lower end SLSMG has the ebony fretboard...but it has the EMG pickups and then it DOESN'T have the shark fin inlays which I love. I wish I could smash the SL3 and the SLSMG together to give me an SL1.
So, that's where I am right now. More specifically, I'm debating these three on Ebay:
SL1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7303130324&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT
...Man, I just love the look on that one.
SL3
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33037&item=7304624142&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33044&item=7304068280&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
KY
Anyone else on this?
To confuse the matter, I just ran into the SLATQH model with the mahogany top, 22 frets, and jazz neck pickup. I think I've counted out the SL3 and the SLSMG -- it's down to the SL1, SL2, or the SLA.
Anyone here really understand the differences in playability and tone between these three? Are they all relatively the same?
The SL1 and 2 seem very similar. Maybe the SLA is a different animal all together. I really don't want to stray from the "Jackson experience" so maybe I should stick with a 1 or 2?
Thanks. KY
