Jackson sl1 or Ibanez js1000

[Nights Blood]

Hi

I'm looking at buying a new guitar and don't really know what to get.
I listen a play a lot of metal and I want a really fast guitar with a really thin and fast neck and a very good tremolo.

do you have any suggestions?

/David

[foureyezonme]

I think, for the two guitars compared here, the Jackson SL1 would be your best (read most sensible) bet. The JS1000, despite having the trem of champions, doesn't really match your criteria.

However, for the sake of argument, I think you have compared two guitars intended for completely different purposes. Jackson SL1 - 80s metal. JS1000 - Joe Satriani. The JS1000 is not really meant to play heavy metal. Sure, neither was a Les Paul and I'm sure you could, but a more accurate comparison would be between the Jackson SL1 and the Ibanez RGT3120, a guitar that (spec-wise) seems to have been deliberately designed to match the Jackson Soloist. Both sport fast thru-necks and good trems. Beyond that, it's ice cream (appearance, trem type, body wood and sound).

Between the Ibanez RGT3120 and the Soloist, I'd take the RGT; if only because I don't like the Jackson's headstock, body shape, trem, pickups and the colour (all subjective, mind). Not because I'm a die-hard Ibanez fan.

The solution? Play them both and see one which you like most. Either way, you'll have fun deciding.

[jono]

foureyezonme is basically right, the JS1000 is a very different guitar to the SL1. However Neither of those guitars have what I would term a really thin neck. Their necks aren't clubby by any means, but there are guitars with thinner necks, the JEM7DBK is one of them. I also think it's a very "metal" looking guitar.

I'm not saying that the SL1 and the JS1000 don't have fast necks, they do. But another thing to bear in mind is the painted back of the neck on the SL1 which some folks like and other folks find slows them down a bit.

[Jimi D]

Given your requirements I'd recommend the Soloist... I have a 1990 SL1, and it's neck is virtually identical in shape to my two Floral Jems - the fretboard's a teeny, tiny bit more narrow, but the depth at the nut feels identical... Anyway, a Soloist is a killer metal guitar and I've never had any trouble with the Jackson-labeled Floyd Rose trems; I find them as good as the Edge - different to be sure, but just as high quality... Play as many Jackson and Ibanez guitars as you can find and pick the one that suits you best - you're in a great position because no matter which you choose, you can't really lose!

PS: foureyezonme ~ I don't see how you can say you don't like the Soloist body shape, since it is virtually identical to the RG body - the only real difference is that the Soloist has radiused edges....

[jono]

The few Soloists I've tried in the last couple of years felt to have thicker necks to me, who knows I could just have gotten some beefy necks to play, or maybe the painted back makes it feel funny or something, or maybe the recent soloists really do have thicker necks, I don't know.

Either way, pop over to Jimi D's website and check out his Jackson PCS Dinky

[guitarkatana]

Jackson's are a great buy. My main guitar is a Jackson dinky from Korea. For a guitar from korea it isn't too bad, way better than Ibanez's made in korea in my opinion. I can only imagine how good the USA custom shop Jackson's are Only problem, I hate the reversed headstock on this guitar. It's like a weapon. As far as Ibanez, the JS guitars are really made for heavy metaling. The jems and RG's are much better for metal.