Headbangers and guitar shredders the world over have good reason to rejoice, as Jackson Guitars has unveiled their latest model: the American Series Soloist SL3.
These new models are a major step forward for the guitar manufacturer since Jackson was acquired by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation in 2002 and returned its base of operations to Southern California.
Though the company has introduced many new models since then, including the Kelly Bird Bass and the Mark Morton Signature Dominion guitar, the new American Series Soloist is a complete return to American-made manufacturing for Jackson as each guitar will be made in its facility in Corona, California.
“When it comes to guitars — electric guitars, solid body guitars — made in America is still number one,” says Jon Romanowski, Jackson’s VP of Category Management. “To build instruments of this ilk, in an American facility, is the one thing that sets this brand apart from other hard rock and metal brands.”
The American Series Soloist SL3 continues the work that Jackson has done since its inception in 1978 to craft instruments that would withstand the pummeling playing of heavy rockers and the sleek moves of fleet-fingered soloists. The new instrument is a through neck maple guitar with wings made from alder and includes Seymour Duncan JB single coil flat Strat pickups. This, according to Romanowski, allows for a greater range of sounds for players.
“It has the right amount of punch, kick, grind, whatever you want to call it,” he says. “It’s either a glassy kind of treble-y tone or a glassy kind of warm tone and anything in between. You’ve got the full-on, high velocity, tear your head off type of tones and you’ve got more mellow stuff as well.”
