Jackson Pro Series Monarkh SCP review

For a company synonymous with the Rhoads, Kelly, Dinky, et al – especially when equipped with floating trems we might add – the Jackson Monarkh always feels like a more subdued breath of fresh air in a sea of spikiness. 

Here, we have the Pro Series Monarkh SCP, another shred-ready, metal machine that ditches that non-more-black look for a transparent purple burl finish. Jackson’s take on the trusty old LP differs from most manufacturers’ attempts at the Gibson classic, most notably at the cutaway.

It's much smaller than most single-cutaway appendages out there, presumably to avoid snagging on over-exuberant belt buckles. Regardless, we certainly like it. The more compact body is further realised around the rear where there is much sculpting to an already svelte body – this thing is thin!

The beautiful purple look is offset with black hardware and a 3-ply w/b/w binding, and combined with Jackson’s 34x3 AT-1 headstock, it might not be as spiky as some of its stablemates, but this particular Monarkh still very much has metal on its mind.

Rounding off the spec is the classic pairing of Seymour Duncan’s mighty JB SH-4 pickup in the bridge and the trusty ’59 SH-1N in the neck. Both pickups complement each other very well for versatile heaviness with tons of clarity.

OK, so they are not the most exotic of pickup choices, but there is a sense of dependability with this combo. This is mirrored in the no-nonsense controls of the three-way pickup switch, individual volume and overall tone pots. There’s enough fine-tune adjustment of tone here without getting overcomplicated.

Overall, the Pro Series Monarkh SCP is solidly built and arrived set up just so, further reinforcing the dependability of this guitar. But perhaps the crowning glory of this particular model is the neck.

It’s a set-neck with graphite reinforcement, which at this price point we expect to see, and with a compound radius of 12”-16” feels nice and flat. The feel is exemplified by the hand-oiled finish, and combined with the satin finish lets you effortlessly glide through any metal opus with ease.

Generally, Jackson’s burl finishes are just plain gorgeous and the Pro Series Monarkh SCP is no exception, which we have to say is all down to the colour choice. It’s more plum rather than an all-out in-your-face purple, and quite frankly we can’t keep our eyes off it. So if you’re looking for a sonically dependable rhythm machine that looks utterly stunning, this is it.

Specs

• PRICE: $/£949
• BODY: Mahogany with arched poplar burl top
• NECK: Mahogany
• SCALE: 24.75”
• FINGERBOARD: Ebony
• FRETS: 22 (jumbo)
• PICKUPS: Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 (bridge), Seymour Duncan ‘59 SH-1N (neck)
• CONTROLS: Volume 1 (neck pickup), Volume 2 (bridge pickup), Tone
• HARDWARE: Jackson TOM-style adjustable with anchored tailpiece and sealed die-cast locking machineheads in black
• LEFT-HANDED: No
• FINISH: Transparent Purple Burst, satin
• CONTACT: Jackson