Basic dimensional differences between the DK and SL series

[Adam D.]

Hey everyone!

New member here; long-time Ibanez enthusiast and aspiring Jackson owner.
I know a decent amount of Ibanez guitars, especially about the ones made around the 2003-2008 period, but I'm a Jackson noob.
Currently I've got an Ibanez RGT6EXFX, a neck-through hardtail with active EMGs.
I've been eyeing with Jacksons for a long time now, but I know next to nothing about them specifics-wise.
Basically what started me along the Jackson road is a 2004 catalog I have.

I've got a few basic, general technical questions I'd really like to know the answers for,
but Jackson's site doesn't have any information on this topic.
If you guys could help me out I'd be very happy.

So here we go:
my questions concern the "classic" style SL and DK guitars with the 6-in-line headstocks.- Are there any differences between the Dinky and Soloist bodies aside from the neck joint type?
What I mean is body size, contour and especially body thickness.

- Is there a difference between the neck profiles and thicknesses on these guitars?
I recently had the chance to handle a Jackson with a very thin, flat backed neck, which I really like, but it was a bolt-on
and I wonder if the through-neck Soloists are the same profile/size.

- Are the SLS and SLAT bodies the same?
Are they both thin body arched tops?

As you guys can see these are just some general questions, but it's surprisingly hard to get proper answers for.
I know the fundamental differences between an Ibanez RG and S series for example, but with Jacksons I'm totally lost.
Basically what I'm looking for is a Jackson with a classic 6-in-line headstock, very thin and flat backed neck,
and the thinnest, smallest body possible, preferably with an arched top.
Something like the SLSXMG, but with a hardtail bridge.

Thanks in advance guys, have a nice one!

[Adam D.]

Guys, any idea why the system cut my post in half?
Help please!

[Jaredio]

Text is there, just in black
Try edit and change the color of the letters.

[Mudlark]

There is no size difference in the body of the SL or DK. The neck joint is the difference. The exception would be when comparing some 22 fret models to 24 fret models. The 22 will often have shorter horns than the 24.

Arch tops have a thinner body perimeter, but they're thick in the middle as usual.
Neck shapes/sizes on imports can be inconsistent over the years. I can't personally point you towards any thin D shaped neck'd import Soloists.

Any SLAT model would have the typical arch top as mentioned above, but the SLS (super light soloist) is even thinner at the edges than the SLAT models. Still, the body perimeters are all the same size...which is approximately 7/8ths the size of a Stratocaster.

Ironically, both the Soloist and Dinky have the same 'Dinky' body size/shape. Many people mistakenly think the Dinky is smaller.

I'm having a hard time thinking of a model to meet your specs...

[ed]

Closest to your specs would be The SLSMG model they come up quite often on the used market. From the current line up i have no clue what would be closest.

https://www.google.com/search?q=jackson+slsmg&client=firefox-b&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiOgsrrwbDdAhUHKywKHSEDBR8QsAR6BAgEEAE&biw=1920&bih=930

Edit: except it doesnt have the 6 inline headstock

[Number Of The Priest]

Mudlark summarized it quite well above.

Jackson's model naming system can be inconsistent and it drives some of us crazy. For now, the general rule of thumb that the Soloist is simply the neckthru variant of the Dinky, but even then there are exceptions, such as xenophobe's neckthru Dinky: https://www.jcfonline.com/threads/15...=1#post1672976. However, there is practically no need to worry about these outliers, since those less than 1% of occurrences.

Here is a previous, recent discussion we had: https://www.jcfonline.com/threads/15...-Size-Question

As you can tell, we like to nitpick and debate this topic repeatedly.

- Are the SLS and SLAT bodies the same?
Are they both thin body arched tops?

To highlight my point above about Jackson being inconsistent with naming conventions, some SLS shapes don't even have the same silhouette as the SLAT shape. Examples below:

Example USA SLS. Unique shape, with a distinctive stubby lower horn: https://www.jcfonline.com/threads/13...LS-Custom-Shop

Example Japanese SLSMG. Normal Dinky/Soloist silhouette, but thin bodied like an Ibanez Saber body: https://www.google.com/search?newwin....0.YTUhCeSLPtw

Example SLAT (specifically, SLATQH). Normal Dinky/Soloist silhouette, archtop body: https://www.google.com/search?newwin....0.y-NhEmf-ppc

what I'm looking for is a Jackson with a classic 6-in-line headstock, very thin and flat backed neck,
and the thinnest, smallest body possible, preferably with an arched top.
Something like the SLSXMG, but with a hardtail bridge.

The SLS is close to what you want with (I believe) a gently carved top with a fixed bridge, except it has a 3x3 headstock, and SLSs are very uncommon.

The SLSMG is close to what you want for a thin archtop body with a fixed bridge, except it has a 3x3 headstock. No longer in production. Thin-bodied neckthru Jacksons aside from the SLSMG are also extremely uncommon.

The SLATQH, SLATQM, and Soloist Archtop Pro are close to what you want for a standard headstock with an archtop and fixed bridge, except they have a full thickness body. No longer in production.

You basically want a SLATQH-style guitar with a paper thin body which doesn't exist unless you go Jackson Custom Shop Masterbuild, and the Custom Shop currently isn't accepting any new Masterbuild orders due to backlog. As an Ibanez fan myself, I want a Fujigen-built neckthru RG with a fixed bridge, sharktooth inlays, and neck/headstock binding, but I'm basically describing an "Ibanez Soloist"-style guitar there, which doesn't exist in the Ibanez product line.

If you're willing to make compromises, the five choices I listed above would be "close enough" and you could find them on the used market.

[Cosmiceddie]

For now, the general rule of thumb that the Soloist is simply the neckthru variant of the Dinky.

And for some reason the Dinky model is not available with a fixed bridge, only wih a Floyd Rose.

[Zedder]

And for some reason the Dinky model is not available with a fixed bridge, only wih a Floyd Rose.

What do you mean? For example there was discontinued MIJ DK2T and in current lineup there´s Dinky Pro DK2 HT and JS32T.

[Number Of The Priest]

There do exist Dinky guitars with fixed bridges, but they tend to be imports, such as (off the top of my head) the DKMGT, DXMGT, DKXT, and Dinky HX. Half the current import Dinkys are also fixed bridge: https://www.jacksonguitars.com/gear/shape/dinky

For now, the general rule of thumb that the Soloist is simply the neckthru variant of the Dinky, but even then there are exceptions, such as xenophobe's neckthru Dinky

I should have added that, while there are exceptions such as neckthru Dinkys, there are certainly no bolt-neck Soloists.

[Cosmiceddie]

What do you mean? For example there was discontinued MIJ DK2T and in current lineup there´s Dinky Pro DK2 HT and JS32T.

Sure, but I'm referring to the Custom Select order form where it's not possible to chose any fixed bridges for Dinky models.

[Zedder]

I should have added that, while there are exceptions such as neckthru Dinkys, there are certainly no bolt-neck Soloists.

Hmm.. Is this a Soloist or a Dinky:

http://www.cmcguitars.com/jackson-usa-barritone-b7mg-soloist-7-string-satin-black-guitar/

[Number Of The Priest]

Jackson makes the Baritone model in both bolt-neck and neckthru varieties. So it's neither Soloist nor Dinky. The fact that the Baritone model is its own model on the Jackson website, much like the Juggernaut and PC1, also means the Baritone can be considered neither.

https://www.jacksonguitars.com/gear/shape/baritone

[Adam D.]

Thanks a ton for your help, guys!
Great information here. To be frank you guys helped me -a lot- more so far than the Jackson rep I'd talked to through e-mail before.
I've read the linked previous topic on this as well.

If I'm understanding things correctly:

- in broad lines, 24 fret Soloist and DK bodies are basically the same, aside from the custom shop oddballs.
This goes to the body thickness as well, I assume?

- The six-in-line SLS also has a slightly arched top, just not as prominent as the SLAT models.

- Necks: I understand that the imports can show a wide variety, Ibanez too has at least half a dozen neck profiles just in the RG lineup,
but in general, concerning USA made Jacksons, are the DK and SL neck profiles, thicknesses the same?
(Aside from the lacquer on the SL of course.)


You guys brought up some pretty nice ideas - I know the SLSMG model, actually it's the very first Jackson I've ever seen in person.
It was a Satin Black one, probably still EMG HZ era. I instantly fell in love with it, wicked guitar, even with the "meh" Tune-o-Matic bridge.
No idea why they stopped making it.
I certainly wouldn't mind owning either a Satin Black or an Inferno Red SLSMG, but since I already have a guitar,
I couldn't reason having two Jacksons at the same time as well.
I'd almost certainly go with a six-in-line headstock. To me, that is THE Jackson feature for some reason.

I'd be perfectly happy with a DK as well, now that the atrocious - strictly my opinion- neck joint has been updated to a slightly more promising heel, but concerning older, used guitars, I'd definitely go for the neck-through SL models.
I enjoy neck-through instruments, my main guitar has that feature as well, but a bolt-on is not a deal breaker for me.
In fact, that DK2HT Dinky Pro someone mentioned is almost exactly what I'm looking for, sans the arched top.
I'll be on the lookout for new Jacksons coming out in 2019 - maybe I'll get lucky with a fixed bridge SLS or Dinky Arched Top.

Any of you guys have experience with the stability and comfort of these new 3 bolt DK neck joints?
Haven't had the chance to check one out in person yet (in my country Jacksons are not too widespread), but it looks decent.
No idea why they don't make the jump and change to the Handshake Heel the Juggernaut has though.
It's very similar to an Ibanez AANJ and I know from experience that's infinitely more comfortable than a regular blocky joint.

[Adam D.]

Jaredio:
thanks man!
I haven't got the faintest idea why the second half had a darker color.
Never would've thought that was the problem.

[xenophobe]

We went over this a while back.

There are differences depending on era. The early templates are similar but not identical. The same template was not used for both neck thru and bolt on, there are also a number of different templates with slight variation of horn shapes and and cutout depth depending on era. Then there was the transition to 24 fret bolt on. There is also a new Corona 22 fret body shape that has longer horns, similar to a 24 fret body.

There is no real static answer to the question except over the years, things changed, not always at the same time. And once you add Customs to the mix, it gets even more convoluted.

Custom shop 22 fret neckthru Dinky (mine, cut with the first/original early 80's 22 fret Dinky template) and a FMIC 22 fret Custom Soloist for comparison. So if you were to order a custom 22 fret Soloist or Dinky today, it would not be the same as a 22 fret Soloist or Dinky from the 80s, you get the longer horns with different cutout depths.



There are 5 guitars on this tracing. You can clearly see 2 distinct 22 fret Dinky body styles. There may be more slight variances out there. The two black outlines are the original 22 fret Dinky. The Orange shows a later 22 fret Dinky. Probably mid to late 90's.