Jackson JS1X Minion Short Scale Bass - Demonstration and review
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- čas přidán 26. 06. 2024
- In this unsponsored video, we will explore some of the sounds from this Jackson JS1X Minion short scale bass. Featuring the iconic 'pointy' headstock and a 28.6" scale length, this is a fun rock-leaning bass!
The bass was recorded direct through a Line6 Pod Go with my usual GK800RB model settings. No EQ or compression was added in post.
Stock roundwound strings.
To best appreciate the sonic differences, headphones or quality speakers are recommended.
If you want to compare this Jackson to the Squier Mini P and the Ibanez Mikro, check out this link!
• Squier Mini Precision ...
All basses were recorded with the identical settings.
00:00 Intro
00:12 Specs
00:56 Sounds
03:09 Track
05:52 Assessment
jonathanwong.bandcamp.com - Hudba
Hey Jonathan, just wanted to say thank you, for what you do! Nice to see all those beautiful short-scale basses, presented in a consistent manner. 👍
So very kind of you! Thank you for supporting my new channel by watching and commenting!!
this is the best review i have seen of this bass on CZcams. Thanks Jonathan
Wow! You are too kind. Thank you very much for the encouragement and for watching!!
Awesome content, love the consistency and the fact he is a short-scale connoisseur.
Thanks so much for the encouragement!! Really appreciate it!
I have the Minion, the Mikro and the mini-P and I gotta say, the Minion is definitely my favorite. The neck is extremely comfortable, and if you put the Minion back to back with the Mikro, the Jackson's tinier body has the neck deported to the right by at least half an inch compared to the Ibanez, increasing the playability even more as it feels shorter.
What I like the most, though, is what you don't like : the pickups, especially when the bass is strung with Chrome flats. They have that dark-round, slightly muddy sound texture that could almost pass for a humbucker. Plug it into an Ampeg or classic Ashdown and that little beast sounds perfect for 1970s hard-rock, which, incidentally, is what I play with my band :))
That's cool! Thanks for commenting. I like the Jackson neck the best too!
Pickups and tone is sooooo subjective.....likely why there's so many aftermarket options! Chromes on the Jackson sounds cool!
Which is lighter? Mikro or Minion? I want to buy it for my child
@@sahlurizki9288 Official specs have the Mikro quite lighter. I'm holding both right now and tbh, the Mikro *might* be lighter, but not by much. All in all, I'd pick the Minion for a child. Smaller body, a more compact feeling and, as I said earlier, the ergonomy has the neck slightly deported to the right => first frets are easier to reach
@@chrisstargazer6529 Wow, very detail.. thanks dude!! I'll buy the Minion tomorrow..
@@sahlurizki9288 there is likely some variation in weight ranges in both of those models. Of the two that I've shot videos with, the Jackson was lighter in weight. Good luck!
What an incredible video ❤️
Ahh, thanks! Thanks for watching and for the encouragement!
Nice commentary and playing. Thanks!
Thanks so much for the feedback and for watching!
i have a minion guitar and its awesome.
my hands are small and when i was a child i smashed my left hand and the bones fused weirdly so my little finger isnt really usable for anything. its a struggle to get as much reach as i can with just my 3 small fingers so short scale is a must for me. was zero issue for me as a drummer, but as ive started to learn more instruments it became an issue lol.
you have some of the best and most comprehensive short scale bass reviews ive seen on youtube. they are so helpful for me in trying to decide what bass to pick up. i like how you go over things like noise, that are important for recording. oddly enough i intend to use my bass to control a synth, ROXSYN so low noise is a big deal for me :).
Hi! Thanks so much for watching and for your kind words! The Jackson has a really comfy neck! Comfortable reach was the main reason for switching to short scales for me.
Thanks for watching!
Certainly one of the coolest-looking super-short scale basses, with those shark fin inlays and the pointy headstock. It definitely has a metal/hair metal aesthetic, for better or worse. The one I played just sounded too quiet and underwhelming in general, especially for hard rock or metal, versus the Ibanez Mikro bass, which has really hot pickups and gets a good growl with both pickups on full, but which can also get a cleaner tone with the neck pickup soloed.
I agree. If I recall, I mentioned desiring more aggressive (hotter/louder) pickups in this bass too! This style of bass almost screams for EMGs, but then it would no longer be in this low price point.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
I own one of these and I absolutely love it. I own/have owned 8 short scales (2 Ibanez miKro 4 strings, Ibanez miKro 5 string, Chinese jazz knock off, Gretsch, Jackson, Stagg, Squire) and this is my favorite to look at. I put D'Addario, short-scale nylon tape wounds on it and it sounds amazing. I would say that the finish is a bit delicate, so I designed a Fender-like pickguard in white pearl for it and a dude in NC made it for me. I have flatwounds on most of my short scales, and really like that sound with my Ampeg amp.
That's so awesome! Great collection. Re the satin finish, I had trouble getting all my fingerprints off of it before selling it! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for another video Jonathan. When the Minion is put up against the Ibanez Mikro, the reviews seem to be positive for both models but the Minion seems to just shade it. Thought about buying one of these a couple of years ago but I just couldn't get past the headstock! Jackson seem to be aiming for the Metal market but I do think there missing a trick! Thanks again
You could make an argument that there are a lot of soundgear-style bodies in metal too.....but you don't usually see a pointy headstock in jazz/fusion/gospel etc. Having said that, it is all public perception! I made a "Hofner in heavier rock?" video to address that exact topic!
Put the Mikro pickup, with the Jackson neck profile into the body shape (and headstock!) of the Squier Mini P and you'll get the best 28.6" bass out there!
Thanks for watching!
Another solid video! I am trying to decide which beginner short scale bass to get and youe channel has been an excellent source of content. Thanks for all your work.
I am hoping to focus on punk/indie type music. In your opinion, would i be better off with this Jackson Minion or the Ibanez Mikro? On looks only, I love the Jackson.
Thanks again and keep up the awesome work!
Thanks so much! In terms of neck profile, I quite enjoyed the Jackson. The squier mini, Ibanez Mikro and this Jackson perform more or less in a very similar way, at this price point. I would say, get the one that inspires you to play, practise and rehearse with your band. It doesn’t matter how great somebody else thinks an instrument is if the instrument doesn’t make YOU want to pick it up and play it!
Thanks so much for the encouragement and for watching! Good luck!
Hey Jonathon,
Thank you for taking the time to make these videos.
I bought a short scale G&L Fallout a couple years ago, as playing a Jazz bass caused a shooting pain in my left wrist. That never happens with the Fallout.
Do you have any experience with the short scale G&L basses?
I don’t yet, I’m trying to find/borrow a fallout bass (us or import). I had a L2500 in my younger days that sounded huge!
Thanks for watching!
New subscriber Jonathan and really appreciating your channel and the work you're clearly putting in to these videos. Question....what strings do you use for your Mikro bass?
Regards
Thanks for watching and subbing!!
The Mikro was a temporary purchase for the video and subsequently sold off. It had the factory stock nickel roundwound strings that came with the bass. Same thing with the Jackson, Talman, Squier mini and CV mustang.
thanks for the quick reply - take care!@@jonathanwong458music
cool bass day
Thanks for watching!
Hi Jonathan,
1. What would the possibilities be of you possibly doing reviews on the Fender Japan Junior Collection Jazz Bass?
2. Do you yhink this Jackson would make for a fun modding project?
Thanks, William from Australia.
1) Totally possible. I've been eyeing those for a while. The only way for me to get one is to import one in from Japan....probably around the $1400 CDN mark after shipping, duty and taxes if I'm lucky. Most of the basses I play on this channel are either purchased by me (then I turn around and sell) or I've found a way to borrow or rent it. There are none of those Fender Juniors around where I am, unfortunately.
2) The Minion is a super fun bass. Doesn't fit my gig in the looks department, though. But put 'better' pickups in there and it can be an awesome & fun machine. I put quotations around better because tone is sooooo subjective! Perhaps more expensive pickups is the better word!
Thanks for watching!
Hi Jonathan! Love your videos!
Wich short-scale bass would make a better fretless ? Fender mini p-bass, Ibanez mikro, or the jackson minion?
Thanks for watching and for the encouragement!
Interesting question! Are you planning on de-fretting it? I think it will come down to the type of fretless tone you’re after. On my Landing fretless, I am only running the neck P pickup- so I get a nice round mwah type sound. If you’re after a more bridge p/u Jaco type sound, you’ll be best off with having a bridge pickup (or at least the option). So of the 28,6” scales, the Mikro may be the most versatile in terms of having the option of different p/u sounds and looks less aggressive than the Jackson. But don’t expect harmonics to jump out of such a short scale fretless like a full scale, though.
PS. All the inlays on the Jackson will likely affect the fretless tone, as without frets there will be direct contact between the strings and the inlays. May affect glissandos and slides into notes.
Thanks for answering!
I'm learning bass on a semi-acoustic U-Bass and I want to buy the Kala solid body fretless U-bass.
That would be ideal, but it's out of stock everywhere in Canada. I believe they won't stock them before a while. Ordering one from europe would cost way to much.
So the best alternative would be a short-scale converted to fretless. I played cello for a while and absolutely love the sound when I played it like an upright bass.
I'm leaning more towards that Mwah neck pick-up sound you talk about and very tempted by the squire mini p-bass...
Thank you for helping!
@@jonathanwong458music
Right on! If you want an idea of what my fretless sounds like, here's a link:
czcams.com/video/hL3s9WLlxWI/video.html
Good luck with the hunt!
Jonathan, it sounded great to me with my big TV and sound bar. Just right. What do you think about $154 US open box?
That's ~$200CDN, so yeah man! Provided there's nothing actually wrong with it, that should be a good price. I'd offer you this review bass, but I can't beat that after shipping! haha. Good luck! Thanks for watching!
@jonathanwong458music I was thinking of sleeping on it, but at the price, why? It's from a big online seller, Pro Audio Star, so how bad could it be. I went for it. I'm becoming a collector of short-scale basses.
@@MrDanalaimo nice! Congrats !
Yeeeeeeow we have a grey one!
It’s a fun bass! Thanks so much for watching!
@@jonathanwong458music 'Diggin your channel, baby. U r a true advocate of short scale basses. Which I like. ! : )
@@jonathanwong458music Wouldn't mind a bit more playing and riffs on the next one ; )
just sayin' Cheers JW music!!
@@jonathanwong458music I played bass in a disco band on a recent sub gig. 2 sets. Played a short scale 30 " flat grey Mitchell MB100 on set 1. Then a full length 34 " red Rogue on set 2. Staying Alive, baby.
Thanks so much!
Would make a nice mod platform but I really really dislike the headstock and especially the inlay on a lot of Jackson basses lol
Thanks for the video as always :)
you either like or hate the pointy headstock! Thanks for watching!
I've got a topic idea for you. I recently ran across the Canadian bluegrassy group The Dead South. Not news to you, but they are very good. Their bassist uses a cello, often slung like a bass guitar. Topic: what are the ins and outs of using a cello like this? Is it within the realm of possibility for an intermediate bass guitar player to learn? Thanks, Dan
Here's a little known fact (mostly because nobody really asked...) but I tune my cello in 4ths! E-A-D-G but an octave up from bass. I started on cello tuned in 5ths as does everybody else, but I was doing a lot of doubling at the time between electric bass and EUB and then needed to triple on cello. And my brain just thought it was too much to go between 4ths and 5th tuning on the same gig. So I experimented with the helicore 4ths cello string set and tuning-wise, I haven't looked back.
Pros: I can go back and forth, sight read and play, improvise, re-arrange etc way more easily with everything strung in 4ths.
Cons: 4 big ones. Firstly, no orchestra or pro cello group is ever going to hire you and acceptance is very low. Secondly, it does make the cello sound considerably more closed and less resonant. Thirdly, you lose all the big notes between low E and C. Forthly (no pun intended), I finally found the strings that work for me, but unless you like helicores, good luck finding them.....putting together custom sets.
Would I suggest it to those learning? Nope. But it worked for me.... I've now forgotten how to play a cello in standard 5ths. So I've severely pigeon holed myself.
If you want to hear what a 4th-tuned cello sounds like, here's my website! Nominated for awards, but never a winner! jonathanwong.bandcamp.com
@jonathanwong458music It's hard for me to tell, but your cello sounds it's tuned much higher than the Dead South's. I like it. I'm very interested, but I'm far from your target demo - older by multiples. Thanks again!
My D string is the same as a standard cello D and my high string (G in my case) is tuned down a full tone from the standard cello A. So I’m in the same register range as a standard cello
Mikro vs this one? It sure looks good 😊
Tough question! I liked the contour and shape of the neck on the Jackson better, but I think the pickups sound bigger in the Ibanez. In terms of looks, you either like the pointy headstock or you don’t!
@@jonathanwong458music Thanks... Will go for the Jackson. Pickups can be changed in the future.
@@takeseven- Right on! Good luck with the purchase! Hope you enjoy it!
I was surprised to learn that short scale basses on the whole have less mid range than a full-length bass. I would have expected the opposite.
I would say, in general, short scales have a more focused tone with more emphasis on the fundamental more with fewer overtones in comparison to a full scale bass. So it may sound less harmonically complex. That, in turn, may result in a perceived decreased midrange, depending on the bass and its pickup configuration.
Thanks for watching!
😎🤗😎
Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
Wow, what a surprise . . . not a fan of the headstock but love the look of the bridge. . . agree with your assessment of the pickups, just not ceramic (for me)
The higher output Aguilar DCB PJs could potentially work well here. I would like to see bigger sounding (or more aggressive) pickups without exposed pole pieces in this bass. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I would opt for Delano Pickups@@jonathanwong458music
Haha, I know you like your delanos!!
Thank you. I have to go back to your review of the Ibanez. I thought I liked the P tonal quality on the Jackson better, and also the mix of the P and J pickups. But I don’t play any metal rock, and the headstock doesn’t speak to me. How would you place the Mini P, Ibanez, and Minion in order of overall preference?
Yeah, one either likes the pointy headstock or not!
In terms of ranking for me…
Neck comfort: Jackson > Mikro > squier
Body comfort: Mikro > Jackson > squier
Overall tone: squier > Mikro > Jackson
Bass I can take to gigs I play: Squier > Mikro > Jackson
Bass people will chit chat about: (most unique): Jackson > squier/Mikro tie
Most versatile package: squier.
'I might get some looks bringing this Jackson to my singer songwriter gig...' 😁 What if you rode in on a loud bike with it slung over one shoulder in a black leather jacket and some steel toe biker boots... 😆 😁 That Jackson practically demands nothing less. You have it sounding good though. I'm enjoying your channel, thank you very much. Interesting fretboard comparisons with the Mikro much appreciated too.
Thanks for watching! Haha! I have no clue how to ride a motorcycle!