Jackson Legend Series Randy Rhoads CD1 Vintage White with Black Pinstripes Electric guitar

Jackson Legend Series Randy Rhoads CD1 — A Limited-Edition Reissue of the Original Concorde V

The Jackson Legend Series Randy Rhoads CD1 revives the asymmetrical V-shape that defined the brand's very first production guitar. Finished in vintage ivory with black pinstripes and a black headstock with gold lettering, this signature model is built for players who want Randy Rhoads's exacting aesthetic without sacrificing modern playability. The Jackson Legend Series Randy Rhoads CD1 is a faithful, neck-through reissue of the Concorde that Randy sketched with Grover Jackson in late 1980, and it is produced as a limited edition.

What Sets the CD1 Apart in the Jackson Lineup

Two details make this model stand out from the rest of the Rhoads family. First, the neck-through-body three-piece maple construction with graphite reinforcement removes the upper-fret heel entirely, giving the hand unrestricted access to the highest registers — a feature most bolt-on Rhoads models cannot match. Second, the pairing of a Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 in the bridge with a '59 SH-1N in the neck gives the guitar a tonal range that covers articulate cleans, classic-rock crunch, and saturated high-gain lead work from a single HH layout.

Body Construction and Sustain

The CD1's body is carved from alder, a tonewood prized for its balanced frequency response: clear highs, warm mids, and enough low-end punch to anchor heavy riffing. The gloss finish protects the vintage-white paintwork and the black pinstripes that trace the offset wings, while the through-body maple neck ties the construction together for improved sustain and resonance.

• Body Material: Alder — balanced tonal foundation with clear highs and warm mids
• Body Shape: CD (Concorde / Rhoads V) — asymmetrical offset wings, lower wing shorter than the upper
• Body Finish: Gloss — durable gloss coat over the vintage-white pinstriped paintwork
• Construction: Neck-Through-Body — improves sustain and opens access to the upper frets

Neck Feel and Fingerboard Playability

A three-piece maple neck runs the full length of the body, reinforced with graphite rods that resist warping under string tension and climate changes. The bound ebony fingerboard is dark, dense, and smooth under the fingers, with pearloid block inlays that match the original 1980 design. The 12"–16" compound radius gradually flattens from the nut toward the bridge, so chord work feels rounded at the lower frets and lead bends stay clean and controlled higher up.

• Neck Material: 3-Piece Maple with Graphite Reinforcement — straight, stable, and resistant to dead spots
• Scale Length: 648 mm — standard 25.5" tension for tight low-end response
• Fingerboard: Ebony with 22 Jumbo Frets and pearloid block position markers
• Fingerboard Radius: 305–406 mm compound — round for chords, flat for bends
• Nut: Graph Tech TUSQ XL, 42.86 mm wide — self-lubricating nut that keeps tuning stable under heavy tremolo use

Electronics and Hardware

The HH pickup configuration pairs a Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 at the bridge with a '59 SH-1N at the neck, each wired to its own volume and tone control for fully independent voicing. A three-way toggle selects bridge, both, or neck, and the six-saddle vintage synchronized tremolo adds expressive pitch control while still allowing per-string intonation adjustment. Gold hardware, dome-style knobs, and Jackson sealed die-cast locking tuners complete the period-correct look.

• Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 — hot-output humbucker with midrange push for crunching rhythm and forward leads
• Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan '59 SH-1N — warm PAF-style voice with clear pick attack for articulate cleans
• Controls: 2× Volume, 2× Tone, 3-Way Toggle — independent EQ for each pickup
• Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage Synchronized Tremolo — expressive vibrato with per-string intonation
• Hardware Finish: Gold with dome-style knobs and locking tuners
• Strings (Installed): Nickel Plated Steel .009–.042

Who the CD1 Is Built For

The Jackson Legend Series Randy Rhoads CD1 is the right choice for hard-rock and metal players who want a neck-through Rhoads V with proven Seymour Duncan tones and a vintage-correct visual identity. It suits intermediate to advanced guitarists who appreciate the upper-fret access of a through-body neck, the tonal flexibility of independent pickup controls, and the stage presence of an iconic V-shape. Players who lean on tremolo work will benefit from the locking tuners and TUSQ XL nut, while studio and live players alike will appreciate the JB/'59 combination's ability to switch from clean rhythm to saturated lead without changing guitars.

The Randy Rhoads Story — Where the Jackson Name Began

In late 1980, Randy Rhoads, then Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist, came to Grover Jackson with a hand-drawn sketch of an asymmetrical V he called the Concorde. The guitar that emerged from that collaboration was the very first instrument to carry the Jackson name on its headstock, and it set the visual template for every Rhoads model that followed. The Legend Series CD1 reproduces that original design in detail, from the offset wings and ivory-with-black-pinstripe finish to the gold hardware and the black headstock with gold lettering, making it a direct link to the founding moment of one of heavy metal's most influential guitar brands.