Last Updated on January 17, 2023 by Chris
While writing about left handed Charvel Guitars a few months back, and as the two are inextricably linked, I thought to myself “I must write a post about left handed Jackson Guitars”. So here it is!
Does Jackson Make Left Handed Guitars?
Yes! At the time of writing, there are six different left handed Jackson guitars available.
Go straight to the left handed Jackson guitars.
Who Are Jackson Guitars?
If you didn’t already know, in the late ’70s, Jackson Guitars founder Grover Jackson worked at Wayne Charvel’s guitar repair shop, and when the company almost became bankrupt, Grover Jackson bought the Charvel company from Wayne Charvel in 1978.
It was in 1980 that the Jackson brand was born when Charvel Guitars was approached by Randy Rhoads, who had recently become Ozzy Osbourne’s lead guitarist, to collaborate with him to build a new guitar.
Rhoads’ worked closely with the guys at Charvel to design a new guitar, dubbed the Concorde. Its design, a more angular and pointed version of a Flying V, was a big departure from Charvel’s usual Superstrat designs. So Grover Jackson decided not to use the Charvel brand on the headstock, in case the guitar proved to be unpopular, instead, opting to use his own surname.
This new Rhoads Model became so popular, the Jackson brand stuck around, and throughout the ’80s they became heavily associated with Heavy Metal and became known for building quality guitars perfect for playing this kind of music.
By 1989, Grover Jackson sold the company to Japanese manufacturer IMC (International Music Corporation), based in Texas, and eventually leaving the company the following year.
In 2002, the company was acquired by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, and production was moved to Fender’s Corona factory.
What Do I Think of Jackson Guitars?
I first heard of the Jackson brand back in 1990 or so, when finding out that one of my favorite guitarists, Marty Friedman, used them. As a member of Megadeth, Friedman and Megadeth founder Dave Mustaine both left me in awe as they both showed their blistering skills on their Jacksons. I’ve liked the brand ever since.
After switching to PRS and Ibanez and a few others for a number of years, Marty Friedman returned to Jackson Guitars in 2016.
I later found out about the Rhoads Model, after getting into Ozzy Osbourne‘s early solo albums, ten years or so after they were released. Randy Rhoads has also since become one of my favorite guitar players.
Different Types of Jackson Guitars
Jackson currently produces seven different series of electric guitar, comprising sixteen different body shapes:
- Artist Signature
- Pro
- JS
- X
- USA Select
- MJ Series
- Limited Edition Wildcard
Left Handed Jackson Electric Guitars
In the current lineup, there are seven left handed Jackson electric guitars available. Check ’em out below!
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JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA LH
$239.99 MSRP, Made in China
Specs:
- NUMBER OF STRINGS: 6
- BODY: Poplar
- BODY FINISH: Black Gloss
- SCALE: 25.5″ (648 mm)
- NECK: Bolt-On Maple with Graphite Reinforcement and Scarf Joint
- NECK FINISH: Satin
- FINGERBOARD: Amaranth with Pearloid Sharkfin inlays
- FINGERBOARD RADIUS: 12″-16″ Compound Radius (304.8 mm to 406.4 mm)
- NUT TYPE: Black Plastic
- NUT WIDTH: 1.6875″ (42.86 mm)
- FRETS: 24 Jumbo
- HARDWARE COLOR: Black
- TUNERS: Jackson Sealed Die-Cast
- STRAP BUTTONS: Standard
- BRIDGE: 2-Point Fulcrum Tremolo
- TREMOLO ARM: Standard
- BRIDGE PICKUP: Jackson High-Output Humbucker
- NECK PICKUP: Jackson High-Output Humbucker
- CONTROLS: Volume, Tone, 3-Position Blade
Check price/availability at:
JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32 DKA LH
$369.99 MSRP, Made in China
Specs:
- NUMBER OF STRINGS: 6
- BODY: Poplar
- BODY FINISH: Bright Blue Gloss
- SCALE: 25.5″ (648 mm)
- NECK: Bolt-On Maple with Graphite Reinforcement and Scarf Joint
- NECK FINISH: Satin
- FINGERBOARD: Amaranth with Pearloid Sharkfin inlays
- FINGERBOARD RADIUS: 12″-16″ Compound Radius (304.8 mm to 406.4 mm)
- NUT TYPE: Floyd Rose Licensed Jackson
- NUT WIDTH: 1.6875″ (42.86 mm)
- FRETS: 24 Jumbo
- HARDWARE COLOR: Black
- TUNERS: Jackson Sealed Die-Cast
- STRAP BUTTONS: Standard
- BRIDGE: Floyd Rose Licensed Jackson Double-Locking Tremolo
- TREMOLO ARM: Floyd Rose
- BRIDGE PICKUP: Jackson High-Output Humbucker
- NECK PICKUP: Jackson High-Output Humbucker
- CONTROLS: Volume, Tone, 3-Position Blade
Check price/availability at:
JS Series Rhoads JS32 LH
$369.99 MSRP, Made in China
Specs:
- NUMBER OF STRINGS: 6
- BODY: Poplar
- BODY FINISH: Satin Gray
- SCALE: 25.5″ (648 mm)
- NECK: Bolt-On Maple with Graphite Reinforcement and Scarf Joint
- NECK FINISH: Satin
- FINGERBOARD: Amaranth with Pearloid Sharkfin inlays
- FINGERBOARD RADIUS: 12″-16″ Compound Radius (304.8 mm to 406.4 mm)
- NUT TYPE: Floyd Rose Licensed Jackson
- NUT WIDTH: 1.6875″ (42.86 mm)
- FRETS: 24 Jumbo
- HARDWARE COLOR: Black
- TUNERS: Jackson Sealed Die-Cast
- STRAP BUTTONS: Standard
- BRIDGE: Floyd Rose Licensed Jackson Double-Locking Tremolo
- TREMOLO ARM: Floyd Rose
- BRIDGE PICKUP: Jackson High-Output Humbucker
- NECK PICKUP: Jackson High-Output Humbucker
- CONTROLS: Volume, Tone, 3-Position Blade
Check price/availability at:
X Series Soloist SLX LH
$699.99 MSRP, Made in Indonesia
Specs:
- NUMBER OF STRINGS: 6
- BODY: Poplar
- BODY FINISH: Satin Black
- SCALE: 25.5″ (648 mm)
- NECK: Neck-Through Body-Maple with Graphite Reinforcement and Scarf Joint
- NECK FINISH: Satin / Painted
- FINGERBOARD: Laurel with Pearloid Sharkfin inlays
- FINGERBOARD RADIUS: 12″-16″ Compound Radius (304.8 mm to 406.4 mm)
- NUT TYPE: Floyd Rose Special Locking
- NUT WIDTH: 1.6875″ (42.86 mm)
- FRETS: 24 Jumbo
- HARDWARE COLOR: Black
- TUNERS: Jackson Sealed Die-Cast
- STRAP BUTTONS: Standard
- BRIDGE: Floyd Rose Special Double-Locking Tremolo (Recessed)
- TREMOLO ARM: Floyd Rose Special Locking
- BRIDGE PICKUP: Duncan Designed HB-103B
- NECK PICKUP: Duncan Designed HB-103N
- CONTROLS: Volume, Tone, 3-Position Blade
Check price/availability at:
Pro Series Monarkh SC LH
$899.99 MSRP, Made in Indonesia
Specs:
- NUMBER OF STRINGS: 6
- TOP: Arched Maple
- BODY: Mahogany
- BODY FINISH: Gloss Black
- SCALE: 24.75″ (629 mm)
- NECK: Set-Neck Maple with Graphite Reinforcement and Scarf Joint
- NECK FINISH: Oiled
- FINGERBOARD: Ebony with Pearloid Ghostfin inlays
- FINGERBOARD RADIUS: 12″-16″ Compound Radius (304.8 mm to 406.4 mm)
- NUT TYPE: Black Plastic
- NUT WIDTH: 1.650″ (42 mm)
- FRETS: 22 Jumbo
- HARDWARE COLOR: Black
- TUNERS: Jackson Die-Cast Locking
- STRAP BUTTONS: Dunlop Dual-Locking
- BRIDGE: Jackson TOM-Style Adjustable with Anchored Tailpiece
- BRIDGE PICKUP: Seymour Duncan Blackouts AHB-1B
- NECK PICKUP: Seymour Duncan Blackouts AHB-1N
- CONTROLS: Volume 1, Volume 2, Tone, 3-Position Blade
Check price/availability at:
Pro Series Soloist SL2 LH
$1,229.99 MSRP, Made in Indonesia
Specs:
- NUMBER OF STRINGS: 6
- BODY: Mahogany
- BODY FINISH: Metallic Black Gloss
- SCALE: 24.75″ (629 mm)
- NECK: Neck-Through Body-Maple with Graphite Reinforcement and Scarf Joint
- NECK FINISH: Oiled
- FINGERBOARD: Ebony with Alumiloid Piranha Tooth inlays
- FINGERBOARD RADIUS: 12″-16″ Compound Radius (304.8 mm to 406.4 mm)
- NUT TYPE: Floyd Rose 1000 Series Locking
- NUT WIDTH: 1.6875″ (42.86 mm)
- FRETS: 24 Jumbo
- HARDWARE COLOR: Black Nickel
- TUNERS: Jackson Sealed Die-Cast
- STRAP BUTTONS: Dunlop Dual-Locking
- BRIDGE: Floyd Rose 1000 Series Double-Locking Tremolo (Recessed)
- TREMOLO: Floyd Rose 1000 Series Locking
- BRIDGE PICKUP: Seymour Duncan Distortion TB-6
- NECK PICKUP: Seymour Duncan Distortion SH-6N
- CONTROLS: Volume, Tone, 3-Position Toggle
Check price/availability at:
Left Handed Jackson Acoustic Guitars
Jackson does not make acoustic guitars, so there aren’t any available to both lefties or righties!
Left Handed Jackson Basses
Although Jackson produces fifty basses in a right handed configuration, they unfortunately don’t make left handed bass guitars at the time of writing.
Final Thoughts
Lefty guitar players get a pretty decent number of left handed Jackson guitars, with six models available at the time of writing. It’s a shame that none of the Artist Series Jackson guitars are available to us, or the USA-made guitars unless you go for a custom shop model, but of course, these cost a whole lot more.
There are some very nice models available to us though, my fave being the Pro Series Monarkh.
What do you think of Jackson guitars? Let us know in the comments below.
Image credits: jacksonguitars.com