Jackson Dinky JS22 Review

After having the ESP EC10 for a while I decided that it was time to try something new. The first guitar I ever bought was strat style guitar and I wanted to try this style again.

Since I really liked the ESP brand I thought about getting the ESP M10. But, I decided that it was best to look at all my options. I looked at a variety of electric guitars including some with Floyd Rose tremolos. I came close to choosing the ESP M50 with a Floyd Rose tremolo. But I heard negative things about this type of tremolo system. So, I continued to look at a variety of guitars.

After completing my research I decided to get the Jackson Dinky JS22. At the time that I made the purchase, there were four colors available. The JS22 was available in satin black, metallic blue, metallic red, and snow white. I chose the satin black model.

Inside The Box

The Jackson Dinky JS22 includes an owner's manual, three allen wrenches, and a tremolo arm.

My Experience

I ordered the Jackson JS22 from Amazon but it came from Sam Ash. It was packaged well and it didn't have any flaws. It was in perfect condition.

Once it was out of the box I begin to test out my new guitar. First, I played it clean and then distorted using only the amp. I later added my multi-effects pedal and tried out a variety of effects.

After fully testing it out I discovered one thing. I discovered that I was disappointed in the JS22. The volume was weak, the strings didn't sound good, and I was disappointed with the overall sound. At this point the only thing I liked was the feel of the guitar.

But, because of the one characteristic that I liked, I was determined to make the guitar sound better. So, I went with the simplest solution first. I changed the factory strings. I chose Dean Markley nickel steel strings. It's my favorite brand and it's what I have been using with the ESP EC10.

After changing the strings I noticed an improvement. But, I still felt that things could be better. So, I decided to try the second simplest solution. I raised the height of the pickups. This is something that I learned about by reading the manual that I got with my ESP EC10.

Once I raised the height of the pickups I found that the volume was much better. But, I still wasn't 100% satisfied with the sound of the guitar. But, since I didn't know anything else to try I decided to look for more solutions.

After researching for a while I found an extra solution. I found that the screws (pole pieces) on the pickups could be adjusted. So, I raised the screws on the pickups. I decided to raise them to a height identical to the height of the screws on my ESP EC10. I decided to make them identical because I really like the sound of the pickups on the ESP EC10.

After adjusting the screws on the pickups I found that I was satisfied with the overall sound of the JS22. Before making these adjustments I thought that purchasing the Jackson JS22 was a big mistake. I no longer feel this way. It sounds clear when played on the clean setting and I like the way it sounds distorted. While researching for solutions I thought about changing the pickups. But, I no longer have a strong desire to do so.

Currently, I feel that the Jackson JS22 sounds even better than it did after completing the adjustments. But, this may be done to the pickups breaking in.

I raised the screws(pole pieces) as high as possible

Action On The Jackson

The ESP EC10 was my second guitar. Compared to my first guitar the action on the ESP EC10 was a whole lot better. I was able to get the action low without any problems. I was satisfied with the action on the ESP EC10.

With the Jackson JS22 things were different but better. With the JS22 I was surprised that the action was lower than the action on my ESP EC10. I was also surprised that I was able to get it even lower than it was when I first took it out of the box. I like low action and I was glad that I was able to achieve this with the Jackson JS22.

The Strings

Before making my final decision to purchase the JS22 I was hesitant to buy this guitar. The JS22 comes with 9 gauge strings and this was something that I wanted to stay away from. My first guitar had 9 gauge strings and I had to deal with frequent string breaks. After experiencing this I made sure that my next guitar had 10 gauge strings. This was something that I was able to accomplish with the ESP EC10. With the ESP EC10, I was able to go for months without any type of string problem. With my first guitar, I was dealing with string breaks at an annoying pace.

But, with the JS22 I was able to get the same results that I achieved with the ESP EC10. I removed the factory strings (as I mentioned earlier) and installed new strings on September 1, 2016. Since then I haven't had any string breaks. I have also never felt like any of my strings were going to break. It seems that the 9 gauge Dean Markley nickel steel strings or just as strong as their 10 gauge strings. I now feel satisfied and at ease with using 9 gauge strings.

Overall, I could have easily purchased another guitar or just switched to my preferred string gauge once I got this guitar. But, the Jackson JS22 caught my attention and it was easier to just give the 9 gauge strings a try. There are adjustments that have to be made when you switch from one string gauge to another.

The Tremolo

As I mentioned earlier I came close to purchasing a guitar with a Floyd Rose tremolo. But, I didn't like the negative things I read. Negatives things such as complex string changes that will sometimes require adjustments to be made to the whole tremolo system, not being able to change tunings easily, less sustain, all strings going out of tune when one breaks, and more complicated setups. But, despite these negatives, most agree that it's still worth having. Once you get past the setup process these types of tremolos will stay in tune very well. Plus the tremolo bar is capable of being pulled up in addition to being pushed down.

I chose the JS22 to avoid the negatives associated with the Floyd Rose tremolo systems. With the Jackson JS22, I can choose to use the tremolo or remove the arm and have a hardtail bridge. I can also install a more advanced two-point tremolo systems. The Hipshot tremolo and the Stetsbar are just two examples.

At the moment I have decided to use the tremolo system instead of removing the tremolo arm. So far I have loosened the claw to make it easier to press down. But, I rarely use the tremolo on the JS22. I only use it to test out the capabilities of this vintage tremolo system.

When it is used it does go out of tune. It's not always immediately but it does go out of tune. But, there are products that I am considering to help with this problem. One example is a product by Music Nomad called TUNE-IT. This and similar products are said to help keep a guitar in tune when the tremolo bar is being used.

The tremolo system on the Jackson JS22 has three springs. The tremolo arm just pops into place. It can be left loose or tightened. The adjustment screw for the tremolo arm is located slightly below it. The guitar has to be flipped over and the tremolo arm has to be completely pressed down to access it. The smallest allen wrench that is included with the guitar will be needed.

Location of tremolo arm adjustment screw

The Comfort Level Of The Jackson Dinky JS22

I really like the ESP EC10 but this guitar is more comfortable to play while sitting down. I feel that the neck sits at just the right height. It also has a slightly better overall feel and stays in place a little better. But, both are equally as comfortable during the rare times that I play standing up.

Does the Jackson Dinky JS22 stay in tune well?

Without using the tremolo the JS22 is about average when it comes to staying in tune. Sometimes I have to tune every day and sometimes I can go for about two days without tuning.

The Black Satin Finish

In the past, I would have never considered a guitar with a satin or black satin finish. I always looked for guitars with a gloss finish. But, after looking at the Jackson JS22 and other guitars with a black satin finish I changed my mind. I really like the look of this guitar and the others that I saw.

With the ESP EC10, I cleaned my guitar with Dunlop Formula 65 guitar cleaner. It's just one example of the many guitar cleaners for guitars with a gloss finish. With the Jackson JS22, I have to use something different. For the JS22 I have to use the all-purpose guitar detailer from Music Nomad. It's safe for matte and satin finish guitars. Plus, it has the added advantage of being able to be used on gloss finish guitars. I have used it a few times and I am satisfied with it. Overall, I don't have any regrets about purchasing the black satin version of the Jackson JS22.

Sound Samples

Below are sound samples of the Jackson Dinky JS22. I played a few riffs using my amp and multi-effects pedal.

Sound Samples:

Jackson Dinky JS22(Dean Markley Nickle Steel 9 gauge strings, pointless pick .58mm, recorded with Tascam DR-05, Fender Frontman 25R amp, Zoom G1 multi-effects pedal) 1. Clean with spring reverb (Fender Frontman 25R amp only) bridge, bridge and neck, neck. 2. Distortion (Fender Frontman 25R amp only) bridge, bridge, and neck, neck. 3. Extreme Distortion (Fender Frontman 25R amp and Zoom G1 multi-effects pedal) bridge, bridge, and neck, neck.

Features

• Rosewood fingerboard
• Basswood body (arch top)
• 1 piece bolt-on maple neck with graphite reinforcement scarf joint
• White neck binding
• 25.5 scale length
• 12” to 16” compound radius fingerboard
• 24 Jumbo frets
• Plastic string nut ( The Graph Tech Black TUSQ XL nut model PT-6643-00 will fit this guitar)
• 4 Bolt neck plate
• Pearloid sharkfin inlays
• Jackson high output humbucking neck and bridge pickups
• Black master volume and master tone controls
• Black 2 point fulcrum vintage tremolo
• Black Jackson sealed die-cast tuning machines
• Black dome style control knobs
• .009-.042 gauge strings

Overall

In the beginning, I liked the feel of the JS22, but I didn't like the overall sound. Changing the strings, raising the pickups, and adjusting the screws on the pickups made the sound much better. Doing those things made me feel completely satisfied with Jackson Dinky JS22.

Overall, I think that it's a guitar worth getting. It's comfortable to play, has good quality sound, and (like the ESP EC10 and others) parts can be added if you choose. 

Arlo Home Security Camera Review

About a year ago I decided that I needed to get new security cameras. Based on how they were performing I decided that I needed something better. My old cameras were starting to get a lot of interference and had bad picture quality. Both were 2.4GHz security cameras with antennas.

For the new cameras, I decided to choose Arlo. They are a brand of fairly new security cameras. Instead of being 2.4 GHZ cameras they are IP cameras.

My old 2.4 GHz security cameras minus one receiver

What are IP cameras?

IP cameras are cameras that require an internet connection to view various areas of your property. Like Arlo, some can be used inside and out.

Inside the box

If you decide to get Arlo security cameras you will first need the starter kit. With the starter kit you will get one base station and power adapter, one ethernet cable, one magnetic camera mount, one set of mounting screws, four batteries, a quick start guide, and a window decal.

Features

Arlo security cameras are completely wireless. They are powered by four CR123A batteries. They offer HD quality video and or weatherproof. They are also equipped with night vision.

They can be activated by motion and can send push notifications and emails when motion is detected. It's capable of sending these notifications any time of the day or night.

When motion is detected everything that is seen is recorded for a certain length of time. These recordings can be viewed later using the Arlo app or by PC using your Arlo account.

Extra Features

Along with being able to view recordings, live video can be viewed when logged into your Arlo app or Arlo account on your PC. Once logged in you can also make adjustments to various settings.

Motion sensitivity and length of recording time can be adjusted when logged in. Recording length can be set anywhere from 10 to 120 seconds. Motion sensitivity can be set anywhere from 0 to 100.

If you decide, you can choose not to have Arlo record anything at all. Motion detection can also be turned off.

This is also the area where you can choose whether or not you want push-notifications and email alerts. For email alerts I have it set up to only send alerts to only one of my email accounts. But, if I chose I can have it sent to more email accounts.

Video quality can also be adjusted. Video quality can be reduced or enhanced. I have mine set on the middle setting. I feel that this setting helps my batteries last longer. So far I am satisfied with the middle setting and I don't feel like the video quality has been diminished in any way.

After adjusting the video quality there is an option to turn night vision on or off. There is also an invert image option.

Before viewing the live video there are a few helpful indicators available. The first indicator is the motion icon. It indicates if anything is being detected and recorded. The second indicator is the WiFi icon. This shows the strength of your WiFi signal. The third indicator is the battery indicator icon. The fourth indicator is an icon that shows the number of recordings collected. The fifth indicator is the settings icon.

When you are ready to view live video, Arlo has options available that give you a certain amount of control.

When viewing the live video there are six buttons available. Pan and zoom, play/pause, record, snapshot, brightness, and resize or the options that are available. So far I have only used play/pause, record, pan and zoom, and resize. But, I feel that the others will probably be beneficial in the future.

My experience

So far I really like my security cameras. I also like that I can monitor areas of my property and view recordings in HD. My plan was to have at least two security cameras but I am now considering more.

The picture quality is very good and there is no interference. I also like the night vision feature. My old cameras had night vision but the quality was very poor. With these cameras, night vision is much better. I can see a decent amount of detail. With little to no outdoor lighting, visibility is good. But it's much better when lights are near the viewing area.

With these security cameras installation is easy. This is one of the biggest advantages of this camera system. As long as it is within range (up to 300 feet from the

hub/base station) it can be installed just about anywhere. These cameras can also be installed fairly quickly.

I have mounted my cameras on the outside. My original plan was to mount them indoors in my window frames, like my old cameras. But, I could never get a clear picture. Mounting my old security cameras inside worked fairly well but it didn't work well for these. Overall, I have found that for outdoor viewing mounting them outside is the best option for a clearer picture.

As I mentioned earlier, Arlo security cameras are weatherproof. So far I haven't had anything too severe. But, it's done well in various temperatures, heavy rains, and fairly strong winds.

I have also made an important discovery. I discovered that I can view a live video of my property when I am away from home. From time to time I will do this using my Arlo app on my smartphone. At first, I was not a 100% sure that I could do this with Arlo cameras. But, this discovery has given me more peace of mind.

These cameras have also helped me discover a few other things. The first discovery was simple and somewhat expected. From time to time(while watching live video and recordings) I have seen various animals such as dogs, cats, birds, etc searching around various areas of my property.

The second discovery was not expected. One of my cameras recorded one of my neighbor's friends in my back yard. Based on the recordings he was using my back yard as a short cut multiple times throughout the day. I have seen this person before but I didn't know them personally. I also didn't give this person permission to walk on my property. After this experience, I was glad that I purchased these cameras. I also installed a fence to stop the problem.

Battery Life

As I mentioned earlier, Arlo requires four CR123A batteries. My cameras came with Energizer CR123A batteries. But, I am currently using the SureFire brand.

I can get about six months (depending on settings and viewing time) out of these batteries. It's a decent amount of time and I am enjoying the fact that I don't have to frequently change the batteries.

Will rechargeable batteries work on Arlo security cameras?

Rechargeable batteries will work with Arlo security cameras. But, they will not last as long as non-rechargeable batteries.

I have tried this (before finally selecting the SureFire batteries) hoping to have an advantage but I have found them to be somewhat of a disadvantage. It caused me to change/charge the batteries every month (or less) instead of every six months. I was saving money but it caused me to change/charge the batteries sooner than I would have liked. But, I may have been able to tolerate this if my cameras were easier to access and indoors.

What about sound?

The security cameras that I purchased don't have sound. But, weeks before I wrote this post I got an email mentioning that there is an advanced model available. The newer model is called the Arlo pro. It has two-way audio to listen in and talk back.

How fast does my internet connection have to be to use Arlo security cameras?

You have to at least have 1Mbps to use Arlo security cameras. A computer or smartphone can be used. I sometimes use a combination of the two.

Plans available

With Arlo, there are three plans available. These plans are basic, premier, and elite. With the basic plan you get 7 days (up to 1GB) of cloud storage, limited support up to 3 months and the ability to use up to 5 cameras. The basic plan is free.

With the premier plan, you will get up to 30 days (up to 10GB) of cloud storage, unlimited support, and the ability to add up to 10 cameras. It cost $9.99 a month or $99 a year.

With the elite plan, you will get 60 days (up to 100GB) of cloud storage, unlimited support, and the ability to use up to 15 cameras. It cost $14.99 a month or $149 a year.

Overall

Overall I am glad I got these cameras. They have been very helpful and have given me more peace of mind. They are higher priced than others but I feel that they are worth it. I have no regrets about purchasing these cameras. If you are looking for HD security cameras with advanced features, and easy/quick installation Arlo security cameras would be a wise choice.

Base station

       Photos are taken from my PC

Night vision with all outdoor lights on

Night Vision with corner light out

                    Recording from live video