Jackson launches the Concept Series, offering Custom Shop hardware without the eye-watering price tag

Jackson has unveiled the Concept Series, a new range based around its enduring Soloist and Rhoads body shapes, which offers high-spec appointments and custom shop-style aesthetic at a more manageable price point.

The focus here seems to be on quality finishes and components with features like Luminlay side dots, Floyd Rose Original or Hipshot bridges and interesting combinations of Seymour Duncan or Fishman Fluence pickups on display across the four models – all of which will retail at prices between $1,999 and $2,199. 

Let’s break out each of the new models in the series and take a look at the key specs…

Concept Series Rhoads RR24 HS ($1,999)

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This new Rhoads design features neck-through-body build with a graphite-reinforced three-piece maple neck and 12”-16” compound radius bound ebony fingerboard, which should make for a lightning-fast playing surface at the high end of the ‘board and comfortable chords at the low-end. Luminlay side dots should make fret navigation that much clearer, too.

In terms of the electronics, you’ll find an HS configuration, with a Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 pickup at the bridge and a Seymour Duncan Hot Rails SHR-1N single-coil in the neck position. The alder body is finished with an eye-catching pinstripe outline and gold hardware, including Gotoh tuners, Dunlop dual-locking strap buttons and a Floyd Rose Original vibrato.

Concept Series Rhoads RR24-7 ($2,199)

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Bringing a bit of burly seven-string charm to the classic Rhoads build, the RR24-7 is a modern metal beast. Like its six-string sibling, it offers the neck-through-body build, with the same pairing of a graphite-reinforced three-piece maple neck and alder body. The 24-fret, 12”-16” compound radius bound ebony fingerboard features here, too (albeit in seven-string format), while tones are handled by a set of Seymour Duncan Distortion 7 humbuckers. 

Other differences are mainly aesthetic: again, hardware appointments include Luminlay side dots, Gotoh tuners, Dunlop strap buttons and a Floyd Rose Original vibrato, but are finished in black, while the body and matching headstock are dressed up in Desert Camp.

Concept Series Soloist SL Walnut HS ($1,999)

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The Concept Series Soloist features a neck-through body build with a Natural Stained Finish, and pairs a mahogany body with a graphite-reinforced three-piece maple/wenge/maple neck. Again, there’s a 12”-16” compound radius bound ebony fingerboard but here the neck is finished in satin, for smooth shifts. 

Elsewhere, you’ll spot Luminlay side dots and a pickup configuration that features a Seymour Duncan Full Shred SH-10B at the bridge and Seymour Duncan Custom Flat Strat SSL-6 in the neck position. Finally, there’s a recessed Floyd Rose Original vibrato for mega-bend theatrics.

Concept Series Soloist SLAT7P HT MS in Satin Bourbon Burst ($1,999)

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This seven-string take on the Soloist packs in a lot of tone woods. For starters, there’s a winning combination of an ash body with a poplar burl top. Flip it over and you’ll see it is another neck-through-body build, albeit with five-piece neck of maple and wenge.

Take a glance at that neck and you’ll there’s a multi-scale fretboard, which graduates between 25.5”-27” scale-lengths. Like the other Soloist, it’s also finished in satin on the back.

Pickups-wise, there are Fishman Fluence Modern PRF-MH8-CB1 and PRF-MH8-AB1 humbuckers, complete with a choice of two Voices, which can be selected via the push-pull switch in the tone knob. Finally, there’s a Hipshot 7 fixed bridge.

For more information on the new Concept Series, head to Jackson.