Cheap guitar of the week #44 - Jackson JS32 Kelly in Ferrari Red

This is the best looking Kelly I've ever seen. And it's loaded and cheap.

The JS32 Kelly is Jackson's take on a Gibson Explorer shape, albeit much more angular and a much different player compared to the Explorer.

This is the first time I've ever seen a Kelly in red, and oh yes, it looks awesome.

The only unfortunate part it that would appear this guitar is only available with a FR vibrato system on it. If you want that vibrato, you're fine, but if you want a "hardtail" version, that being the JS32T Kelly, you can't get red but you can get an awesome viola burst:

The JS32T would actually be my preference, however I admit that it doesn't command as much of a presence as the JS32 in Ferrari Red does. There's just something about that red that really suits the guitar well. In fact, it could arguably be said that Ferrari Red is the best color Jackson ever put on that guitar.

Quick specs: Basswood body, satin finished bolt-on maple "speed neck" in 25.5-inch scale with 12-to-16 inch compound fingerboard radius, 24 jumbo frets, Floyd-Rose R3 system, pearloid sharkfin inlays, two "Jackson High Output Humbucking" pickups, master volume/master tone knurled knobs, 3-position toggle, sealed tuners, white binding on neck and headstock.

After reading those specs, you're probably thinking, "Wow, that's a lot of good hardware for the money." You're right, it is. While you would pay a ton of money for all that stuff on a Fender-branded guitar, you get it for far less on the Jackson-branded guitar (which is a Fender brand, by the way.)

Why the far cheaper price for the Jackson? Because it's Jackson and not Fender. Still a fantastic guitar, however.

If the Kelly style agrees with you, get one in JS32 with Floyd-Rose or JS32T hardtail. The guitar is loaded with goodies.

Published 2016 Feb 10

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