Jackson Electric Guitar roundup
Jackson Electric Guitar: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The model range is more structured than it looks from the outside. Understanding which tier suits your budget and what each model actually does makes the choice straightforward.
Buying a jackson electric guitar without a clear sense of what the model range means is the most common mistake. The JS, X Series and USA lines exist for genuinely different reasons, and the wrong tier for your budget or playing level can leave you either overspending or ending up with something that limits your development. Here's what to know before you hand over the money.
Understanding the Model Tiers
Jackson's range is structured by manufacturing location and build specification. The JS Series is built in Indonesia and covers the entry level — instruments from around £200 to £400. They share the visual language and basic neck profiles of higher-end models but use lower-cost hardware, pickups and construction. For a first metal guitar or a backup instrument, they can be functional, but the pickups and bridge hardware are usually the first things players replace.
The X Series is built in China and occupies the £400–£900 range. Build quality is significantly more consistent here: the neck profiles are well-executed, the hardware is more reliable, and the pickups (usually Seymour Duncan Designed or genuine Duncan units) are usable without immediate replacement. This is the tier where most players should be looking for their first serious purchase. USA Select models (£900–£1,500) are built in the US with better materials and tighter quality control, offering a meaningful step up without the full Custom Shop price.
Which Model to Choose
The Dinky is the most versatile model — a double-cutaway body that accommodates a wide range of playing styles and doesn't commit you entirely to the angular metal aesthetic. The Soloist is a neck-through design offering better sustain and upper-fret access. The Rhoads and King V designs are more visually extreme and commit you to the brand's heaviest corner; they're excellent instruments but less practical for non-metal contexts. For most players buying their first jackson electric guitar, the Dinky or Soloist in the X Series is the right starting point.
Bridge Choice: Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Models with Floyd Rose floating tremolos allow dive-bombs and dramatic pitch manipulation, which is central to a lot of the music these instruments are associated with. They also require more setup time, lock the tuning in place (making open tuning changes mid-set difficult), and add maintenance complexity. If you don't specifically want a tremolo, fixed-bridge models are easier to live with and stay in tune more reliably. Don't buy a Floyd Rose-equipped guitar because it looks right if you don't intend to use the system; it will make your life harder for no benefit.
Pickups: Active vs Passive
Active pickups on a jackson electric guitar (EMG 81/85, most commonly) require a battery and produce a compressed, high-output signal that sits well in dense mixes. They're favoured for modern and extreme metal. Passive humbuckers — Seymour Duncan JB/Jazz combos, DiMarzio Super Distortions, and similar — have a more dynamic response and wider tonal range, at the cost of the compressed consistency of actives. Neither is objectively better; the choice depends on the music you're playing and the amp you're running through. For a breakdown of specific models at different price points, the best for the money guide covers the standout options in detail.
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