FUQ (eff -yu - cue) - FAQ's with an EDGE

Tagged As: Jackson Professional Guitar

Question:
My 13 year old daughter has washing dishes at a local diner and has been saving her money to buy an ESP KH2, the Kirk Hammet signature model. Well, this weekend she played a Jackson Professional RR5, which sells for about $500 less, and fell in love. The Jackson is $999 and the ESP is $1459. She has almost enough money to buy the Jackson. I would like opinions on which is a better guitar, whether she should hold out for the ESP, etc. The one downside to the ESP is that she would have to order it to get one, no play before buy option

Answer:
my advise on this is that the ESP guitars are great and so are Jacksons but some time the in the jacksons the thruss rod can't be move or changed so go into the store and see if they can show you that it can be agusted a i would go for the jacksons unless you want the active p/us in the ESP I would add that the KH2 looses value slower than the Jackson would. I have a Jackson KE-4 and I used to love it, but now I got a ESP custom and being the poor college kid I gotta get rid of one of 'em. Anyways, make sure that she tries out the difference in pickups, the active ones in the KH2 are a lot hotter, maybe too hot at times. Also because they need batteries the tone changes unless you always remember to unplug and keep the batteries fresh. Plus, for the price difference, she could get the RR5 and add 81s (or 81/85 like in the KH2) for another $200. It all depends on what she likes playing. Also remember you can't play with the RR on your knee, which is the only reason I don't like Vs. If you don't mind also playing standing up, then it's not a problem. Also I think the RR would have a better neck (thinner and wider) for a 13 year old, but I haven't tried any of them to know it this is too. I've seen KH2s go for a lot cheaper than $1500, so make sure you check more than one store if possible (~$1200 which would be a significant difference to your daughter). Also paying 1500 and not being able to check out a guitar is risky, she might not like the sound/neck/tone/weight, etc. My advice? Get the RR5, add the 81s, add a custom paintjob and you've got a dream guitar for $1500. The RR5 is probably a better guitar, especially for the money. With the Kirk Hammet one, you are paying mainly for the fancy inlays (aren't they skull and crossbones or something?). The main downside to the RR5 would be that it could be uncomfortable to sit down with....unless she tried it sitting down and was comfy. I have a pro-series guitar, it's a kelly though. The neck is amazing....I've never played anything with better feel....it was even better than a US-made Jackson that I played (I didliked the neck on that one because it was painted and because the fretboard wasn't wide enough and the high e-string had a tendency to go off the fretboard). But ultimately, the decision should be hers.