Jackson X Series Spectra V Review

Jackson X Series Spectra V

I want to begin by stating that I have been a huge fan of Jackson for several years, and have owned several basses in that timespan. That being said, this bass is a great instrument of which most bass players would enjoy playing. Aesthetics— I will agree with the previous review in that the Metallic Black looks much better in person; especially in bright lighting, the metallic… read more flake really "sets it off." The white binding around the fretboard looks outstanding, and I'm actually becoming more a fan of the understated "J" logo and more traditional headstock. Feel—This bass is very well made. I had no issues with no loose screws or tuners, and the fit and finish were excellent. I really appreciate and prefer neck-through basses, and this feels extremely solid and durable in your hands. It is well-balanced across the shoulder, and the fretboard is very comfortable to play. Tone/Sound— It sounds very good in Passive mode, but it really shines in Active mode, with a great range of tonality. The Coil Tap is a nice feature, and can be quite useful. As with many Jackson basses, the sound can be a bit aggressive, with the Mids coming through quite starkly. However, it can easily be managed and suited to preference. I will also add that the low B sounds outstanding, and the sustain overall is great. Overall, I feel this bass is a good value. I love the Active/Passive capability, the neck-through design, and the thunderous sound this bass kicks out. I would definitely recommend this one.

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JACKSON HAS IT RIGHT WITH THIS ONE!

I have a variety of 4, 5 and 6 - string basses and was in the market for another 5-string in the $500-$700 range to use for gigs. The Jackson SBX V remained in the top 3 of the list. The other instruments, all very strong contenders, would have been fine as well, so I will not say anything more than all brands were considered. The two features that made the difference are neck… read more through construction and a bound fingerboard. The former for stability and sustain, the later for comfort and visibility in dim lighting. As for the general aspects of the Jackson metallic paint does look better in person, the hardware is decent and ergonomics quite practical. I am pleased to report the variety of tones and output exceeded expectations. Very important, should the battery die, the passive tones are more than adequate, and more usable for some material. A cool thing I have done is use the varied output signals between active / passive and dual / split coil functions to get a quick "pseudo-preset" operation without frequent knob turning. Play-ability is generally regarded to be excellent with Jackson instruments. This is my first Jackson and the comfortable neck profile, nice frets and compound radius fingerboard profile collectively make some difference. I will advise however, that glossy finished necks can feel a bit "sticky" to some. I do prefer a satin or oil finished neck for that reason, but I have made effective use of "Finger Ease" on the instrument and my hands (o.k. so I mentioned another product here)

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