The Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro Short-Scale Bass Guitar is designed for someone looking for a smaller guitar that doesn’t look and feel like a toy. It is compact enough for someone who wants something to use on the tour bus where there is no luxury of space.
The bass guitar measures 42 x 17 x 4 inches and weighs 8.4 pounds. If you want a carry case, you can always buy this separately. This is the instrument aimed at someone looking for a product which is affordable while at the same time providing value.
If you have been disappointed by other short scale basses that give you limited possibilities when it comes to tone, you may want to try the Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro Short-Scale Bass Guitar and see the difference it makes. Considering that this is not a high-end product, the tone you get is decent, and its tuners and other hardware also works just fine.
The small neck plays fast while having a smooth feel to it. This will especially work for someone with small hands. It will also be great for teaching young children to play bass guitar.
- Fast, slim Maple neck
- Compact, light-weight Body
- Dynamic P pickup
Table of Contents
Features
Some of the features of the Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro Short-Scale Bass Guitar include the following.
- Instrument weighs 8.4 pounds
- Product dimensions are 42 x 17 x 4 inches
- Carry case can be purchased separately
- Neck dimensions GRSM 4, 28.60″
- Knobs manufactured from metal
- Short scale bass: 726mm/28.6″
- Comes with the tools required to adjust the truss rod, bridge, and a user manual
- Bass is passive
- B10 bridge
Pros
- Affordable yet does not have the toy feel you get from other guitars coming at the same price
- Lightweight and compact enough to be carried around so that you can practice wherever you are
- The size of the instrument accommodates shorter fingers which make it an ideal instruments for young children
- Easier to play, making it an ideal instrument for someone still learning how to play bass guitar
Cons
- Pickup height screws tend to misalign after a few days of use
- The guitar has some rough edges on the fret ends close to the neck
- Bridge pick-up can be noisy possibly due to the fact that the pick-up is passive
- While useful, the manual comes with some mistakes and omissions
Summary
The Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro Short-Scale Bass Guitar is a decent and affordable product. It is compact enough for someone who travels a lot.
The instrument is also ideal for someone looking for a guitar to be used by children or by an adult with small hands. It is also easy to play, making it the ideal instrument for someone who wants to learn how to play bass or practice.
If you want a case to keep the guitar safe when you travel, you can buy one separately.
The guitar may need adjustment on the bridge and neck. The tools you need to do this are included with your new guitar.
The instrument can be a little small for some amps. The manual you will get with the instrument is useful but you may notice that it has some mistakes and could also have missing information. Another problem is that the tuning keys can be a little rough at times making it difficult to tune your guitar.
However, this is not a big issue as the guitar is okay on the overall. For an instrument of this price, it does most of the stuff that is expected of it.
Comparison
We looked through the market to see if there were other products we could compare the Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro to and found the Dean HILLSBOROJRCBK Hillsboro Junior 3/4- 4-Strings Bass Guitar. The Darn Hillsboro Junior is much cheaper.
It is also the bass guitar that will work for someone looking for an instrument to be used by children. Just like the Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro, it is suitable for someone with smaller fingers and hands or a guitarist who wants to occasionally switch to bass.
At 30″, the scale is much smaller when compared to the 34″ or 35″ you will find n standard electric bases. This may compromise the tone.
Another product you can look at is the Dean E09M Edge Mahogany Electric Bass Guitar. Compared to the Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro, this bass guitar will cost you more but it still remains in the affordable range. Its body is contoured so that you have increased comfort when you are playing the instrument.
Like the Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro, the pickup on the Dean E09M Edge is also passive. If you enjoy all things vintage, you will love the way this guitar looks. It features basswood construction while the top layer is made from mahogany. It has a way of letting those who see you using it know that you are sophisticated.
Verdict
On the overall, we can easily recommend the Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro Short-Scale Bass Guitar. It will especially be appreciate by someone looking for an instrument that is not too bulky and can easily be used by someone who travels a lot.
It will also work well if you want to use it for training children how to use a bass guitar. Adults will small hands or the elderly will also find it useful as it is lightweight and easy to play.
As long as you remember that this is an affordable entry level product, you will realize that it is good value for money. Like all products in this price range, it does have its own issues like height screws that tend to misalign and some adjustment screws that can become cranky over time.
The bridge pickup can become noisy at times. We don’t think that these are deal breakers. On the overall, we think that the flexibility you get in terms of tone on this instrument is superior to others in the same class.
If you are a new player, go for it. If you have been doing this type of thing for something and need something different, you can also try this one.