After seeing this video, I canceled my JS orders (Dinky and a Warrior) and bought 2 X series (King V with EMGs and a DKA-EX with Fluence). Fantastic video
I have a snow white kvxmg from 2015, i never said "oh, this guitar is crap" even one moment. If you're not pro musicians it will work, i am %100 sure about it.
Great review, honest and informative! I just ordered one of these today for modding. The speed and playability of the Jackson compound radius necks are the main attractions to this particular guitar, for me. I love modding guitars. It's very rewarding to get an ok guitar, put some time and love into it and end up with something BADASS.
I can hardly find like actual reviews reviews on this guitar and this one had a LOT of info that is GOOD to have. I almost impulse bought one of these and may still eventually. But I’ll go into it knowing a lot more. Thank you!
I think it's one of the best cheap guitar on the market. I've bought one 3 years ago, test it, didn't like it, left it in the dust. 1 year ago took it back, put a Seymour Duncan Dimebucker in bridge position and now it's one of my favorite. I don't use the whammy bar so it stays in tune all the time, I play melodic death metal and this 300$ dollar is always with me when I record or play live. Totally love it!
I bought one a while back brand new, sick guitar. Except i had to file a lot of the sharp fret ends, the pickups were microphonic, a few of the tuner washers broke after a month. None of those issues were bad, since those things can be fixed. Mine stayed in perfect tuning which I was very surprised. I switched out the bridge pickup for a Dragonfire 20 dollar pickup which was a great upgrade from the stock pickup. Also, I too felt that the King V felt like a toy compared to my Japanese Jackson.
I've heard similar complaints to the issues you had. Like you said, those aren't major issues, but it can be distracting if you just want to play. Also, if you're just starting out, bad tuners and crappy bridges can be extremely frustrating. I know some dudes buy these JS guitars as modding platforms and that's a good way to go with them. Glad you had a positive experience!
Good review! Have JS32T,JS32 and RRXMG as my cheap guitars and a lot of the things you said are correct. The necks are very good, I actually prefer the JS32 neck to RRXMG tbh, maybe because they are not painted. The pickups are better than I thought, atleast for metal - not so much for cleans. They do feel a bit toyish, as you said. Even though they keep tuning quite well, despite dive bombs etc.. I just feel like I am automatically more careful with my playing, because I think they will go out of tune. Over all it is a great value for money, but I would just use these as a "home guitar".
I’ve done the strap button trick many times. I’ve even drilled them out before so the screw would fit. I think I’ll get one for modding purposes. I’m so weird when I comes to guitars. I prefer bolt on necks so to buy a guitar that’s 1,000 that’s the shape I want, pickups, but had a set neck or neck thru just doesn’t sit right with me haha. I’d rather get the guitar with the bolt on neck and swap out what needs to be swapped as I go. Great vid, man!
I just bought one in the Army Green finish and mine is a beast nice weight tuners tight Floyd rose on point but don't really use it ....for the price I paid at 299.99 I have no complaints....but thanks for your input dig all your vids....
Picked up this guitar not too long ago, and I fucking love it. The floyd rose kinda sucks because it's a pain in the ass to change tuning, but it holds the current tuning extremely well. Thanks for the tip on how to fix the neck dive as well, I attached my strap to the top right truss rod screw, and used an extra heavy pick that I drilled a hole in as a washer to keep the strap locked on. Also my amaranth fretboard is more of a deep brown and not nearly as purple/smoky like the one in the video. Also if you plan on getting this guitar and using higher gage strings, you are going to need to get heavier springs to balance the floyd rose. I use 10-52 gage and replaced 2 of the 3 springs with heavy tension ones I got from amazon.
I'm pondering one of these so thanks for the review. Though I'm thinking about it because I want the JS32T, and they don't make a Series X, or hardly any other V that doesn't have a trem, which I have no need for. Swapping the tuners and strap location isn't the worst thing and I can wait on pickups (still pretty new player).
You might have better luck with the JS32T. Less parts to worry about. The pickups are actually pretty good. Like you mentioned, it's just the tuners and strap button you'd have to worry about. Good luck!
A fixed bridge is a way better option on any guitar regardless of the price range, and the stock Jackson branded pickups(Belcat) are actually very good, did a test on my JS32Q DKA HT with SD SH-4 JB vs. the stock pickups and did not notice any major difference to justify the swap. The only weak point are the tuners, they hold tune OK but they are very sloppy and inaccurate, but that is cheap fix. Get a Dinky, not these toy looking v´s and Kelly`s, nicer to play sitting and use in general. All in all i cant justify paying over double for an X series. You can find discounted JS32´s for a great price or even better second hand!
I'm about to buy a js32 king v, I see that there are a lot of issues now but is there any other option you'd recommend for a guitar on that price range? I like v shaped guitars and this is the first one I'm trying to get but there are not many stores that sell that kind of shape in my country so the only store I found is selling it for around 450 usd. I'd really appreciate recommendations or realiable websites where I could buy one from another country, I'm from Peru.
Hello from the USA! Great questions. First of all, you might get a "good one", meaning that you get a model with no issues. It's possible. If not, I'd recommend upgrading the tuners and tremolo. You can get Gotoh tuners for relatively cheap on eBay. If you use the tremolo, it likely won't hold tune very well. You might have to upgrade that as well. I'd recommend a Floyd Rose Special for mild to moderate use. If you're going to use the tremolo for moderate to heavy use you might want an Original. If you don't plan on using the tremolo, look into a JS32T, if there's one available in Peru. I hope that helps. Good luck!
@Mike From Blood Of The Wolf What is the reason that you pretty much only mess with Jackson guitars? I don't own one and am genuinely curious why most Jackson players tend to really stick to Jacksons. I have 30 something other guitars, epiphones, Schecters (my favorite), Ibanez, etc etc and some of them are absolutely killer. Or do you have others and i've just overlooked them?
Great question. I stick with Jackson because I find them to be the best playing and coolest looking. I also find some general consistency from model to model. Like you, I've played and owned several other brands. I come back to Jackson for the reasons I've stated above.
I watched a video on one of these about two months back. The guy had problems of course with the guitar going out of tune with heavy tremolo use. Tried everything to get it to stay in tune. Someone told him to check the springs in the back. The springs were in positions 2, 3, and 4, with 2 & 4 mounted to positions 1&5 on the block, making a "triangle". He rearranged them, keeping the center the same, but changed the others to be parallel, on positions 1 & 5. It stayed in tune MUCH better, almost completely perfect. Of course the guitar had been perfectly setup, strings stretched everything lubed, etc. And it maybe wouldn't work with another JS32.
That is very interesting. I don't remember how the springs were spaced. On some of my guitars I have four springs, which doesn't allow for the triangle shape. Some have three and I've always done parallel spacing with the springs. I wonder if there's a "right" way to do it?
@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 despite whatbi see all the time, having the springs straight is the best way. It makes sense from a physics perspective. I have an LTD with this same trem and it holds tune. Would i trust it gigging? Probably not, but for home use its fine.
@@MiikeyLawless thanks for weighing in on this. I've always wondered what the "right way" is. I tried doing a video search on YT but didn't find an answer. Could you explain the physics perspective you mentioned or point me to a video that explains this? I'd love to hear more. Thanks!
@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 well the angled springs are going to be more tensioned because they are being stretched over a greater distance. Its likely very slight. Maybe people do it to get a little more strength out of the springs rather than just buying another one? Also it makes sense that the springs would be in line with the direction they are being pulled. Im not sure there is a definitive answer, but this seems like the most logical imo. Ive also seen a few luthiers echo the same sentiment. Oh and sometimes the springs on these cheaper trems are kinda bad which could cause problems with returning to zero.
awesome review and i was thinking about buying a js32t so it has no floyd rose and was thinking of putting emg 81-60 pickups in it. Do you think it’s just better of getting a higher quality or just do the upgrades?
Great question. My opinion on this matter has changed a bit since prices have gone up. Modifying a JS model COULD be worth it IF you get a good one. With a fixed bridge, all you'd have to worry about upgrading is the tuners (and maybe the nut and bridge at some point). I say go for it, but make sure you inspect it closely and buy from a seller who accepts returns.
Is the neck the same thickness as the Pro KV King V? Thinking of getting the latter in a bit. And yeah, the trem on this is just awful. On some lucky days I can do divebombs without it going out of tune.
The JS series neck was slightly thinner. The Pro Series King V had a Rhoads like neck, a little thicker than most Jackson's. If you're looking to upgrade, I recommend the KVXMG.
Would you recommend blocking the trem on this and similar JS32 models? I'm not normally a fan of floating trem guitars, but I have a great offer on a JS32 Warrior
Yes, that would be a good solution. Then you'd just have to replace the tuners, if needed. Jackson also makes several JS32T models which feature a tune o magic style bridge. Pretty cheap too. So you could buy a new one from Sweetwater or musicians friend and then have the option to return it if you don't like it.
@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 oh yeah, my girlfriend has JS32T Kelly, and I have a spare set of Gotoh locking tuners, so I think I'll spring for this Warrior, especially since the offer I have is for the same price as the hardtail version.
Update: I've had one of the JS32 Warriors for a while now. The Floyd is definitely the weakest element to it, but nothing a roll of pennies and some electrical tap didn't fix. I did hot rod it, because boredom in the age of COVID, but even stock it played very nice. Definitely a good mod platform if you're into that, good as is, definitely serves as a good B or C guitar.
Hi man ! Thanks for all of these informations. Would you suggest it me as the first metal guitar. I have experienced an e guitar with a 50 buckets strat. Would it be a good choice for the first metal guitar.
Hello Taha. If you can't afford an X Series King V then yes, this will do. Just keep in mind that the hardware is cheap. If you use the tremolo, you are bound to experience tuning issues. Also, make sure you buy from a seller that accepts returns. The quality control on the JS Series is not that great. Good luck!
@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 thanks mate and ye until I buy a new and a better one I will need some time. At this time I need something to practice and improve.
@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 I was looking for a backup/vacation guitar that maybe one day I could uograde and I was alright with the tuners not being good or the pickups not being excellent, but bridge problems really made me chance my mind. Thanks again, I'm gonna subscribe.
Man! You don´t know on how much you have helped me. Instead of going for a cheaper JS32, I´m going directly for a higher model with original floyd, duncan p´ups and set neck. I was thinking, that I could live a while with the original HW, but after this video I´m convinced to spend my money on a better guitar.
I was about to buy this guitar Even had the guy change the strings but after watching this im reconsidering, he was selling it for 305$ is it worth it? Im upgrading from a harley benton victory plus bk vintage series
I wouldn't recommend it, unless he's offering returns. The JS Series QC is very dicey in my experience. I have not had good luck with them. BUT, there are guys out there who have.
Hello, everybody says that instead of upgrading this JS32 buy an X series, the thing is X series used are about 21-22K in turkish liras, while JS32 series are 7-8K, I also have a Seymour Duncan SH-8 Invader that I got for 2K and I'm probably going to block the FR and use it as it's, I've installed EMG 81-85 before in my Ibanez XP300 so I got the tools and experience to install the Seymour Duncan into the Jackson myself and block the bridge etc. so what I spend is less than half than a KVXMG or an RRXMG, RRX24 etc. also because I already have the Seymour Duncan and I already have EMGs installed into my Ibanez I want my second guitar to have the Seymour Duncan Sh-8, only thing I wonder if it's worth installing a $100 pickup into a $300 Jackson with a poplar body
I don't think the JS Series are worth upgrading. However, guitar prices have gone up and since you already have pickups ready to go, it might be worth it, if you get a good one. In my experience the JS Series guitars I've bought all had some sort of fatal flaw in terms of construction.
I just got a JS32T King V in Gloss Black from Sweetwater for $296.99. Out the box, left wing under the clearcoat you see HEAVY buffer wheel swirl marks. Hurts my soul.
Mike From Blood of the Wolf Had to remind myself it's a cheap Chinese model. They're about the same price as the case for it lol. But overall, it's super solid. It's just the finish at certain angles that hurts.
@@JustZaker again, it depends on what brand strap locks you're using. In my case, the screw for the strap lock button was narrower than the neck bolt, so I put a toothpick in the hole to give the strap lock screw something to grip onto.
After researching a lot into floyds and these jackson guitars, i have a strong urge to buy one of the 720 dollar Rhoads or King V $699 with a floyd rose special and seymour duncans . They have good reviews and for being 700 dollars and buying them off of Sweetwater, i really expect them to be good. The looks of the Jackson Vs and the floyd rose addition is just too much of an attraction for me and im just hoping they arent a waste of money. Only problem wpuld be the bridges getting worn over time becsuse of being the cheaper Floyd instead of an Original Floyd. Do you think they are worth the buy?
I think the Rhoads V that is 720 dollars off of Sweetwater would be my choice because of the Passive Seymour Duncans on it. I have a guitar with EMGs alrsady and i wanted something different just to add variety. Have you ever played the Rhoads series? You should totally review them!
@@kalebz8287 I think you're talking X Series King V and Rhoads? Yes, I highly recommend those models. The Floyd Rose Special is fine. I have a KVXMG that I took on tour and used the trem heavily and it stayed in tune. Though I'm sure an Original Floyd is much better, the Specials do fine in my experience. I think buying from Sweetwater is a great idea. They actually inspect the guitar and set it up before it ships to you, so it's unlikely that you'll get a lemon. Good luck!
Floyd Rose tremolo systems are all pretty close in quality Chinese or otherwise the thing with Floyd's are you are always taking a chance when you get one they sometimes let bad ones get out
I don't know man. I respectfully disagree. Any trem from China has been pretty poor quality in my experience. The lowest in quality I'll go is a Floyd Rose Special. I've had good experience with them.
If anyone has a king v js32, is it easy to play high up on the neck. Like the 22nd, 23rd and 24th fret? I bought a danalectro 59xt and was kind of disappointed because the place the neck and the body meet was so unplayable. It's just super bulky and you can't play any metal solos on it if you're playing stuff like slayer or metallica. So I'm thinking on getting a king v js32 that way I have more range.
I haven't got an electric guitar but I want to buy one. I want to play on a V shaped jackson with floyd rose tremolo. It would be good for first electric guitar or not? What do you think? Jackson js32 king v or Jackson js32 rhoads is better? Because i dont know, i haven't got any experience, i haven't got any electric guitar yet. So it would be great for my first electric guitar or Js 32 rhoads is better?
Here's my advice, buy an X Series King V. Yes, it's double the price, but you're going to be much happier long term. The JS Series guitars are highly affordable and LOOK GREAT! But they're cheaply made and use low quality hardware. This is not good for beginners, because you're going to encounter issues you don't know how to correct. I actually feel like the JS Series is better for intermediate/advanced players who have an inclination to tinker with and modify their guitars. The KVXMG is what I recommend as it will not require any immediate modification out of the box, you will be fussing with the guitar less and playing it more (and with a lot less frustration). Good luck!
@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 Thank you very much. It was a really helpful answer. And what do you think about js 11 dinky. Is it good for a first electric guitar? To start learn soloing and more complex stuffs you know. I mean I can play a lot of riffs and things like that but i want to start to learn really fast soloing an become a professional player. I want to be a real metal musician but haven't got a band yet so i just play and practicing at home or sometimes with friends you know. I want to improve and developy skills to become better and better. I have just acoustic guitar and the time to play on an electric one is came. I want to buy my first electric one. Because i dont want to buy a really expensive one, i think to learn and practice, a cheaper one is good. And what do you think? Js 11 dinky is good for it?
@@erikkoszta7160 that might be a better choice. I would stay away from Floyd Rose equipped guitars. While they're great, they do take some work to get set up correctly and then you're stuck in that tuning. As a beginner, you're going to want to experiment and learn songs in different tunings as well as experiment with different string guages. Actually, any of the JS Series that don't have a Floyd Rose would be a great guitar for a beginner.
@@darenpeycheveternal it all depends on the type of strap lock and whether the neck bolt will fit through. I use Dunlop strap locks and the neck bolt is too wide for them. Stay tuned, I'll do another neck dive fix tutorial.
Jackson JS series guitars are ok if you go into ownership with realistic expectations. One of those realities is that a $300.00 guitar with a Floyd is probably going to suck. Most Floyd copies at that price point lack proper heat treatment of the pivot point knife edges. They will wear quickly and cause problems returning to pitch. Even with a locking nut they can be very difficult to keep in tune. Young players always want a Floyd bridge and usually end up regretting it. I have always recommended fixed bridge models for inexperienced/young players. Because the Floyds at entry level price points are typically junk. Plus Floyd equipped guitars are exponentially harder to maintain for inexperienced players. A better choice in a JS series King V would be the JS32T. It's the same guitar but with a TOM style fixed bridge. The fixed bridge eliminates the hassles associated with cheap Floyd bridges. And fixed bridge guitars are inherently much more stable than tremelo equipped models. That said, all JS series guitars will need some TLC to be the best they can be. I recently purchased a JS32TQ Dinky with full expectations of replacing components and doing fret work. And those expectations were realistic because the tuners and plastic nut are crap. And the fret work could definitely stand some refinement. But I bought the guitar on sale, fully intending to use it as a mod platform. I never expected it to be great out of the box. $300.00 may seem like a lot of money for a guitar but the reality is it only gets you a decent foundation that will need work. And sometimes it doesn't even get you that.
Well, in that case, if it's all you can afford then yes, it's still a pretty good guitar. The bridge is pretty bad. It might hold tune with light use. Do you plan on using the tremolo?
@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 im currently rocking a squier strat and no i don't really use it very often, so i guess it's not that big of an issue. Still I don't want to buy the JS32T
@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 also, ive been a fan on flying v’s for a long time and tried this one in a music store and fell in love with the feeling i got while playing it. I love the neck’s and the body’s shapes. Do you think i should wait and buy myself a KVXMG when i can afford it, or go and get this one?
@@meumeel8461 that's a tough question. There are so many factors to consider. If you buy the JS32 then you can always upgrade the parts later as you earn more money. The tuners are a cheap replacement. Replacing the bridge would be more expensive, but definitely worth it if you plan on using the tremolo. The pickups exceeded my expectations. Probably the last thing I'd worry about replacing (and could also be the most expensive component to upgrade). If you do buy one, make sure the seller accepts returns.
Is this video still relevant today? I mean, I thought of getting one (JS32 V snow-white) But this video is breaking my heart. So, just wanted to make sure if it's still relevant. If it still is, and Jackson didn't improve on this model, than I'll go for other guitars🤘🏿
I'm not sure how to answer your question. I don't know if Jackson has improved upon the model. My guess is not. The JS Series is still made in China, as far as I know. And they are probably still using the same cheap ass hardware. If you have a guitar center nearby, try to play one, or at least some JS model. Or buy one from a seller that has a return policy.
@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 cool. Thanks man! By the way, what would be your suggestion for guitars for metal under same price range as this? You might have a pretty good idea of various guitars.
Found this on the marketplace for 195 usd... I dont like this model i would prefer js32t but for this money i think its worth it to have the first king v
I think that's a great deal. I'd take that deal. This model has gone up in price since I made the video. Plus, you could always install a trem-blocker to keep the bridge stable (if you don't plan on using the tremolo bar).
@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 thanks! I feel much better now. Ive also checked the price of the new one in our local store jumped to 430 usd (for payment in installments). 😱
it's funny you say toy i have a jackson ke3 from 2006 and its a mean ass guitar it breaks my back and im only 18 its so heavy the paint feels so nice and just my go to guitar but i got a esp ltd v300 for almost 500 and its heavy but a bit light and it kinda feels like a toy but sometimes it doesn't haha
That's odd about your tuners maybe bad batch I still have stock tuners I play extremely hard they stay in tune literally for a day or two sometimes a week maybe I'm lucky ? Or I did a good setup
Mike From Blood of the Wolf thanks man the only problem I have is that they are very corroded I live in pa it's not even that humid so I want to get some Grover 6in line minis
@@dylanvogel4503 that's very strange. I've never had corrosion on my tuners, even after touring. Gotoh makes excellent tuners, usually around $40, and they are a direct replacement.
Mike From Blood of the Wolf I'll check em out way cheaper then Grover also I get the whole instrument wet by the time I'm done playing my theory is it's from sweaty fingers it happen to all my tuners and hardware I play my Jackson so much to the point where my bridge is getting a groove where my hand I think it's kinda neat to be honest
When i saw this video first time, i was disappointed about js series and solved to cancel buing this guitar. But i've thought about abilities to improving it and have decided to buy at last and buy improvments at the same time. You video was very helpfull, thank you for this review. Sorry fo my english)
@@danhogarth7913 I'd recommend the JS32T over this model. With a fixed bridge, you can easily change tunings and string guages which is great for beginners, because you're going to want to learn songs and experiment with different tunings. Plus, if you do have tuning stability issues, replacing the tuners and maybe the bridge will be relatively cheap and easy.
i wanna add my experiences the tone was meh to ok the floyd was horrible playability good (ofc is Jackson) built quality ok but not good. Btw i am a huga Jackson fan and adore my modded js32t kelly
Mike From Blood of the Wolf yes .. it’s pretty awesome without Floyd Rose .. I use to play when I was 16 to19 I quit and I’m 30 now and decided to start again .. I think it’s pretty solid guita to to start with I just got it today can’t put it down 😆
Can I ask you something .? So I’m waiting for katana 100 Artist amp to come in and I want to also get Boss metal mt2 switch .. should I get it .. Because I know Katana already has pretty good distortion available..
I would recommend saving your money for an X Series model. If you absolutely can't afford an X Series, then I'd get the JS32T, not the model with the Floyd Rose.
@@mikefrombloodofthewolf7076 Yes an actual ESP not LTD. I was going to buy it but when I went to get it, it was gone 🤬. When I showed up for band practice he had bought it!
shit i just bought one from sweetwater....now being yours is a pile of crap and mine being sent through the mail its gonna get beat down to a giant turd.....guess i will send the shit show of a guitar back and spend more cash on something better....army drab green with black hardware gotta say she looed dressed to kill......
I'm a total guitar noob, and I've only played on an Aria before this. I'm looking for a fairly entry-level guitar, and I really want this Jackson V just because it looks sick (I play hard rock, leaning into metal mostly). Would you recommend getting this guitar? Or a Jackson at all? Is it a good one for beginners?
Great question. I had good luck with a JS32 Warrior I recently purchased, so there are good JS models out there. Do you want a Floyd Rose system? If not, I'd recommend the string through model, the JS32T, for a beginner. That way you can experiment with different tunings without having to re-setup the guitar. And a Floyd Rose equipped guitar is going to come with a learning curve.
