Are Jackson Dinky Guitars Good? – Is The Small Body For You?

Last Updated on November 26, 2022 by Teemu Suomala

Compact body, stunning looks, and most of the time, affordable price(except Pro Serie Dinky’s) can seem really tempting… But are Dinky’s any good?

I have played most of the currently available Dinky’s, exceptions being, most Pro Series, and 7-String models. So basically I have played all the cheap ones…But I made a ton of research about more expensive Dinky’s too!

In this post, I reveal my own experiences and the results of my research. And you will definitely get an answer to your question, “are Jackson Dinky guitars good”.

Let’s get started!

Author: Teemu Suomala

I first grabbed the guitar in 2009. I started this website in January 2020 because I couldn’t do window installation anymore due to my health problems. I also noticed that most guitar websites don’t do a really good job, so I decided to just go for it! I got lucky and managed to get awesome people to help me with my website. I also got lucky because I have you visiting my website right now. Thank you. I do all this for you guys. If you have any recommendations, tips, or feedback, just leave a comment, I would love to chat with you. I have been fortunate to produce content for several large guitar websites, such as Songsterr, Musicnotes, GuitarGuitar, and Ultimate Guitar. I spend my spare time exercising and hanging out with my wife and crazy dog(I guess that went the right way…).

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Are Jackson Dinky Guitars Good?

Quick answer: Jackson Dinky guitars are great metal machines. Based on my own experience, they offer mean tones, look stunning, and have fast and comfortable playability. With cheaper models, some finish issues can be present, but most of the time the quality is good too.

What’s Good?

• Models available with Floyd Rose, Tremolo, Fixed, and Evertune bridge.
• Jackson’s “Speed” neck is really fast playing (most 7-string models have Thin U-neck shape)
• Comfortable playability
• A tad smaller body (7/8) fits some players well (me)
• Most of the models have compound fretboard radius
• Really mean tones
• Can handle other stuff than metal too
• Most of the time even the cheap guitars have a great setup out of the box (cheap Jackson JS22 Dinky I tested had)
• Some lefty models are available too

I’ll dive deeper into a couple of the most important factors.

Speed Neck and Compound Radius

The speed neck shape is really comfortable to me, it’s a mix of C and D really. It has similar roundness to C but has a bit larger shoulders, as the D has. The neck feels fast and is smooth(usually a satin finish).

When you pair this with a compound radius, you got some extra comfort in your hands. With compound radius, the fretboard has more curve close to the nut and less when you move down the fretboard. This makes playing chords and riffs easy when riffing near the nut, but when you move down the fretboard and are ready to shred, you have a flat fretboard that got’s your back.

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Really Mean Tones

From Jackson High Output Humbuckers (stock pickups found on cheap models) to Seymor Duncans to Fishman Fluence(active) pups, mean tones are guaranteed. Dinky’s are made for metal. If you are not after mean tones, then Dinky’s are probably not your cup of tea.

Check a sound demo I recorded with Jackson JS22 Dinky ($199) and Roland Micro Cube GX ($169):

Also check this sound demo where you can see more expensive Dinky (around $1400) played(the model is Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT6. It’s my favorite from the Pro Serie Dinky’s, but I don’t like the headstock shape):

What Flaws/Cons Can Be Present?

Dinky guitars are not perfect. Here’s the downside:

• Especially cheap models can have finish issues (sharp fret edges, blemishes on the fretboard, etc.)
• Bad setup sometimes
• Not the most versatile (made for metal)
• If you want Dinky with active pickups, you most likely have to spend over $1k
• A tad smaller body can feel alien to some players

What Features Do Jackson Dinky Guitars Offer?

Let’s look at what kind of features different Jackson Dinky guitars have when we compare differently priced models:

Price symbol meaning:

$= 150-300 Dollars

$$= 301-799 Dollars

$$$= 800-1200 Dollars

$$$$= 1201-1899 Dollars

$$$$$= 1900- Dollars

So there’s an abundance of different Dinky models to choose from. Most of the cheap ones seem to have Jackson High Output Humbuckers, but Pro Series have models with different pickup options (Seymor Duncan, Fishman Fluence).

FAQ

What Does Jackson JS Dinky Mean?

Dinky – Dinky means “small”. It refers to the body, which is 7/8 the size of a standard Superstrat body.

Is Jackson Dinky Good for Metal?

Yes, they are. Jackson Dinky’s are made for metal. They can handle lighter stuff too, like rock, classic rock, blues, etc. So you can basically play anything with Dinky’s (maybe not the best fit for Country), but metal is their bread and butter.

If you would like to get more metal guitar options to choose from, check our other articles about metal axes:

• 5 Best Metal Guitars for Beginners
• 5 Best Thrash Metal Guitars
• 5 Best Metal Guitars Under 500

Who Jackson Dinky Guitars Are Good For?

I have already talked about all the features and benefits, but in a nutshell: Jackson Dinky’s are great for metalheads who want mean tones, plus comfortable and easy/fast playability

Are Jackson Dinky Guitars Small?

The body of the dinky guitar is 7/8 the size of a standard Superstrat body.

Are Cheap Jackson Dinky Guitars Good for Beginners?

I have played all the cheap Dinky guitars except the 7-string models. I even had Jackson JS22 Dinky in my home testing. 

Based on my experience, yes. Cheap and budget Jackson Dinky guitars are good for beginners. Especially if you are a beginner metalhead.

Where Are Jackson Dinky Guitars Made?

• Cheapest Dinky Guitars (JS-Series) are made in China.
• X-Series are made in Indonesia
• Pro Series are made either in Mexico or Korea
• Jackson MJ Series are made in Japan
• Jackson USA Select Dinky DK1 is made in USA

How do Cheap Jackson Dinky Models compare to Other Cheap Guitars?

Really well. Jackson JS22 Dinky I tested had top-notch playability, tuning stability, and tones when compared to others at the same price range. It had a couple of little finish issues, but other than that it was great. Find more about my test from this article: 5 Best Electric Guitars Under $200

How Long is Jackson Dinky?

I measured the Jackson JS22 Dinky I tested recently:

• Length: 38.97”(99cm)
• It had 24 frets
• 25.5” scale-length
• Length of the neck: 25.27” (64.2cm)
• Width of the body: 12.4” (31.5cm)
• Weight: 7.05lbs (3.2kg)

Are Jackson Dinky’s Easy to Play?

To me, they are. The “speed” neck shape, a bit smaller body size, and compound radius(in most models) make playing really comfortable and easy. And even on the cheap models I have tested, the edges of the frets, fretboard, and neck were smooth. I value all these qualities and that’s why playability is probably the thing I love the most about Dinky guitars.

Conclusion on Are Jackson Dinky Guitars Good

Jackson Dinky’s are not for everyone, but they for sure are fast playing and mean-sounding guitars. ⅞  body size, might feel weird to some, but to me, that’s only a plus(I’m an average-sized guy). And even the cheaper Dinky models offer solid quality and are really upgradeable too. I’m looking forward to testing more Dinky guitars in the future!

Hopefully this article helped you out, if you have any questions just leave a comment.

I wish you all the best and keep rocking!

Teemu