After giving fans a brief glimpse earlier this year, Jackson has officially launched a striking new seven-string signature guitar for Northlane’s resident electric guitar hero, Josh Smith.
Not only is it a sight to behold thanks to its streamlined-yet-head-turning aesthetics, the guitar also sets out to be a functional workhorse, aiming to provide “a solution to an issue that guitarists have been grappling with for years”.
Namely, the Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET promises to provide the thunderous low-end that seven-strings are known for without buckling to maintenance issues.
As such, the Aquamarine-finished axe is said to be “as reliable as it is optimized for achieving heavy yet biting tones”.
To do so – and to accommodate the Northlane maestro’s penchant for expansive, prog metalcore sounds – the SL7 ET features an alder body and through-body caramelized maple neck, as well as a 12”-16” compound radius ebony fretboard.
The 27”-scale, 24-fret beast also flashes an EverTune F7 bridge, Luminlay side dots, Jackson locking tuners and arrives factory fitted with Dunlop strap locks.
Tones come by way of Smith’s signature Bare Knuckle pickups – a humbucker in the bridge and single-coil in the neck – which are at the mercy of a three-position blade switch and a pair of pickup-specific volume knobs.
Other notable appointments include a color-matched headstock, a PPS black nut and Smith’s signature strapped to the back of the head.
Of his new model, Smith commented, “Jackson makes incredibly consistent and stable instruments. They intonate well, they hold tune on the road and the guitars never seem to break.
“Having a signature soloist is a dream come true,” he continued. “I purposely kept the design very subtle. It’s a great companion for anyone tuning low who wants a little versatility. It’s both an ideal studio guitar and great for the stage!”
Jackson VP Category Management Jon Romanowksi added, “It was a great experience to work with Josh to recreate one of Jackson’s most iconic shapes in his image. Although Josh makes it look effortless, taking an arsenal of drop-tuned, long scale instruments on the road is no easy feat.
“The true beauty behind this instrument is the way in which it takes a problem that heavy metal guitarists have been running into for years – the unreliable nature of 7-string guitars – and provides an elegant, one-stop solution.”
The Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET is available now for $2,699.
For more information, head over to Jackson.
Smith's new seven-string is Jackson's second signature model in as many weeks, following the arrival of Rob Cavestany's none-more-metal signature Pro Series guitar.
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