Jackson JS22 Dinky – One of The Most Influential Starter Guitars Out There

Body And Neck:
Electronics:
Hardware:
Sound:
Value:

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Just how Jackson used to be popular is common knowledge. Even though their influence has slowly declined over the years, their guitars are still very much at the top with all the big brands. Today we are looking at their entry-level model, which offers a relatively different take on beginner guitars, and leaves much room for improvement later down the road. Jackson JS22 Dinky has proven many times why it's one of the best guitars you can get for less than 200 dollars.

Body And Neck

Jackson was always known for their modified Super Strat body shape. Needless tosay, they haven't changed this policy. The body of JS22 Dinky features basswood build paired with a nice maple neck. Fretboard comes in form of a standard rosewood piece with Jackson's trademark Shark Teeth inlays and white binding. While basswood is not the hottest choice out there, some guitars work well with this tonewood. That's the case with JS22.

Hardware

A tremolo bridge is not all that surprising of a sight on affordable guitars. Squier has been doing it for ages, and so has Ibanez. Jackson followed suit, seeing how a functional whammy bar is something this brand simply insists on. All of the hardware is painted flat black, including the set of die-cast tuners you can see on the headstock.In terms of performance, the hardware on this Dinky is average. It works, but you definitely don't want to explore its limits. That Trem bridge is not as sensitive as some out there, however it's no Floyd Rose either. Some caution is definitely advised.

Electronics

Once we reach the pickups and circuitry, things are pretty straight forward. A standard double humbucker setup wired to a single tone and single volume control knob. You also have a pickup select switch which is again, very common. Pups are Jackson's own design, and fall into the category of pretty hot but somewhat low definition humbuckers. You will get all the output you need, that's for sure. Honestly, this is probably the only thing your average beginner is going to notice anyway.

Sound

If you plug a decent Dist box in your signal chain, you will get a rather composed distorted tone out of this Dinky. It still has a lot of that tone quality which is stereotypical for cheap guitars, but it handles it better than most. Once it's time to switch over to the clean channel, you will run into a bunch of compromises. There is some clarity and definition, however you will probably have to work hard to dial in something that can be considered decent. With all that said, the tonal properties this guitar offers are fairly balanced compared to most of its competition.

Conclusion

Whether you're a fan of the hard sound, or you're just looking for a reasonably versatile starter guitar, this axe is worth checking out. Jackson JS22 Dinky offers a rarely balanced experience which will keep up with you even as you progress your skill level.

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