(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I'm a pro player, and endorse a certain active pickup. I do a lot of sessions and live gigs, so I need a pretty diverse array of guitars. I have a few strats, but wanted something with a Floyd. As soon as I played it, I knew this was a perfect spring board. The pickups, of course, were changed, but for 500-550, it always my assumption that I'm gonna change pickups. Not always does it happen, but a lot. The tones are more than giggable with the stock Jacksons. The floyd plays well, and stays in tune great. The action was a bit high, but not an issue as I do my own set ups. Otherwise, a killer super strat. Top is gorgeous. Plays great.

Musical Background:

Musical Style:

(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I played both the USA and import models a few months ago I just bought the $500. 00 version their is no real significant difference in tone and feel between the both of them and both have exceptional quality craftsmanship

(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I bought this guitar as a birthday gift for my husband. He absolutely loves it because of the great sound. He says it is "Awesome!" It came packaged exceptionally well, double boxed and very secure. I will definitely buy from zZounds again. Thank you.

Musical Background:

Musical Style:

(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

Just bought this guitar and I enjoy it a lot. When I first got it out of the box the nut locks were loose and it was wicked out of tuned. Easy fix though. At the high frets a little buzzing but nothing size 10 deans won't fix if not easy tweek. Definitely wonderful guitar for its price. Seems it is definitely worth more for its value. Has that Charvel San Dimas feel to it. The stock jackson bridge pickup is decent better then expected (dimarzio sd imitation). The neck pickup is decent for cleans. They are wicked quite compared to bridge. Honestly it kicks ass through my Peavey 6505+ enough said ;).

Musical Background:

Musical Style:

(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I picked up this Jackson about a month ago, With a professional setup by my local guitar shop, this sounds and plays as nice as my San Dimas Charvels. When I first plugged it in, I noticed fret buzz, and notes would drop off on the B string around the 12th fret. The neck definitely needed adjustment. On most guitars this is an easy enough task, but this model, the neck needs to be removed from the guitar. Lots of work. 90 bucks later after the setup, This is a great buy.

Musical Background:

Musical Style:

(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

First the guitar is very nice for the price. The neck is fantastic feels unfinished (sealed) but is actually a satin sealer on neck and unsealed board, which should age nicely. The frets are finished nicely and it's just smooth to play. The size of the neck is somewhere between an Ibanez (wizard II & III) and a Fender Strat. I think it feels better than an LTD EC 1001, probably due to no paint and compound radius.The guitar is heavier than expected but still a light guitar, it's not a thin body as some strat style guitars are. The guard is simple black but fitted nicely. The pickups aren't bad at all, personally the single coils sound mid and bass heavy, while the humbucker is more mid to bright. All in all compared to a Fender, the guitar is darker sounding, it's not bad but something I noticed.The single coils are definitely weaker (quieter) than the humbucker and not as crisp as ones in a strat. The humbucker is hot but not extremely so, I actually like it better than the ones in a comparable strat (MIM or older AM special).There are flaws though or at least in mine. First minor sanding flaw with 17th marker, smeared on board some. There's a chip in the paint on the top side of the pocket, looks like a small line about a 1/4" long. I also have some feathered pieces on the guard, where it was cut from the sheet of plastic it was made from. These are all minor things and you really have to go over the guitar to notice. It is something I expect at this price on an import guitar, just small QC stuff.Now to the major problems. The action was way high at the bridge when I received it, just under a 1/2" from top of body to bottom of the tremelo. Looking to figure out how low I could go, I noticed the neck was sitting at an angle and there was a gap in the neck pock.I removed the neck to find a shim had been placed in it. Now if this guitar wasn't heel adjust I would have just sent it back and never known but since you have to remove the neck for adjustment, figured why not. After removing shim I was able to get the bridge down to 1/8" off the body, you'll never be able to fully deck it. I also had to adjust string tension at the head to keep the lockers from turning strings sharp, not a huge deal, that's what it's there for.The newer models also don't match the picture. there is no longer a bullet plug on the head stock (where rod usually is on a strat). There is also no longer a skunk stripe on the back of the neck either. I am assuming these are cost cutting measures.The QC is an issue on these guitars I imagine, that's the biggest flaw. They are on par with most any $500 guitar, except the neck. The neck is leaps and bounds above others in my opinion. I put the guitar on the same level as a MIM strat.In the end I think it's a keeper and a decent guitar. I'd just suggest really looking over it when buying and be ready to do a little work or pay a good tech to set it up, which is common in this price range. Don't let it having a shim scare you off, it's probably rare anyways. I figure it was done as a fast way to set it up with a low board action to give people the ability to have a push pull trem, I prefer dive only or just enough for flutter. Just remember at $500, they aren't spending hours to set up a guitar, they'd never get enough out the door. I listed manufacturer support at 2 1/2 stars as I haven't used it but even if they are great I shouldn't have to need them (if they did what they should in the first place) so half way seems fair.

(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

Ok, so essentially an HSS glorified Stratocaster, but that’s not a bad thing. Was looking for a more aggressive hot rod to compliment my LP custom, and something to maybe build further upon. Got in the green - wicked finish, well crafted guitar. Pronounced “D” profile neck, and on the thin side - not to my liking necessarily, but fits the theme I was looking for. An Adrian sig guitar nice bonus, too - big Maiden fan. Although well built, guitar arrived virtually unplayable - it was a mess, but set up is something we can easily overcome, and an “at least decent“ set up is not something I’ve come to expect from Indo-produced guitars, anyway. ONLY disappointments are the “neck-off” truss rod adjustment, and the woodshop-esque VERY unfinished neck. A simple oil rub finish a’la EVH would have been nice. Came in at a very nice (for a Strat bodied guitar) 8lb 6oz!

(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I am not typically a metal player although I am a huge metal fan. Adrian and Dave Murray are 2 of my heroes, and when I felt let down several times by mnore expensive guitars I decided to try this Adrian Smith. It was well packaged. After a quick inspection, and a tuning using the supplied tools I found the guitar required no further adjustments. I cleaned it up and plugged it in. I have not run a ton of gain but I am already happy with the tone from the Jackson pups. Aside from Each pickup position sounds really nice. I have less problem controlling unwanted pick and finger noises with this guitar. Overall, and for such a good price, I think I picked a winner and it is capable of clean to shred. I really am happy with the guitar.

(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

This guitar is great , the humbucker is Awsome for metal and rock , the single coils have a beautiful tone for clean tones and blues , you can get so many tones from this guitar , the Floyd rose on it stays in tune Very well , you can go crazy with it and it's still in perfect tune , this guitar has sold me to jackson , and is now my primary instrument , I just can't put it down, Almoast considering ordering the other adrian smith model ,best part though it only took 3 days for it to come

Musical Background:

Musical Style:

(see rating details)

This guitar is amazing the pickups sound great and the neck is flawless. This is my new favorite guitar and I have quite a few. It’s very versatile anything from SRV to rock, country and blues.

(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

Ok first of all to be able to by a regular ole strat is easy but when you find a HOT ROD like this it’s just to good to pass up! Fast smooth neck, body weight perfect! The playability of this guitar right out of the box is awesome. Short from tuning it , it’s been a go to since I purchased it! It’s way under priced and gas not gotten it’s due! It is time!!!! BUY THIS GUITAR!!!

Musical Background:

Musical Style:

(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I have never been the biggest fan of Strat guitars but I am absolutely in love with my Jackson Adrian Smith Signature SDX. As a long time fan of Iron Maiden there is just something so satisfying about playing Iron Maiden riffs on the signature model of Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith. The Transparent Green finish is so beautiful, pictures do not do it justice. The neck feels great, it is kinda thin and wide, and my fingers really get flying fast while playing this guitar. It is definitely a shred machine. The pickups sound decent enough but I plan to upgrade at some point, planning on replacing the stock Jackson bridge humbucker with a Dimarzio Super Distortion like Adrian Smith uses in his guitars. The Floyd Rose Special seems to work really nicely too, I'm not a fan of Floyd Rose Tremolos either but they are still fun to play around with, main advantage with a Floyd Rose to me is the tuning stability which seems solid on this guitar but I still need to have it set up properly for intonation to eliminate fret buzz. If you love guitar and love Iron Maiden then you will love this guitar. As a guitar player how can you not love Iron Maiden? Lol

Musical Background:

Musical Style:

(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

Just got this Adrian Smith SDX. Right out of the box had issues. First the fret ends were very sharp. Not dressed worth a darn. Not even playable. The neck plate was very crooked. Not straight at all. Don't know how it sounds because I can't even plat it with the sharp frets. Did not expect the poor level of quality control from Jackson, even on their imports. After all it is their name on the instrument. I will not purchase another from this site or any other online site because of this experience.

Musical Background:

Musical Style:

(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

Well, it looks good. The humbucker sounds awful, very sterile. The single coils are terrible. The neck has a bad buzz at the 2nd fret D string. I had to take it to guitar center to have it looked at and they can't get the action much better than too high. If I was Adrian Smith, I'd be embarrassed to have my name on this guitar.

Musical Background:

Musical Style: