Following a record-breaking year for guitar-playing interest in 2020, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) continues to lead with player centric and innovative tools tailored to fuel musical creativity across genres-from hard rock and high performance to Americana. As one of the largest musical instrument brands in the world, FMIC instruments are played on more stages and by more diverse artists, who subsequently contribute their feedback to make these innovations a reality. FMIC have announced a slate of new products from its portfolio of owned and licensed brands, including Jackson®, Gretsch® guitars, EVH® and Charvel® via its second online meeting experience for global dealers. The introductions come as a means to support a growing cohort of pandemic players, songwriters, creators on social media, beginners and, of course, loyal professional musicians. New additions include products across categories–from the striking Jackson Artist Signature Series, powerful Gretsch electrics and new artist collaborations to Charvel’s U.K. artist collaborations and EVH’s powerful amps. Dealers can access these products via a private interactive portal to explore executive and product video, as well as other visuals via an easy-to-follow user interface.
Each day this week, HEAVY will present a comprehensive wrap on each release, starting with Jackson.
Jackson began back in the late 1970s, when heavy music experienced a flamboyant and virtuosic resurgence in popularity and a small Southern California guitar repair shop became the epicentre of a new level of shred-approved excellence. Ever since then, Jackson guitars have been universally lauded as the metal guitars; the shred machines—highly original high-performance instruments of distinctive style and formidable substance. From metal’s chart-topping peaks to its darkest recesses, for discerning guitarists all over the globe, Jackson is the only way to go.
With his dazzling thrash fretwork, former Megadeth and current Act of Defiance and In Flames guitarist Chris Broderick is heralded as an exacting and modern metal master. When Broderick first came to Jackson to design his own signature model, he had clear demands in mind for his take on the venerable Soloist. Finding a more-than-willing partner up for the challenge, Broderick coined the long standing high-performance guitar giant as the “company that could.” The results of the collaboration are sophisticated riffing machines loaded with premium features to keep up with the most demanding styles of music. The Jackson® Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™–offered in six-and seven-string guitar options–features a 25.5” scale length, resonant mahogany body with arched poplar burl top on Trans finishes and through-body maple neck with scarf joint and graphite reinforcement for rock-solid stability and enhanced sustain. Its 12”-radius bound laurel fingerboard with 24 jumbo frets is ideal for all playing styles, comfortable for both low riffing and soaring leads. Contemporary guitarists require tonal versatility and punchy clarity to keep pace with the rapid twists and turns of today’s metal. Direct mount DiMarzio® Chris Broderick signature humbucking bridge and neck pickups deliver powerful clear harmonics with accentuated pick attack and tight lows for versatile tone, from heavy chording to searing solos. The volume control conceals a push/pull switch for coil-splitting, unlocking even more tonal options, while the tone control’s push/pull switch enables the tone circuit. Switch between pickup combinations with a three-way toggle, while a mini-toggle kill switch allows for the stuttering effects that have become integral in modern metal. All tremolo models feature a Floyd Rose® Special double-locking bridge system, while hardtail models come equipped with a Jackson® Single-String bridge.
Offered in either Gloss Black or Transparent Blue with a color matched reverse Jackson AT-1 headstock and black hardware, these pedigree 6 or 7-stringmetal machines are a force to be reckoned with.
Models include:
●The Jackson®Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™6, Gloss Black ($999.99 USD, £889.00,€999.00 XX, $2,299 AUD, ¥154,000 JPY)
●The Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™ 7, Gloss Black ($1,099.99 USD, £1,069.00,€1,199.00, $2,499 AUD, ¥ 170,500 JPY)
●The Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™ 6P, Transparent Blue ($1,199.99 USD,£1,159.00, €1,299.00, $2,699 AUD, ¥ 184,8000 JPY)
●The Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™ 7P, Transparent Blue ($1,299.99 USD,£1,249.00, €1,399.00, $2,899 AUD, ¥ 203,500 JPY)
●The Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™ HT6, Gloss Black ($899.99 USD, £889.00,€1,099.00, $2,099 AUD, ¥ 140,800 JPY)
●The Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™ HT6P, Transparent Blue ($1,099.99 USD,£1,069.00, €1,199.00 $2,499AUD, ¥ 170,500 JPY)
●The Pro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™ HT7, Gloss Black ($999.99 USD, £979.00,€1,099.00, $2,299 AUD, ¥ 154,000 JPY)
●ThePro Series Signature Chris Broderick Soloist™ HT7P, Transparent Blue ($1,199.99 USD,£1,159.00, €1,299.00, $2,699 AUD,¥ 184,800 JPY)
Available September 2021. For technical specs, additional information on new Jackson products and to find a retail partner near you, visit www.jacksonguitars.com. Join the conversation on social media by following @OfficialJacksonGuitars.