Minion Friday

Had been playing this for nearly a week. It's one of those scaled down guitars Jackson offers in its Minion Series. I'm not too keen when it comes to guitars of this dimension as they don't hold tuning well & intonation, for most models, are off. However, this Minion proved otherwise so it's something I am happy to own regardless of the numerous skeptical opinions out there.

The guitar was re-set up before play & I re-shimmed the neck pocket to raise things up a bit to address the high action at the upper frets. When it comes to playability, a good set up is everything.

My cousin bought this set of strings for me while he was in Japan. He knows I'm not one to refuse the more affordable end of guitar strings.

More minions

I was of the opinion that Jackson's Minion Series would be a temporary occupation in Jackson's catalogue but it seems that the numbers are growing. To date, they added a maple fretboard version of the Dinky ($299) & the latest addition being a pinstriped body RR ($399). Two things:

1. Appealing novelty. The novelty of owning such scaled down instruments might have carved out a strong niche appeal. Players actually love these guitars & wouldn't mind forking out money for one (or more than one).
2. Real applications. There might be players out there who actually have real use for such guitars. For instance, these might be purchased to supplement guitar lessons for kids. Those who show competency would be allowed to move up to a standard-sized guitar. Also, there might be some bedroom maestros who want a simple offering for fun times.

Bottom line - these instruments would definitely not appeal to everyone. Do not believe the hype or blind recommendations. Best to try one out in the stores before parting with your precious cash. Both are available @ Swee Lee now.

Price watch (94): Internal conflict

We could all agree that at the end of it all, price matters. Look at these Jacksons, the standard size JS12 is listing for just $20 more than the Minion. There is already a very niche appeal for the shorter-scaled Minion models & its further pressured by that slight price difference. The standard size JS will definitely be more appealing in the after-market. Both these guitars do not come with bags. The Minion requires a smaller bag, the Minion Series bag to be precise so that's $75 more before you bring it home. The Koda EGB ONE bag can fit the JS12, no issue, it's only $15. You do the Math, it's clear which one is more appealing for those of us with a limited shopping budget.

The American Performer P-bass is $250 more than the Japanese Heritage Series 60s P-bass. The Performer is Fender's most affordable American, while the Heritage is currently Fender Japan's top tier range. We all know how the Japanese make their Fenders - absolute respect for QC. Folks, that marginal difference, which one would you choose?

A Premium Ibanez (Indonesia) lists for more than $2K while the demure but irresistible Genesis (Japan) is about $500 lesser. Tough call, yes?

Disclaimers:

• decision-making is more than just looking at listed prices, other factors come into play (product appeal e.g. limited edition, discontinuity, playability, etc.)
• the figures above are domestic retail prices, many of us tend to veer into the dark side of the after-market more often than not
• buying anything, not just musical instruments, is a personal choice, regardless of the external influential decision-making politics involved

Pics: Fender / Ibanez

 

Sizes

Since I had these two out for a re-string, let's take a look at the relative size of a Minion Dinky against its standard sized counterpart. The Minion is almost a headstock shorter than its JS brother. This would be a welcomed feature for those of us with smaller body frame / hands. Despite the pre-conceived notion that smaller-sized guitars are for kids, it is definitely appealing to adults as well, especially for those of us who are averse to heavy instruments.

I play more riffs than solos on the Minion. I exert more force while doing so & the Minion's shorter neck means I can move faster / easily up & down without getting tired too quickly. As for solos, it seems that my fretting hand is more accustomed to wider fret spaces especially at the upper neck register. I've owned a few small guitars along the way & the Minion seems to hold tuning very well. Of course, this is after the default tuners made way for a replacement set which are still affordable but more reliable. For the record, the Minion sports a 22.5" scale length while the standard-sized JS is 25.5". 

Pink Friday

Despite being smaller than its standard counterparts, the Jackson Minion RR is still very protrusive in its outline. In fact, the last time I played it, that extended tail end knocked onto boxes & I barely moved save for some bending down to turn on / off the amp. That V outline somehow allows a complete rest of the picking arm so it's less tiring for the picking hand but it has to be strapped on. 

This guitar has a pair of LACE humbuckers onboard which are passive models. I'm beginning to like covered pickups more as my pick does not get caught between pickup pole pieces. 

Jack hound

Had been playing the Jackson Minion more lately. It's one of those guitars (to me) that lets me 'cheat' because it's easier to move around as the frets are a little closer due to the shorter scale length. Also, those DiMarzios there make it sound good. 

Also, I've put away my Snakestortion in the mean time in favour of this VFE Dragon Hound. It features a dual drive control. OK so it's actually a distortion & drive combo. It gets very interesting when both are combined to taste. In the mean time, I've set it for a hard, edgy distortion setting which becomes excessive when the amp's dirt channel is engaged. That's right, I don't dwell on subtlety. 

Minions - New colours

Jackson has new colours for its Minion models. These are scaled down guitars, only 22.5" in scale length, maybe more suitable for the younger players. But Paul Gilbert has an Ibanez Mikro model similar in dimensions & nobody said anything about those being more suitable for a certain player demographic. Of course, he's Paul Gilbert & those are Paul Gilbert guitars. Everything else is unimportant.

Pics: Jackson 

Size matters

Folks, this is Jackson's Minion Dinky guitar. Yes, it's that scaled down model, much smaller in dimensions compared to its standard siblings. The headstock is smaller as well to ensure no neck dive occurs in view of its reduced size. However, standard size tuners are in use here & that space in between tuners... well, there's hardly any space there to accommodate your fingers. 

Pic: Jackson

I've swapped mine out for these smaller button type tuners. Why bother? That lack of space in between tuners is something that should have been addressed at the design stage, really. While tuning, I kept knocking the adjacent ones out of tune due to the lack of space. There is a ready solution for this oversight which does not require a complete re-design of the headstock. We wonder why it wasn't done so at the factory. My take - Jackson has a ready inventory of the standard tuners so they made do with that. Ordering a differentiated version for such instruments might incur costs.

Re-string Saturday

Had been playing this lately. Something easy on the hand & a lighter overall feel. This may not be your thing because it's a scaled down guitar, very toy-like, for kids they say.

This guitar gives me the perfect opportunity to adapt. I'm also a small-framed individual so it's something I can get used to. In any case, Paul Gilbert isn't small-framed but he plays the miKro RG. Stayed indoors today so gave this a good clean up + re-string. By the way, those strings are a sponsored set.

In the pink - not

Before the sun sets, for the past few days or so, I've been playing guitar. Today's choice: Jackson Minion RR.  At such times, in this frame of mind with a whole load of semi-rubbish home assignments, no happy tunes are to be heard. Just grateful that I have my guitars around to keep me lucid. No, I've not tried making dalgona coffee because it's a fad that will die off. 

Take, care everyone, stay home, stay safe.

Minion V (2)

Alright, let's take a look into the details of the Jackson Minion RR. The guitar was strung up with a set of 9s from the factory. It's too wobbly for me so the 10s were in there after a few days it made into the residence.

I thought these were gonna be bad for the money. You know, those typical entry-level, shrieky, treble excessive pickups in any of such guitars are not gonna sound good. However, these are alright for what I've designated this guitar for- absolute high gain & nothing less. Neck clarity is good & make sure you address that extra brightness coming from the bridge if you're into this. We can all do that, can't we?

From experience, I know how these labels would stain the finish of a satin type over-coat.

So it's designated to the control cavity cover together with the gang.

A look into the cavity- nothing shabby here maybe a little messy with the shielding paint but that's acceptable by my standards. All wires bound & things are looking neat & presentable for the money. Have a feeling that selector switch is not gonna last.

These tuners are decent. Out of the box, two of them were loose & one was over-tightened. It's got nothing to do with them being faulty, just a little less meticulous treatment of the tension screws back at the factory.

Minor threats

We now have the following, junior-sized guitars are in store now: Ibanez's PGMM21 (22.2")...

And Jackson's Minion Dinky JS1X (22.5")

As you can see, the respective scale lengths would suggest a non-traditional feel  & tonal response & this blog entry is my effort in reminding you what you would be dealing with should you decide to buy one of these. Are such guitars really for kids? Most probably, they are but we should not exclude the consideration for smaller-built players & they make perfect instruments for the money, not a compromised secondary offering. 

Since I have given them some personal performance time, my money's with the Jackson- that's saying a lot considering I'm a long-standing Ibanez fan. I'm giving an adult perspective here, so the playability of the Jackson, in my opinion, would appeal to the grown-ups. Jackson did their necks a little wider so the adult wouldn't feel too challenged when handling the neck. That quirky Ibanez control layout is strictly a Paul Gilbert affair which may not appeal to guitar fans in general. Jackson did theirs the traditional way; volume, tone & a selector. Pickups-wise, the Jackson is a high gain beast. Those default factory units are all about distortion with very little room to sound warm & intimate. With that said, good cleans can be had but not as engaging as the Ibanez's. 

Availability: Swee Lee Co.

Ibanez PGMM21: $299

Jackson Dinky Minion JS1X: $229

Minion V

Another fortnight-ago purchase. Still giving this cutie a go with various set-ups. More updates to come but in the mean time- it's worth every cent. 👍

Available but not available

It seems that the distributor here wants you to be content with just the bags... without the goods. *facepalm* 😜

Small talk

This is probably a lost cause but I'm into it anyway. The Jackson minion series are shorter-scaled instruments predominantly aimed at the smaller, younger players. Over time, similar instruments of its ilk are embraced by adults as well who see the potential of less hassle while on the move. 

The Jackson range currently sports two guitars, the Dinky you see above & this very attractive RR. I believe the RR, in this manifestation, will attract more players as it becomes less wieldy. I would certainly advocate for these to be available here.

Ditto the bass; a more manageable spec, a sure invitation to try. However, they are still unavailable here since its official release in Winter NAMM 2016. 

The thing is, we have the Ibanez Mikro instruments available here.

We even see the Paul Gilbert version here.

Of course, rounding things off with the Mikro bass. Of the three Mikros you see, above, I find the bass version to be more desirable than the guitars. Even the Paul Gilbert association doesn't make it a notch above its non-signature sibling. The non-angled headstock there affects tuning greatly plus the fact that both instrument's nut slots were not quite up there in terms of presentation. So I might have come across the lesser models while trying.

We have, where we are, a limited scope for instruments of this ilk to stand out & really be tested in terms of performance & revenue generation. It's partly down to unfamiliar territory- if you were the distributor, which brand name would you choose to ensure stocks don't turn dead over time? Behind the scenes, we do need to consider the fact that such fringe offerings had to be included in numbers with the rest of the standard inventory- do you have adequate standard offerings to ensure the numbers add up well? I'm still advocating for Jackson's Minions to be here; it would be a good chance to kick the Mikro butts since I personally know, after repeated testing, that they could have been better. More importantly, between the Mikro & the Minion at the headstock, the Minion doesn't lower its status with a 'GIO' label. 

Just saying. 😁