Jackson has rekindled its partnership with Blizzard Entertainment for another special edition electric guitar with a gnarly graphic finish inspired by the Diablo IV videogame franchise.
Blizzard Entertainment will launch the concluding chapter of Diablo IV’s Age of Hatred Saga on 28 April, a momentous day when action role-playing dungeon crawlers will once more throw themselves (or crawl themselves) unto the breach and do battle with Mephisto, the self-styled Lord of Hatred.
And you know, you do not really want to approach a battle with a man/metaphysical monster such as that with a Shell Pink ukulele in your hand. Hello Kitty Strat, we love you, but please sit this one out. Jon Romanowski, Jackson’s vice president of product agrees. You need something like this the Kelly.
Article continues below“The Jackson Kelly is the perfect platform for this sort of endeavour as its sharp angles and horns give it a weapon-like appearance,” says Romanowski. “It’s a physical crossover between metal culture and gaming lore that feels authentic, collectible and built for the same audience.”
The Kelly has always been one of Jackson’s more weaponised metal guitars – the postmodern X-style shape that TSA officials might not let you onto a flight with, on account of all those sharp edges (I guess we’ll find out when Joe Bonamassa starts playing one and buys it a seat on the 14:15 Delta flight from New York to Nashville, but anyway…)
In June 2023, Jackson and Blizzard Entertainment unveiled a super limited edition Diablo IV Kelly that was Masterbuilt by Pasquale “Pat” Campolattano, its Demon Blood Drip finish featuring hand-painted artwork from Dan Lawrence. This was limited to just 10 units.
This time around, the price tag is a lot more affordable at £1,199/$1,299, and it might be the most OTT graphic finish we have ever seen on an X Series instrument. Jackson has gone to town here on a Kelly that is ostensibly black, with all kinds of dark red on it – and of course Mephisto on the front.
There are custom blood red inlays. The headstock logo is in deepest red. There is blood red binding.It even has “Lord of Hatred” on the back of the neck, which would be very cool if that was your actual job title. It’s just as Prop Joe said, look the part, be the part, melon farmer.
Perhaps wisely, there’s not messing around with the spec here. We’re already in Hell, so no need to dig further and have to set up a double-locking Floyd Rose vibrato after someone wiseacre suggests tuning down to C# at rehearsal.
Here we have a no-hassle six-saddle hardtail, a pair of high-output Jackson-brand humbuckers, three-way switching and a volume knob. Elsewhere it’s largely on-trend for Jackson in 2026, with 24 jumbo frets, a 12” to 16” compound radius fingerboard (amaranth, in this instance).
As per the Kelly’s traditional build, there is a neck-through construction, with a nyatoh body, one-piece maple neck. Price includes a gig bag.
“This guitar is the essence of Diablo forged in the real world,” said Gavian Whishaw, executive producer and vice president of Diablo IV. “Jackson has captured the metal, infernal power of the battle between good and evil with the sleek red and black design.
“This collaboration is for those who stand at the crossroads of Hell and rock and roll, and turns that passion into something you can hold, play and unleash. It’s a crossover we’re proud to crank up to 11.”
The X Series Diablo IV Kelly is out now. Head over to Jackson for more.
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