40 years of Jackson Guitars and its Custom Shop goes on the rampage!

03 Feb 2020 by Jef | 5,0 / 5,0 | Approximate reading time: 5 Minutes

Jackson Charvel double neck  ·  Source: Jackson

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Somehow it’s hard for me to believe, but Jackson is celebrating 40 years in the guitar making business. The time has just flown by! To celebrate its milestone, the company has come up with both insane and rather splendid Custom Shop guitars that show off what its luthiers can when when let off the leash. 

Celebrating 40 years of Jackson Guitars

The Jackson Guitars official blog has details of a dozen new custom guitars announced as part of US guitar makers’ 40 years in the business. Some of these are truly outstanding instruments; some will have everyone arguing whether they are practical or not. 12 guitars gave been announced in total and below is a list of my favourites. You can follow the link at the bottom of this article to see all the models in their glory, but here are my faves.

Jackson/Charvel 40th Anniversary Double Neck Hot Rod Flame

This one will certainly divide opinions. But I love it! The Jackson/Charvel 40th Anniversary Double Neck Hot Rod Flame will definitely turn heads. It’s a fusion of a Jackson Soloist and a Charvel San Dimas into a hot-rodded, flaming double-neck guitar that looks pretty epic in my opinion.

Jackson:Charvel 40th Anniversary Double Neck Hot Rod Flame

Jackson Custom Shop Limited Edition Signature Phil Collen PC1 Black Walnut

Mr Def Leppard gets a Black Walnut custom signature model. Phil Collen is a long time Jackson endorser, and a guitar legend. So, it makes perfect sense to include someone of his stature in the 40th birthday celebrations.

Of course it has a Floyd Rose locking trem and comes loaded with a DiMarzio Super 3 humbucker in the bridge, DiMarzio HS-2 single-coil in the middle and PC1 Sustainer Driver pickup in the neck position. It looks ace in that Black Walnut finish, very understated! I also like that reverse headstock and lack of no fret markers.

Jackson Custom Shop Limited Edition Signature Phil Collen PC1 Black Walnut

Jackson Custom Shop Limited Edition Signature Misha Mansoor So-Cal HSS 2PT

A very interesting guitar for Misha that you might not have expected. He’s opted for a relic Daphne Blue finish on a So-Cal. I kind of like this one, too. It’s got a caramelised maple neck and looks like it can dish out the goods. The guitar is fitted with a Bare Knuckle Ragnarock humbucker in the bridge and Misha Mansoor single-coil pickups in the middle and neck positions.

Jackson Custom Shop Limited Edition Signature Misha Mansoor So-Cal HSS 2PT

Jackson Custom Shop Limited Edition Signature Adrian Smith San Dimas

This guitar has a stunning 2 Minutes To Midnight graphic from Iron Maiden’s 1984 release Powerslave on the front – it really pops!  The Jackson Custom Shop Limited Edition Signature Adrian Smith San Dimas pays tribute to the Iron Maiden axe slinger and has that ’80s large toothpaste logo we all love.

A single brutal DiMarzio DP100F Super Distortion bridge pickup and Floyd Rose Original bridge is all it needs. You know it will sound sick.

Jackson Custom Shop Limited Edition Signature Adrian Smith San Dimas

Jackson Custom Shop J0001 40th Anniversary

This Snow White Pearl Custom Shop V has an  alder body and comes fitted with a Seymour Duncan Custom Trembucker TB-5 humbucker in the bridge and Seymour Duncan ’59 humbucker in the neck. You get a  quarter-sawn maple through-neck with a rosewood fretboard.

Jackson Custom Shop J0001 40th Anniversary

Jackson Custom Shop Randy Rhoads

No introduction needed for this guitar! Again, another stunning Flying V-style instrument from the Jackson Custom Shop. It’s loaded with a Seymour Duncan TB-6 and SH1N, with a Floyd Rose locking trem system. This model looks pretty epic in that White Sparkle finish with all chrome hardware and a chrome pickguard. A nice little tribute to Randy Rhoads and very, very ’80s looking. Perfect.

Jackson Custom Shop Randy Rhoads

Jackson Custom Shop RR27 HS FR Galaxy

Based on Peter Quill’s spaceship in Guardians of the Galaxy, this Jackson Custom Shop RR27 HS FR Galaxy  is a 27-fret shred machine!

Loaded with a Bare Knuckle Aftermath humbucker in the bridge and the Bare Knuckle Trilogy Suite single-coil neck pickup, this Floyd Rose-equipped Randy Rhoads model is out of this world.

Jackson Custom Shop RR27 HS FR Galaxy

Jackson Custom Shop Limited Edition Signature Mick Thomson Carbon Fiber Soloist

This model has a mahogany Soloist body with a through-body maple neck. It comes with a set of Mick Thomson’s signature Seymour Duncan EMTY Blackouts in the bridge and neck, plus a custom Jackson MTB HT6 bridge and a reverse-pointing headstock.

It looks almost subdued in that carbon fibre finish. But you know it will dish out the brutal tones required for Slipknot.

Jackson Custom Shop Limited Edition Signature Mick Thomson Carbon Fiber Soloist

Jackson Custom Shop Limited Edition Signature Chris Broderick CB2 Diabolic

This Chris Broderick CB2 Diabolic 7-string will certainly turn heads, no doubt about that. It features his signature DiMarzio humbucking pickups along with a 7-string Floyd Rose Pro tremolo system and D’Addario Planet Waves locking tuners.

The main body is mahogany with an 1/8” flame maple cap in a Trans Black finish with flame maple binding and a pinstripe.

Jackson Custom Shop Limited Edition Signature Chris Broderick CB2 Diabolic

More Information

• Jackson Official blog

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