Ibanez Gio Mikro bass Review (Honest Opinion)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.ค. 2021
- My honest review of the Ibanez Gio Mikro bass. Should you buy the Ibanez Gio Mikro bass? In this video I give you some reasons that might help make your decision.
Ibanez Gio Mikro Review (Honest Opinion)
Instagram: @davemurraybass
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I have one of these. It’s amazing what it can do and how playable it is. The reason I bought it, which is not one of the reasons you listed, is because I have back problems. This bass is really light and I don’t have to do much reaching for the lower frets, which really saves my back. Thanks for the video!
Hi Chris, thats an excellent point! Another benefit to add to the list.
wow I'm also looking at this type of guitar, thanks for letting us know about your back problems hehe I also do have back problems, so no doubt I will be getting this when I have the money. Thanks!
Thanks for that. I have a severe back problem and I can't play my Music Man bass as it is too heavy for my spine. I'm looking for something that is specifically light thats why I'm looking for this bass.
Good to know!! I found a brand new one for $170 and have pretty bad back problems, was worried it would be too heavy
I’m a pro player and recently bought this bass in the weathered black color.
This bass is an absolute blast to play and I’ve even used it on a few paying gigs, my full scale bass’s are now collecting dust.
I’m currently waiting for delivery of the 5 string version of this Mikro bass,, that 5 string Mikro could end up being my main gigging bass.
Cheers, Davyo
Yes Davyo, its a bass that defo overdelivers
I've been waiting for my pre ordered Mikro 5 string too. They said they should be in by end of Sept early Oct? I think it will be worth the wait:). I bought the Sterling by Musicman short scale stingray (white with RW) back in April and fell in love with it. So decided to look for a SS 5 string and decided on this little Ibanez:)
@@la196 we have much in common, I recently purchased two of the Sterling Stingray short scale bass’s, one white and the other blue, which I immediately had painted matte black, it looks totally awesome in matte black with the maple fret board.
And yes, the delivery of Ibanez bass’s are all on back order, the dates I’m hearing from all the online dealers is around the first or second week of October, although Musicians Friend/Guitar Center does has some 5 string Mikro’s in stock but those are the ones made last year.
I’m waiting for the newer stock Mikro’s in hopes that Ibanez could possibly have made some improvements on their already great short scale Mikro bass’s (perhaps better tuners and a easier to intonate bridge would be welcome upgrades)
This long waiting time does suck though Lori.
@@la196 very odd, I wrote you a reply message about a new color of Sterling SS bass being offered and also about a Facebook group I recently joined that is for owners of Ibanez Mikro bass’s,,,,, but that message is not showing, perhaps it was removed by TH-cam because of my mention of Facebook and me mentioning my name on Facebook,,, very odd that my previous message from a few hours ago is no longer showing. Anyhow, check the Mikro Bass FB group out.
I’m pretty easy to find on the Mikro Bass group if want to hit me with a friend request.
Excellent, clear, detailed and well-explained information + demo. Spot on. 10/10.
Thank you for the shot of it between a Strat and a P Bass, this is probably the single best size reference for it on the whole internet.
Thank you. As a guitarist, when my 12 year old daughter asked to start bass, I had no clue where to start. Took a lot of research but I ended up buying one of these. Actually I'm waiting for it right now. It's on the way. You just eased my mind that I bought the right bass for her for the right reason.
I have been using this same bass for about 2 years now and I still love it... I am primarily a guitar player and have small hands so to me this bass is extremely easy to play. It sounds good, stays in tune pretty well and the frets were also pretty well made in mine... no sharp edges or anything. The only issue I had was with the bridge which I had to change because it got rusty and almost unusable pretty quickly, but other than that this little bass is surprisingly good for what it costs.
Thanks for checking out the video! Was your bridge chrome?
@@HowToBass No it was the black bridge... not sure why it got so rusty and pretty much broke down
I got one for the same reason but really didn't get on well with it because the E string was just too floppy. Sounded great. Felt great otherwise but the E string problem is a deal breaker for me. Ended up getting a full size Sire Jazz Bass which weighs twice as much but just feels more like a proper bass.
To the point no nonsense video. Very unusual!
Thanks
I bought one in April this year and I'm in love with it.
Beautifully made, awesome short scale boomy sound, a pleasure to play.
Nobody seems to pick up on how Ibanez mirrored the split coil neck pick-up for more clarity on the low strings and more warmth on the high ones.
Something that probably really matters on a bass this short.
It shows Ibanez didn't just churn out a budget bass for kids.
Thats an excellent point Bruno. I think Ibanez are an underrated brand. Particularly when it comes to affordable basses.
I've watched and read a lot about these basses & literally no-one mentions this. To me it makes a lot of sense to avoid the dreaded tinny high notes.
I have one of these and I love it! I'm a guitar player who decided to take up bass as well. I'm used to the size of a guitar and, being older, I have some arthritis in my hands. I would not be able to stretch my fingers to play a full sized bass. This bass is the answer - very comfortable and it sounds great!
I bought a purple one for my 8 yr old daughter. It is her first bass and it is the perfect size and weight.
Start them early on the bass! Good work.
Due to age, and arthritis I switched to these great basses years ago. Made one a fretless and have played for years with no issues. Also switched out the strings to nylon tape wound on the fretless, and flat wound on the fretted. Everything else stock and working well 5 years now...I did do fret work on fretted bass...The factory fret job was poor, but at the then price of $169...They are a hit.
Hi. What brand of flatwound fit this bass?
Wow! Looks fantastic! Great video 👍
Cheers!!
As you touched on, I play guitar in one band and bass in another. I was looking for a bass that felt closer to how my guitars feel instead of a full size bass. This one worked perfect for that.
Plus, I'm 60 years old now and retired. I gig pretty heavily. Having experienced a back injury several years ago, I also need lighter instruments. Heavier ones cause lower back pain as the show progresses. I experience no back pain with this bass.
And, also as you too pointed out, I was amazed by the tone. I did notice a difference in volume across the four strings, but I fixed that nicely and added extra warmth and consistency across all notes on the fretboard by using an Electro-Harmonix Platform compressor. It is the best compressor I've found.
I also use a Radial JDI direct box and perform ampless. The sound is pure and warm with plenty of punch that you hear and also feel. Since I mix from stage, I simply use my monitor wedge to hear the bass. This works extremely well. And less heavy gear means less back strain.
And both of my bands are 3 piece bands. Believe me, I wouldn't use this bass if it couldn't pull it's weight in providing the fullness needed to fill out the sound in a 3 piece band.
Looking to buy a bass and this was helpful.
Mine is on it's way, supposed to arrive today! I'm a guitar player for 25 years, but never owned a bass - just fiddled with them here and there when chilling at Guitar Center, lol, or maybe at a buddy's house. I always felt that it came to me much more naturally than guitar ever did, and I'm looking at the window every time a truck goes by hoping it's the bass, so I can rip the box open and get on down to it!
Hi Joe, did the bass arrive yet? How is it?
@@HowToBasshe's busy abusing that bass
I don't have much love for Ibanez basses or for short scale basses, but I was actually quite impressed with one of these when I picked it up. Also, this model of bass helped me figure out that I like the reverse P / J pickup configuration.
Finally a good video review from someone who can actually play. Thanks
I have had a black one since 2013, originally bought it so I could play Lead bass easier and faster with the short scale, this morphed into 3 octave lead bass using the bottom 4 guitar strings on it and a Micro Pog pedal, this led to a record contract for my band Malleus. How ever I broke my back in 2016 not knowing I had Myeloma (bone marrow cancer). It causes brittle bones so the lack of weight is a definite bonus. It now has bass strings back on it and in use with my present band as a proper bass. thoroughly recommend this bass too!
Hi Andro, really sorry to hear about your health problems. Glad to hear you're playing in a band again!
I wish you a fast recovery.
Sorry about your illness. All the best, anyway! Keep playing!
I was looking at these to record tracks with so I won’t have to use the midi anymore. Figured it’d sound better with a real bass instead of a computerized one. These seem nice yet cheap enough for someone with my intended uses.
I'm considering buying one of these basses because my left arm doesn't rotate as far as it should, sometimes I can have trouble stretching my arm and fingers to hit certain frets. Figured a smaller guitar neck would help with that
I have a fender bass that costs 3 times more than this one but also is 3 times heavier, has thicker neck and is in general too big. This thing is so comfortable to play, i love it!
Could you do a vid demo of just strictly the bass in action? That’d be cool! Beautiful bass & color options
I'll see what I can do!
I have one. Switched out stock tuning machines to Gotoh. And put in Geezer Butler EMGs. It’s nice
Quite happy with mine. Bought it because the regular size PJ bass I had, was making my shoulder sore after a while. This bass doesn't bother that shoulder and sounds just fine :-) Also handy that it fits into a guitar gig bag and is light to carry around :-)
Thats a great point and another reason to own this bass. Thanks for checking out the video!
Could you please find out
the weight of this bass?
Very helpful review. Thank you. Are you able to tell me please how it balances on a strap. Does it have the typical short scale bass neck dive?
I'm a regular 6-string guitar player and saw one of these wee little guys on the wall at the music shop today and took it for a test drive. It was a blast to play and and didn't feel completely foreign to me like a full scale base. It felt similar to my Stratocaster in size and playability. Might have to get one of these just for the fun factor. Great little bass for regular guitar players that might need to lay down a bass track on a home studio recording project.
What amp do you recommend for this bass?
@@tvnawmayn9320 I don't know much about bass amps being a regular guitar player, but I think any of the standard go-to amps that bass players love would work fine.
@tossedpenny That's exactly what I am looking for. I'm a lefty, so I don't get to try shit out before I buy it. How did it play as far as like fret buzz, string height, sound, and all that?
@@UndeadBoogie I went back and purchased it. The string height was really low and buzzing on three strings so I adjusted the saddle heights and it plays perfectly now. The intonation was dead nuts accurate on all 4 strings which surprised me, didn't have to make any adjustments there. Being a short scale bass it has a really dark and deep bass tone vs a full size bass which allows more harmonic textures ring out. I can easily blend the bridge and neck pickups and tweak the tone knob and get a good tone that fits just fine in my mixes. I put it next to my strat and they're the same size. It actually fits perfectly in my strat gig bag with a little wriggle room left. It's fun to play and definitely worth a look for consideration as a regular guitar player in need of a bass.
@@tossedpenny Thank you for taking the time to respond. I am going to go ahead and get one. I do a bit of home recording and I sequence my bass as of now. It's ok, but it would be much easier to just play it when i need it. I have no desire to be a bass player though so I think this is going to be perfect.
Thanks for the video. I've just bought one of these and although I'm a guitarist that's new to the bass , I like it even though I cannot compare it to any other bass. Have changed the strings to Ernie Ball flat wounds and as I found there was too much string for the posts I cut off most of the coloured lead trace. Is that the right thing to do? Are there shorter length strings for a short scale length bass?
Hi Derek, yes there are shorter/thicker strings for short scale basses. The flatwound versions are a bit harder to come by.
Hey man, awesome video - where did you get that colorway from, or what is its exact model number?
I seem to only find the WK (weathered black) or glossy black version...
I love short scale / Mikro basses. At 5'7 in height, they are the perfect length for me.
Great video, thanks! For someone about to buy a bass guitar for the first time.. do you think learning on a mikro bass would impair your ability to then switch to a full size bass and still be able to play the same licks and songs without issue?
Hi Daniel, thanks for watching! That's a good question. I don't think it would have that much of an impact. There will probably be a short period where you get used to the larger fret spacing but that won't last too long.
You could consider a standard 30.5" SS or a 32# mid-scale. You will notice a difference though. A standard 34" makes you slider your hands up and down a lot more. It does take getting used to but at least then you'll learn the notes and how to play.
Reason #4. It's so fun to play. And from a distance I look like a really huge dude. People are like man that bass looks so little on him 😆
I JUST walked through the door with mine!!!! I am pleasantly surprised actually. She can get pretty low.
Did you replace the chrome hardware? If you did, what tuners and bridge did you go with? Thank you.
I really like my MiKro Lefty.
I did not. If I was going to, I would probably use Hipshot Ultralites.
I wish they would offer more than just the black in the 5 string mikro.
Hi ! Awesome playing and demo 👍. I am 51 and play guitar since 30 years and want to try the bass....Which one is better between the short scale and mezzo scale Ibanez bass ? Thanks for your answer and help. Kind regards from France 🇫🇷
I haven't played the mezzo but that seems to be somewhere inbetween the short scale and longer scale basses. If I remember correctly, its a 33 inch scale which is closer to a regular bass. The timbre changes the shorter the scale so if you want a fuller tone the longer scales are better imo. The smaller ones are easier to play. The ibanez mikro is so small its almost like a guitar.
@@HowToBass , thanks a lot! So the Mikro is too small for you ?
Just purchased one of these and I am very pleased with it. I feel the action is a bit high. Not sure how the bridge works to lower the action. Any help would be much appreciated.
Hi Roger, the best thing you can do to lower the action is adjust the trust rod which can be accessed via a sliding panel on the headstock. You can lower the saddles on the bridge with an alan key. There are two on each saddle directly on top. Hope this helps.
@@HowToBass many thanks
en q página puedo encarga un bajo Ibáñez mikro?????
If you have a bad back like me, this is also great for it's lighter weight.
Reason number 4 is that purple pretty color
is this the weathered black finish? thanks for the vid!
Yes
Is this recommended for a serious playing? I'm starting a band with my good buddies, and we agreed to take things seriously. The bassist is a guitarist-turn-to-bassist who struggled to reach the frets of a bass.. Will this be good & okay for gigging (or even professional use) after component upgrades?
I've gigged with it and it did ok. Its not my first choice but for someone who struggles with the full size bass, its a good choice. It sounds surprisingly good for a super short scale. Another choice for a smaller bass would be a fender mustang.
Ibanez basses have the catchiest names.
Roles off the tongue doesn't it.
They sound like the Terminator name
I'm staring bass lessons soon so i'm thinking of buying this bass. I'm a Robert Trujillo fan so can it be the good bass for me ?
He plays quite aggressively so for this reason I'd recommend a longer scale. Check out the ibanez sr300 instead.
I have one I put quarter pounders semore duncan pickups in it...
how does it sound?
Can you share the link to the place you got it? Just curious because I cannot find the dark fretboard
I think it was here....
www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Ibanez-GSRM20B-GIO-miKro-Bass-Walnut-Flat/298K
Was a while back now though
the Bass looks great maybe you could sent a sound sample? reg. Harald
I just ordered one of these, and like another viewer, it's for health reasons. I'm weakened after a heart attack, and this bass will be much easier to handle.
I recently got gifted one of these, it’s my first ever bass! I’m so excited but I don’t have a cord to plug it into an amp, and no where does it say any sizes for the cords I’d buy, could anyone help?
You want a 1/4 inch jack instrument cable
que escala tiene?
Would this be a good first bass?
I'm 5'1 so I have small hands.
Yeah I think this bass would be ideal. It sounds amazing for the size.
Didn't know that "gorgeous" and "portable" could be used to define the same instrument.
I'm still getting use from mine! Love this bass.
This or the sr300?
I tried an SR300 the other day and I was quite impressed. You also get active pickups. If you're looking for an active full size (34 inch scale) bass then its a great option. The main difference with the Mikro is the size. It will feel a lot smaller, and its passive.
@@HowToBass what do you recommend for someone that knows nothing about music out of these two the mikro or the 300?
Buy a Gretsch