The Weigh-Up: Jackson X Series Signature Scott Ian King V “Baldini" (Gear Review)
Created as a tribute to his late friend, the legendary ‘Dimebag’ Darrell Abbott, Scott Ian’s newest signature model with Jackson Guitars might be his most eye-catching, and sentimental, to date. The new X Series Signature Scott Ian King V - or more colloquially, the Baldini - is the latest creation between the Anthrax/Mr Bungle axeman and Jackson. With the pairing having 35 years of history together, the Baldini is perhaps the highlight of Jackson’s new mid-level X Series range, designed to give the player a hell of an instrument at a wallet-friendly price point.
There’s no denying it; this guitar will turn heads. The Baldini - Dimebag’s jovial nickname for Ian - is an eye-catcher, with it’s Dime Slime green/yellow burst going together nicely with the very metal aesthetics of the King V shape. Even the neck pickup’s zebra colour scheme is a subtle nod to Dime - all it’s missing is a KISS sticker near the bridge. But of course it’s not just the looks that make this a variable metal weapon. The in-house Jackson pickups punch well above their weight - with the bridge model an absolute fire breather, perfect for both chugging riffs and wide-open chords. It’s sibling in the neck, while perhaps not as likely to get used, cleans up well and handles leads with ease. Aftermarket pickups coming standard with instruments is always going to be something guitar nerds will ask for, but Jackson should be very happy with the quality of their in-house pickups.
The flying V shape makes it an absolute breeze to hit the highest notes across all six strings. The Baldini’s neck radius is very comfortable - not paper thin, but it’s more than easy to fly around without a moment's hesitation or hindrance. Fantastic for both heavy riffing and expressive and fast soloing, the maple neck with a rosewood fretboard is always a winning combination. The nyatoh body also delivers great sustain, and gives the instrument a well balanced weight - not too heavy, but it feels like you’ve got a serious weapon strapped to you, especially when standing up and laying down the law.
The Baldini, like the rest of the X Series line, is created in the Indonesian Jackson factory. The action felt good straight from the box, with just a slight tune up required. The quality control isn’t perfect though; with a little bit of sloppy paint work on the back, and a couple of the machine head screws both not flush and angled correctly. Nothing that will affect your playing, but worthy of note nonetheless. The Floyd Rose - a new addition to Scott Ian King V series - is great for dive-bombs and Dime-esque screaming harmonics. It holds up well, but perhaps it may be worth upgrading some of the Floyd Rose’s components if you intend to lay waste to the whammy bar regularly.
The new X Series Signature Scott Ian King V Baldini is a fantastic metal machine that stands above it’s price tag. It’s the in-house parts that keep the costs down, but they are in no way a cheap-out compromise; the smokin’ pickups in particular being one of the highlights of the Baldini. Scott Ian and Jackson have both managed to keep their rock-solid partnership moving forward with another fantastic addition to the Anthrax man’s signature line, but also pay tribute to one of the guitar world’s late all-time greats. It doesn’t matter that Dimebag had affiliations with other guitar brands, Ian and Jackson have served up the perfect visual and musical tribute on the greatest guitarists ever. It’s safe to say the Pantera man himself would both be flattered by the tribute, and highly impressed with the instrument itself.
To learn more about the guitar, it’s creation and more, check out our interview with Scott Ian right here!
Reviewed by Andrew Kapper
Specs:
- 24.75″ scale length
- Nyatoh body with Flame maple top
- One-piece through-body maple-neck with graphite reinforcement and scarf joint
- 12″-16″ compound radius bound rosewood fingerboard with 22 jumbo frets and pearloid block inlays
- Jackson® High-Output humbucking pickups
- Three-way toggle switch, single volume and single tone controls
- Floyd Rose® Special double locking bridge
- Jackson pointed 6-in-line headstock
- Jackson sealed die-cast tuners
