Jackson DR7 7-String

Mine has custom artwork on it. The body is a super-strat style. Tune-O-Matic bridge, no-name tuners, thin neck, 22 jumbo frets, Duncan Invader 7 string pickup in the bridge (obviously, aftermarket). Mine has no neck pickup (though it should) because the hole has been filled for the artwork.

I play everything. I'm a shredder by nature in the solos, fast in the rhythm and delicate in the cleans. Honestly, I'm VERY surprised with this little guitar. I've been playing for deep into 9 years now, and I've played LOTS of guitars. I've heard all the "makes the transition to 7-string easy," and played almost every mid-range to expensive (not custom!) 7-string out there. The Ibanez'es necks are too fat (even on the Universe and their lesser 7-stringers), the Schecters are waaay too cheap, the Fenders are toys, and the ESP's don't sound "right."

Maybe it's the pickup (IMHO, it almost mirrors my EMG-85 in all my other guitars), maybe I just got lucky, but this cheap little guitar has the music in it! I'd never actually owned a 7-string before this one (couldn't find one that I liked/wanted), but I figured I'd give it a try.

The fretboard feels great. It's just a wider (not fatter!) version of all of the other Jackson 6-string necks. It shreds exactly like my other Jacksons, just with an extra string. Seriously, if you like Jackson guitars, want a 7-string, and don't have a bunch of $$ to spend, get one of these guitars! Scrap the junk factory pickups, put something nice in there. I hate Seymour-Duncan pickups with a passion; they just sound bad, in general. But their 7-string invader sounds just like an EMG-85, so get one of those in the bridge and you'll be happy.

Cheap guitar, and I bought it used. Can't rate this category, since everything has been messed with prior to my owning it.

The factory tuners seem to want to loose their tune after a while. I'd recommend replacing them, but c'mon, this is a cheap guitar. If I wanted a flawless instrument, I'd have had a custom one made. The strap buttons are solid, the bridge is great, and everything works as advertised.

I wouldn't know

Overall, for what this guitar wants to be (an entry-level 7-string guitar for wannabe metalheads), it's not bad at all. If you invest roughly $200 into this guitar (pickup, tuners), you'll have a really nice sounding 7-string guitar that you'll want to play for many, many years until you're ready for something more serious. As I said, I've been playing for just 9 years, but I've got a pretty good idea of what I want in a guitar, and this guitar didn't let me down like most of the other 7-stringers out there.

Honestly, unless you can shred or need a 7th string for some clean work, 7-strings are pretty useless for a beginner (which this guitar is geared for). I guess if you really wanted to chug-chug-chug, 7-string would be a ticket, but they tend to sound muddy when playing the lower notes fast, especially on rhythm, reguardless of pickups or distortion. If you want to know what playing a 7 sounds like, just get the strings for a 7, tune it like a 7, except loose the high E. If you like it and miss that high E, get a 7 string. If you think it sounds too loose, I promise, 7 string guitars don't have black magic in them that makes them sound better.

2003 Jackson DR7 7-String guitar. 22 Frets, with a laminated top. Has 1 Volume and 1 Tone knob. 3-way Pickup selector togle (wouldv'e liked a push/pull pot switch as well, but oh well). Dual Duncan design Passive humbuckers. No idea bout the body type, however it has String thru body design with a tune-o-matic type bridge. I bought mine without a case or gig bag, as it was a last of the run model (Don't think they make em anymore???) I'm actually having a bitch of a time finding a hard case that it fits into. Good piece of kit for $800AU

First and foremost, I play metal. This guitar is pretty good for it, however a flatter neck would undoubtedly benifit this guitar to no end. I'm running it through a Marshall AVT 150 head with a 1960 series quad, and a boss GT6 effects pedal (THE BEST THING I EVER BOUGHT). It sounds great thru my setup, however, I think you'd be pretty hard pressed to find a guitar that you couldn't get at least one good sound out of with this rig. It's O.K. for clean, but I don't use that much anyhow.

When i got the guitar it had some of the worst strings i've ever played. But apart from that everything was as it should be for a guitar in this price range.. The strings I use on it aren't well suited to the nut (Too big) however, with a minimal amount of filing i was able to rectify this problem. There was no flaws to note.

My guitar has been dropped, kicked, and abused iin all sorts of ways. I was able to dent it, but nothing major (I like a bit of character about my guitars anyhow). The finish is thick, and isnt likely to rub off in one lifetime. I would not hesitate to use this for a gig, however my style of playing requires that I use more than one guitar on stage per night.

Never had a problem with it, so I have no idea about customer support, but I have heard that jackson Australia are great, so it's a tentative rating.

I've been playing for almost 14 years, and I can say that I have only played a handful of guitars which were better (including a Gibson Les Paul & SG, a Ibanez S series, and a Jackson dinky). This was by far the best value 7-string I could find (of the reasonable quality litter), and I have no hesitations reccommending it to a potential buyer.

2000 (or so)DR7 with Duncan Design pickups (that suck badly). I bought it used for $124.00 (a steal). 22 frets, plain black top that seems to grease up very easy (but a good cleaning now and then will make it good as new). Mine does not have the sharkfin inlays, but instead the plain old circular type. Free gig-bag that came complimenatry for taking this off guitardoctor's hands. For now, the sound is below average. A friend of mine teases me over how much better his Ibanez rg1527 sounds, and originally they were around the same price range. I am, however, planning to install Dimarzio Blaze or Air Norton into this guitar, and I expect it to kick ass.

I play pretty much everything, from harmonic clean riffs to heavy thrash. It can do a good job at that. I have a bad amp, so part of the sound issues can be blamed on that, but the pickups (as said before) are bad. I am going to replace them (as i also said before.

It can do decently with a distortion or metal pedal along it's side.

The pickups are good for high tones though. I can play a nice solo, even though the bridge is wide and flat.

It seems to be rich rather than Bright. My schecter c-1 has it beat for sound, but simply because of the whole neck-thru thing.

I have trouble coaxing a good harmonic out of this guitar. That is probably the low-gain pickups though.

It seems very contained as far as noise goes.

Overall, it's overpriced, but if you can get one under $300, then you've got a deal on your hands.

I am angry at it's lack of ability to host EMG pickups, but Dimarzio's are good anyway.

6, until i get my new p/u's installed.

Only flaw when I got it was its tuning, and it needed a cleaning.

This guitar has been dropped a few times... no marks, no scrapes... no nothing. I would never use anything in a gig without a backup.

Finish gets dirty easily and it shows easily, but it isnt coming off or anything.

Guitar Doctor was very helpful. Quick shipping, free gig bag, lots of stuff.

No experience with Jackson yet.

Been Playing since 3rd grade... a VERY long time ago.

It is...

better than...

Ibanez Ax 7 string
BC Rich warlock 7
Gibson 7 string Les Paul (they DO exist)

worse than...

Schecter C-7
Ibanez K-7

same as...

ESP M-207
Ibanez RG7421
Scecter 007 deluxe


overpriced, but good used (as i said before.)

Anyone who wants to play gigs with this guitar should consider factoring in money for new pickups into the guitar cost.

My Jackson DR7 was made in japan, has 22 frets, black gloss finnish, volume & tone controls, 3 way toggle switch, bolton neck, reverse sharkfin inlays, reverse headstock, dinky shaped body, tune-a-matic bridge with strings thru body, jackson machiene heads, 2 duncan designed passive humbucker pickups. alder body, maple neck & rosewood fingerboard.

The DR7 has a diverse sound that can produce great clean tones to very metal lead and rhythm tones. I play swedish style metal such as inflames, soilwork and opeth. But also like mellower clean guitar and was pleasantly surprised at the range of sounds. I haven't had this guitar particularly long but after owning a few ibanez 7s i immediatly loved the DR7 because the sound is what a 7 should sound like, if u want to have low tuned guitar, u need a guitar with the balls to back it up.

The DR7 was all up to standard, no complaints.

I haven't had this guitar for a great deal of time but, It does inspire confidence. I've owned 49 guitars and a number of jacksons (korean, japanese and usa) and stand by them completley. Korean models however have been quite unreliable.

Usa and Japanese models haven't faulted. But a number of korean models have and they were replaced. Once the replacement had to be replaced.

Ive been playing for over 8 years. Im a guitaraholic and im constantly
buying and trading guitars. But I feel like I've got a keeper with this one. Im trying to make my list of gear more practical by using more diverse gear and the DR7 is a big step in the right direction. For the price nothing else comes close for what I want.

Used 1999 model in black made in Japan. Alder body, 22 frets. Tune-O-Matic string-through bridge. Came with Jackson case. Two humbuckers, 3-way switch.

At first, I wasn't impressed with the sustain and shred-ability. But after tweaking the pickup height, I really like the sound of the stock pickups despite all the poor reviews for the Duncan-designed here. I can get really good sustain and pinched harmonics. The clean sound is also very full and robust.

It came setup with 10s and the neck angle put the bridge really high. After removing the neck and shimming (which is how I found the model number and year) I got the bridge down so the pickups weren't sticking clear out of the body. I put 9s on it (with a 54 B string).
With the exception of some dings in the body, this guitar is in great shape. The neck feels great and the rosewood is nice and dark.
I would have liked more switching options (split the humbuckers and put them in series, etc.)

This guitar is solid. The brushed chrome finish on the hardware seems to be holding up just fine. The strap locks were in good shape and the neck is straight as an arrow. This guitar feels like a tank. With the fixed bridge, I would definitely feel confident gigging without a backup (but no one ever does that!) Most of my other guitars having floating trems and they can bite you.

N/A

I've been playing for 14 years and this is my first Jackson and 7 string. I am very impressed with the quality of this guitar. I heard that any non-American Jackson was crappy, but this guitar is great. The DR7 was my cheap entry in the 7 string world and I love it. I would prefer to get an Ibanez RG7620 or RG1527 in the future.

Not sure of the year...but whatever, i love it anyway. 22 frets. solid black top.1 volume controll, 1 tone controll, 3-way selector. Stock pickups are fabulous compared to my old washburn wg.I think that they are seymour duncans.nice string thru bridge. if you push down on the strings a little beyond the bridge, you can use it as an e-bar.n came with a gig bag. fabulous!!!

It is great for korn, even though they use ibanez's. great for metal and even 6-string stuff. (i play metallica great, korn awesome, limp bizkit and slipknot great.). you can make it act like a bass when clean...if you change the tone selector/controll. i at this point, use it with flange, metal, and chorus effects. great heavy tone, both when clean and when dirty.

I got it used, but even when used, it seemed new. polish and all. thats it i guess.

would sound great live, very durable hardware, no chips, and its used. It would be ok without a bass or other guitar, but there's no replacement for bandmates.

nothing yet, but im feeling generous... wait! the guitardoctor, the place that i got it at was very nice.

Just got it a few months ago and im already in love. i own a danelectro hot dog flanger, a digitech metal master, a 30 watt amp (about to upgrade to a gibson metal player), and some times a digitech multi-effects pedal.if it were stolen... i would cry until i saved enough money to buy a new one or an ibanez rg (compared to ibanez rg7621 or 7620 and those are great too). KoRn rules and so does this axe!

2003 Model, made in Japan. 25.5" scale, 22 large frets, large cutaways, string thru with tune-o-matic style bridge. Came with solidly built hard case. 3 way selector switch linked to Duncan design hunbuckers, 1 master volume, 1 master tone. I would have liked to have had a coil split and perhaps a separate tone control for each humbucker.

I bought a 7 string mainly for AEADGBE tuning, to play metal. I use a Boss Metal Zone into an Ashdown Peacemaker 40 combo. When played clean, thse pickups have a good range when used in conjunction with the tone control. These are never to bassy and can be really glistening, especialy when playing chords on the bottom 4 strings. When distortion is added, they lose some definition, but other than that, perform very well with distorted chords. Nice sound!!

This guitar is PERFECTLY finished for ease of playability. The neck is a shallow D-shape, covered in a light lacquer that is extremly smooth and comfortable. The frets are nicely polished, and the action was spot on from the factory for my tastes. Intonation was slightly out, but what guitar isn't? The contols have a great action, smooth and responsive. The neck, despite being 7mm wider, doesn't feel any different my previous guitar, making the transition from a 6 to a 7 effortless. The only thing I would have liked to see is plastic pickup surrounds, as I have knocked the pickups and this may eventually damage the fixings after time. Also, the tuning is very stable.

The strap buttons, firstly, are sublime. They are very wide and so your strap has an extremely low chance of falling off. I have stopped using my straplocks on this guitar. The finish seems good quality, I haven't knocked it about enough to see how easily it chips. The hardware is very good quality and don't foresse any problems for years to come.

This is the best guitar I have played at this price level. It should cost at least #700 for it's great build quality, the neck and general setup. The pickups may need replacing if the sound doesn't suit you, but for what I play, at the moment it is fine. It needs a coil split for more versitality, but that can be done with a bit of soldering. I was thinking of buying an Ibanez RG7321, but this is a much better guitar, I think.

I just bought this guitar from Musician's Friend for $229. The price is amazing if you figure that this guitar previously listed at around $1000!

The guitar is a string-thru with brushed chrome on the tuners, bridge, etc. and the body is colored "Deep Candy Blue". I'm not a color professional, but it looks dark purple to me. The color looks like the color of a Minnesota Vikings' helmet. I would have rather had black, but the price definitely outweighs the color thing. Musician's Friend only has the Deep Candy Blue color unfortunately.

This guitar, although a 7-string, looks more like a shredder 6-string guitar. It has sharkfin inlays and is not big and bulky like most 7-strings. A 3-way selector is used for the pickups, which are passive duncan designed. The back of the neck is not painted, which is great for running your hand up and down the fretboard. A lot of the "options" are not what I look for in a 7-string, but they are nice extras.

Let's get the "meat and potatoes" out of the way right off the bat. I am not impressed with the pickups. Duncan Designed pickups have never impressed me, but I don't want to base the sound strictly on just the pickup sound. There is more to the sound than just that.

I plugged the guitar into my Tech 21 PSA-1 and hit a few chords. The B-tuning sounds great of course. Great crunch! The best thing is that even for a 7-string, this guitar has that easily accessible Jackson neck/fretboard that I love. Jacksons just seem easy to play and this one is no exception. I played little solos, etc. and that sounded great also.

The only thing I did notice is that the pickups don't seem very loud. I had to really turn my amp up from it's normal position to really hear the guitar. Again, this is obviously the pickups. I plan on probably throwing a Seymour Duncan Distortion 7-string when I get a chance.

I think this guitar has a lot of potential, but I gotta chuck that bridge pickup.

This is my second Jackson in approximately 6 months and I have been impressed at the condition of the guitar upon arrival at my door. This guitar came from Musician's Friend in a cardboard box (with no case mind you) and there were no scratches, dings, etc. Also, with the exception of two strings, the guitar was still in tune! Amazing figuring that I live all the way in Hawaii! Anything could have happened along the way. The only bad thing was a loose tone knob, but that is an easy fix.

I have heard bad things about the brushed chrome fixtures, so we will have to see. Jackson makes great guitars and I think everything will hold it's own. I would gig with this without a backup, but that really is not smart.

The Jackson site is great and is so informative that you almost don't need to get a hold of anyone for your questions, etc. There is a bulletin board, photos, etc. It is a great site and I visit it often.

This would not be my #1 choice if I could only have one guitar, but I could not pass on the price. The guitar could easily be a person's main guitar and it is perfect as a backup. I don't think it will replace my other Jackson, but it is an impressive guitar.

The sound of the neck pick-up for clean is unsurpassable though distorted it slightly lacks edge as does the bridge pick-up but at the same time they are both adequate pickups- together they sound nice and fat(a tiny bit of compression helps with edge).

when I saw the DR-7 it had horrible strings (i think 9-46+52)they were sloppy and went out of tune easily,When i bought it i got some 10-52+65 and it was perfect - BUT the B,E and A strings were too thick for the slots in the nut so I had to file them slightly.The other thing is that the neck and headstock are heavy and i found if i wore certain clothes the guitar would slip around.

i own a handmade 5-string with RGX112 humbucker,epiphone les paul and if i could make my DR-7 sound like either i would be in heaven i love it, it is a very sexy guitar,I also use a Behringer V-amp, on rectified with a little compression for edge.Its a hard working guitar that stands up to the test.

See other reviews for features. This one has the Jackson hard tail bridge string thru-body. Passive Seymour Duncan designed PUs. Alder body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard. Nice metal grey finish on the hardware, looks good. 25.5" scale. Nice hard case.

good tone. the low B isn't muddy like on the Ibanez 7 strings I played which is why I bought the DR7. the Duncan designed PUs have a rounded warm tone to them with just enough edge. nice and quiet also. for $220 bucks, it was the best bang for the buck.

I got it used and the idiot before had cranked the truss rod in several turns and raised the bridge to kingdom come. I had to keep adjusting her for a few weeks but the neck settled back down and she plays nice now and the action is superb. a nice comfortable neck radius too.

If you own guitars and can't set them up yourself, take them to a good guitar tech every so often to keep them "healthy".

typical japanese Jackson quality. it's good but not up to their USA shop standards. decent axe for the money.

the guys as Jackson Guitars are very kind and helpful. will share all kinds of info (unlike Mesa Boogie =)

good axe for the money. if money is tight and you want to play Dream Theater...get a DR7. otherwise buy a USA Jackson!

This is my review of a 2000 Jackson DR7 SN#9651765.Made in Japan.It has 22frets with a trans red body slightly figured top. Standard DR7 electronics configuration (1 tone,1 volume and 3-way toggle).It is equipped with 2 Duncan designed humbucker pickups,a rock maple neck and I believe a basswood body.It also is a non trem tun-o-matic with non locking tuners.

As far as the type of music that I prefer to play,I would have to say it's along the lines of a Tool meets Staind meets Sevendust. I prefer original material along them lines. The Jackson is well suited for this kind of music. I run the axe into a crybaby 535, a slew of Boss effect pedals,and a Digitech Whammy before finally patching into a Marshall TSL-100 head with two cabs.A 1960av cab and a 1960ax.The best description of the sound I get from the DR and the effects is fat but slightly muddy. I personally don't like the Duncan design pickups and plan to try the Dimarzio Blaze custom in the bridge very soon.I have a tendency to compare all of my other guitars to a 1995 Gibson Les Paul standard that I have but that's because I do feel that it gives me the closest sound to what I'm after.Absolute nirvana for me would be to have the Gibson sound but in a seven string guitar.

I couldn't say how well the guitar was set from the factory because it was quality checked and reset up at the dealership. What I can say is that Guitar Xpress (where I purchased it from) did an absolutely superb job of setting this guitar up.No complaints here. It plays like a guitar should play and looks great. I do not notice any flaws in the workmanship or material,however I can say that I got what I paid for...a solid guitar without the high end features that a custom one would have.

This guitar will withstand live playing with only one exception that I've seen. When you hammer on it,it has a tendency to go slightly out of tune. At least mine does.I also use 9's which could be part of the problem. I would suggest to anyone out there who has a similar problem with the DR7, try using 10's or even 11's it might correct it.Other than that-solid all the way around.

I've never dealt with the Jackson company but from what I've heard and read they seem to be helpful.

I've been playing for 21 years,started when I was eleven.Back to the DR7,if it was lost or stolen I would like to have Jackson build me a custom very similar to the DR7 professional but with the minor discrepancies addressed.My overall opinion of this guitar is very high. It's comfortable,sounds decent and plays great.The only two things that I could possibly add would be locking tuners and better pickups.

see post at top $249 paid.
Thought it had potential, one small snag, you CANNOT install EMGs in it UNLESS you modify the PU cavities (not looking forward to that one)

The stock pickups SUCK big ones, the reason Im posting this is to warn you. IF you intend on replaceing the stock Duncan Design POS PUs
with EMG 707s you WILL have to mod the PU cavities. The EMGs have squared edges, where the stockers have rounded edges. I went out and bought an EMG 707, got it home to see if it would match up, and low and behold it wont, so I plan on doing the unthinkable unholy act of
modifying the body of this guitar. It doesnt look like it will require MUCH wood to be taken out, but it will MORE than probably need a PU ring to be installed so it wont look like shit. Ill repost to let you know how it goes

Ill repost after I defile it by routing out the PU cavity

not sure of the year, but it's a Jap made Dinky Reverse 7 string. 22 frets. Solid top, blue (purplish) finish. 1 volume, 1 tone and a 3 way selector for controls.

2 duncan designed passive humbuckers

alder body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard.

string through body stop tail (no trem so I can change tunings on the fly) because all my other axes have floating bridges.

jackson tuners. hardware has a cool dull silver finish (anodized?)

25.5" neck scale

not a lot of options but enough to rock!

I'm a metal head with an excellent technical background. I've been playing this through Laney V series amps and a Mesa Boogie Mark IV. Acoustically (unplugged), this guitar is very resonant and responsive which helped me decide to pick it up. the duncan designed pickups are less than high output. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Ibanez's stock Q and F series pickups, there's nothing wrong with a lot of stock PUs, but these duncans are medium outputs so tone is warmer with less bite. I'll need to try the Dimarzio Blaze PUs in here next.

action is very good. nice slim taper neck like Ibanez wizards. finish was very good, but not great.

we'll see, it's too soon to tell....

haven't used them.

I've been playing for 16 yrs. this is a great guitar for the money. It doesn't compare to the USA made BC Rich Mockingbird 7 strings with the low B porting for sheer tone and quality. That's the 7 you should get for professional use.

pickups need to be a bit higher in output. a bone nut or graphite nut would be nice also.

1999 Japanese-made DR7 with Korean-made Duncan Design pickups. Found it used, but in mint condition. Pretty straightforward, other than the seven strings. 22 frets, maple neck, solid body, black finish, two humbuckers, tune-o-matic. A basic guitar, but that's what I was looking for.

I bought the DR7 because our band does ONE song that requires a baritone guitar part. I re-strung my mid-70s G&L to fill that role, but I'm all about carrying around the least amount of gear possible. With the low B string I can cover the low end and still play everything else on the same axe.

I was pleasantly surprised by the sound. The Duncan Design pickups have a full tone and plenty of punch. I play the DR7 through a 1984 Peavey Encore 65 (basically an all-tube 50w amp) and a Digitech RP5 for my effects. I have heard nothing but raves from my friends about the tone of the Jackson. I am picking up a new Fender Hot Rod Deluxe tonight, so I'm excited about how that will sound.

I play in an all-original band that is pretty much r&b/pop influenced. I cover a wide range of tones, from clean, reverby rhythm to screaming solos. The DR7 hasn't disappointed me yet. I have no reason to swap out the pickups.

I didn't change a thing as far as the action. I string the guitar .011 to .056 (high E to low B) and keep the action a little high since I play slide occasionally. The neck is wide and flat and feels good (satin finish). I've never played a seven string before, but it was an easy adjustment for me. Plays smoothly and in tune up and down the fretboard.

The pickup switch was noisy, but some contact cleaner fixed that. The strings go through the body and there are six metal grommets on the top of the body. They are not fixed in the holes, they just sit on top. It's not a big deal, but it was a surprise the first time I changed the strings. The bridge is oversized and solidly built.

This has become my main guitar. It's the only one I bring to gigs now, and I used to carry three!

It sounds great, stays in tune, and looks good (I love the shark-fin inlays). Strap buttons are nice and big. With a strap that has thick leather ends, you'll have no need for strap locks.

I've only had the guitar for three months now, but it feels very solid and I am confident in it standing up to whatever I can dish out.

I contacted Jackson with the serial number, because you can't look up the numbers of non-US made guitars on their website. I got an answer in two days. Since I bought it used, I doubt if I'll be dealing with them, but the quick response was nice.

I love this guitar! I've seen it brand new selling for $660, and I feel that I got a great deal. The 7th string has given me new avenues for scales and chord voicings, and the playability and tone is everything I could have asked for. I believe in finding bargains--I still have the 1961 Les Paul I got for $325 in 1981, and the Peavey amp I mentioned earlier? I bought it for $200 in 1984 and am just now replacing it! If the DR7 was stolen, I would want to replace it, but I would think long and hard about the retail price tag!

This is a 2000 Pro model, the last year the bolt-on Jackson imports were made in Japan before moving to India. It has dark blue finish (sometimes called "cobalt blue" and other times "candy blue") over an alder body. The neck is maple, with 22 frets on rosewood board. Not sure of the neck radius, but it is wide and flat like most Jackson 6-string models. The sharkfin inlays are the plastic psuedo-pearl typical of most imports. The tune-o-matic bridge, Jackson tuners, tone knob, volume knob and 3-way toggle are are the "satin chrome" type. Pickups are Duncan Designed humbuckers.

For a Japanese guitar without a trem, this has everything it should have. Perfect 10 -- what else would you need that you'd expect to find stock?

I bought this guitar because it was on clearance, and because I like the Jackson Dinky design, not so much because I wanted a seven-string guitar. I play thrash metal (Megadeth, Testament, Slayer) or Swedish-style death metal (In Flames, At the Gates, Darkane), and I don't know that I would call this a perfect fit. I don't tune down my other guitars, and my style is not at all similar to the current crop of bands who tend to use seven strings. However, for the price, I wanted to experiment to see if I could add something to my songs with a seven-string guitar.

Although I use several effects and a variety of amps, the core of my sound has always been Seymour Duncan humbuckers, an ART Xtreme distortion/effects pedal and Peavey TransTube combo. I have played other guitars with Duncan Designed pickups and found them a bit muddy. I didn't expect this guitar to be any different, and it wasn't, but because I will be using it for a somewhat different role, I don't feel any need to change the sound I get with these pickups.

When playing chords using the low B string, it has a somewhat "unnatural" sound to it, almost a synth or phaser sort of tone, but that's not a bad thing necessarily. No noise to speak of either, which was a surprise. My intention is to record additional (lower) guitar tracks with this, so I don't have the same needs as I would from one of my "lead" guitars. The tone is a little bit thin, but not to the point that I feel the pickups should be replaced. It's deep, it's dark, and that's what I expect of it.

The bridge humbucker would be sufficient for solos, partially because of the good sustain I mentioned above, although not really it's strong suit. For crushing riffs, a Floyd Rose actually seems to improve the sound, but even with a tune-o-matic, this model holds down the low end nicely. The neck pickup, although having a good clean tone, is much weaker than on most stock pickups I've come across.

As I said before, I don't think I have a need to upgrade the pickups, but if this was my one-and-only axe, I'd probably start shopping for something with less mud and a more musical sound.

I bought this guitar on clearance at Guitar Center. Normally, I would expect it to be in rough shape and needing a good professional setup to get it in top playing condition, but this was just right, straight off the rack. The action is comfortably low, and while the neck is of course going to take some getting used, it doesn't seem overly wide. The pickups are adjusted fine, and I found no finish flaws. The neck/headstock joint seems a little sloppy, with excess glue under the finish, but that is only if you look really close. No problems I saw with the fretwork, and while I think that the fake pearl inlay material looks rather cheap on a rosewood fretboard, the inlays were applied nicely. The bolt-on neck fits great, no gap at the joint.

The only thing I'd worry about is the satin chrome finish. Over time, I wouldn't doubt that friction from the strings will take the satin finish off the bridge and tuner posts. Jackson finishes tend to hold up fairly well. The strap buttons are monsters, and the tune-o-matic bridge is certainly less hassle than a Floyd. The body is light and alder tends to be a little soft, but it feels solid.

I haven't need any support on this guitar yet, but in the past, Jackson has always been very helpful.

Counting the DR-7, I own five Jackson guitars, plus a Hamer USA and Dean import, and Charvel bass. Over the ten or so years I've been playing, I've never strayed too far from the more conventional body styles...super-Strat, Les Paul and such. I paid $200 for this, when a week before it had been $700. I would not have paid the full price for it, both because it is Japanese and because it is a seven-string, but for $200, no problem! I bought it to experiment on recordings, not as a live-playing instrument. I wouldn't be heartbroken to lose it compared to my Soloist or custom Dinky, but I'd still be mad if someone stole it.

Note that when I say I wouldn't pay $700 for this guitar, that's because a seven-string is simply not worth that much to me. But a year from now, I may feel different. The bottom line, however, is that Jackson guitars are generally of better quality than their competition, even in a seven-string market dominated by Ibanez and Schecter. The features are just what I wanted, the sound is good for stock pickups, and it feels great. If any of my scores don't seem to be "glowing", keep in mind that I'm mentally comparing the DR-7 to my other, more expensive guitars that were bought to "do it all" as opposed to doing one thing.

This guitar plays quite nicely, this is my first 7 string guitar, but it is a fairly easy transition. The neck feels great and the body is quite comfortable.

The stock pickups in the guitar leave a little to be desired, I've heard worse, but I've heard better also. I do plan on replacing the stockers with REAL Duncans.

I bought this guitar used, but it is VERY clean, it has hardly been played, I would say the factory did a very good job of setup.

I have yet to play this guitar in a live situation, but I think once I've replaced the stock electronics it will perform quite nicely.

N/A

I've been playing guitar for 16yrs, I have owned many guitars, and I must say that for the price I paid this guitar is an EXCELLENT value.
I'm not sure if the price I paid is reflective of the average used price for this model but if it is I urge anyone in search of a 7-string or just a change in scenery to try this one out.

Sensational Guitar, 23 1/2 frets solid metallic dark purple body, pearly shark fin fret inlays, 1 vol knob, 1 tone, 5 selector. Duncan design pickups.

I use Gauge 65 as a B string, through a marshall v100r. Also go through a Boss fuzz and the two distortion channels on the amp. Phat sound. Very tight, but easy to play with thinner gauge string, naturally. But this allows me to belt the absolute crap out of it. Nothing like ferocious heaviness.

Not sure really, i threw on the big 65's before i got a chance. No flaws except a couple of exta frets.

very strong and reliable no need for a back up unless you intens on smashing it. Why would ya.

1999 Model, made in Japan. 22 frets, shark fin inlays, solid body, 1 volume nob, 1 tone nob, 3 way selector switch. Start style body, reverse head stock, H/H pickup configuration, tune-o-matic bridge, string through body, non-locking tuners. I'm giving it a no opinion in this category, becuase it has the normal featues of a straight forward electric guitar.

This guitar originally came with Duncan Design Pickups. The neck one sounds really nice, but the bridge one sounds better with thick tube amps. I had it replaced with a Dimarzio Blaze which sounds killer with my setup. My sound is solid state with pretty much raw edge distortion. I plug this into my Peavey Transtube Supreme head which powers 2 Peavey 5150 cabinets. For distortion, I either use a DOD Death Metal pedal, or the Distortion in my guitar head (I haven't decided which one I like better coming through the PA. I mic my cabinets with an Shure SM57, into our mixing board.) I also scoop the mids with an RFX equalizer pedal in my effects loop. I also use Daddario 10's for strings. With this setup, I like a Dimarzio Blaze pickup in the bridge more with this line up I have. I does suit my music very nicely, METAL!!!!! I've also noticed that the tune-o-matic bridge has better sound quality and tone than the Ibanez 7621 fixed bridge, and the same outstanding sound quality as the Ibanez 7620 floating bridge.

I had to lower Bridge a little but that was my own preference, not a screw up from the factory. The guitar did not contain any flaws in the least. I was very impressed.

This guitar is extremely well put together. I have 2 other 7 strings (Ibanez 7620 and Ibanez 7621.) The 2 Ibanez's have little flaws in them. Like the pickup selector switch nob falls off, or part of the fret board chipped off. The Jackson DR7 does not have signle thing wrong with it at all. Very sturdy. I take good care of my guitars, but I do beat the piss out of the strings when I play, and the Jackson has held up. I also own a jackson Rhandy Rhoads 6 string, which is very durabl and well put together. I'm noticing a trend here.

Never Had to Deal with them.

I've been playing guitar for 6 years, and have been playing 7 strings for almost a year. The only thing I wish that this guitar had was a 5 way selector switch that allows you to slit the coils in the pickus like the Ibanez RG 7 strings have. Other than that an absolutely fantastic value. If you are looking for a fixed bridge, 7 string, strat shaped guitar, without coil splitting capability, this is it. Very well put together. The stock pickups that it comes with are just a matter of taste depending on your string gauge and equipment.

This is a re-review of my Jackson 7-string. 1999 model, made in Japan, 22 frets, solid body, 1 volume pot, 1 tone pot, 3-way switch, H/H pickup configuration, passive Duncan Design pickups, Basswood body, maple neck with rosewood fretboard, glossy, solid black finish, super-strat body style, Tune-o-Matic style bridge with a string-thru body design, non-locking Jackson tuners, a thin neck with jumbo frets. Reverse headstock, reverse sharkfin inlays. 7-strings.

This guitar definately suites my style of music, which is Metal. I use this guitar through a Boss Metal Zone to a Peavey Bandit 112. It isn't the best setup, but it still kicks ass. It can get noisy, but that depends on my other equipment. It has a full, distorted tone. I love the sound, put i probably will switch the pickups to EMG 707's anyway.

It's setup was awesome. The action is high only at the bridge, then goes LOW once it hits the fretboard. This guitar is so DAMN EASY to play! The pickups were set up high, about 2 or 3 millimeters from the strings. the only i found was that the volume pot was kinda off when you turned it, but who gives a shit? it works. everyon else is awesome. This guitar is basically dream to me, compared to my old Ibanez RX20... piece of crap it was.

This will definately withstand live playing. It has a good finish, but it sorta dents easier than i expected. Not enough to chip off the paint though. The start buttons are very wide, definately do their job. I culd definately use this guitar without a backup, even though i dont gig.. yet. I play carefully so i doubt i'd break a string at a show. This guitar will stay in tune no matter what happens.

Never dealt with them

I've been playing for a year and a half. If it were stolen, i would find the thief, and submit them to extreme torture until they cry mercy... ? But i'd definately look into buying another jackson. I play anything from grunge (nirvana, alice in chains) to metal (Fear Factory, Cannibal Corpse). I was originally looking into the Ibanez RG7621, but it never came in, so i went with this one. I especially like the reverse headstock, and the inlays. Plus, the Low B string really adds so much to your sound. Overall a great guitar.

1999 model, 1 volume and 1 tone nob. 22 frets with reverse sharkfin inlays. Reverse headstock. Tune-O-Matic type bridge, and satin chrome hardware. Two duncan design humbuckers. 3-way switch. Black finish. Rosewood fretboard. 7 strings. Bolt-On neck.

Sounds amesome. Perfect for metal. Very chunky. It can make a lot of sounds.

This action is a bit higher than a locking tremelo, but the strings are loose and it plays great. Good jumbo frets. The wood seems great, and has a good finish. Pickups were adjusted very high, which i like.

It seems very sturdy, I think it will last forever... maybe. The start buttons rock, i had trouble putting the strap on. I could definately depend on it.

haven't dealt with them.

Great guitar. Worth the money.