Jackson American SRS SL2MG MAD

Jackson American SRS SL2MG MAD review

The Jackson American SRS SL2MG MAD is a U.S.-series electric guitar built around a neck-through-body design, a pair of active EMG humbuckers, and a Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo. Its listed price is $2,198. The model has been available since March 2024, and the supplied specifications identify it as part of the American Soloist Series. This review is based solely on those specifications. No customer reviews or firsthand playing impressions are available, so claims about its sound, comfort, tuning behavior, or build quality would go beyond the evidence.

Construction and neck

The body is alder, with no separate top. A three-piece maple neck runs through the body, and the fingerboard is ebony. This construction description identifies the main woods and neck layout, but it does not establish details such as neck profile, neck finish, body contours, or overall weight. Those points would need to be checked on the instrument itself.

The 648 mm (25.5-inch) scale is a familiar full-length guitar format. The fingerboard radius is compound, progressing from 304.8 mm (12 inches) to 406.4 mm (16 inches). The listed measurements describe a rounder radius at one end of the board and a flatter one at the other. The practical feel depends on setup and player preference, so the radius figures alone cannot predict how the guitar will feel in use.

The fingerboard has pearloid sharkfin inlays and 24 jumbo stainless steel frets. Stainless steel identifies the fret material, while jumbo describes the fret size category; the supplied data does not give fret dimensions or a fret finish. The nut width is 42.9 mm (1.69 inches), and the locking nut is a Floyd Rose 1500 Series model. Together, these details specify the fingerboard layout and locking hardware, without providing measurements for neck thickness or string spacing.

Pickups and controls

Pickup configuration is HH, meaning two humbuckers. The bridge position uses an EMG 81, and the neck position uses an EMG 85. The guitar has one volume control, one tone control, and a three-way pickup switch. The provided specifications do not state whether the pickups require a particular battery arrangement, nor do they describe additional switching options. They also do not establish a particular tonal character, output level, or suitability for a musical style. Those assessments require testing the instrument rather than reading its parts list.

Tremolo and hardware

The guitar is equipped with a Floyd Rose 1500 Series double-locking tremolo and a matching Floyd Rose 1500 Series locking nut. This specifies a system designed to lock the strings at the nut and bridge. The listed hardware also includes sealed, die-cast Gotoh tuning machines. The specifications do not say how the bridge is set up, which springs are installed, or how easy it is to restring and adjust. Buyers who do not use a locking tremolo may want to consider whether this hardware suits their preferred maintenance routine.

The hardware is black, and the stated finish color is Matte Army Drab. The strings are nickel-plated steel, gauges.009 to.042. String gauge and setup can affect playing feel, but the supplied information does not document the factory action, intonation, or tuning.

Case, price, and key specifications

• Body and neck: Alder body, three-piece maple neck-through construction
• Fingerboard: Ebony, compound 12-inch to 16-inch radius, pearloid sharkfin inlays
• Frets and scale: 24 jumbo stainless steel frets, 25.5-inch scale
• Pickups and controls: EMG 81 bridge humbucker, EMG 85 neck humbucker, volume, tone, three-way switch
• Bridge hardware: Floyd Rose 1500 Series double-locking tremolo and locking nut
• Included case: Jackson foam-core case; no gig bag is listed
• Price and item number: $2,198; item number 584159

The included foam-core case is a useful part of the package to note: the specifications say a case is included, while a bag is not. The overall feature set is clearly specified, but important buying checks remain, including the neck profile, weight, finish feel, factory setup, and how the tremolo responds in practice. Based on the available data, the Jackson American SRS SL2MG MAD offers a defined combination of neck-through construction, EMG humbuckers, and locking Floyd Rose hardware. Whether that combination matches a particular player's needs is best judged with an in-person inspection and playing test.