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Jackson American Series Soloist SL3
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem
VS
Playability
77
Sound
83
Build
82
Value
71
Score
81
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Playability
65
Sound
74
Build
82
Value
59
Score
74
FIND IT ON:
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Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 vs Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem

Reasons to Get
Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 over Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem

Release Year
2022 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Compound Radius
12" to 16" vs 10"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Jackson Standard vs Sabre
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Bolt-On
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Pickups
HSS vs HH
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Tremolo
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Value Score
71 vs 59
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem over Jackson American Series Soloist SL3

Decorative Top
Flame Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Sabre vs Jackson Standard
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickups
HH vs HSS
High output without hum
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Tremolo vs Floyd Rose
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance

Other Key Differences
Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 vs Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 vs Music Man Custom Humbucker
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Seymour Duncan Custom Flat Strat SSL-6 vs Music Man Custom Humbucker
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Okoume
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Figured Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Figured Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs 4-2
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Locking vs Compensated
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 vs Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem

Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 81 compared to the Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem's 74 score, although not by a lot.

The Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 wins when it comes to sound, playability, value for the money. On the other hand, the Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem has the upper hand when it comes to.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Jackson American Series Soloist SL3
  • Comfortable shape
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 Overview

  • From Jackson's 2022 American series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • 3-piece Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Seymour Duncan Custom Flat Strat SSL-6 RWRP (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Custom Flat Strat SSL-6 (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose 1500 Series Double-Locking Tremolo bridge
  • Jackson Standard Neck-Through neck
  • 24 Jumbo frets
  • Gotoh MG-T Locking tuners
  • Weight between 8.05lbs (3.7kgs) and 8.25lbs (3.7kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem Overview

  • From Music Man's 2020 Sabre series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Flame Maple top
  • Okoume body
  • Figured roasted maple neck neck
  • Figured Roasted Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Music Man Modern Tremolo bridge
  • Sabre Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Schaller M6-IND locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in the Jackson American Series Soloist SL3

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Woods Used in the Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem

Figured Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Figured Maple
Okoume wood pattern used for guitar building
Okoume

This wood has beautiful patterns only found in specific types of maple.

Okoume is an affordable wood and one of the first to replace Mahogany when the prohibitions started. It's generally softer than Mahogany and the tone has warmer lows.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 has an HSS configuration while the Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem has HH pickups.

HSS provides a great balance if you like to play with a lot of distortion, but also love to use clean tones. You'll get a lot of output at the bridge position, but you'll be able to play bright clean tones at the other positions.

On the other hand, Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

However, the Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Jackson American Series Soloist SL3's and use them on any guitar:

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Jackson American Series Soloist SL3's switch options
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Jackson American Series Soloist SL3.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Jackson American Series Soloist SL3
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 95
Sound 83
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem
Pickups 90
Sustain 65
Versatility 67
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 74

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 compares to the Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 has a Locking nut. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

On the other hand, the Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem comes with a Compensated nut. Each hole where the string sits at the nut is cut at a different distance from the bridge, which compensates for the different amount of tension that each string is subject to. This fixes most intonation issues across the fretboard, so it gives great tuning stability.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

In this comparison, the Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem is the only one that has stainless steel frets. These frets will basically last for the entire life of the guitar. They will never need polishing nor replacement. And not only that, but some people also notice that bending and vibratos are much easier to perform when they upgrade to stainless steel.

Winner: Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

The Jackson American Series Soloist SL3's brige is a Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.

On the other hand, the Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem's is a Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Jackson American Series Soloist SL3.

Tuners

They both have locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

The Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 has a Neck-Through neck joint. This neck is a lot more resistant and lets builders give the neck joint a more comfortable shape for soloing at the upper frets. The disadvantage is that they're more expensive and that if you damage your neck, you can't simply replace it like with bolt-on necks.

On the other hand, the Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem comes with Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: Jackson American Series Soloist SL3.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Jackson American Series Soloist SL3
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Strap Lock
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
Strengths & Weaknesses
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Compensated Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Jackson American Series Soloist SL3
Quality of materials 51
Features 100
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 82
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem
Quality of materials 80
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 82

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 Nut Width
Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 Nut Width
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem Nut Width
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42.9mm (1.688''). This is a 0.1mm (0.0050000000000001'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 and Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 Neck Profile
Jackson American Series Soloist SL3's neck profile
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem Neck Profile
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 has a D type of neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

The Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem, on the other hand, has a C neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 Fretboard Compound Radius
Jackson American Series Soloist SL3's Compound Fretboard Radius
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem Fingerboard Radius
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Jackson American Series Soloist SL3:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 Frets Size
Jackson American Series Soloist SL3's Frets Size
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem Frets Size
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem's Frets Size

The Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem's Medium Jumbo frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Jackson American Series Soloist SL3
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 100
Playability 77
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 65
Playability 65

Specs Side-by-Side

Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 vs Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem
General Jackson American Series Soloist SL3 Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem
Brand: Jackson Music Man
Year: 2022 2020
Configuration: HSS HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: American Sabre
Colors: White, Black, Blue, Green Brown Burst, Blue Burst, Orange, Red Burst, Green Burst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Okoume
Bridge: Floyd Rose 1500 Series Double-Locking Tremolo Music Man Modern Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through Bolt-On
Tuners: Gotoh MG-T Locking Schaller M6-IND locking
Fretboard: Ebony Figured Roasted Maple
Neck Material: 3-piece Maple Figured roasted maple neck
Decoration: Inverted Mother of Pearl Sharkfin 1/4 Black Dot Inlay
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Jackson Standard Sabre
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.85'' (21.6mm) 1st Fret: - 12th Fret:
Frets: 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 12" to 16" 10"
Nut: Locking Compensated
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 (Humbucker / Passive) Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Seymour Duncan Custom Flat Strat SSL-6 RWRP (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan Custom Flat Strat SSL-6 (Single Coil / Passive) Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1