Tell me about the SLSMG

[vultures]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a Jackson SLSMG. I'm pretty much through with floyd rose type tremolo's, I've been through a good diversity of them too (OFR, Ibanez ZR Trems, Jackson floyds), so I'm going back to fixed/string through. I looked through a bunch of guitars with Jackson and most of the ones in my price range are all Alder, eh, so I came across the SLSMG. They don't carry any of them in the GC's or Samash's next to me so I don't have a chance to play one. My choices are between SLSMG and an Ibanez RGA121, convince me to get the Jackson?

Are there any Horror stories, or anything completely shitty about the SLSMG? How does the neck feel? Are there any other Jacksons I can consider in the price range ($500-$600) with mahogany bodies?

I have a lot I can add on either guitar to fix em up; Sperzel locking tuners, EMG 81/89 set, metal pickup rings, upgraded TOM bridge etc..



or

[Flatpicker]

You can't go wrong with either. I have a SLSMG and an Ibanez RGA, but it's the one with the flame maple top.

They are both excellent guitars, so the differences are really just prefernces.

Jackson Pros:
Bound Ebony Fingerboard
Neck Thru construction
Current SLSMG's have real EMG's
Tunamatic bridge
Very Light

Jackson con's:
Can be too light for some people, I love it though
Small MOT piranaha inlays are harder to see than Sharkies
Not a vintage type fingerboard radii, it's flatter and faster


Ibanez pro's:
5 piece maple neck may not shift as easily in the weather
That gibraltar bridge is a sustain machine
very light

Ibanez cons:
Very light, but bridge is heavy, creates balance issues.
Fretboard very wide, rosewood is considered not as fast playing
No Binding
IBZ pickups are weaksauce

[MattyCakes]

the ibanez will play nicer. sorry guy. its more expensive though

[NextInLine]

Well I've used and owned a couple of Ibanezs, all of them were japanese made, most being RGs. (rg7620, rg1527, rg1570, js1000) I always liked them but none of the RGs really did it for me . I always get a similar feeling out of the RGs I play. Both playing wise and sound wise. They all seem like the same guitar with different pick-up/bridge/finish options. The seven strings played effortlessly both. That was what I liked more about them. The Js was a hell of a player and a great sounding guitar, it was different from the RGs. So if I were to buy an Ibanez it would probably be something different than a "new" RG. I'm considering RGAs to be similar

As for the slsmg, I also owned one for a short term. Surprisinly light guitar, nice neck profile and the ebony board was a big plus. I always thought that for a guitar to sound "big" it should be a heavy weight with a dense wood, the slsmg proved me wrong. It wasn't sounding really big but when compared to its weight it was surprising enough..

I like the 3x3 headstock opposed to most on this board. The piranha inlays were also ok with me. I love painted necks and neck-thrus more than bolt-ons That was also a big plus.

Why I sold it? Because I can't play comfortably on string thrus, I need the bridge to be a bit more closer to the body since I'm resting my hand half on the body, half on the bridge..

To me the slsmg sounds like a better choice and I'm not sure but in the used market slsmgs are cheaper than rga121s..

So slsmg for me Good luck!

[MattyCakes]

the ibanez is not very light nor does rosewood have anything to do with fast playing

[BTB007]

Hmmm, I've owned a SLSMG and two RGA's, both the 121 and 321. Get the Ibanez.

[BTB007]

Oops, sorry forgot to resize the RGA121 pic...

[vultures]

Jackson con's:
Can be too light for some people, I love it though
Small MOT piranaha inlays are harder to see than Sharkies
Not a vintage type fingerboard radii, it's flatter and faster

As for the slsmg, I also owned one for a short term. Surprisinly light guitar, nice neck profile and the ebony board was a big plus. I always thought that for a guitar to sound "big" it should be a heavy weight with a dense wood, the slsmg proved me wrong. It wasn't sounding really big but when compared to its weight it was surprising enough..

Some of those things aren't that much cons for me, I've played guitars with no fret inlays at all The piranaha inlays are pretty cool if you ask me. I'm pretty used to thin guitars, I've owned and played Ibanes S series guitars and those things are almost as thin as a notebook. I loved the S series, but the ZR trem was too much, so I sold it and got a Charvel, the Jackson/Charvel Floyd was too much too I guess I'm just really picky


Edit: What would be a good price to get these guitars at, I can get either of them for about $500 right now, is that good?

[Sinistas]

That's almost half off the market price for the SLSMG - I got mine for $400 and have absolutely no regrets.

[thetroy]

I love the feel of the SLSMG a little more than an RG, but have never played either through an amp so I can't speak to the tone.

You can't really go wrong with either one though they are both great guitars.

[bibz]

slsmg love here, I'll take it over ALOT of other guitars. The design is killer, its just a shredstick. Funnily I find ibanez necks a little fatiguing around the open position and a little higher, the slsmg isnt far off of it thickness wise, but is way more comfortable. Also high fret access is stupid amazing. 24 becomes fretted before you run into anything! Add my slsmg's killer red flametop and it destroys the other jap contenders imo. I really dont get ibanez's love for small dots and rosewood, unbound, with always dry looking woods.

[vultures]

Thanks for all the info guys, I'm leaning more towards the SLSMG, Neck thru look is winning over. I keep searching the internet and I see one with EMG 81/85 set and one with EMG HZ's, is there any difference between these? Or did they just upgrade the pickups for newer models?

[toejam]

Thanks for all the info guys, I'm leaning more towards the SLSMG, Neck thru look is winning over. I keep searching the internet and I see one with EMG 81/85 set and one with EMG HZ's, is there any difference between these? Or did they just upgrade the pickups for newer models?

They upgraded to the real EMGs on the newer models.

[RacerX]

And a killer price on the old ones is in the $350 - 400 range, that's not all that uncommon if you hang around eBay long enough.

[Thrust]

I had one of the very first SLSMG's to come out (right after they took out the afterburner setup) and it was a good guitar. I upgraded the pups w/ EMGs (85b/81n) which produced a better tone. However, I never "bonded" with that guitar. I now have an RGA121 and it's really a better guitar in all respects.

Go with the RGA.