Kelly Guitars

Kelly guitars are Jackson electric guitars with an angular, asymmetrical body that the manufacturer builds for metal and hard rock. The Kelly shape comes with a pointed headstock and pearloid sharkfin inlays on the fretboard. On this page, you'll find Jackson Kelly guitars from the JS Series, X Series, Pro Series and Pro Plus Series, including Jeff Loomis and Brandon Ellis signature models. All have a 12"–16" compound-radius fretboard: it is more rounded near the headstock for chords and flattens out towards the body for fast solos and string bends.

What does the T in JS32T stand for?

The T denotes a fixed Tune-o-matic bridge with strings routed through the body. Anchoring the strings in the body helps sustain, and you can adjust the intonation on the JS32T Kelly for each string individually. The JS32 Kelly without the T has a Jackson double-locking tremolo that lets you lower and raise the pitch with the arm while the guitar stays in tune.

You have the same choice in the X Series. The Kelly KEX has a Floyd Rose Special double-locking tremolo, while the limited-edition Kelly KE HT Diablo IV has a fixed Jackson bridge and active pickups.

How do Kelly guitars differ across the Jackson series?

• JS Series (JS32, JS32T) – a poplar body, a bolt-on maple neck with graphite reinforcement, an amaranth fretboard with 24 jumbo frets and two Jackson humbuckers with ceramic magnets.
• X Series (KEX, KE HT) – a graphite-reinforced maple neck runs through the entire body, and the fretboard has 24 jumbo frets. The KEX has a laurel fretboard and Jackson High-Output humbuckers.
• Pro Series Signature Jeff Loomis (Kelly Ash) – a basswood body with a sandblasted ash top, a through-body maple neck, an ebony fretboard and Seymour Duncan Jeff Loomis Signature Blackouts pickups. Jeff Loomis is a guitarist in Arch Enemy.
• Pro Plus Series Signature Brandon Ellis (KE27) – a nyatoh body, 27 stainless steel frets, a 638 mm (25.1") scale length, a Gotoh GE1996T tremolo and a Seymour Duncan Dyad Parallel Axis bridge pickup. Brandon Ellis is known for his work in The Black Dahlia Murder.

Kelly is one of the metal guitar shapes in the Hard & Heavy category, alongside Rhoads, Flying V, Explorer and Warrior guitars.