Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET vs Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster
Reasons to Get
Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET over Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster
Reasons to Get
Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster over Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET
Other Key Differences
Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET vs Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster
Shared Features
Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET vs Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster
Common Strengths
- Top Pickup Brand
Common Weaknesses
- Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
- Weight Relief
- High-Quality Frets
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- From a High-Quality-Standards Country
- Strap Lock
- 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 Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET is probably the better product overall with its final score of 75 compared to the Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster's 68 score, although not by a lot.
The Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality. On the other hand, the Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster 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 Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster is the better choice.
The Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET meets only 5. 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 Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET- Comfortable shape
- Locking tuners
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
- Easy-to-use bridge
New Player Friendliness
Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- 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 Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET Overview
- From Jackson's 2022 Artist Signature series
- Josh Smith Signature
- Made in South Korea
- 7 strings
- 27"'' scale
- 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
- Alder body
- Caramelized Maple neck
- Ebony fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Bare Knuckle Impulse Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
- Neck pickup: Bare Knuckle Impulse Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
- 2 volume and 0 tone Bell knobs
- 3-way Switch
- Evertune F7 Model bridge
- Jackson Standard Neck-Through neck
- 24 Jumbo frets
- Jackson Die-Cast Locking tuners
- Compare Specs >
Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster Overview
- From Fender's 2015 Artist series
- Jimi Hendrix Signature
- Made in Mexico
- 6 strings
- 25.5"'' scale
- 9.5" Fretboard Radius
- Alder body
- Maple neck
- Maple fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Fender Pure Vintage 65 Gray-Bottom Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
- Middle pickup: Fender Pure Vintage 65 Gray-Bottom Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
- Neck pickup: Fender Pure Vintage 65 Gray-Bottom Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
- 1 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
- 5-way Switch
- 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo bridge
- Modern C Bolt-On neck
- 21 Medium Jumbo frets
- Vintage-Style tuners
- Weight between 7.75lbs (3.5kgs) and 8.4lbs (3.8kgs)
- 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 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.
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 Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET
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.
Winner: Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET.
Pickup Configuration
The Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET has an HS configuration while the Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster has SSS pickups.
An HS configuration gives you a bridge pickup with a lot of output for playing distortion parts, but you'll also have the bright sound of a Tele or Strat neck pickup for your clean tones.
On the other hand, SSS is perfect for players who like to play clean. The definition you get between notes and the crispiness is unmatched by most other configurations. You can still use it for distortion, but you won't get the same kind of output and power compared to a humbucker, and the hum they produce also makes them less adequate for high gain.
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 Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.
We found the same or similar pickups to the Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster's online:
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: Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster.
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
The Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster gives you 5 switch options while the Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET gives you 3. This means that the Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve
Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.
When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.
Winner: Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster.
Final Sound Quality Scores
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 Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET compares to the Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET is built in South Korea while the Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster is made in Mexico.
South Korea was for many years the number one choice for mass-producing semi-premium guitars. They can build excellent guitars for a cheap price. Now, it's less common to find Korean guitars because Indonesia has proved capable of building guitars just as well, but likely for cheaper.
Mexico has been for a long time where Fender has built their semi-premium series. If you don't want to overpay for a wellp-built instrument, a guitar built in this country by a good brand always offers good value for the money.
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 Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET has 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.
On the other hand, the Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster comes with a Synthetic Bone nut. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.
Winner: Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster.
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 Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET's brige is a Evertune. It will keep your guitar in tune and intonated until the next string swap. If you really like extremely subtle vibratos, this might not be the bridge for you because you won't be able to perform them as well. However, the fact that you won't need to tune your guitar is a huge advantage that many people will gladly pay the extra price for.
On the other hand, the Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster'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 Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET.
Tuners
The Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET has the best tuners of the two because they are 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: Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET.
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 Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET 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 Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster 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 Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET.
Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:
Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Top Brand Pickups
- Neck-Through Build
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- Luminescent Inlay
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- Made in South Korea
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Tremolo
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster
- Synthetic Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Mexico
- No Expensive Woods
- 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
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
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET has the wider nut with 47.6mm (1.875'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 5.6mm (0.221'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.
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.
The Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET has the longest scale: 27". The Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster is only 25.5" long. This is a 1.5'' (38.1mm) scale length difference.
This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.
This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.
Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).
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
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 Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET 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 Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster, 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
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 Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET 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 Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET:
Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster:
Fret Size
The Jackson Pro Series Signature Josh Smith Soloist SL7 ET has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster'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.
