The November 2009 issue of Guitar Player magazine goes enthusiastically horns up for Jackson’s new Mark Morton Signature D2 Dominion guitar.

GP senior editor Art Thompson test-drove the instrument, noting that the D2 is a solid value as a “well-made guitar with a fast-playing neck, great-feeling polished frets and a low-action setup” that “feels much the same as the original version.”

The D2 was introduced in summer 2009 as a more affordable alternative to its high-end sibling, Jackson’s acclaimed Mark Morton Dominion model; the main differences being the D2’s solid body, bolt-on neck, Duncan Design™ HB-101 pickups (Duncan ’59s in the original), non-locking tuners and dot fingerboard inlays. The D2 also forgoes the Dominion’s two coil-tap switches. Looking as good as it sounds and plays, the D2 is available in two finishes—black and trans-black over a quilted maple veneer.

Little wonder then that Morton himself proudly proclaims that the D2 “offers all the power, feel and dynamics of the Dominion, but in a no-frills, straight-for-the-throat package. Once you’ve picked one up, you won’t want to put it down.”

“A lot of performance for a low price,” Thompson wrote on page 104 of the November Guitar Player.

The best touch, though, is the “Specs” listing, which notes, “Plays well,” “Kickass rock guitar” and “Great price” under “Kudos.” Under “Concerns,” the listing simply says “None.”