Jackson has once again teamed up with metal guitarist and former Black Dahlia Murder man Brandon Ellis, this time on a monstrous 27-fret shred machine, the KE27.
Adopting the brand’s Kelly shape, the Pro Plus Series Signature Brandon Ellis Kelly KE27 arrives as the latest addition to Ellis’s signature line, and is designed for “crushing tone, massive output and high-performance playability”.
Chief on the guitar’s spec sheet are 27 stainless steel frets, offering players access to the extreme high registers of the fretboard. There’s also a Seymour Duncan Signature Dyad Parallel Axis humbucker in the bridge position – which boasts a unique hybrid coil design with a singular bar magnet – and a PA-STK in the neck position, a top-mount Gotoh GE1996T double-locking tremolo system, and a striking Gold Crackle finish personally chosen by Ellis himself.
Elsewhere, the guitar sports a nyatoh body with a through-body maple neck with graphite reinforcement – plus a scarf joint for enhanced sustain and stability – a 12”-16” compound radius’ board for “pulverising speed”, with black sharkfin inlays, a Floyd Rose R2 nut, three-way toggle switch and Dunlop dual-locking strap buttons.
Despite the extra frets, the KE27 boasts a scale length of 25.1”, within the typical range of 24.75” – 25.5” of most electric guitars.
Credit: Jackson
“The KE27 has really evolved into a completely different guitar in its own right,” says Brandon Ellis.
“While the first iteration was built on the standard Jackson Kelly spec, this one features meaningful customisations to virtually every aspect including 27 stainless steel frets, a custom 25.1” scale length, top-mount Gotoh tremolo and my signature Seymour Duncan Parallel Axis Dyad pickup, which is otherwise only available as a Custom Shop model. When I pick this guitar up, I’m just in awe. It plays like a custom shop guitar and has a unique feel and sound all its own.”
“Ellis’s new signature is as uniquely designed as his sound,” says Peter Wichers, Product Manager of Jackson.
“It features custom appointments tailored specifically to him, including 27 frets and his custom Seymour Duncan Dyad Parallel Axis bridge pickup, the very elements that define his distinctive tone. This signature gives players the tools to tap into that sound.”
The Pro Plus Series Signature Brandon Ellis Kelly KE27 is priced at $2,199 / £1,799.
Learn more at Jackson.
Sam is the Associate News Editor for Guitar.com and MusicTech. Thoroughly immersed in music culture for the majority of his life, Sam has played guitar for 20 years, studied music technology and production at university, and also written for the likes of Guitar World, Total Guitar, Metal Hammer and MusicRadar.