“Distinctive and affordable”: Jackson’s new X Series Dinky DK1 guitars offer straightforward speed machines with complex finishes

Jackson may not be at NAMM 2024, but that hasn’t stopped it unveiling a host of new models, including two eye-catching additions to its affordable X-Series, in the shape of these Dinky DK1s.

The Dinky is, of course, a Jackson classic – its name owing to its slightly smaller body (being 7/8ths the size of the firm’s other double-cutaway electric guitar, the Soloist). It also has a bolt on neck, rather than the neck-thru body build of its bigger brother. 

The new models – the X-Series DK1A and DK1 H – follow that form factor but offer an appealing combination of dazzling finishes and the stripped-back spec of a shred workhorse.

Both guitars feature nyatoh bodies, graphite reinforced maple necks and a laurel fretboard with a 12-16” compound radius – making for a nice low-action playing surface at the body.

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They also share something in common on the hardware front, with Floyd Rose Special double-locking tremolos and Jackson’s sealed die-cast tuners on the headstock.

The differences ultimately come down to pickup configuration and finish. The DK1A ($699) appears to offer an HS pickup configuration, but closer inspection reveals it’s actually an HH pairing. 

As such, you get Jackson’s own high output bridge humbucker at the bridge and a rail-style neck humbucker (in single coil size format) at the neck position, plus a three-way blade selector switch and tone and volume knobs. That’s all finished in ‘White Tortoise’, should you wish to channel your inner guitar hero-in-a-halfshell. 

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Our pick of the pair though the single-humbucker DK1 H ($599), which channels a Van Halen-esque setup, i.e. single pickup, Floyd Rose – and go! Controls are limited to a simple volume, meaning your focus is on the fretboard and picking, rather than getting sidetracked by tone tweaks.

It’s also got a killer Skull Kaos paint job, which is complemented by a matching headstock design. It is about as subtle as a sledgehammer and we respect that…

Elsewhere, heading up the ranges, Jackson has recently announced the head-turning Pro Plus Series Rhoads RR24 – a new V-style addition engineered for blazing performance.

For more information on the X Series Dinkys, head to Jackson.