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Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA
VS
Playability
73
Sound
72
Build
55
Value
77
Score
67
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Playability
73
Sound
65
Build
54
Value
79
Score
64
FIND IT ON:
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Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32 vs JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA

Reasons to Get
Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32 over JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA

Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Tremolo
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs

Reasons to Get
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA over JS Series Rhoads JS32

Bridge
Tremolo vs Floyd Rose
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Value Score
79 vs 77
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32 vs JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA

Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32 vs JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA

Bridge Pickup
Jackson High-Output Humbucking
Same Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Jackson High-Output Humbucking
Same Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Poplar
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Purpleheart
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.775'' (19.7mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.835'' (21.2mm)
Same neck comfortability
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm)
Same string separation at the nut
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
Compound Radius
12" to 16"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile Type
D
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Compound Radius Fretboard

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood
  • 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 JS Series Rhoads JS32 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 67 compared to the Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA's 64 score, although not by a lot.

The Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32 wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

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?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA is the better choice.

The Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32 meets only 3. 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.

New Player Friendliness

Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

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 JS Series Rhoads JS32 Overview

  • From Jackson's 2014 JS series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Poplar body
  • Maple neck
  • Purpleheart fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Jackson High-Output Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Jackson High-Output Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose Licensed Jackson Double-Locking Tremolo bridge
  • Speed Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Jumbo frets
  • Jackson Sealed Die-Cast tuners
  • Weight between 6.25lbs (2.8kgs) and 7lbs (3.2kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA Overview

  • From Jackson's 2014 JS series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Poplar body
  • Maple neck
  • Purpleheart fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Jackson High-Output Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Jackson High-Output Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 2-Point Fulcrum Tremolo bridge
  • Speed Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Jumbo frets
  • Jackson Sealed Die-Cast 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 Both

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Purpleheart wood pattern used for guitar building
Purpleheart
Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar

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.

Purpleheart (also known as Amaranth) is a hard, dense wood with a brilliant tone. As its name suggests, the purple color makes this wood look exotic.

Poplar is a cheaper and heavier alternative to Alder wood. It terms of tone, it emphasizes the low-end and has cutting mids. It's relatively soft compared to most body woods. Find out more about Poplar.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HH. 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

None of these use a specialized pickup brand for their pickups. Some of the best guitars on the market come with pickups from brands like EMG, Seymour Duncan, DiMarzio, etc. You might want to replace your pickups eventually if you want to get the best sound out of any of these instruments.

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: Tie.

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.

They both share the following switching options:

Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32 and Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32 and Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA'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: Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32
Pickups 55
Sustain 80
Versatility 69
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 72
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA
Pickups 55
Sustain 75
Versatility 69
Tuning Stability 60
Sound 65

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 JS Series Rhoads JS32 compares to the Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA.

Country of Origin

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

China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.

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 JS Series Rhoads JS32 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 Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA comes with a Plastic nut. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.

Winner: Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32.

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.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

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 JS Series Rhoads JS32'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 Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA'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 JS Series Rhoads JS32.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. Both come with Jackson Sealed Die-Cast.

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.

Both have a 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: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32
  • Locking Nut
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32
Quality of materials 41
Features 70
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 55
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA
Quality of materials 41
Features 65
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 54

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 JS Series Rhoads JS32 Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42.9mm (1.688'').

This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.

Scale Length

Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32 and Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA'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 JS Series Rhoads JS32 Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same 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.

Both the Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32 and the Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA have a D-shaped 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.

Fretboard Radius

Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32 Fretboard Compound Radius
Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32's Compound Fretboard 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.

Both have a compound radius. This means both offer you the best craftsmanship when it comes to fretboard design. You'll have an arc to help you play chords close to the nut, while also having a flat design at the higher frets for faster soloing and easier bends.

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 JS Series Rhoads JS32:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32 and Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA Frets Size
Both have a similar Jumbo fret size

Both have a Jumbo fret size. This is one of the tallest frets you can get. You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. It will give you the best sustain and all types of chords will be easier to play. However, you can end up changing the pitch of your notes if you press too hard, which is something people used to feeling the fretboard do when trying Jumbo frets for the first time.

Final Playability Scores

Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 73
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32 vs JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA
General Jackson JS Series Rhoads JS32 JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA
Brand: Jackson Jackson
Year: 2014 2014
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China China
Series: JS JS
Colors: Black, Yellow, Gray Satin White, Blue, Natural, Black Satin
Left-Handed Version: Yes Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Poplar Poplar
Bridge: Floyd Rose Licensed Jackson Double-Locking Tremolo 2-Point Fulcrum Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Jackson Sealed Die-Cast Jackson Sealed Die-Cast
Fretboard: Purpleheart Purpleheart
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Pearloid Sharkfin Pearloid Sharkfin
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Speed Speed
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.775'' (19.7mm) - 12th Fret: 0.835'' (21.2mm) 1st Fret: 0.775'' (19.7mm) - 12th Fret: 0.835'' (21.2mm)
Frets: 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" to 16" 12" to 16"
Nut: Locking Plastic
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Jackson High-Output Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) Jackson High-Output Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Jackson High-Output Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) Jackson High-Output Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1