My new guitar (Jackson RR5)..

Man of Honour
Joined
15 Nov 2005
Posts
2,124
Location
Basingstoke, UK
After the hassle of trying to replace my damaged ESP DV8-R, I ended up getting a refund and had to find something else.. plumped for the Jackson RR5:

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Salient points:
  • Cost:£650 brand new
  • Alder body, maple thru-neck
  • Two Seymour Duncan TB-4 pickups (same as JB's but slightly wider apart poles)
  • 22-fret neck, rosewood fretboard w/sharkfin inlays
  • gold-plated hardware (that will rub off eventually)..
Initial reaction is that it's really well balanced, the neck feels slightly fatter than my Jackson DXMG but that may just be the finish making it feel different. The action is too high, it's about average height but I set my DXMG to have a real low action and will do so with the RR5. Intonation is pretty much spot on which is surprising straight from the factory.

Playability - I was a little sceptical that the higher frets would be easily accessible but it's a doddle, it feels real natural and I'm settled already.

Potential negative points - only 22 frets, although it's a 25.5" scale neck like my DXMG it feels shorter :confused: The neck/headstock don't have any binding, that would have finished it off real nice but not so. No included case so I've had to order one from Germany, not a real problem 'cause it's half price. The gold hardware looks a bit "bling", I'm considering swapping the scratchplate/knobs for black ones depending on the cost.

It feels and plays nicer than the £1K+ Ibanez models I tried out in a local music shop a couple of weeks ago, the neck is a lot nicer and there's way more sustain. I haven't had the chance to properly put it through it's paces yet but will hopefully do so in the next week or so - I'll fire it up through the Mode Four at practise and try to get a video so you can hear the pair, maybe compare it with the DXMG for sound etc :)

I'd give this guitar 8/10..

/waits for Andelusion to poke fun at non-strat shape...
 
Man of Honour
OP
Joined
15 Nov 2005
Posts
2,124
Location
Basingstoke, UK
helmet said:
Nice guitar mate, used to think Jackson were OK until i bought a DXMG Dinky, they are brilliant guitars.
Absolutely, my DXMG plays as well as my brother's Jem777 and has just as good a build quality and a lower action.. there's something distinctly cool about the whole Jackson 'look' too :)
 
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