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Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6
Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1
VS
Playability
77
Sound
85
Build
82
Value
66
Score
81
FIND IT ON:
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Playability
77
Sound
80
Build
74
Value
62
Score
77
FIND IT ON:
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Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 vs USA Select Soloist SL1

Reasons to Get
Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 over USA Select Soloist SL1

Decorative Top
1/8 Plain Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Pickup Mods
Multiple vs None
Pickups
HH vs HSS
High output without hum
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Value Score
66 vs 62
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1 over USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6

Release Year
2020 vs 2016
From a more recent year
Compound Radius
12" to 16" vs 12"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HSS vs HH
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility

Other Key Differences
Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 vs USA Select Soloist SL1

Bridge Pickup
Direct Mount Chris Broderick Designed Custom DiMarzio vs Seymour Duncan JB TB-4
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Direct Mount Chris Broderick Designed Custom DiMarzio vs Seymour Duncan Classic Stack
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs 6
Different Headstock

Shared Features
Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 vs USA Select Soloist SL1

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Locking
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.85'' (21.6mm)
Same neck comfortability
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Floyd Rose
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
D
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Neck Joint
Neck-Through
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Type of Frets
Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Neck-Through Build
  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Weight Relief
  • Retainer Bar
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1 Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 81 compared to the Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1's 77 score, although not by a lot.

The Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1 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 4 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 USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6
  • Comfortable shape
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

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 USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 Overview

  • From Jackson's 2016 Artist Signature series
  • Chris Broderick Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • 1/8 Plain Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Quartersawn Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Direct Mount Chris Broderick Designed Custom DiMarzio (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Direct Mount Chris Broderick Designed Custom DiMarzio (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose Pro (Recessed) bridge
  • Jackson Standard Neck-Through neck
  • 24 Jumbo frets
  • Planet Waves Auto-Trim tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1 Overview

  • From Jackson's 2020 USA Select series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Quartersawn Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Seymour Duncan Classic Stack (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Classic Stack (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose Original Double-Locking Tremolo bridge
  • Jackson Standard Neck-Through 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
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

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 USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

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.

Woods Used in the Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1

Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

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.

Winner: Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6.

Pickup Configuration

The Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 has an HH configuration while the Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1 has HSS pickups.

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.

On the other hand, 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.

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.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1'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: 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

The Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1 gives you 5 switch options while the Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 gives you 3. This means that the Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1 gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Split, Killswitch.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

A Killswitch lets you disengage the pickups instantly. It can be useful when playing live, and it allows you to create some cool sound effects by using the switch rapidly.

Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6's switch options
Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1 pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1'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 USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 79
Tuning Stability 95
Sound 85
Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 80

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 USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 compares to the Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1.

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.

In this case, both have Locking nuts. 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.

Unfortunately, neither of them have a retainer bar for the nut, which would be a helpful addition. Without it, the strings will change pitch once you lock down the nut, so you'll have to make more micro-adjustments at the bridge to tune it correctly.

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.

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.

Both come with a similar bridge: 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: Tie.

Tuners

The Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 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 USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6.

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 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: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Coil Split, Killswitch Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Strap Lock
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
Strengths & Weaknesses
Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6
Quality of materials 55
Features 90
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 82
Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1
Quality of materials 41
Features 80
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 74

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 USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 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 USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 and Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1'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 USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 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 USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 and the Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1 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 USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 Fingerboard Radius
Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6's Fingerboard radius
Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1 Fretboard Compound Radius
Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1'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.

In this case, the Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1 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 USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 and Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1 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 USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 100
Playability 77
Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 100
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 vs USA Select Soloist SL1
General Jackson USA Signature Chris Broderick Soloist 6 USA Select Soloist SL1
Brand: Jackson Jackson
Year: 2016 2020
Configuration: HH HSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: Artist Signature USA Select
Colors: White, Black, Red White, Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Alder
Bridge: Floyd Rose Pro (Recessed) Floyd Rose Original Double-Locking Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through Neck-Through
Tuners: Planet Waves Auto-Trim Jackson Sealed Die-Cast
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: Quartersawn Maple Quartersawn Maple
Decoration: Mother of Pearl Sharkfin
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Jackson Standard Jackson Standard
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.85'' (21.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.85'' (21.6mm)
Frets: 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12" to 16"
Nut: Locking Locking
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Direct Mount Chris Broderick Designed Custom DiMarzio (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Seymour Duncan Classic Stack (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Direct Mount Chris Broderick Designed Custom DiMarzio (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Classic Stack (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split, Killswitch None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1