Jackson Pro Series Signature Jeff Loomis Kelly Ash review

The Arch Enemy lead virtuoso unveils his new weapon of mass destruction…

Jackson Kelly Jeff Loomis Signature Ash
(Image: © Future / Olly Curtis)

Guitar World Verdict

Metal signature guitars don't get much better than this. The Jeff Loomis Kelly has the classic shape, a cool finish, an excellent Floyd Rose system and quality Seymour Duncan humbuckers that offer a dynamic, musical response.

Pros

  • +

    A top spec'd shred machine.

  • +

    Excellent finish – bonus points for matching headstock.

  • +

    Signature Seymour Duncan 'buckers are earthy and organic.

Cons

  • -

    No tone control might bother some.

You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Not many people can say they auditioned for Megadeth at the tender age of 16, but then again Jeff Loomis is far from your average guitar player. Deemed too young at the time, he later went on to form Seattle-based progressive metallers Nevermore before eventually joining Swedish metal giants Arch Enemy in 2014. 

He switched from Schecter to Jackson four years later, resulting in the arrival of two signature Kelly models – this more affordable Korean-produced version costing roughly one quarter of its American-made counterpart with very little in terms of difference. 

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Amit Sharma

Amit has been writing for titles like Total GuitarMusicRadar and Guitar World for over a decade and counts Richie Kotzen, Guthrie Govan and Jeff Beck among his primary influences as a guitar player. He's worked for magazines like Kerrang!Metal HammerClassic RockProgRecord CollectorPlanet RockRhythm and Bass Player, as well as newspapers like Metro and The Independent, interviewing everyone from Ozzy Osbourne and Lemmy to Slash and Jimmy Page, and once even traded solos with a member of Slayer on a track released internationally. As a session guitarist, he's played alongside members of Judas Priest and Uriah Heep in London ensemble Metalworks, as well as handled lead guitars for legends like Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols, The Faces) and Stu Hamm (Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, G3).