MEGADETH's CHRIS BRODERICK Splits With IBANEZ, Announces JACKSON Signature Model

MEGADETH fans will be excited to learn that the Jackson Custom Shop is introducing its new Chris Broderick signature guitar model in January 2011. Broderick himself worked closely with Custom Shop master craftsmen to create a distinctive guitar based on a classic Jackson design.

That guitar, the Jackson Chris Broderick Soloist, brings his long and exacting search for instrumental excellence to a most satisfying conclusion.

"After an exhaustive search for the highest-quality instrument, I've found it at Jackson," Broderick said. "I've been looking for a guitar this incredible for quite a while, and the guys at the Custom Shop really understood what I was after and where I was coming from. I have spent countless hours ensuring that this guitar is playable and stylish."

Broderick's Soloist model boasts an unusual new touch in the form of a slightly offset carved-top body design for which the guitarist collaborated with longtime Jackson Custom Shop master builder Mike Shannon. Other features include dual DiMarzio humbucking pickups and a 24-fret 12"-radius fingerboard. Further, the guitar will be available in six- and seven-string models.

The Colorado-bred Broderick is not only a formidable shred guitarist, but also an extraordinary musician in a much wider sense. He started playing at age 10, studying guitar, voice, violin and piano, and eagerly devoured a wealth of diverse musical influences extending well beyond rock into classical, jazz, blues and country forms. He earned a degree in classical guitar performance from the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music, and he himself has taught guitar for more than a dozen years.

Broderick joined MEGADETH in early 2008. His molten guitar work has contributed to the band's current revitalization, including 2009 album "Endgame", the "American Carnage" and "Rust in Peace" 20th-anniversary tours, and the summer 2010 Sonisphere festival shows in Europe that featured several metallically historic "Big Four" shows.

Jackson's unveiling of Broderick's new signature model comes closely on the heels of the guitar maker's announcement of its partnership with MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson, who received his own new signature bass model in early 2011 and who will be collaborating with Jackson on the development of other new bass models.

Regarding the reasons for his split with Ibanez, Broderick said in an online post, "I knew people would want to know why I left Ibanez, and I had the whole event written for all to read but I deleted that and don't want to focus on why it didn't work out with them. Let's just say that the events that occurred with them this last year left me feeling like my guitar company wasn't anywhere near as loyal to me as I was to them.

"For those who are curious, you can read this old post that kicked things off.

"I talked to a lot of different guitar companies about a potential move and Jackson, by leaps and bounds, stepped up and was able to build a guitar that is nothing less than my perfect guitar. I spent countless design hours on it. With a double neck that I built when I was 17 being the basis for the guitar, and with Mike Shannon behind the tools, I think you guys will be impressed."