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Music Man St. Vincent Goldie
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star
VS
Playability
68
Sound
75
Build
82
Value
60
Score
75
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Playability
82
Sound
68
Build
79
Value
61
Score
76
FIND IT ON:
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Music Man St. Vincent Goldie vs Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star

Reasons to Get
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie over Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2021 vs 2017
From a more recent year
Number of Frets
22 vs 24
Warmer neck pickup
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
St. Vincent vs Speed
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickups Brand
Music Man vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Pickups
HHH vs HH
High output without hum and tons of tone versatility
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Fretboard Radius
10'' (254mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Reasons to Get
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star over Music Man St. Vincent Goldie

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
Neck Profile
Speed vs St. Vincent
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Bolt-On
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Pickups
HH vs HHH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.625'' (41.3mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 10'' (254mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output
Value Score
61 vs 60
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie vs Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star

Bridge Pickup
Music Man Custom Mini-Humbucker vs Blackfire Pickups Proteus Humbucker (Active)
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Music Man Custom Mini-Humbucker vs Blackfire Pickups Proteus Humbucker (Active)
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Okoume vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Figured Maple vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Pau Ferro
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
2-4 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Compensated vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie vs Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star

Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation

Common Strengths

  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country

Common Weaknesses

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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star 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 Gus G. Star is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the Music Man St. Vincent Goldie's 75 score, although not by a lot.

The Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star wins when it comes to playability, value for the money. On the other hand, the Music Man St. Vincent Goldie has the upper hand when it comes to sound, build quality.

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

Music Man St. Vincent Goldie
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • 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.

Music Man St. Vincent Goldie Overview

  • From Music Man's 2021 St. Vincent series
  • St. Vincent Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Okoume body
  • Figured roasted maple neck neck
  • Ebony (Cashmere & Silk Charmeuse) fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Music Man Custom Mini-Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Music Man Custom Mini-Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Music Man Custom Mini-Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Custom chrome plated Music Man St. Vincent Modern tremolo with solid brass saddles bridge
  • St. Vincent Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Schaller M6-IND locking with pearl buttons tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star Overview

  • From Jackson's 2017 Artist Signature series
  • Gus G Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Quartersawn Maple neck
  • Pau Ferro fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Blackfire Pickups Proteus Humbucker (Active) (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: Blackfire Pickups Proteus Humbucker (Active) (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • TonePros TOM-Style Adjustable with Anchored Gotoh Tailpiece bridge
  • Speed Neck-Through neck
  • 24 Jumbo frets
  • Jackson Sealed Die-Cast 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 Music Man St. Vincent Goldie

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

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

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.

Woods Used in the Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Pau Ferro wood pattern used for guitar building
Pau Ferro
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.

Pau Ferro has a dark, chocolate-like color with straight dark grains that is being used as a replacement to Rosewood due to the regulations. It produces a warm tone that is somewhere between Mahogany and Rosewood. Find out more about Pau Ferro.

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: Music Man St. Vincent Goldie.

Pickup Configuration

The Music Man St. Vincent Goldie has an HHH configuration while the Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star has HH pickups.

A triple Humbucker (HHH) can be intimidating at first, but it's one of the combinations that offer the most tone versatility. You'll be able to have from a lot of output for Hard Rock genres, to warm and clean sounds that are more common in Jazz.

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

The Music Man St. Vincent Goldie has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star. Its pickups should simply give you a better, fuller 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.

The Music Man St. Vincent Goldie's pickups are Passive while the Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star's are Active.

Passive pickups are what most guitars use. These have a normal output that works well for most genres. However, Active pickups are the preferred choice of heavy metal players because they offer extra output thanks to their 9v battery, which results in a heavier, more distorted sound. Bear in mind that achieving a completely clean tone with them won't be easy. So if you want to also use clean tones, you might want to avoid Active pickups.

Winner: Music Man St. Vincent Goldie.

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 Music Man St. Vincent Goldie gives you 5 switch options while the Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star gives you 3. This means that the Music Man St. Vincent Goldie 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.

Music Man St. Vincent Goldie pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie's switch options
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star'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: Music Man St. Vincent Goldie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Music Man St. Vincent Goldie
Pickups 90
Sustain 65
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 75
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star
Pickups 55
Sustain 90
Versatility 47
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 68

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 Music Man St. Vincent Goldie compares to the Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star.

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 Music Man St. Vincent Goldie has 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.

On the other hand, the Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star comes with a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

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 St. Vincent Goldie 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 St. Vincent Goldie.

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 Music Man St. Vincent Goldie's brige 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.

On the other hand, the Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star's 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.

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

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 Music Man St. Vincent Goldie 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 USA Signature Gus G. Star 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 USA Signature Gus G. Star.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Bone Nut
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Strap Lock
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio

Final Build Quality Scores

Music Man St. Vincent Goldie
Quality of materials 81
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 82
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star
Quality of materials 61
Features 75
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 79

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

Music Man St. Vincent Goldie Nut Width
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie Nut Width
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star Nut Width
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star has the wider nut with 42mm (1.654'') vs 41.3mm (1.625''). This is a 0.7mm (0.029'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Music Man St. Vincent Goldie and Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star'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

Music Man St. Vincent Goldie Neck Profile
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie's neck profile
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star Neck Profile
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star'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 Music Man St. Vincent Goldie has a C type of 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.

The Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star, on the other hand, has a D 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

Music Man St. Vincent Goldie Fingerboard Radius
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie's Fingerboard radius
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star Fingerboard Radius
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star'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 Music Man St. Vincent Goldie's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star.

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 .

Music Man St. Vincent Goldie:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Music Man St. Vincent Goldie Frets Size
Music Man St. Vincent Goldie's Frets Size
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star Frets Size
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star's Frets Size

The Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Music Man St. Vincent Goldie'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

Music Man St. Vincent Goldie
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 65
Playability 68
Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 100
Playability 82

Specs Side-by-Side

Music Man St. Vincent Goldie vs Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star
General Music Man St. Vincent Goldie Jackson USA Signature Gus G. Star
Brand: Music Man Jackson
Year: 2021 2017
Configuration: HHH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: St. Vincent Artist Signature
Colors: Gold, Black, Red Yellow
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Okoume Alder
Bridge: Custom chrome plated Music Man St. Vincent Modern tremolo with solid brass saddles TonePros TOM-Style Adjustable with Anchored Gotoh Tailpiece
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Neck-Through
Tuners: Schaller M6-IND locking with pearl buttons Jackson Sealed Die-Cast Locking
Fretboard: Ebony (Cashmere & Silk Charmeuse) Pau Ferro
Neck Material: Figured roasted maple neck Quartersawn Maple
Decoration: Custom St. Vincent Inlay Mother of Pearl Big Block
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: St. Vincent Speed
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 10" 12"
Nut: Compensated Bone
Nut Width: 41.3mm (1.625'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Music Man Custom Mini-Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Blackfire Pickups Proteus Humbucker (Active) (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup: Music Man Custom Mini-Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Music Man Custom Mini-Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Blackfire Pickups Proteus Humbucker (Active) (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Speed
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 0