NAMM 2025 : Under the cover of darkness – or at least not making a song and dance about it on social media – Jackson has expanded its Pro Plus Series high-performance electric guitar lineup with the limited edition Pure Metal range. The collection comprises the Pure Metal Rhoads RR1A, the Soloist SL1A and the Kelly KE1A and pares this trio of classic Jackson guitars down to the essentials; a single humbucker pickup , a Floyd Rose 1000 series double-locking vibrato and a black finish because this, after all, is the Pure Metal Series. But it’s not that the Californian brand has thrown its lot in with aesthetic minimalism here; the Pure Metal range’s Creme binding and matching Jackson logo on the headstock gives this trio an upscale look.
All three share a lot in common. We have solid poplar bodies as standard with neck-through builds, and a three-piece maple neck that’s whittled down into the über-speedy profile that you would expect from Jackson. There is also a big tone dividend to be had with this build.
As the firm notes, “This beast of a guitar is built for speed, equipped for domination...
” “True neck-through-body construction has been a Jackson hallmark since 1980, allowing for greater playability, warmer tonal spectrum and enhanced sustain,” explains Jackson. “This method of guitar construction involves seamlessly extending three pieces of maple wood used for the neck through the entire length of the body.” Those necks have been reinforced with g.
