Ibanez Talman TMB30 vs. Mikro GSRM20. Which Ibanez short scale bass should you buy? A comparison

[@DavidWilson-fr1et]

Very good video. Informative. I too, for medical reasons, and after many years not having touched a bass, decided to get a shortscale. Never liked regular (long) scale anyway. Back when I started playing in my teenage years, I immediately felt uncomfortable and that it was awkward to reach those lower notes. But I just shrugged it off to being my lack of height, I'm not a tall person. But no one told me about shortscale, neither did I even consider such a thing could exist. Found out about it by accident one day walking about in the part of town that has dozens of musical instruments shops, and on a whim, walked into one that specialises in basses. Told me music man I was looking into something shortscale, because my carpal tunnel won't let me play longscale comfortably. Was shown a few, the Talman being one of them. I liked the sound that it produced and was impressed with it but I have a big issue with it. I hate the looks of it. I've always found that most guitars look absolutely horrid, tbf, with the exception of Ibanez' style they use for the Mikro, for example. Honestly I think it would be fair to say that the only guitars I truly think that look beautiful are Warwicks, such as the Corvette and the Thumb models. Anyway. The man at the shop didn't even think to show me the Ibanez Mikro. I spotted it by accident and asked about it. He dismissed it by saying "Oh that's a toy bass, for kids and smaller sized beginners" But I wanted to try it anyway. And glad I did. I was floored by how easy it was to play, how light and how good quality it felt overall. It was a no-brainer. I walked out with an order down for a Mikro in brown. Looking forward to trying it tomorrow, and to eventually get back to the level I was when I stopped playing. Videos like these help me feel like I have indeed made the right choice.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Hi! Thanks for watching, commenting and sharing your story! Short scales have definitely been a game changer for me (also medical/joint related reason). And the Mikro definitely sounds and plays better than the price would suggest. It needs some setup work, but the potential is there! Good luck with your purchase and i hope it brings you joy!

[@stinky_nut_blast]

I'm exactly the same. If the look of a guitar doesn't resonate with me, it can sound and play great, but it's not going to be mine. The Talman sounds 100 times better than the Mikro. The Mikro has good playability, but the sound is not very inspiring. I ended up getting a purple Jackson Minion and it's so much fun to play. It lets me play basslines, I can't play on my standard 34 bass. If only the Talman had the looks of the Minion or the Minion the sound of the Talman. There is demand for short scale basses from guitar players and this market segment is under-represented. The really good short scale basses are expensive as hell. I would gladly pay something in the 500-600 region for a Minion MK.II with more quality all around.

[@jonathanwong458music]

@@stinky_nut_blast Hi! Thanks for watching and commenting! I played a neon green Jackson minion a few years ago and was floored by how easy it was to play. I’ll try to get one in my studio. The pointy headstock might not be for everyone, but I’d totally rock a purple bass!

[@scotthutchens1556]

Am right in saying the Tallman has more depth and low end? Plus, a little more complexity to the tone which I liked. I guess I should be able to find both of these at Guitar Center.

[@TheChef470]

No contest,(I own both) the Talman far and away is a more solid and fuller sounding bass.........even better with flats. : )

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching and commenting! Did you mod the tone pot on your talman or leave it stock?

[@richarddresden6869]

Great vid! In the market for a short scale and this helped a lot.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching! I have lots of other short scale videos! Love short scales

[@richarddresden6869]

@@jonathanwong458music Awesome, I'll check them out. Thanks again!

[@jonathanwong458music]

Good luck hunting!

[@musical3x]

Hi Jonathan, thanks for helping me choose a bass. I went for Ibanez Mikro, found at a good price, and i like it ! So much fun to play with. in my channel, i've now recorded a first music with it. The "Happy Birthday to You". I play guitar Primally. But turns out the bass is a lot of fun ! Thanks Again ! I was between the Mikro and the mini Squier.

[@jonathanwong458music]

That’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know! The Mikro is fun. Thanks for watching!

[@lone-wolf-1]

I (senior guitar beginner) do also tap tests with my knuckle on all my guitars all over the places. Helps me to „understand“ the tonal basis coming from the woods of the naked guitar. This characteristics I then find in the specific timbre of each guitar, played unplugged or amplified. 13:28 tap tone on the Thalman sounds almost identical to my basswood guitars. So my guess is basswood. And the Ibanez miKro bass body sounds exactly like mine (and another Ibanez poplar GiO guitar): poplar.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Awesome! I strongly believe that if a piece of wood doesn’t ring well or give a nice note, its sonic potential is limited plugged in. Thanks for watching!

[@lone-wolf-1]

@@jonathanwong458music Yes, I completely agree! Beside the individual tonal properties of each part on the guitar, I find that there has to be certain balance between them to get the maximum out. With not so good materials, the proper balance is even more important to get a nice sounding instrument. First of all is the vibrational balance between body and neck. Everybody is focussed on the body and the neck gets mostly neglected. But 70% of body vibration comes from the neck, the rest of only 30% comes from the bridge. Cheers! Keep the reviews coming! 🤘🏻

[@jonathanwong458music]

Right on! You can hear the neck by gently pressing the headstock end against drywall while playing. The more the wall vibrates, the better the neck will transmit vibration!

[@tubekook55]

Great review! It covers precisely those aspects of comparison that someone would need to know when trying to decide. Thanks, Jonathan!

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@ue4058]

I'm interested in your experience going all short scale. What's you experience or advice on getting good string tension on your low E strings?

[@jonathanwong458music]

On my F bass, Hofner, landing fretless and mustang, I use thomastik flats 100-43 (long scales) and on the atelier Z, I use Dunlop super brights 100-40. I got used to those gauges and the sound. I wish the thomastik low E was 102-103, but it works well enough. I didn’t like the short scale 106 E. I switched to shorties due to medical/finger joint inflammation related issues. 34” scale basses became too difficult to play for longer periods. Reach and tension-wise. I tried string-through-the-body vs top load. I didn’t think it sounded much different, but I preferred the feel of the top load so that’s what I ended up with! (The F bass and landing have both options) The lower tension takes some getting used to, initially.

[@ladokirana5414]

Great video, now idk which One to buy😂

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching!

[@michaelweinman9051]

JW: U the man!!!!

[@jonathanwong458music]

Haha, thx man!

[@georgegandara6054]

Is it possible to try the Yamaha Trbx 174 (short scale) Very instructive videos!!!!

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks so much for watching! I’ll see what I can find!

[@jonathanwong458music]

I didn’t know Yamaha made a shorty version of the trbx 174. Thought it was 34”.

[@georgegandara6054]

Yes,I bought one in the Chilean Patagonia....

[@georgegandara6054]

In the city of Punta Arenas

[@georgegandara6054]

About 2 months ago

[@dj-datavirus627mike9]

what about 4 pickup single carbon on a bass with narrow neck 24 bands 6 volume tone controller ,three buttons turn off ,active bass bots. 6 string bass characteristics p-bass , jazz bass :)

[@jonathanwong458music]

Pretty wild design

[@dj-datavirus627mike9]

@@jonathanwong458music a type of bass monster that will work for all styles :)

[@jonathanwong458music]

Bring one instrument to the gig!

[@dj-datavirus627mike9]

@@jonathanwong458music I also have an Ibanez JSR190 bass easily played then has buy a polish called presto lang that has 4 single carbon pickups looks like an Ibanez but like a p-bass neck :) Crate BFX100 Bass amp :)

[@jonathanwong458music]

Cool man!

[@septyniketuri2263]

labai ačiū👍

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching!

[@Rwjudy48]

The Mikro by a slight margin.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Nice choice! Thx for watching!!

[@jazzman1954]

Tone 75% of what? I don’t get it.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Re tone, I’m referring to the tone knob setting, eg 0% fully closed, 100% wide open.

[@jazzman1954]

@@jonathanwong458music How can a tone knob be closed or open? Closed = no tone? Open = lots of tone? It’s a treble bleed knob. So I think it’s max treble or no treble.

[@jonathanwong458music]

We are just using different terminology, I think. Fully open = fully clockwise 100%. Fully closed = fully counterclockwise or off = 0%. So 75% is ‘treble bled’ off or 'backed off' by 25% of the sweep/taper of the pot.

[@SNOwyte]

Nah the jackson spectre all the way

[@jonathanwong458music]

The spectras are all long scales are they not?

[@bikenband]

Funny, I missed that one in the video.

[@rickeybecker3495]

Nice video review Jonathan. I like the Mikro look and sound. He Talman has a nice headstock shape to it. I had a chance to play a Mikro and it felt great! I play an Ibanez Artcore 30” scale semi-hollow and a 27” Fender baritone, so the Mikro’s 28.6” felt very familiar. I’m thinking a Mikro will be my next bass. Thank you for the A/B sound samples! So helpful!

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks! The Mikro is a fun bass that sounds bigger than its size. Pretty comfy all around. I hope you enjoy it if you decide to go that way. Thanks for watching!

[@florkgagga]

I'm thinking of a shortscale for what it is - shorter, easier to lug around on a trip. The mikro has a nice little2+2 head and the bridge is ever so slightly further back, so... no contest between the two in my scenario

[@evankeal]

Having had a few micros, 100% bridge pickup is the only way to go for me. Its why I bought more of them.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Very cool. Thanks for sharing your experiences with the community!

[@40rpt]

The best answer is of course "both". I have had two Mikros and I'm currently looking for another, and the Talman is the bass I have used most for gigs lately. I think one thing worth pointing out is that both of these basses respond incredibly well to a little set up work like new strings, fret polishing, edge rolling, etc. I also like to file the sharp edges off those pickup covers. Even though the necks are really different, you can make them feel and play really "high end" with very little work. Another point that might be important to some is that the Mikro is so small that you can get some practice in all kinds of unconventional positions, liked reclined on the couch with a chihuahua in your lap. The Mikro is my dog's favorite bass by far.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Yes! There was setup work that needed to be done off camera to make it more playable. I never considered the dog’s perspective…..that’s awesome! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@lone-wolf-1]

Oh yeah, awesome! I did the rounding of the pickup covers too! They are super sharp! Intend to round and polish the frets and roll the fretboard later too. I made two thumb rests out of some medium hard wood and painted them black. This mini bass is a blast to play! So comfortable for a guitar player. Only the E string is way too flabby and weak sounding… maybe I‘ll try some day the 4 lower strings out of a set for the 5-string miKro.

[@GaryLet]

@@lone-wolf-1 How did you round the pickup covers? The sharp corners on the pickups is the only thing I don't like about my Mikro.

[@lone-wolf-1]

@@GaryLet I glued a strip of 600 grit sand paper on a tiny block of wood (3x2 cm) and cafefully sanded the edges and corners. Then took a piece of an old t-shirt with polisbing compound (kitchen chrome cleaner) and polished the rounded edges. First removing the strings and taping of the body around the pickups. If you are not used sanding, I suggest taping off the flat face of the pickups too). Wish you success. Cheers! 😊

[@Laionel76]

Late to the party, I wonder how the mikro would do as a tenor bass (ADGC or GDGC for some more lows), did you try or considered ?

[@christopherfidler3019]

I like the Talman it gives me Surf vibes. Thanks for the video J.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Nice! Thx for watching!

[@framzoid]

I've been a bassist for over 35 years and have owned Conklin's, Tobias, Fenders, Hagstroms, and Rics but so many of my friends have raved about this little beauty (the TMB301v) that I had to check one out for myself. I'm floored by the quality for $230.00. Tone monster this thing is. Highly recommended !

[@jonathanwong458music]

Entry level instruments in 2020s is such an improvement compared to when I first started playing in the 90s. Thanks for watching!

[@markpickardlife]

On those particular basses, I thought the fretboard on the Mikro looked better - darker - while the fretboard on the Talman looked paler/blander. Between the two of these, I would rather play the Talman. I think guitarists that are starting to play the bass might feel more comfortable with the Mikro. Thanks for the video.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Good observation re the fingerboards! I was surprised that both are advertised to be Jatoba boards, as they look quite different in grain and colour. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@bandicoot5412]

Great! thank you, it is a complex decision, you added clarity to the hunt.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching and commenting! Best of luck in the hunt!

[@stephenleung-ms9fk]

The super short scale one may have some difficulty finding strings. I do use short scale basses and had to buy through the internet which quite often are out of stock

[@jonathanwong458music]

Very very true. Labella makes some. Pricey though… thanks for watching and commenting!

[@coltonwitte7081]

Agreed, finding flats that work with a 28" scale is hard enough that I'm looking for a 30"with PJ's a month into having a Jackson Minion. The Minion has sounded and played great though.

[@georgegandara6054]

I use 30" Ernie Ball strings on my two 28 " basses( Ibanez Mikro and Squier Mini P,they fit and play awesome!​@@coltonwitte7081

[@MrDanalaimo]

Keep up the great work, Jonathan. I didn't know about the Talman short-scale and appreciated the comparison. I agree I'd probably like the Mikro better but it's mainly a matter of neck dive to me, and I like the Mikro's size. I don't have either at this point and have only played the Mikro at Guitar Center. As to your advice to try them both, that's a tough one. I'm in the Cleveland OH area and only have GC nearby. That's where your comparison reviews come in

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching and commenting! None of my local music stores had either of these - I ended up ordering both of these from neighbouring provinces! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@MrDanalaimo]

@jonathanwong458music it's getting to the point where Sweetwater, 200 miles away in Fort Wayne, is my 'local' music store. It's the only place I can reliably go to compare a bunch of guitars at once

[@jonathanwong458music]

@@MrDanalaimo oh wow. That's a bit of a hike. At least they'd have just about everything...

[@jazzman1954]

Wood density varies even in the same species I believe. Ash can be very light or heavy in my experience.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Indeed. Depends on part of the tree and whether it was under water and location. Lots of variables as I understand it. Thanks for watching!

[@Laionel76]

The mikro seems like an interesting instrument. As it targets kids, guitarists and bassists that want something different I think they should have reduced the string spacing going for their standard 5 strings 16.5mm : Easier for kids and tiny hands, easier raking and chords playing, for some faster noodling, etc. The only trade-off may be for slapping but lots of people manage to do away with it AND an extra string. Ibanez uses to innovate, they should normalise string spacing on 4 an 5 strings, having 18mm and 16.5mm depending on the lines and models sounds like a good place to start.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!

[@Laionel76]

@@jonathanwong458music You're welcome, I feel like pick-ups, more than habits or big boys are the thing that get in the way of normalizing or at least start to bridge the gap between 4 and 5 strings. 18 would be a nice but to make it really practical multiple manufacturers would have to agree… in this world… Anyway I think 16.5 mm would be great for the mikro making it a more hybrid instrument between bass and plectrum banjo.

[@yamamoto9772]

I think the Talman looks more mature. With some upgrades i think it can be a realy nice bass.

[@jonathanwong458music]

For sure. The tone pot and cap on the talman doesn’t have much tonal range/variety. $10 in parts would yield a more versatile bass. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@zombeatle01]

Has anyone tried the 5 string mikro?

[@jonathanwong458music]

I’ve been wanting to get a Mikro 5 to demo here. My concern would be the increased difficulty in getting the right strings for it, namely the low B. Would be a cool option for E-C tuning too.

[@ue4058]

Great video!

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@bless8874]

Thanks for this review! I just transitioned from guitar and I've struggled to decide which bass to buy. The mikro is easy to play but the talman has a fuller sound. Im going to keep the talman but i will probably buy a mikro again in the future.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching! Play the one that’s most comfortable on your body. If it’s uncomfortable to play, you’ll quickly forget how good it sounds.

[@bless8874]

@@jonathanwong458music thanks for the tip! That definitely sways me toward the mikro

[@jonathanwong458music]

Good luck with the purchase! Hope you enjoy whichever one you get!

[@Apodicticus]

As a Truman-era relic, I haven't strayed too far from the traditional-styled instruments. Have a Jazz and a Precision, as well as a Bass-VI. Never cared much for these new-fangled pointy instruments, but saw the Mikro and thought it would be just the thing to toss beside my 'TV chair', and noodle whilst gazing blankly at the tube. Found I really liked it. Aside from not knocking over my wife's lamps with a long neck, the lesser reach is a blessing to my arthritic shoulders. I replaced the pickups with a set of alnico noiseless Artecs (no longer produces). They're considerably punchier than the ceramic stock units (although they sounded just fine, except for the 60-Hz on the j-pickup). Strung it up with Ernie Ball cobalt flats -- 50-105. Sounds incredible, especially given its diminutive size. Not going to replace a full scale under all circumstances, but I'm seriously considering the full-scale Ibanez that closely resembles the Mikro. Parenthetically, it came out of the box absolutely perfect. No fret issues, intonation dead on. Action just right for my preferences. I will say that the tone control isn't as continuous as I might like, but I plan on rewiring it to employ a blend control, and will take of it then. All of these Pacific-rim factories have really upped their game in recent years.

[@jonathanwong458music]

That's so wonderful to hear! The Soundgear line represents pretty good value, even the 1000 and higher model numbers with the fancier wood tops. Their necks are pretty comfortable, albeit quite a bit slimmer than traditional Fenders. Glad you found a couch bass!

[@assignmeanameplease]

Nice video! I’ve been searching for a good beginner bass with a shorter scale. The Talman color and shape options just don’t do it for me and the Mikro looks good but seems so toylike because it is so small. I didn’t realize there were many options between 34 inch and short scale basses. Ibanez has a medium scale 32 inch “Mezzo” that I’ve been looking at

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks so much for watching! I have a focus on short scale basses on this channel. Happy exploring and good luck with finding an instrument that fits your physique and needs!

[@classicalthrasher]

My problem with the Mikro is that regardless comfort, it is quite a minuscule scale length, and as it is, there aren't even that many string options for 30 (there ARE many nowadays, but not compared to long scale basses.) I would hate to be stuck with the stock string brand and make, just because the demand is so low that no "big brand" would invest in it. I do like the shape better on the Mikro, despite favoring more vintage stylings in general. It is not so exotic, and it's been made to play fast and well from what I can see. Though a good player will play well on either, of course. (Do like exotic myself, however, to the extent it fits my rather bit lacking taste.) A quality long scale bass of similar "Mikro" shape with passive PJ electronics, stable neck, and well cut nut at a low price would be amazing. It is ergonomic and nice. But most of the "value" Ibanez basses are active only, and I just do not seek those tones (of course, it may work well for many others-just my preference.) Just for string choice alone, I would choose the Talman-were they both 30, the Ibanez would be my pick regardless tone, as PJ replacement pickups are not scarce. I do think that both 28+ and 30 scale instruments can work well with adults and experienced players-ideal for a smaller, still growing body, but definitely can play and sound above expectations even if you were tall and long armed. I definitely enjoy my two shorties very much (NOT tall myself, but my arms and bony fingers are rather long-have no problem with 30 scale being "too small.")

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching and sharing! I too, find the 28.6" scale length to be on the cramped side. 30" seems to be the sweet spot for me. I once had a full scale 34" Ibanez soundgear 800 (MIJ) where I took out the stock pickups and active preamp in favour of a passive setup. Sounded great. If active tones are not your thing but you like the soundgear shape and skinny neck feel, that would be the thing to do!

[@patticake5311]

I prefer the look of the Mikro, so I've owned several. One I still own we routed out and it now has Fender True VIntage Jazz pickups. I don't find the Talman as comfortable to play. I find the GSR100 models, which are long scale, more comfortable and more fun to play than the Talman. I find the GSR100 necks to be faster, and the body is fairly small.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Yes, I agree, the Talman body is a bit chunky and awkwardly sized. Thanks for watching and sharing your experience!

[@jellyboy123]

one sounds like a spector the other sounds like a fender.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@mdwayne741]

Both sound great....if i had to have just ONE, it would probably be the Talman....love the retro vibe it brings... they both sound great. Can't go wrong with either.. I am glad that there is a smaller instrument option for my short arms and smaller hands. LOL ...great demo...nice playing! Subscribed.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks so much for watching and commenting! I’ve got pretty small hands and was comfortable on both.

[@MartyMcFlyV]

Canada eh? Very nice review!

[@jonathanwong458music]

Yes! Living and playing up in Canada all my life! Thanks for watching!

[@stephenscott4166]

I have a Mikro, great player, good sound, good size. Love it…!!!

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks so much for sharing and for watching!

[@bertbregdenz2756]

had both and switched to Squier CV Mustang

[@jonathanwong458music]

Squier cv is a good choice! Thanks for watching!

[@Kunibert_Knatter]

Thank you for this helpful comparison, Jonathan! Both sound resonable good. However, while playing I usually do not look down to my belly. ;-) So the appearance, the shape of the bass, would probably have not much influence. It must fit my body. And it must fit the music I am playing. From what I have heard in your videos so far, the Micro would make a good bass for me, who is definetely no soloist on these instruments. Thx

[@jonathanwong458music]

The Mikro is a fun bass to have around! And yes, comfort and having the body shape fit your body is so important. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@charliebooth8103]

keep up the reviews

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@StevenDoyleLuke]

My Vote = Talman

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Jesuswinsbirdofmichigan]

#110_ThanksForReply_re_ToneAtZero_DoesItHaveRealWorldApplication_🇺🇸

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thx for watching and asking!

[@BassedInVegas]

I’m a pro bassist, I own a ton of bass’s, long medium and short scale, the Micro bass’s are awesome, I own the 4 and 5 string version’s. That Talman bass is just beyond ugly, no matter how it plays or sounds nothing will surpass the ugly body design.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Yeah, the appearance definitely contributes to how inviting an instrument is, and influences how much time you spend with it. Probably also psychologically contributes to tone (changes your mentality) Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@yamamoto9772]

Its just like a English bulldog. They are beautiful bc of ugliness.

[@greglisk9408]

Yes the Talman has the classic Jaguar / Mustang shape... HIDEOUS! They look like the designer stole a cutting board from mom's kitchen and slapped a neck on it! But that's just my subjective opinion.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Hahaha! The look is certainly not for everyone. I find it proportionally too large. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@elwhizard]

Always great review Jonathan! I'm a recent convert to short/medium scale. And now I'm looking at other Ibanez offering which are the SRMD205 (coz it's PJ) and EHB1005SMS (coz it's headless). Hope you'll have a chance to review those. Thank you.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching! Absolutely I would like to check the mezzo and headless models out! Will depend on what I can borrow or find inexpensively. Thanks for the ideas!