Jackson is a guitar manufacturer originally owned and operated by Grover Jackson, a partner of Wayne Charvel of Charvel Guitar Repair. It is probably best-known for its "Rhoads" V model guitar, originally designed and used by guitarist Randy Rhoads. This model inspired Grover to start the Jackson guitar company.

Wayne Charvel sold his interest in the Charvel name to Grover Jackson November 10,1978. The shop was located in San Dimas, California and manufactured guitars in this location from 1979 to 1986, when the Company merged with IMC (International Music Corporation) a Texas based importer of musical instruments.

Recently, rights to the Charvel name and permission to manufacture Charvel guitars was granted to the Fender Guitar Company. Fender is now manufacturing guitars that are almost exactly like the original San Dimas Charvels, save for a few details. In some cases the guitars are even being built from NOS Charvel parts.

Jackson Guitars has become most famous for its slender and elegant models, often with an aggressive look popular with harder rock and metal music. They were particularly popular among thrash metal and other extreme metal musicians (see list for artists).

Almost all Jackson (and many Charvel) guitars share the typical pointed, roughly triangular headstock, which is simply a Gibson Explorer style headstock modified to avoid lawsuits. Charvel/Jackson was the target of many copyright lawsuits from Gibson and Fender which led to using the modified Explorer headstock. This also ended using Stratocaster styled headstocks for Charvel guitars. Various models, however (especially a good number of Dinkys) do have a reversed headstock with the tip pointing upwards.

Jackson is endorsed by porn star Jenna Jameson

Jackson's trademark guitar models include:

• The Randy Rhoads guitar, an asymmetric 'V' shaped body with pointy ends.
• The Soloist (bolt on neck models being called Dinky), a neck-thru the body superstrat design.
• The Kelly, a more slender version of Gibson's popular Explorer.
• The King V, a symmetric 'V' shape with long pointy ends, made popular, but not designed by Dave Mustaine of Megadeth.
• The DR, a reverse headstock model, made popular by Anand Bhatt.
• The Warrior, a very aggressive looking body consisting of four pointy ends.
• The Kelly Star, a vaguely star shaped body, actually the front half of the Kelly with the pointy ends of the Rhoads model; this was only made for a short time around 2000/2001 and is very hard to find now.
• The Y2KV, Shaped almost like a Gibson Flying V but yet different, designed and made popular by Dave Mustaine of Megadeth.
• There is a Jackson Professional series that is discontinued and can have a reversed headstock.
• The Rhythmist, a highly sought fictional model which is a companion to the Soloist. It is differentiated by having only a neck pickup, nine frets and is used exclusively for rhythm guitar work.
• The Performer tag is denoted on Jackson models produced in the early 90's in overseas factories (primarily Korea). Prices usually range from 400-1,000 dollars based on specifications.

• Phil Collen of Def Leppard
• Zakk Wylde
• Christian Olde Wolbers of Fear Factory
• Mark Morton of Lamb of God
• Karl Sanders of Nile
• Kevin Bond of Superjoint Ritual
• Bullet for My Valentine
• Sam Totman of DragonForce
• Ralph Santolla of Deicide, Iced Earth, Sebastian Bach, Death, and Millenium
• Roope Latvala of Children of Bodom (plays ESP and Jackson)
• Jeff Hanneman of Slayer (usually plays ESP and has a signature model, but sometimes plays his Jackson Soloist)
• Kirk Hammett of Metallica (usually plays ESP signature model, but sometimes plays Jackson Rhoads)

• Randy Rhoads
• Dave Mustaine of Megadeth (switched to ESP)
• Marty Friedman of Megadeth (switched to Ibanez)
• Dan Spitz of Anthrax (switched to PRS)
• Mike Clark of Suicidal Tendencies (unknown what he switched to)
• Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom, but now plays an ESP Alexi Laiho Signature Model
• Rusty Cooley (Currently plays an Ibanez)

• Official homepage of Jackson