Guitarist | 1 decade ago

80s-inspired demo celebrates 30 years of Guitarist
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In 2014, Jackson continues to produce electric guitars of the highest quality, with the USA Select Series including most of the models that were being made in the mid-80s, such as the King V, Kelly and the original Jackson guitar, the Rhoads. However, none has endured like -- or inspired as many other makers as -- the Soloist, and since its inception in 1984 it's hardly changed in spec, feel or popularity.

The now Fender-owned company has marked the Soloist's 30th Anniversary with the production of just 30 instruments that follow, as closely as possible, the spec of the original 1984 model. Each is hand-built by Mike Shannon, who joined Jackson in 1980 and has been involved in the production process ever since.

Players of a certain age might well be going misty-eyed looking at the EVH Stripe. Few custom instruments conjure up a period of rock music quite like this. Modelled, of course, on EVH's
second-generation 'Frankenstein', the Stripe is available in three gloss colour combinations, covering its basswood body -- all have the same minimalist specification.

It's no slavish recreation of that fabled guitar, though. Yes, we have the single direct-mounted humbucker, the Floyd Rose and the single volume with a Strat's 'tone' knob, but the neck -- Fender headstock aside -- seems to be closer to the more modern Wolfgang designs: a quartersawn slab of maple, with graphite reinforcement, topped with a compound 12- to 16-inch radius, jumbo frets, easy-to-adjust truss rod and a light oil finish.

Both guitars are demo'd in this video by Darran Charles from the band Godsticks: http://www.godsticks.co.uk

Demo track composed by Darran Charles. Bass part performed by Dan Nelson.

To read the full reviews of both instruments and help us celebrate 30 years of the magazine, buy issue 381 of Guitarist magazine in print and digital forms from 2 May 2014: http://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/content/lp/digitalbundles/mm-guitarist/

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