Jackson SL3 vs. SL2

I considered getting a strat because I love the sound but do want to eliminate hum as well as increase tone from a thin sound to a more robust one, yet retain crisp on the bass and hot on treble. After looking around I loved the Jackson SL2 sound (JB-TB4 at trem - SH1n for mid amp; neck) but not the price. I looked at the SL3 (JB-TB4 trem) and decided this would do, but I don't know about the SHR101s for the mid and neck pups. I'm worried about to much booming drowning clarity in the bass and 3rd strings. Nobody seems to have this guitar so I can't hear it. I'd buy a strat, but loved the Jackson neck and trem. Can someone tell me if the SL3 is the right move, or should I look around at another guitar, or just buy it and consider changing these pups.

I play slow to moderate blues (bloomfield), country(clint black), and some (cris smither). Clean sound with even tone and volume balance across entire frequency range in each pup... little to no crunch

JACKSON SL3 - maple neck set into alder body with ebony fboard, tremolo bridge. JB-TB4 trem, SHR101 mid amp; neck pups.

welcome to the forum!!from that list of music i wouldnt put the sl3 in your top 3 guitars most wanted. if you kept the hr really low youll get a brighter pluckier tone, and i bet the combined tone is pretty nice too. i might look around a little more and try some other stuff and maybe youll find either a sl3 or something else that you really love.

what is a cris smither?

for a great clean tone a pair of ssl1's with either a seth or antiquity in the bridge would sound killer. a 59b would be a good, less expensive option

For moderate blues I'd pick up the pricey SL2. With the JB and the 59, you can get a very wide palette of tonal options. Very pure and natural sounding pair. Both are very sensitive and seem to have a nice airy sound to them. I wouldn't like the HR in the SL3 for anything too calm, they seem to want dirt more than a groundhog.

Like Jeremy said, the SSL1's are very sweet SC's. You can test play those in a SL1. Very glassy and chimey with impeccable definition. That'd be a worty swap in a SL3 if you went that route.

Great blues sound - SL2 - flip to the neck pickup (being the SH1) and give it a little hair. Fat, warm, and purring. Very satisfying.

If money ain't a thang, cause you r0Ll like that, grab an SL1 or SL2 depending on what you want in the pickups. There's simply none other.

Only one thing to add...Originally Posted by Guitarist.....Like Jeremy said, the SSL1's are very sweet SC's. You can test play those in a SL1. Very glassy and chimey with impeccable definition. That'd be a worty swap in a SL3 if you went that route......

Since 1995, Jackson SL-1s and DK-1s w/H-S-S Pup configs have been shipped with STK-S1 Classic Stacks instead of SSL-1s

Try playing with that guitar at any Jackson dealer, although I don't think it is necessary, and you will see that this guitar is a far more sophisticated strat with warmer tone and higher output. It is the one you are looking for!!!

Have you tried the SL1?


Originally Posted by ToddI considered getting a strat because I love the sound but do want to eliminate hum as well as increase tone from a thin sound to a more robust one, yet retain crisp on the bass and hot on treble. After looking around I loved the Jackson SL2 sound (JB-TB4 at trem - SH1n for mid amp; neck) but not the price. I looked at the SL3 (JB-TB4 trem) and decided this would do, but I don't know about the SHR101s for the mid and neck pups. I'm worried about to much booming drowning clarity in the bass and 3rd strings. Nobody seems to have this guitar so I can't hear it. I'd buy a strat, but loved the Jackson neck and trem. Can someone tell me if the SL3 is the right move, or should I look around at another guitar, or just buy it and consider changing these pups.

I play slow to moderate blues (bloomfield), country(clint black), and some (cris smither). Clean sound with even tone and volume balance across entire frequency range in each pup... little to no crunch

JACKSON SL3 - maple neck set into alder body with ebony fboard, tremolo bridge. JB-TB4 trem, SHR101 mid amp; neck pups.
Chris smither, don't know where he's from but heard him in Wash D.C. and have CDs. He's a Travis picker playing blues on a quot;plugged inquot; ovation, foot tapping acoustic solo blues artist. Sort of folk blues but not Mississippi style. Hard to expain exactly! Playing his tunes thru an electric guitar with a band could sound a bit like clint black style country, sort of, maybe!


Originally Posted by GuitaristFor moderate blues I'd pick up the pricey SL2. With the JB and the 59, you can get a very wide palette of tonal options. Very pure and natural sounding pair. Both are very sensitive and seem to have a nice airy sound to them. I wouldn't like the HR in the SL3 for anything too calm, they seem to want dirt more than a groundhog.

Like Jeremy said, the SSL1's are very sweet SC's. You can test play those in a SL1. Very glassy and chimey with impeccable definition. That'd be a worty swap in a SL3 if you went that route.

Great blues sound - SL2 - flip to the neck pickup (being the SH1) and give it a little hair. Fat, warm, and purring. Very satisfying.

If money ain't a thang, cause you r0Ll like that, grab an SL1 or SL2 depending on what you want in the pickups. There's simply none other.

I had considered the SL3 with the idea of customizing the pups to something like a SSL1s, but then I'm nearing the price of SL1. I thought three pups would be more versitile to customize than the SL2. I still have to find an SL1 somewhere to hear. None in Wash D.C. yet.


Originally Posted by ZerberusOnly one thing to add...
Since 1995, Jackson SL-1s and DK-1s w/H-S-S Pup configs have been shipped with STK-S1 Classic Stacks instead of SSL-1s Whats the difference? Or do they sound generally the same?


Originally Posted by SozosTry playing with that guitar at any Jackson dealer, although I don't think it is necessary, and you will see that this guitar is a far more sophisticated strat with warmer tone and higher output. It is the one you are looking for!!!Which guitar? The SL1 ,2,or 3

Classic Stack: Noiseless, but a bit warmer and more quot;woodyquot; sounding than the SSL-1
SSL-1: Classic single coil, think early strat.

And I think Sozos means the SL-1, which I can also recommend. I personally am always torn between the SL-1 and SL-2, because I also like both Hums and Single-coils in the neck. So I´m kind of screwed.

So I just buy Jacksons with both configurations

BTW:The SL-3 has a rosewood fretboard, and AFAIK was never available with anything else. Unless they changed it to 1.1.05, and the current price list says they didn´t


Originally Posted by ToddI had considered the SL3 with the idea of customizing the pups to something like a SSL1s, but then I'm nearing the price of SL1. I thought three pups would be more versitile to customize than the SL2. I still have to find an SL1 somewhere to hear. None in Wash D.C. yet.

Isnt Chuck Levins quot;Washington Music centerquot; a Jackson dealer?
GC in Falls church had a SL-3 last time I was there.


Originally Posted by theodieIsnt Chuck Levins quot;Washington Music centerquot; a Jackson dealer?

Prerequisite for a Jackson dealership (in my day) was 6 performers or better (Would equate to gt; 6 quot;X-seriesquot;), and AFAIK there was never a USA quot;requirementquot; and still isn´t

What does quot;6 performers or betterquot; mean?


Originally Posted by ZerberusPrerequisite for a Jackson dealership (in my day) was 6 performers or better (Would equate to gt; 6 quot;X-seriesquot;), and AFAIK there was never a USA quot;requirementquot; and still isn´t

I have noticed most stores that stock Jacksons never seem to have any USA's


Originally Posted by JB_From_HellWhat does quot;6 performers or betterquot; mean?

Read what´s in parentheses, look at -gt; Gear , the rest should instantly be obvious Originally Posted by theodieI have noticed most stores that stock Jacksons never seem to have any USA's

Yep. It sucks, because they´re one of THE Best USA Values around, even after last year´s 15% price increase. And Ironically, Jackson is currrently concentrating on the USA Line (Rightly so IMO), so most players will never see what´s going on....


Originally Posted by Zerberus

Yep. It sucks, because they´re one of THE Best USA Values around, even after last year´s 15% price increase. And Ironically, Jackson is currrently concentrating on the USA Line (Rightly so IMO), so most players will never see what´s going on....

It sucks a donkey D*-K!!!!!! Though I love Jackson, I am tired of just seeing the bottom of the barrell lines in stores!!!!


Originally Posted by theodieI have noticed most stores that stock Jacksons never seem to have any USA's

Yeah, Iv'e just found that out. If they don't have much around D.C. then I should imagine there are even fewer in Baltimore or surrounding citites.
Too bad.