Show Full Spec Comparison
Jackson Pro Series Signature Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone | Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH | |
---|---|---|
General | ||
Brand: | Jackson | Jackson |
Year: | 2024 | 2020 |
Configuration: | HH | HH |
Strings: | 6 | 6 |
Made in: | South Korea | Indonesia |
Series: | Artist | Pro |
Colors: | Green | Brown Burst |
Left-Handed Version: | No | No |
Body | ||
Type: | Solid Body | Solid Body |
Body Material: | Ash | Mahogany |
Bridge: | Gotoh 510FX-6 | Floyd Rose 1000 Series Double-Locking Tremolo (Recessed) |
Neck | ||
Neck Joint: | Bolt-On | Neck-Through |
Tuners: | Jackson Die-Cast Locking | Jackson Sealed Die-Cast |
Fretboard: | Ebony | Ebony |
Neck Material: | 3-Piece Maple/Wenge/Maple | Maple |
Decoration: | Alumiloid Piranha Tooth | |
Scale Size: | 27" | 25.5" |
Shape: | Speed | Jackson Standard |
Thickness: | 1st Fret: 0.775'' (19.7mm) - 12th Fret: 0.835'' (21.2mm) | 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.85'' (21.6mm) |
Frets: | 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel | 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver |
Fretboard Radius: | 12" to 16" | 12" to 16" |
Nut: | Ivory Tusq | Locking |
Nut Width: | 42.9mm (1.688'') | 42.9mm (1.688'') |
Electronics | ||
Bridge Pickups: | Jackson RI1 (Humbucker / Passive) | Seymour Duncan Distortion TB-6 (Humbucker / Passive) |
Middle Pickup: | ||
Neck Pickup: | Jackson RI1 (Humbucker / Passive) | Seymour Duncan Distortion SH-6 (Humbucker / Passive) |
Switch: | 3 Way | 3 Way |
Knobs: | Speed | Dome |
Pickup Mods: | None | None |
Volume Controls: | 1 | 1 |
Tone Controls: | 0 | 1 |
Hardware | ||
Strap Lock: | No | Yes |
Hardware Color: | Black | Black |
Show Diagrams Comparison
Reasons to Get
Jackson Pro Series Signature Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone over Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH
Reasons to Get
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH over Pro Series Signature Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone
Other Key Differences
Jackson Pro Series Signature Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone vs Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH
Shared Features
Jackson Pro Series Signature Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone vs Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH
Common Strengths
- High-Quality Nut
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Expensive Wood
Common Weaknesses
- Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
- Weight Relief
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- From a High-Quality-Standards Country
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Price History Comparison
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH Prices
These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.
Hand Size Comfortability
After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .
Jackson Pro Series Signature Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone:
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH:
Beginner Friendliness
The Jackson Pro Series Signature Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH meets only 4. 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 Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
New Player Friendliness
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH- Comfortable shape
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
- Easy-to-use bridge
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.
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.
Woods Used in the Jackson Pro Series Signature Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone
Ash is a type of wood that Fender used almost exclusively in the 50s, and it's still used by many brands. It's a dense wood with a light color that works well for a transparent, natural finish because of its beautiful patterns. In terms of sound, it's known for emphasizing the mid and high frequencies, but with strong low end. Find out more about Ash.
Woods Used in the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH
Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.
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
The Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH pickups from a more specialized brand than the Jackson Pro Series Signature Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Hard Rock and similar genres.
We found the same or similar pickups to the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH'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: Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH.
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.
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 Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH.
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 Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone compares to the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Jackson Pro Series Signature Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone is built in South Korea while the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH is made in Indonesia.
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.
Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.
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 Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone has a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.
On the other hand, the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH comes with 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.
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 Jackson Pro Series Signature Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone 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: Jackson Pro Series Signature Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone.
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 Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone's brige is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.
On the other hand, the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH's 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.
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 Soloist SL2FM MAH.
Tuners
The Jackson Pro Series Signature Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone 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.
Nevertheless, the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.
Winner: Jackson Pro Series Signature Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone.
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 Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone has 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.
On the other hand, the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH comes with 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.
Winner: Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH.
Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:
Jackson Pro Series Signature Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Ivory Tusq Nut
- Luminescent Inlay
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Made in South Korea
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Tremolo
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Neck-Through Build
- Tremolo
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Strap Lock
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Retainer Bar
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, 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
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 Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone has the longest scale: 27". The Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH 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.
Both the Jackson Pro Series Signature Roman Ibramkhalilov MDK HT6 Baritone and the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2FM MAH 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
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.
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.