MEGADETH's DAVID ELLEFSON Debuts His New Jackson X Series Signature Concert Bass (Video)

In the six-and-a-half-minute video below, MEGADETH's David Ellefson gives an in-depth overview of his all-new X Series Signature David Ellefson Concert Bass CBXM IV and V models, running down its features from headstock to bridge and sharing his design inspiration.

"When we started designing these, my first thought was 'let's do something more traditional,'" says Ellefson. "The Jackson basses have such great playability, tone and features. I wanted something that would appeal to the general masses."

About X Series Signature David Ellefson Concert Bass CBXM IV: The resonant poplar body is constructed with an upper contour that provides a comfortably stable anchor for pick or fingerstyle playing alike while the lower contour provides perfect balance when propped on a knee. Built for highly-technical lightspeed playing, a graphite-reinforced bolt-on quartersawn maple neck provides the utmost stability, while the 12"-16" compound radius maple fingerboard flattens out as you move up the neck for increased playing comfort and speedy articulation. A convenitently located heel-mount truss rod thumbwheel also allows for quick and easy neck adjustments.

Active EMG J bridge and EMG P neck pickups provide plenty of punchy mid-range and increased output as an active 3-band EQ bolsters their native power, shaping and refining it for maximum impact and versatility. The blend knob allows you to mix the pickups to your taste — add more of the neck pickup for a punch of warmth, or bring up the bridge pickup for more cut. The Jackson HiMass four-string bridge sharpens your notes' attack for extra clarity, granting enhanced sustain without significantly altering the instrument’s fundamental tone.

For a stylish twist, Ellefson has added a few new cosmetic touches including a pickguard and all-new Jackson paddle headstock that features the familiar "Radiation" logo and Ellefson's signature embossed on the truss rod cover.

Offered in Gloss Black with white pickguard or Snow White with black pickguard, this low-end leviathan is finished off with chrome hardware, including everything from the bridge to the Jackson sealed die-cast tuning machines.

About X Series Signature David Ellefson Concert Bass CBXM V: The resonant poplar body is constructed with an upper contour that provides a comfortably stable anchor for pick or fingerstyle playing alike while the lower contour provides perfect balance when propped on a knee. Built for highly-technical lightspeed playing, a graphite-reinforced bolt-on quartersawn maple neck provides the utmost stability, while the 12"-16" compound radius maple fingerboard flattens out as you move up the neck for increased playing comfort and speedy articulation. A convenitently located heel-mount truss rod thumbwheel also allows for quick and easy neck adjustments.

Active EMG J bridge and EMG P neck pickups provide plenty of punchy mid-range and increased output as an active 3-band EQ bolsters their native power, shaping and refining it for maximum impact and versatility. The blend knob allows you to mix the pickups to your taste — add more of the neck pickup for a touch of warmth, or bring up the bridge pickup for more cut. The Jackson HiMass five-string bridge sharpens your notes’ attack for extra punch and clarity, granting enhanced sustain without significantly altering the instrument's fundamental tone.

For a stylish twist, Ellefson has added a few new cosmetic touches including a pickguard and all-new Jackson 4x1 (4 tuners on top, 1 on bottom) paddle headstock that features the familiar "Radiation" logo and Ellefson's signature embossed on the truss rod cover.

Offered in Gloss Black with white pickguard or Snow White with black pickguard, this low-end leviathan is finished off with chrome hardware, including everything from the bridge to the Jackson sealed die-cast tuning machines.