Jackson Pro Plus Series: Can You Afford to Miss These?
Published on 07 May 2025
Are you a Jackson fanatic? If you like heavy music, then I’m thinking you might be. Jackson are one of the most influential, innovative, beloved and flat-out badass metal guitar companies of all time, so if you like shredding and riffing, then how can you not love them?
Today, I’d love to introduce you to a new range of Jackson guitars. This is the Jackson Pro Plus series, and they are some of the most exciting Jacksons I’ve seen in a long time!
Without wasting any more time, let’s get on with the show!
Contents
Where Does the Jackson Pro Plus Series Fit Into Jackson’s Ranges?
Where are Jackson Pro Plus Guitars Made?
What Makes the Jackson Pro Plus Series Special?
Which Guitar Models are in the Jackson Pro Plus Series?
Who is the Jackson Pro Plus Series for?
Jackson Guitars
- Innovators in heavy metal guitar styling
- Born from Charvel, beloved by metal royalty
Briefly, then, I’ll explain a tiny bit about the brand, so you understand where the Pro Plus range fits into their stable of instruments.
Jackson have been around since 1980 (further back if you count Charvel, from which they somewhat sprang) and were the slightly more experimental brand for owner Grover Jackson. Basically, Jackson is where he collaborated with artists to create wildly-shaped guitars such as the Kelly and the Warrior. The brand started as a ‘Made in USA’ situation, and added further manufacturing territories as success increased.
For a more in-depth dive, check out my Jackson Guitars: A Brief History blog, but in basic terms, Jackson were adopted by everyone from Randy Rhoads to Anthrax and Megadeth in the 80s, and their extreme body styling made them one of the big hard rock brands of the thrash era, alongside ESP and BC Rich.
Where Does the Jackson Pro Plus Series Fit Into Jackson’s Ranges?
- Like a Premium grade version of the Pro Series
- Highest Spec outside USA and Japanese-made Jacksons
Today, Jackson are part of the Fender family, and there are a large number of ranges on offer, from the very affordable JS series to the top end Japanese and American ranges, with Custom Shop models on top of that!
All of these ranges share the same basic Jackson styling, so you’ll instantly recognise the famous pointed headstock, sharkfin inlays and (often) unorthodox body shapes. Unlike other brands, Jackson guitars all have the same headstock logo whether they cost £250 or £2500. This has helped make their brand beloved across a wide swathe of the guitar-buying world.
This Pro Plus range slots in around the middle of proceedings. Beneath them are the entry-level JS, the popular X Series and the ‘upper mid range’ Pro Series.
Above all of those is the Concept series, then it’s onto the Japanese (MJ Series) and American-made Jacksons.
In other words, these are the highest quality ‘import’ guitars that Jackson make.
Where are Jackson Pro Plus Guitars Made?
- Affordable models are made in China and Indonesia.
- Pricier Jacksons are Japanese or American.
The Jackson Pro Plus Series guitars are made in China. Depending on the series, Jackson guitars can be made in China, Indonesia, Japan or the United States of America.
I believe these Pro Plus guitars are built in the Yako Musical Instruments factory in Zhangzhou, because Fender have lots of previous history there. Yako built the first Chinese Squiers around 30 years ago, and the factory has also built some Gretsch Electromatic guitars too, which deepens that connection since Fender own Gretsch!
What Makes the Jackson Pro Plus Series Special?
- Very highly spec’d for the price
- Finish choices are numerous and impressive
Okay, so what actually makes these Pro Plus models different? There are a few primary elements, in handy list formation:
- Stainless Steel frets: normally an expensive upcharge, stainless steel frets are significantly harder wearing than typical nickel-silver. They last and last!
- Ebony fingerboards: Ebony is typically seen as a luxury timber only found on top end guitars
- Name brand hardware: Floyd Rose 1000 and Evertune bridges appear on these guitars
- Name brand pickups: Seymour Duncan supply the firepower here
- Awesome finishes: from sparkles to crackles to full-on Shattered Mirror action, this is one of the best-dressed Jackson ranges out there! Some of these finishes are only usually seen on much more expensive instruments
- Details: Through-neck construction on the Soloists, Luminlay markings along the neck, direct-mount pickups and 12”-16” compound radius fingerboards. Jackson have definitely sweated the small stuff here to bring you maximum guitar for your money.
Which Guitar Models are in the Jackson Pro Plus Series?
So, what actual Jackson models are included in this range? Currently, the Pro Plus Series contains the following guitars:
- Pro Plus Series Soloist SL2: crackle finish/Shattered Mirror H-S-S pickup configuration and Floyd Rose tremolo
- Pro Plus Series Soloist SLA3 & SLA3(Q): H-S-S pickup configuration and Floyd Rose tremolo
- Pro Plus Series Dinky DKA: carved, top; two humbuckers, Floyd Rose tremolo
- Pro Plus Series Dinky DKAQ: carved, figured top; two humbuckers, Floyd Rose tremolo
- Pro Plus Series Dinky MDK 7 string: Hard tail, two humbuckers
- Pro Plus Series Dinky MDK 7 string: Evertune bridge, two humbuckers
- Pro Plus Series Dinky MDK 6 string: Evertune bridge, two humbuckers
- Pro Plus Series Misha Mansoor Juggernaut: hard tail, two humbuckers
- Pro Plus Series Dinky MDK Multiscale 7 string.
- Pro Series Rhoads RR24: two humbuckers, Floyd Rose
I think that’s the majority of release models right there, and what a strong roster it is! I haven’t included every finish available but you know you’ll see them on our site when you click through to the appropriate pages!
There are currently some limited edition Pure Metal Soloist, Kelly and Rhoads models with Fishman Fluence pickups available in the series, but there are no details on whether the likes of a Kelly will become standard production.
Who is the Jackson Pro Plus Series for?
- Shredders on a budget who still want top quality
- Pro players who want affordable quality in their gigging equipment
- Guitarists looking to upgrade from Jackson’s JS or X Series guitars
- Players who don’t have a ‘shred guitar’ as their go-to style but still want a good quality one for their collection
The Jackson Pro Plus series of guitars are for technical players who may be on a budget, but who still demand excellent quality. Far from beginner or even mid-range guitars, these perform like full-fat Jacksons, and then some.
I think we all understand these days that Chinese-made guitars can be as good as many of the more select choices on the market: it’s more a case of them being created to fit manufacturer criteria/budgets, and these Jacksons have all been highly spec’d indeed.
From having raced around on both a Soloist and a Rhoads model, I can absolutely recommend taking this series very seriously indeed. I was impressed not only by the fit and finish (it feels and looks like a boutique guitar) but by the armageddon-smashing sound and performance. I was in full-on ‘Dimebag mode’ when I played too, and the locking trem was excellent. These are the sort of guitars that encourage you to be gleefully excessive with your player, and it’s super fun.
So, if you need a performance guitar for playing, gigging and recording - and you are able to spend slightly higher than Jackson X Series or Pro Series money, then I think your hard-earned cash will be spent particularly wisely here.
It’s just a matter now of picking which of these beauties to go for…
Click to View the Jackson Pro Plus Series Electric Guitars
