# Jackson Pro DKA7 Don't Buy it. Heres Why...



## Weapon Sett Seven (Aug 13, 2013)

Hey guys,

Got my hands on the DKA7, from Namm 2013. I know a lot of people have been very interested in this. So I thought I would post about it for all you guys who are considering it. I wouldn't buy it...Here is why....

Manufacturing: 

This guitar was not built or designed by anyone who really _knows_ 7 strings. They used Alder, which is fine...but Jackson scooped so much out of the body in shaping it, that they killed a lot of tonal resonance. My bridge had two saddle set fasteners that were stripped out. The nut was cut off center, so the string spacing was inconsistent and the low 7th would roll off the neck, while the high end had plenty of room. Also, the tone/volume knobs were wired incorrectly, and there was no volume at all. Just two tone knobs essentially. The one I saw at NAMM was supposed to have volume and tone. 

Set up:

The action was silly low, playing that thing through my Axe-fx was noisy and full of fret buzz and string feedback. Clearly no one set this up to be played, like most 7 strings are played. The intonation was terribly off and the "feel" of the guitar was slow and flimsy. 

Tone:

This is the worst part, we all play 7's for that tone...even if the guitar sucks, the tone can save it. But alas....this was not true. The tone was concentrated in the upper mids. There was no low end at all, and even playing this thing through my old Pod XT with the Line 6 BBE I could not get any decent low end. In my experience, you can add mids and high end to a guitar, but if there is no low end....you really can't make it sound...proper. (IMHO). The high end and middle were ok, average sounding, still too bright for my taste but decent. I attribute the loss of low end to Alder, and far too much material removed from the body.

All in all, I'm just writing this for everyone to know. I called and spoke with the nice people at Jackson and they were very upset to hear my review, and apologized and said they would look into it, so they may be getting better. I was very excited for this guitar and I think I got the 4th one ever made, so it could be early in the process and they need to "tweak" the design. Once again this is just my opinion, I just thought you guys would want to hear a review. 

Stick with Basswood. I find my favorite sevens are Basswood, bolt on neck and careful pickup selection (pickups vary from guitar to guitar, as each one is different and needs different "tweaks" to bring out my favorite attributes)

Regards,

-Weapon Sett Seven


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## Allealex (Aug 13, 2013)

Well it might be a bad lemon, have you tried any other DKA 7?


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## Weapon Sett Seven (Aug 13, 2013)

I played the one at NAMM, noted some similar issues and was told that it still wasn't finished. I have heard that many orders have been cancelled and returned....

I think if it was changed and altered it would play a littler better and be set up correctly, but the tone will likely not change. Also, for a limited run model with close to 1000$ price tag....It should sound pretty damn good out of the box. (IMHO)


-Weapon Sett Seven


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## jephjacques (Aug 13, 2013)

Sounds like you got a lemon to me. Also alder sounds fine in a properly built seven, I seriously doubt the wood is to blame or people like Suhr, Anderson, etc wouldn't use it.


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## Dan (Aug 13, 2013)

Just a thought, did you ever think about setting up the guitar? I mean, as soon as i get an instrument i make sure everything is wired correctly, fix the intonation address any fret dressing i need to do etc. If it was just an off the shelf NAMM purchase then odds are it wasn't set up, it was just there for eye candy.

I've played several Jacksons from entry level through to custom shop and i know from first hand experience they can produce amazing work. Like the guy said previously you might not have a great item, as odds are it was a prototype guitar for the run and some of the issues you are having might have been addressed after the final run began. There's a million possibilities.


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## Dan (Aug 13, 2013)

Weapon Sett Seven said:


> Also, for a limited run model with close to 1000$ price tag....It should sound pretty damn good out of the box. (IMHO)
> 
> 
> -Weapon Sett Seven



If you can find some packaging that can keep a guitar perfectly in tune and intonated through shipping then you sir, can take all my money . In the real world that doesn't happen dude. Thats why guitar shops usually have a guy in house who sets up the instruments before they go on the shelf.


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## LolloBlaskhyrt (Aug 13, 2013)

I agree with Allealex. But now I want to try a DKA7


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## Rotatous (Aug 13, 2013)

Weapon Sett Seven said:


> Stick with Basswood. I find my favorite sevens are Basswood, bolt on neck and careful pickup selection (pickups vary from guitar to guitar, as each one is different and needs different "tweaks" to bring out my favorite attributes)



It really does just sound like it hadn't been set up properly/you got a lemon.

Alder is a perfectly good tonewood to use on a seven string, just because you like basswood doesn't mean every seven should be made of it. Personally I would much rather have alder over basswood. You probably should've just gone with what you know and bought something made of basswood with a bolt on neck


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## sakeido (Aug 13, 2013)

I have a DKA8 and it is great. This is just your guitar, a lemon. Mine wasn't perfectly setup when I got it either but only a few small tweaks was all it needed... and I would never buy another basswood bodied guitar unless I wanted a really weak tone


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## Valennic (Aug 13, 2013)

Yeah, I got a DKA8 and out of the box it was set up like ass. Felt weird, string spacing was off, and the neck was too low at the neck joint. The saddles were all at the same level, and the action wasn't set on any of the strings. I set it up, and now it's flawless. It only took about 30 minutes. That's it.

You have to understand, these come straight from the factory floor. They're NOT going to be set up right. That's not a thing they do there. As far as the tone goes, thats entirely subjective. How much wood they remove isn't going to affect the tone, and you obviously just don't like Alder as a tone wood. You can't really judge a guitar until you've got it set up man. I think you jumped the gun pretty hard on this review.


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## Weapon Sett Seven (Aug 13, 2013)

Like I said, this is my opinion. 

And I have ordered/owned and played many guitars that come from the custom shops, or factory floor, or even guitar center. And I have to say...This was the worst, by far. Of course I set it up and spent time with it. In all I'd say I spent most of a day playing with the guitar, when compared to other guitars it's a clear difference. 

I've owned Jackson guitars and they make great stuff. No complaints about the company, this was just a review as I haven't heard anyone who has actually played one yet, and many people were discussing what the guitar is like. 

Alder is a great wood, I just don't prefer it. Like I said before, I think there was too much material removed from the body. In order to have a good solid tone, there needs to be sufficient material in the body...I just think they removed too much. I have played plenty of alder guitars and they generally sound good, this was an exception. 

Not everyone has $$ to spend on 7's. I wrote this so that people who wanted to know what they were like had an idea. I was probably more bummed out than anyone, as I have been waiting to try this thing for 7 months. 

-Weapon Sett Seven


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## Weapon Sett Seven (Aug 13, 2013)

Valennic said:


> How much wood they remove isn't going to affect the tone, and you obviously just don't like Alder as a tone wood.




Pickups are not the only source of tone from a guitar. The amount of wood, quality, density, shape, chambering (if any) can change the sound of an electric guitar in many ways. This is why so many guitars made from similar materials can sound so different. I would suggest researching resonance. 

-Weapon Sett Seven


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## McBonez (Aug 13, 2013)

I think the issue is that you wrote a lot of this in a factual sense, as opposed to it simply being your opinion.

I mean no offense in saying this, just keep that in mind for future reviews


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## Black Mamba (Aug 13, 2013)

A lot of what you're complaining about seems like personal preference: body wood, pickups/overall tone of the instrument, action (FWIW; I don't know if I've ever played a guitar out of the box that didn't need some sort of setup).

As for the bridge, off center nut, and the incorrect wiring of the volume/tone knobs, I'm sorry to hear that.


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## Rev2010 (Aug 13, 2013)

Weapon Sett Seven said:


> The amount of wood, quality, density, shape, chambering (if any) can change the sound of an electric guitar in many ways.



So then by your reasoning a Jackson Rhoads V with a standard recessed Floyd and active EMG's should sound poor because it has less body wood with the offset V shape and routes.

Not.


Rev.


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## feraledge (Aug 13, 2013)

Weapon Sett Seven said:


> I played the one at NAMM, noted some similar issues and was told that it still wasn't finished.



That's a pretty good out...
I wouldn't want someone telling me my album sucked because the tone on the demo version wasn't good enough.


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## mcd (Aug 13, 2013)

meh, pretty sure you have a lemon. Are they replacing it?


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## Tysonimmortal (Aug 13, 2013)

Dude, if I got a $1000 guitar in from shipping - with a ....ed up nut, volume knob wiring, and ANY screw on the thing stripped out - I'd be major pissed too. Can you get a refund?


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## ElasticPancakes (Aug 13, 2013)

I have one on order, will make sure to give it a thorough inspection as soon as I get it. I ordered mine quite late so perhaps if there are issues, they will be fixed by the time it gets to me.

We will see. If anything, thanks for the heads up.


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## Jonathan20022 (Aug 13, 2013)

First off, Basswood and Alder don't sound bad. I don't know how that kind of info spreads but it's total and utter bullshit, people seem to be obsessed with the fact that certain tonewoods are total and utter shit.

Basswood is great, I currently own two guitars that have them and they sound impeccable. Granted the JP12 has multiple tonewoods going on in the body, but even the RG927 sounds absolutely immense. Same with Alder, in fact most Fender Strats use Alder as their main body wood, and Strats are known for their shimmering tones. Not exactly the guitar to go too if you want massive low end and less mid response.

You got a lemon, that's what it clearly sounds like and I think you should return it for a new one and set it up when you get it in. There's clear defects and no you shouldn't be happy about it, but most of your complaints are preference based. The DKA7 might just not be for you, but then again there's guitars that don't mesh with countless people but work for others.

I'm sure these are great guitars, but you should base your judgement on more than one before making a statement like "Don't buy Jackson DKA7's". Sucks you had a bad experience, hope it all gets worked out!


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## Weapon Sett Seven (Aug 13, 2013)

Tysonimmortal said:


> Dude, if I got a $1000 guitar in from shipping - with a ....ed up nut, volume knob wiring, and ANY screw on the thing stripped out - I'd be major pissed too. Can you get a refund?



I didn't pay for it. It was free, I just wanted to Demo it for Jackson and see how they played cause the concept was awesome. Which is the whole reason I posted this here, just for public knowledge. 

-Weapon Sett Seven


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## mcd (Aug 13, 2013)

Weapon Sett Seven said:


> I didn't pay for it. It was free, I just wanted to Demo it for Jackson and see how they played cause the concept was awesome. Which is the whole reason I posted this here, just for public knowledge.
> 
> -Weapon Sett Seven



So Jackson gave you free shit? No offense, that seems odd


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## Randy (Aug 13, 2013)

The flaws in your guitar aren't excusable but most of your complaints are a matter of taste. I personally prefer a guitar (6, 7 or 8) to be focused in the upper mids.


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## Konfyouzd (Aug 13, 2013)




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## Dan (Aug 13, 2013)

Weapon Sett Seven said:


> I didn't pay for it. It was free, I just wanted to Demo it for Jackson and see how they played cause the concept was awesome. Which is the whole reason I posted this here, just for public knowledge.
> 
> -Weapon Sett Seven



No offense dude but if Jackson (and im not debating they aren't) are giving you free guitars to demo and trial, odds are they would have at least checked the instrument before giving it to you. For you to walk off the floor at NAMM with a guitar given to you by a brand, only for you to slate afterwards i find kinda off IMHO. I have friends who have close affiliations to Jackson and even their guitars we're only loaned to them for the sake of a review, after that it had to be shipped back or bought outright.

Do you have any video/audio footage of this guitar? Or any pictures to support what you're going on about? As i say i'm not doubting your statements but i'd like to see some facts to support the opinion.


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## MrPowers (Aug 13, 2013)

I have a Jackson DKA7, possibly the first one off the line aside from the one at NAMM, and I have to say, I feel as though you are giving an unfair representation of this instrument.

Yes, my guitar came set up VERY poorly as well, but after some heavier strings and some work, it plays amazingly. The ONLY problem, and I mean the ONLY one, is that there is one fret (18 I believe) that is set slightly too low compared to the others. It does fret-out. For me, this isn't a problem, I just play around it and if it becomes an issue I will just have it replaced.

As for the tone, if you don't like it you don't like it. But you shouldn't be telling other people not to buy it because of that. Pickups can be replaced and wiring can be changed. I feel it's MORE resonant than my Schecter Loomis, that resonance is just higher. As for me, I love it. It sounds GOD in a band mix. It's aggressive and if I ever feel like it doesn't have enough low end, I'll get Warpigs.

I'm not saying Jackson doesn't have a few bugs to work out, but, I feel as though this was a little too harsh. It's not a $3000 dollar custom, it's a production line, made in Mexico which didn't even exist up until recently because Jackson's Japanese factory closed on them. Do I wish it was made in Japan? Yes. Is it a bad or poorly designed instrument? Not at all.


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## Harmsown (Aug 13, 2013)

I made this account just to reply to this post because I just got my DKA7, and was looking around to see what other people were saying. 

My guitar was not as bad as yours, but after playing around with it I was getting plenty of good sounds. I will say that it does sound a bit "tinny" (sp?) But overall its pretty darn good. See Pic

Sounds like they gave you a lemon man.... at least it was free!


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## McBonez (Aug 13, 2013)

All of a sudden this whole thing smells like...


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## traditional (Aug 13, 2013)

Not trying to be a dick here, so take that in to consideration. 
Based on past threads, I don't trust anyone who joins sso and almost instantly writes a scathing review of a company's guitar and will not listen to any reason from the other side. Bad juju.


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## FunnelWeaver (Aug 13, 2013)

I didn't realize that these were even for sale yet. Where can one be ordered from?


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## mcd (Aug 14, 2013)

FunnelWeaver said:


> I didn't realize that these were even for sale yet. Where can one be ordered from?



Jackson FSR Pro Series DKA7 Dinky Electric Guitar - Satin White

BOOM


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Aug 14, 2013)

Ibanez Sabers and Parker guitars sound damn good to me, and they're pancakes.


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## Cowboyfromhell (Aug 14, 2013)

Well you should play another one maybe the first batch of meth.... eehh  i mean guitars wasnt so pure......eeeeeh  i mean so good. But seriously i think its just a bad guitar poop happens!


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## Jameslewis777 (Aug 14, 2013)

I've had one on the way for about 4 months. OP, thank you for the anxiety.

..


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## GiveUpGuitar (Aug 14, 2013)

I think the OP has every right to post this review, and those of you who are claiming he is asserting a fact need to consider that this is... the internet. You can't just trust any random person with the end all be all decision on what's good or not. The OP gave us an example of what could go wrong, and what he personally dislikes. After all, if 9 out of 10 doctors agree, that 10th doctor still disagrees, and that guy might like... cure cancer or some shit.


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## Tesla (Aug 14, 2013)

Really want some Lemonade now...


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## Rev2010 (Aug 14, 2013)

GiveUpGuitar said:


> You can't just trust any random person with the end all be all decision on what's good or not.



I don't think that's the problem people are having with his "review". I think the problem is it's his first post, there are no pics whatsoever to visually display any issues, no sound clips to demonstrate the sound issues, the fact that he tells people to "stick with basswood" and "Jackson scooped so much out of the body in shaping it, that they killed a lot of tonal resonance" which simply doesn't make any sense.


Rev.


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## HanShock (Aug 14, 2013)

hmm,trust me , it's just a QC problem.


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## Harmsown (Aug 14, 2013)

Jameslewis777 said:


> I've had one on the way for about 4 months. OP, thank you for the anxiety.
> 
> ..



Don't worry buddy, like I said my DKA7 plays great. You will just need some tweaking to get a setup your comfortable with!


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## Jameslewis777 (Aug 14, 2013)

Harmsown said:


> Don't worry buddy, like I said my DKA7 plays great. You will just need some tweaking to get a setup your comfortable with!



Makes me wonder why they're taking so damn long with mine. I ordered from Gear Hounds on May 28th...


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## Rev2010 (Aug 14, 2013)

Jameslewis777 said:


> Makes me wonder why they're taking so damn long with mine. I ordered from Gear Hounds on May 28th...



Seems to be a common issue with all these newer Jackson 7's and 8's coming out. I remember I snagged up one in-stock satin black slatxmg3-7 from Guitar Center in Manhattan when their website and Musicians Friend had a 4 month estimated in stock time. And my custom Kelly 7-string Jackson told me expected completion date is March - that makes it a 25 month wait. Jackson is becoming synonymous with waiting regardless of whether it's a custom or production model.


Rev.


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## RustInPeace (Aug 14, 2013)

Remember when the first batch of the x series slats came with basswood and the bridge pickup was not positioned right? Seems like Jackson may have problems with first batches. Mind you I tried one of the new Jackson JS 7's for $400 (natural finish quilt top) and I was blown away by how awesome it was...


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## HighGain510 (Aug 14, 2013)

Weapon Sett Seven said:


> I didn't pay for it. It was free, I just wanted to Demo it for Jackson and see how they played cause the concept was awesome. Which is the whole reason I posted this here, just for public knowledge.
> 
> -Weapon Sett Seven



Let's see here... You claim Jackson sent you a guitar for free that was specifically MEANT FOR DEMO USE and you're claiming the guitar was completely terrible in every aspect?  Sorry, I highly doubt that...  Also anyone with a relationship with Jackson that allows them to get FREE guitars (especially if it's in exchange for doing a demo for them) would know that if the guitar showed up jacked up from Jackson, it should probably go back for a replacement guitar if you were sent a lemon vs signing up for a brand new account on a major forum and blasting them with a review calling them out on everything and basically tearing down the guitar model itself and telling folks to avoid buying the product. 

Sorry, there are enough things found in your whopping 6 posts here (oddly enough, they were all solely made within this thread! ) smell of trolling, I don't buy it whatsoever.  There's pretty much near-zero chance this "review" is legit.  Like I said above, anyone who has a working relationship with Jackson wouldn't get a demo unit from them and then immediately jump to a public forum and create a new account, then proceed to tell people "don't buy it!" as their opening statement.  Doesn't make ANY sense and I honestly can't see Jackson sending free guitars to someone who would do something like that.


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## ElasticPancakes (Aug 14, 2013)

I ordered mine May 16th and was originally quoted a 2 -3 month wait.

I contacted them last week, seeing as that time has passed, and the store owner told me to expect it in another 2 months, namely October...

Now I'm in South Africa so we aren't exactly top of the priority list perhaps, but the store owner told me the factory is MAJORLY backed up.

Is this a consequence of employees taking time to get accustomed to building them? Or perhaps producing to many guitars at one factory? Who knows. If anyone has any insight or info, would be interesting to hear.


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## Boojakki (Aug 14, 2013)

I received mine today from Thomann, Germany. Yay! Ordered it beginning of March (this year, heh) btw. It plays well, it feels ok, it sounds well (didn't like the D-Activators at all when I tried them in an all mahogany set neck 6-string some years ago, but they work well in here). Even the setup is pretty well. I just ripped it out of the cardbox, tuned it and started playing 1,5 h ago.
After reading this thread (starting yesterday) I was kind of concerned what I will get, but I'm pretty pleased with what I got for 755&#8364;.
It's not perfect (some little flaws finishing-wise and at the binding plus have to check the electronics when I change strings first, cause I feel the grounding isn't really good and it hums and buzzes when I use the killswitch ... must do an overall check there).
The fretjob is perfectly fine, the nut is cutted like it should be and the neck feels good and sits tight in it's pocket. All screws are tight and so on.
Good quality, kinda Schecter South Korea stuff like (I own a Schecter which was same price-point (maybe a little more new) and it wasn't flawless either. I played (and owned) guitars double the price (even more) and some of them were pretty meh for their hype... Sound and quality-wise.
Sorry, no pics (yet) don't have a camera. Maybe some cheap cellphone pics later but first I will play this thing a while to see if we get along, hehe.
Anyway, if you want perfection get some luthier to built you what you want. Or some more high-end production line. For it's price (and Fender Mexican built) it's a quite nice guitar. I'm pleased with it. It's what I expected, when I ordered it.


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## canuck brian (Aug 14, 2013)

Weapon Sett Seven said:


> -- Alder is a great wood, I just don't prefer it. Like I said before, I think there was too much material removed from the body. In order to have a good solid tone, there needs to be sufficient material in the body...I just think they removed too much. I have played plenty of alder guitars and they generally sound good, this was an exception.
> 
> --Pickups are not the only source of tone from a guitar. The amount of wood, quality, density, shape, chambering (if any) can change the sound of an electric guitar in many ways. This is why so many guitars made from similar materials can sound so different. I would suggest researching resonance.
> 
> -Weapon Sett Seven





More wood on a guitar body does not translate to a good/solid/bigger/more/whatever tone. If you could back that lofty claim up with any factual evidence that isn't brutally subjective, i'd love to see it. 

Also, if you "demo" guitars for Jackson and you showed up here with a brand new account openly slagging them, be rest assured they probably won't want you demoing guitars anymore.


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## mcd (Aug 14, 2013)

pretty sure this guy works for Dean


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## misingonestring (Aug 14, 2013)

Company puts out an awesome guitar

One guy gets one bad guitar

Every guitar that company makes sucks


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## s4tch (Aug 15, 2013)

I played a lot of Jacksons and had some, too. I've had some minor quality issues even with some Fender-era MiJ guitars, I wouldn't buy or recommend some of the JS line, so I don't consider myself a blind fanboy who would even eat $h!t if labeled Jackson.

But come on, based on this "review", this DKA7 might well be the worst Jackson ever made.

Also, HighGain510 and canuck_brian made a point here. New nick, no evidence, a lot of subjective or simply wrong elements in the "review" - I'm not buying it either.


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## Kapee (Aug 15, 2013)

Did you get set it up properly? New instruments straight out of the box need it in every price range.


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## quattro19tdi (Aug 15, 2013)

misingonestring said:


> Company puts out an awesome guitar
> 
> One guy gets one bad guitar
> 
> Every guitar that company makes sucks



Yeah this is how brands/guitars get a bad reputation, because a lot of people instantly believes what they read to be true without thinking. I'm sure it's an really awesome guitar, and would like to have one myself!


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## Rev2010 (Aug 15, 2013)

misingonestring said:


> Company puts out an awesome guitar
> 
> One guy gets one bad guitar
> 
> Every guitar that company makes sucks



In all fairness as much as we disagree with the OP he never said all the guitars they make suck, he specifically only commented on the DKA7. 


Rev.


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## sakeido (Aug 15, 2013)

Rev2010 said:


> In all fairness as much as we disagree with the OP he never said all the guitars they make suck, he specifically only commented on *his* DKA7.
> 
> 
> Rev.



Edit for truth. 

Although there is a chance he does not have the guitar at all


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## Jameslewis777 (Aug 15, 2013)

My theory: OP wants to buy one but they're all out or are on a long hiatus. 

His tactic: slander the product so that people (like myself) will return or cancel their order, so thus he can receive one.

Boom! Sherlock'd!


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## tyler_faith_08 (Aug 15, 2013)

I think that he gave a review much like anyone should. Does anyone know the consensus on the tonewood of choice like basswood, alder, maple, ash? Does anyone have a set amount of string buzz that they like? I know guys that say that it helps them play better. What is the consensus on everyone's favorite pickup? Favorite fretboard radius? Etc. 

The thing is, when someone does a review, it's going to be from their point of view unless you do reviews for motor trend, which are even then sometimes swayed by preference. I mean, the ferrari 550 Maranello had a drastic mix of reviews in motor trend. Above most everyone's reach? Yes. Cool as hell? Yes. More specifically, some hated the loose back end while some loved it. <--Preference.

OP said it sounded thin. It's likely got a thin tone in his opinion. Said there was too much material removed. There likely is. For whatever reason, he gave a review and hasn't been a douche back to any of you who flamed him.


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## eaeolian (Aug 15, 2013)

jephjacques said:


> Sounds like you got a lemon to me. Also alder sounds fine in a properly built seven, I seriously doubt the wood is to blame or people like Suhr, Anderson, etc wouldn't use it.



Considering I own an awesome-sounding Jackson 7 string with alder wings, and another one who's only issue might be being TOO dark, I don't think "alder" by itself is the problem.

That said, the *quality* of the alder might have something to do with it. 

Edit: Having read the rest of the thread, eh, let him whine about a lemon.

Then again, I'm a little suspicious of the "sent me one for a free demo" angle, since I'm an endorser, and even with the Indo ones that's not the normal procedure.


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## Jameslewis777 (Aug 16, 2013)

I just got the call from Gearhounds that my DKA7 will be shipping out Monday. I'm interested to see how mine holds up compared to this review.

Will definitely keep you guys updated.

If mine arrives even close to the condition that the OP described (all subjective opinions aside) I will be returning it without attempt for salvage. Ain't nobody got time for that.


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## eaeolian (Aug 16, 2013)

tyler_faith_08 said:


> OP said it sounded thin. It's likely got a thin tone in his opinion. Said there was too much material removed. There likely is. For whatever reason, he gave a review and hasn't been a douche back to any of you who flamed him.



It might have a thin tone, but I doubt it's because there's too much material removed - much more likely it's just a dead piece of wood.

I didn't notice anything overly flame-y, just some legit questions about the OP. Otherwise, someone would have had a nap.


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## VBCheeseGrater (Aug 16, 2013)

Randy said:


> The flaws in your guitar aren't excusable but most of your complaints are a matter of taste. I personally prefer a guitar (6, 7 or 8) to be focused in the upper mids.



Agree about the upper mids. I also find low end easier to dial back, provided your amp. An pump it out, vs mids. Try dialing back in the mids using a blaze pickup...not so easy.

Stll, sounds like you got a lemon/ poorly set up guitar judging by spacing issues and all. I always set up my guitars too but if certain things are off then one can only set it up so well.good luck


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## col (Aug 16, 2013)

HighGain510 said:


> Sorry, there are enough things found in your whopping 6 posts here (oddly enough, they were all solely made within this thread! ) smell of trolling, I don't buy it whatsoever.  There's pretty much near-zero chance this "review" is legit.



I smelled troll immediately when I read this: 



Weapon Sett Seven said:


> I called and spoke with the nice people at Jackson and *they were very upset to hear my review, and apologized* and said they would look into it, so they may be getting better.


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## RagtimeDandy (Aug 16, 2013)

Thanks for the review, hopefully they fix the aforementioned issues you stated. I'd be curious to hear other reviews as you really did seem to get a dud. Jackson usually has some solid instruments, it'd be a shame if their quality dropped.


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## McBonez (Aug 17, 2013)

tyler_faith_08 said:


> I think that he gave a review much like anyone should. Does anyone know the consensus on the tonewood of choice like basswood, alder, maple, ash? Does anyone have a set amount of string buzz that they like? I know guys that say that it helps them play better. What is the consensus on everyone's favorite pickup? Favorite fretboard radius? Etc.
> 
> The thing is, when someone does a review, it's going to be from their point of view unless you do reviews for motor trend, which are even then sometimes swayed by preference. I mean, the ferrari 550 Maranello had a drastic mix of reviews in motor trend. Above most everyone's reach? Yes. Cool as hell? Yes. More specifically, some hated the loose back end while some loved it. <--Preference.
> 
> OP said it sounded thin. It's likely got a thin tone in his opinion. Said there was too much material removed. There likely is. For whatever reason, he gave a review and hasn't been a douche back to any of you who flamed him.



Did you even read through the entire thread?

Give it a full read and then try to tell me something doesn't smell off about the whole thing.

Also I LOVE fretbuzz all over the neck. I keep my instruments in pristine condition so I can get dead notes for days!


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## tyler_faith_08 (Aug 17, 2013)

I did read the thread. I'm not saying his review should be considered gospel, but it should be taken for what it is. The guitar isn't even out yet so who knows for sure if he's telling the truth? 

Now as far as a free guitar, no. I don't believe that for a second. However, most guys that have a really small post count that get on any forum (all that I'm a member of) and talk bad about a product don't even have a semi-valid reason for why it sucked. I'm not saying that his analysis was to the tee, but still. OP gave (IMO) a somewhat above average review, especially for a first post. Sure, some things didn't add up, but still. Something is off, but come on. It's dude's first post lol.

As far as string buzz, I agree that any is bad. However, a guy that I work with says that "there's a fine line between string buzz and unplayable." It's stupid IMO, but to each his own I guess. Not the first time I've heard something like that, either believe it or not.

Now with the body mass issue, I'll say this: I've done experiments on guitars for years and years. If there is nothing else I know about guitars, it's modifications. I've tried everything I've ever been able to afford and recorded the before and after results (which I've already promised some members for when I return to he states). 

Get a cheap body and throw some spare parts on it and play it and cut some of the material out of the body and tell me how it affects tone. I did this years ago (when I was a EVH fanboy) with a knockoff explorer intending to mimic his shark guitar and it killed the tone. NO midrange, whatsoever. I will agree that the guitar in question may just be a dead piece of wood, but the loss of mass likely made it worse.


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## 9unslin9er (Aug 18, 2013)

If I were this guy, I'd seriously consider deleting this thread.

Jackson might have had a questionable era in the previous decade, but their incorporation into Fender has done wonders for their QC.

I paid full retail for my Slat7 hard tail and I can attest that the "Made in Indonesia" sticker means absolutely nothing. The fit and finish on the instrument is superb and disregarding the Poly vs. Nitro arguments, I'd put it up against my Gibson Les Paul Traditional in a heartbeat in terms of craftsmanship.

If you were given a demo instrument for testing, treat it as an evaluation. NOT as a final consumer product. That's what you're given a free instrument to do! Be its tester, find its faults and report back to the manufacturer. Not bash an unfinished product.


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## lobotom (Aug 18, 2013)

So I started reading this thread a day before my guitar was to arrive. Needless to say, it made me nervous even though this was just some guy's opinion and still very strange that somebody that gets a guitar from a company comes to an open forum to trash it. Anyway, I got my guitar, (plenty of pics) and to my disappointment the guitar was kind of a let down. First it came with a ding and was pretty much unplayable. Not sure who to blame (leaning towards the store where I got it from). The guitar seem to had been slapped together and thrown in the box. It needed a massive setup. I know that every guitar needs it but this one was out of control. I tried to play it and they were dead spots all over the neck. I tried to keep it in tune but it was becoming redundant. Couldn't compare to my JP70 that was basically perfect out of the box. As far as sound goes, I won't say that it was necessarily thin sounding but it lacks some bottom end (At least compared to my JP7, JPX7 and JP70). But it could be the pickups. I didn't adjust them and have never played D activators before.

Anyway, I really wanted to like this guitar but I guess that I'll have to wait for when they get it together. Hopefully everybody else's experience are better. If there's any shops reading this? spend sometime inspecting what your sending out. This guitar made the cheapest off the wall guitar at GC play like a dream. IMO

Alex



























































A little extra that I didn't pay for and probably the main reason why is going back.





And here she waits...


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## MrPowers (Aug 18, 2013)

^Mine had a couple marks like that as well. They just wiped right off with my finger.

That sucks though man, mine must be the exception not the rule. Jackson needs to step it up, these really could be great guitars.


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## Rev2010 (Aug 18, 2013)

9unslin9er said:


> Jackson might have had a questionable era in the previous decade, but their incorporation into Fender has done wonders for their QC.



You on crack bro? Their QC has been simply awful since the Fender acquisition. I've been a Jackson player for literally 21 years now and never have I seen such poor quality control.

I bought a Slatxmg3-7 from Sweetwater and something, likely the bridge, was drilled ever so slightly off center causing the low B string to be too close to the edge of the fretboard and the string would constantly slip off while playing so I had to return it. Went to J&R Music in Manhattan as they had some slat's and was going to go with the hardtail one until I spotted a half inch long crack in the binding. Sure it could've happened at the store but who knows. Then I buy the Floyd matte black one again at Guitar Center. Much better except it has fret spurring in the highest frets - that's when the fretboard shrinks and the frets push outward. Here, you can see what it looks like and another member here had the same thing:

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/3417839-post2.html

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/sevenstring-guitars/228301-should-i-try-exchange.html

Then there's the pickup route issue which I thought they'd fixed already. Some have the routes forward and some back. Again, thought this was only the SLATXMG3-7 line and that they fixed it after serial number xxx0500 but now someone has posted about the issue with their new Slat 8's, and included photos.

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/3685923-post30.html

Sorry bro, but Jackson QC has simply not gotten better since Fender, it's gotten worse and there is plenty of proof to back this up.


Rev.


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## 9unslin9er (Aug 18, 2013)

Rev2010 said:


> You on crack bro? Their QC has been simply awful since the Fender acquisition. I've been a Jackson player for literally 21 years now and never have I seen such poor quality control.


*
I am pretty far from being on crack. Keep it professional "Bro".*

I've played Dinkys and Soloists since the mid 90's and they had a major dip after that. They've improved dramatically in the last few years. Jackson sells thousands of guitars. Even if there were a dozen or so crappy reviews on this forum, it doesn't represent all the excellent instruments other consumers own. My main guitar was a Fusion short scale for the longest time and was pissed they started getting shoddy with their production. My friend owned a US custom Soloist and I GASed the longest time for that as well.

I have had ZERO issues with my Slat7. I bought it from Sweetwater as well. Sweetwater always takes care of their customers, if there was any issue with your guitar, I'm sure they would have replaced it or refunded your money.

It boils down to this: You can go the extra mile, and spend the extra dime to go to a store and test out an instrument, or you can shop from a distributor who cares about and inspects their product.

-OR-

You can buy from any dingy internet wholesaler and get what you thought you were saving money on. Something that sat in a hot and humid storeroom for months, or was tossed around a conveyer belt.

Also, that wood shrinking issue can happen to ANY instrument, regardless of country of manufacture or QC. Wood shrinks or expands depending on humidity and temperature. The moment you feel those frets starting to poke, it's time to take your guitar to a luthier and get it dressed. If you let your guitar sit on a stand with the radiator full blast and your binding starts to pop, that's all on you.

I think that pickup discrepancy issue is laughable. I mean that bottom picture doesn't even look like a real photo. It looks like some photoshop job of how someone WANTED the pickups to be positioned and it somehow ended up on Google images. I wouldn't buy a guitar based on stock photos. If you're the type that likes to do so, by all means gamble your money. But again, don't be a sore loser about it.


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## Exit Existence (Aug 18, 2013)

All Jackson imports sincethe OLD MIJ pro series fcking blow for the amount of money you pay for them. Why you guys haven't figured this out yet is beyond me lol ?? 
I own a USA soloist and the quality is amazing, but their import series guitars are a ....ing joke.

The X series neck thru models surprisingly weren't too bad fit and finish wise.. at least the price was right on those. The $450 X series rhoads honestly felt exactly the same quality fit and finish as say a $1,000 RR24 or something.

But all the shit with like them messing up the bridge position on the SLATS and the changing of body woods mid production, and the factory damaged dents and dings that shit is just stupid sloppy mistakes easily avoidable.


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## 9unslin9er (Aug 18, 2013)

Exit Existence said:


> But all the shit with like them messing up the bridge position on the SLATS and the changing of body woods mid production, and the factory damaged dents and dings that shit is just stupid sloppy mistakes easily avoidable.



EXACTLY. Avoidable by not buying them.

I feel like people are blowing a grand on these instruments that were posted on ZZsounds or some BS and then being disappointed they spent so much money on something they didn't get to examine.


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## Rev2010 (Aug 18, 2013)

@9unslin9er - firstly, I don't make a living posting on here so I don't see any need to be "professional". Second, I did return it to Sweetwater, did you not read my post? Third, I found issues with the Jackson slatxmg3-7 at three different stores, what else do you want? I posted links to others with issues and you simply blew it off. Lastly, you didn't post a single thing to backup your QC claim. Sorry but you're posting like a fanboy, and I actually am a fanboy of Jackson. I just have some objectivity. 


Rev.


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## 9unslin9er (Aug 18, 2013)

@Rev, I addressed your issue regarding the Sweetwater purchase, I addressed your fretwork issue, and I addressed the issue regarding the images questioning pickup placement.

Simply put, you got a s#itty one. It happens. The bridge was off, Sweetwater took the hit for the return, and you got *most* of your money back (minus shipping probably).

I have guitars of all different makes and don't have any particular love for Jackson. My Schecter Damien is an equally fine instrument. I simply find your points irrelevant to the manufacturer's QC.

I've owned my Slat for several months and it is a fantastic instrument, I don't need it to be representative of every model out there, I am simply attesting to the amazing craftsmanship of my personal guitar. I also take phenomenal care of my gear. I case them when not in use and do routine maintenance when problems arise. So IME, I would say there can be any number of issues affecting the quality of a guitar and my posts here are to simply offer my experience with my recent purchase.

I mean we have an international trade here. People forget, these planks of wood travel thousands of miles overseas, before they get evaluated here, and then get more mileage before they reach your hands, not to mention the neglect some music stores offer.

You found a crack and fret issues on a store demo in Manhattan, big whup, don't buy it. Did you ask a rep how long the guitar had been sitting on the wall? Or if some window shopper came in and abused it?

I was also responding to you stating I was on crack, or otherwise calling me an idiot before rationally discussing the subject. I found it offensive, and if you persist using that language, I will simply ignore you.


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## lobotom (Aug 18, 2013)

MrPowers said:


> ^Mine had a couple marks like that as well. They just wiped right off with my finger.
> 
> That sucks though man, mine must be the exception not the rule. Jackson needs to step it up, these really could be great guitars.



You're right, the black "smudges" will probably wipe clean but the dent/ding can fit half of my pinky nail in. It obviously happened at the factory, it just sucks that it made it all the way to "brand new fresh out of the box" store sale.
Both Jackson and the stores are to blame on this one.

Alex


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## Church2224 (Aug 18, 2013)

Exit Existence said:


> All Jackson imports sincethe OLD MIJ pro series fcking blow for the amount of money you pay for them. Why you guys haven't figured this out yet is beyond me lol ??
> I own a USA soloist and the quality is amazing, but their import series guitars are a ....ing joke.
> 
> The X series neck thru models surprisingly weren't too bad fit and finish wise.. at least the price was right on those. The $450 X series rhoads honestly felt exactly the same quality fit and finish as say a $1,000 RR24 or something.
> ...



Pretty much this. I have three USA Jacksons made form about 2005- and they are all pretty awesome. Number 4 will soon be on its way.


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## Exit Existence (Aug 18, 2013)

2005 is about when i got mine for like 1,500 bucks new lol now they charge almost twice that lol


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## Rev2010 (Aug 18, 2013)

9unslin9er said:


> You found a crack and fret issues on a store demo in Manhattan, big whup, don't buy it.



Holy geez what planet are you from? You stated, "their incorporation into Fender has done wonders for their QC" and I come on here and throw you tons of proof that their QC has been terrible since the Fender acquisition. You say you "addressed" my points, no you didn't, not one bit. You basically said, "Shit happens, if you don't find the instrument up to your standard don't buy it.

I didn't say I found a crack and fret issues on *one* instrument at *one* store, I said one stores (Sweetwater) had an off center string alignment, another (J&R Music World) had a crack in the binding, and yet another (Guitar Center) had fret spurring. Yet to further my point I post links to others with complaints and here's this thread we're in with this guy complaining of the DKA7... and yet you still argue simply because you have one Slat that is fine and dandy. Good for you, I didn't say they were all bad. I simply said the QC is nowhere near what it was after having bought a dozen or so other Jacksons in my 21 years playing them. Whatever dude 


Rev.


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## sakeido (Aug 18, 2013)

Exit Existence said:


> All Jackson imports sincethe OLD MIJ pro series fcking blow for the amount of money you pay for them. Why you guys haven't figured this out yet is beyond me lol ??
> I own a USA soloist and the quality is amazing, but their import series guitars are a ....ing joke.



two of my best guitars are japanese jacksons that are only a couple years old. my SLSMG from the factory was one of the hottest guitars I've ever played and most of the COWs i had were no slouches either 

not every guitar a factory produces is good or bad... it's all ratios. gibson 10% of their guitars are good, suhr 100% are good. esp/ltd 60% are good, japanese jacksons maybe 50% 

this is why imo guitars are best played before they are bought. convenience factor of buying whatever you want online is nice but you really need to try a guitar to really know if it is worth buying


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## 9unslin9er (Aug 18, 2013)

Rev2010 said:


> Holy geez what planet are you from?



Haha. I'm from planet: "Let's not give so much of a s#it how perfect our guitars are and get back to playing music."

Arguments aside man, I don't want to fight with you and in all earnest, I feel bad for the guys here who got a crappy guitar. I was just trying to say, a few bad apples don't represent the company, and you should give them another shot. Jackson does make a great guitar when they get it right.

I think it all boils down to us being spoiled as musicians. All we have to do is jump onto eBay and Google to research how good or bad certain instruments are. We also have the luxury of better shipping services.

I used to collect vintage Japanese guitars and what we're getting from China, Indonesia, and South Korea are just blowing them out of the water.

I bought a MIJ Fernandes bass one time that had a second skin! (the frets pretty much peeled all the poly off the neck). I've had Gibson Explorers and Vs that did the same.

Imagine if Alex got a bad Harmony Kay back in the 50's? Nobody but his friends would ever hear about it! Back in the day, you'd probably just suck it up and get the damn thing fixed, or play around it, AND GET FAMOUS DOING IT!

It'd be like: "Yo that guy had a f*cked up bridge and still didn't fret out. What a badass!"


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## AdenM (Aug 19, 2013)

^^ Not to add fuel to the fire or anything, but IMHO playability and build quality are two factors that make or break a guitar. You can set up a guitar and live with minor cosmetic issues, but when there are obvious and hard-to-fix build issues like Rev is mentioning, it damages the company's rep and consumers should NOT have to put up with that in instruments they pay near to or upwards of 1k for.


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## 9unslin9er (Aug 19, 2013)

^^I would agree with you. It's just there are so many factors that come into play between the time a guitar today sees production, inspection from a company who hopefully has good QC, a warehouse, a distributor, and finally the musician.

50 years ago, overseas production was unheard of. So were internet sales. So when you bought a Strat or a Flying V. It was built here and ended up in a ma and pa shop where you'd try it out and take it home.

Now we deal with FedEx and UPS and mass produced instruments. You have to pay more attention on your end.

I wasn't trying to insinuate that you should just suck it up and deal with it. But I feel companies are trying so much harder on their end before it reaches all these third party stages.

As to my original point, there was a period where Jackson was putting out absolute garbage guitars. Like...the whole 2000's all their import line was a joke. And I was talking strictly imports. But I feel their QC has improved dramatically this decade from a manufacturing standpoint as well as marketing. What happens between Jackson, a distributor, and you is anyone's guess.


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## HanShock (Aug 19, 2013)

sakeido said:


> two of my best guitars are japanese jacksons that are only a couple years old. my SLSMG from the factory was one of the hottest guitars I've ever played and most of the COWs i had were no slouches either
> 
> not every guitar a factory produces is good or bad... it's all ratios. gibson 10% of their guitars are good, suhr 100% are good. esp/ltd 60% are good, japanese jacksons maybe 50%
> 
> this is why imo guitars are best played before they are bought. convenience factor of buying whatever you want online is nice but you really need to try a guitar to really know if it is worth buying



Totally agreed!


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## Kapee (Aug 20, 2013)

sakeido said:


> not every guitar a factory produces is good or bad... it's all ratios. gibson 10% of their guitars are good, suhr 100% are good. esp/ltd 60% are good, japanese jacksons maybe 50%



This is the most idiotic line i have ever seen here. Where does your "ratios" base? Is it just "This is how i think is"?


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## Jameslewis777 (Aug 20, 2013)

Mine arrives this week guys. I'm getting more and more anxious with these terrible reviews. I'll say it again. AINT NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT


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## Rev2010 (Aug 20, 2013)

Jameslewis777 said:


> Mine arrives this week guys. I'm getting more and more anxious with these terrible reviews. I'll say it again. AINT NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT



Well at least now your expectations will be low 



Rev.


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## JoshuaKaroshi (Aug 27, 2013)

My local store has 2 on order. One of the employees is letting me know when they come in so I can give it a whirl. Hopefully it doesn't disappoint, because they're really beautiful guitars. I'll let you guys know how they play when I get my hands on em!


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## lobotom (Sep 2, 2013)

So, did anybody else got theirs? I'll love to hear that my experience was an isolated one. I would love to give it a second try if they get it together.

Alex


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## Jameslewis777 (Sep 3, 2013)

Welp, mine's going back. Very purty guitar. Neck is fat, tone is very bright.Those things COULD be overlooked if it wasn't for the damage... *fart noise*


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## Ocara-Jacob (Sep 3, 2013)

DAAAAAAAANG. That's a problem...


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Sep 4, 2013)




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## Mklane (Sep 4, 2013)

Man, I just spent $800 bucks on a guitar from a mail order company and can't believe it needs a setup and has been damaged.


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## JoshuaKaroshi (Sep 5, 2013)

Jameslewis777 said:


> Welp, mine's going back. Very purty guitar. Neck is fat, tone is very bright.Those things COULD be overlooked if it wasn't for the damage... *fart noise*


 
Aww man! That's.... nuts.


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## haffner1 (Sep 5, 2013)

Jameslewis777 said:


>



Bust a nut.... not quite what I had in mind


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## DeathPaupiette (Sep 5, 2013)

Getting mine during the month ... I hope it doesn't turn that bad, I'm GASing on this for way too long


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## Jameslewis777 (Sep 5, 2013)

You have no idea how many "bust a nut" jokes i made with the owner and warehouse managers of Gearhounds


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## Rev2010 (Sep 5, 2013)

Jameslewis777 said:


> Welp, mine's going back. Very purty guitar. Neck is fat, tone is very bright.Those things COULD be overlooked if it wasn't for the damage...



Wow... and to think I was light-heartedly joking when I posted saying, "Well at least now your expectations will be low" 

So what are you doing getting a refund or a replacement? I know with a lot of complaints followed up with a personal validation of those complaints I typically bail and go with something else. And I'm not easily swayed, but these recent production Jacksons lately have many documented issues.

Rev.


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## Jameslewis777 (Sep 5, 2013)

Rev - Hahaha. yea to be honest, I was very irked when I first realized the damage (I thought the string was just broken so I had already changed the other strings), but Gearhounds have been so unbelievably awesome with me. I am NOT getting another one only on the pretense that SURE, it is cool to have a "limited edition" guitar, or a "pretty" guitar but that's not really why I buy or keep instruments haha. I went ahead and asked the owner if he would be willing to give me a discount on another instrument given my poor experience with this one. I have a particular guitar in mind as a replacement that they carry, and I am currently waiting on that. Hopefully y'all will be seeing a positive NGD from me soon haha


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## canuck brian (Sep 6, 2013)

Jameslewis777 said:


> Rev - Hahaha. yea to be honest, I was very irked when I first realized the damage (I thought the string was just broken so I had already changed the other strings), but Gearhounds have been so unbelievably awesome with me. I am NOT getting another one only on the pretense that SURE, it is cool to have a "limited edition" guitar, or a "pretty" guitar but that's not really why I buy or keep instruments haha. I went ahead and asked the owner if he would be willing to give me a discount on another instrument given my poor experience with this one. I have a particular guitar in mind as a replacement that they carry, and I am currently waiting on that. Hopefully y'all will be seeing a positive NGD from me soon haha



I've actually done two repairs on Jackson's shitty plastic nuts in the last 2 weeks and they've been broken exactly like yours. 

I've played a bunch of the new Jackson stuff and it's really good considering the price points - i'd just recommend getting a replacement nut off the bat made of either graphtech or bone.


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## Jameslewis777 (Sep 6, 2013)

canuck brian said:


> I've actually done two repairs on Jackson's shitty plastic nuts in the last 2 weeks and they've been broken exactly like yours.
> 
> I've played a bunch of the new Jackson stuff and it's really good considering the price points - i'd just recommend getting a replacement nut off the bat made of either graphtech or bone.



I completely agree, and I had the same thought, but my return did not come simply from the nut being broken. My thought process was that if one piece broke so simply and so easy, then I am led to believe that more pieces must be of poor quality or of cheap material also. Aint nobody got time for that


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## Rev2010 (Sep 6, 2013)

Jameslewis777 said:


> I completely agree, and I had the same thought, but my return did not come simply from the nut being broken. My thought process was that if one piece broke so simply and so easy, then I am led to believe that more pieces must be of poor quality or of cheap material also. Aint nobody got time for that



 Heh, my first reply to you I was tempted to post, "In before someone says just replace the nut!!". 

@Canuck Brian, I totally agree it's a simple enough thing to do that is also not expensive even to have a tech do, but James is right... with this thread and other complaints it gives one pause to think whether to keep it or simply return it if it can't even show up intact.


Rev.


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## MF_Kitten (Sep 7, 2013)

Soooooo... What's the consensus on these then? "Good guitars with useless plastic nuts"?


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## Jameslewis777 (Sep 7, 2013)

Get an ibanez.


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## Valennic (Sep 9, 2013)

I think the general consensus, from what I've gathered, seems to be that the majority of these coming out of the factory aren't bad instruments, they're just not setup. I know my DKA8 is fantastic after I took the time to set it up properly. The other 20% of them seem to be pretty garbage though, which is really unfortunate .

I can't help but feel like like Jackson shot themselves in the foot pretty hard by neglecting to take the time to setup their limited edition models. I'm pretty sure the mindset going into buying a limited edition instrument is that you have something better and more unique than the rest of their lines. That feeling is shattered when they bust your nut, or .... something else up.


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 9, 2013)

Valennic said:


> Jackson shot themselves in the foot



That's just what Jackson does, unfortunately. I used to think FMIC was to blame, but it's been happening far too much, while Fender and other FMIC and KMC brands to fine, to shoot the blame their way. 

It's why Jackson seems to always be in the business of playing catch-up.


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## Obsidian Soul (Sep 9, 2013)

Has anyone had a perfectly fine DKA7 besides needing a setup?


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## Larrikin666 (Sep 9, 2013)

I have one of these arriving on Thursday. I'll go over it thoroughly.


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## Jameslewis777 (Sep 9, 2013)

My upset over my Jackson quickly subsided today when I ordered my replacement guitar. Hopefully you guys will be seeing a good NGD in about SEVEN weeks... If that gives any hints .


Also, if ANYONE gets a JS-7Q... FREAKING POST IT ON HERE IT LOOKS SO SEXY AND I WANT TO SEE IT AND ...fap...


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## Rev2010 (Sep 10, 2013)

Jameslewis777 said:


> Hopefully you guys will be seeing a good NGD in about SEVEN weeks... If that gives any hints



Carvin?


Rev.


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## Jameslewis777 (Sep 11, 2013)

Rev2010 said:


> Carvin?
> 
> 
> Rev.



my lips are sealed. I hope it doesn't take too long for my postcard to come though....


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## The Spanish Inquisition (Sep 11, 2013)

Jameslewis777 said:


> my lips are sealed. I hope it doesn't take too long for my postcard to come though....



But you can still type if your lips are sealed


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## Rev2010 (Sep 11, 2013)

Jameslewis777 said:


> I hope it doesn't take too long for my postcard to come though....



 Congrats man  Mine took 3 days less than 8 weeks but one week was lost because they didn't charge me the deposit and I had to call in and find out what was up - so keep an eye and make sure they charge your deposit cause it isn't in the build queue until then! Mine was held up because of a price discrepancy. At least they gave me the lower (older) pricing for my hand picked wood top option.


Rev.


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## Jameslewis777 (Sep 11, 2013)

Rev2010 said:


> Congrats man  Mine took 3 days less than 8 weeks but one week was lost because they didn't charge me the deposit and I had to call in and find out what was up - so keep an eye and make sure they charge your deposit cause it isn't in the build queue until then! Mine was held up because of a price discrepancy. At least they gave me the lower (older) pricing for my hand picked wood top option.
> 
> 
> Rev.



strange. I paid my 50% deposit (option 50) Monday afternoon over the phone but I haven't seen anything on my bank statements yet. Think I should call in or wait a couple days?


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## Rev2010 (Sep 11, 2013)

Jameslewis777 said:


> strange. I paid my 50% deposit (option 50) Monday afternoon over the phone but I haven't seen anything on my bank statements yet. Think I should call in or wait a couple days?



Couldn't hurt. When I buy something on my credit card or make a transaction with my bank account it shows up immediately, so if you're not seeing it they most likely haven't charged it yet. Question... why is your deposit 50%? I had an option 50 (single 12th fret inlay) and only had to put a $360 deposit.


Rev.


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## Jameslewis777 (Sep 11, 2013)

Rev2010 said:


> Couldn't hurt. When I buy something on my credit card or make a transaction with my bank account it shows up immediately, so if you're not seeing it they most likely haven't charged it yet. Question... why is your deposit 50%? I had an option 50 (single 12th fret inlay) and only had to put a $360 deposit.
> 
> 
> Rev.



No clue. My Option 50 is to not route the volume knob, delete the tone knob, and move the volume knob in its place. Alex from Carvin told me on the phone that it required at least a 50% deposit.


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## Rev2010 (Sep 11, 2013)

Jameslewis777 said:


> No clue. My Option 50 is to not route the volume knob, delete the tone knob, and move the volume knob in its place. Alex from Carvin told me on the phone that it required at least a 50% deposit.



I was considering that option since I really hate when the volume knob is too close to the bridge pickup like on my Schecter Riot 8. I decided not to do it on my DC800 and I have to say I am pleasantly surprised the volume position is still close but pushed back toward the bridge just enough to not get in my way at all. Very happy about that! Hmm, maybe we should take this to PM's rather than here if we plan to discuss further. 


Rev.


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## MrPowers (Sep 12, 2013)

Obsidian Soul said:


> Has anyone had a perfectly fine DKA7 besides needing a setup?



Mine has one dead fret (17 or 19 on the high E side I think). Other than that, it is perfect. Needed setup terribly though.


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## DeathPaupiette (Sep 18, 2013)

Getting mine in a few days, can't wait to play it and to give you a review !


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## Church2224 (Sep 18, 2013)

Damn this scares me. I just ordered a B7 Deluxe in natural and hope it turned out alright.

Then again it is a USA made one and these DKA7s are made in Mexico so...idk.


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## Rev2010 (Sep 18, 2013)

Church2224 said:


> Damn this scares me. I just ordered a B7 Deluxe in natural and hope it turned out alright.
> 
> Then again it is a USA made one and these DKA7s are made in Mexico so...idk.



Um yeah, I definitely think you have very little to worry about!  The USA made models are far superior to anything production they have. Congrats man 


Rev.


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## CrushingAnvil (Sep 19, 2013)

Allealex said:


> Well it might be a bad lemon, have you tried any other DKA 7?



You mean a lemon. 'Bad lemon' is a double negative


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## eaeolian (Sep 20, 2013)

Church2224 said:


> Damn this scares me. I just ordered a B7 Deluxe in natural and hope it turned out alright.
> 
> Then again it is a USA made one and these DKA7s are made in Mexico so...idk.



The B7 I played - a regular production one - was spectacular. Don't confuse the imports and the USAs.


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## eaeolian (Sep 20, 2013)

canuck brian said:


> I've actually done two repairs on Jackson's shitty plastic nuts in the last 2 weeks and they've been broken exactly like yours.
> 
> I've played a bunch of the new Jackson stuff and it's really good considering the price points - i'd just recommend getting a replacement nut off the bat made of either graphtech or bone.



Yeah, I dunno WTF is up with that, but I've seen a bunch of them broken in stores, too. Sounds like the factory needs to change suppliers.


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## Encounter (Sep 26, 2013)

I´ll get my dka7 in 3 weeks. This whole discussion scares me. Hopefully my dka won´t have those problems. I´ll report about it when i recieved mine. Someone there with a working dka 7 after setting it up?


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## SwanWings (Sep 29, 2013)

Idk, I just got a DK2mht recently and I love it. I guess i'd have to land in the middle on that whole QC thing :/ when it showed up, it seemed fine, played well, sounded great, etc. However, I play in a different tuning than standard and use a different string gauge, so when i was setting the intonation, two of the screws stripped. It ended up being as easy as going to guitar center and talking to their repair guy. He just handed me two spare screws and i was on my way.
Fast forward a couple weeks; I'm jamming on the couch and I notice that the nut was diagonal. It turns out all that i needed to fix that was a dab of wood glue.

tl;dr: I love my new import jackson, had a couple qc problems, but nothing i couldn't fix myself.


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## vulgarbeef (Sep 29, 2013)

Well I have now had my dka7 2 days and I cannot find one thing wrong with it, it was even set up out the box (it does help that they factory set them to a#). I dont know whether I'm one of the lucky ones or if after the very first batch Jackson upped their game, all I know is its a fantastic guitar to play


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## DeathPaupiette (Oct 6, 2013)

What could it be ? :3
TOMORROW. (Actually, more like 18 hours now). I'm so ....in' stoked right now ...


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## hairychris (Oct 7, 2013)

What strikes me as weird is that on Fender's own lines their Mexican factory generally does a good job, although I agree with the out-of-the-box set-up and slightly weak nuts comments. But they are a high volume manufacturer so not entirely surprising on the set-up front, the nuts could definitely be more solid.

Those white DKA7s actually look quite nice, very classy with the maple fretboard, although I've never been a fan of the 3+3 and 3+4 Jackson headstock.


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## Kapee (Oct 15, 2013)

Okay guys, i have tested one at work and i cant see whats the problem on these. Solid guitars. Buy one if you want one, its good


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## rainbowbrite (Oct 22, 2013)

How are the neck heels? I haven't had a bolt on guitar in years and these have piqued my interest quite a bit along with the Dka8. I like my soloist sl2pro a bought recently (flawless) and want a new 7 to replace my Carvin (good guitar, but it is too floppy in lower registers).


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## manu80 (Oct 24, 2013)

love this axe, but like the washburn gt66 v, finished in satin white too, i'd be really afraid of the satin finish fragility and risK of quick yellowing...


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## SwanWings (Nov 4, 2013)

the neck heel on my dk2mht is pretty rad. It's got 3 large screws and a pretty comfortable contour


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## Kapee (Nov 4, 2013)

You dont have to worry about the heel, it's very comfortable. Nothing as ridiculous as the Schecter bolt-on heels.


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## Garlic Owl (Nov 7, 2013)

The one I had played at my local store was great. I was worried about the heel because I have small hands. But I was pleasantly surprised, the 24th fret wasn't a pain in the rear to get to at all. I already have the thing on a 90 day payment plan. Can't wait to bring it home!


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## PAZ (Nov 22, 2013)

Hey all, I am only a few posts into my SS.org career but I thought I would share my opinions on the new Jackson line. Thanks in advanced for reading!

I ordered the white DKA 7 back in February of 2013 and besides waiting 6 months for it to arrive I am in love with this guitar.
Tonally the DKA's attack is crazy. Staccato and faster riffs cut through better than any of my current 7's or past sevens I have owned (Jackson SLATTXMGQ-7, Soulmaster, Agile interceptor, Ibanez7321.) Part of this I could attribute to the pickups but even acoustically there is something about the resonance that is tight and precise. 
The combination of the Alder Body and the D-Activators could be the reason that a prefer to play tight riffs more than chordy melodic songs on this particular guitar - where as my Jackson SLATT with BK Black hawks are definitely the other way around. 

In terms of setup and electronics - Out of the box the strings were buzzing and felt/sounded like they had not been changed in months. After a re-stringing/setup those problems were easily fixed. The only remaining/general issue i am having is the kill switch. I have had to rewire the switch at the volume and at the switch its self. Jackson or not i do not have much faith in kill switches and how they are wired out of the box. The Planet Waves® locking tuners that auto cut the strings are actually pretty sweet. Sometimes they are sticky and seem to jump tuning cents extremely rapidly making it trickier to fine tune. Just my observation.

As vague as it may seem these guitars really do not seem to be for everyone. I rant and rave about the DKA 7 and some players agree with me after I let them take a jam on it while others seem to flat out hate them. Personally I think they hold a massive value and would - at the very least - be easy to re sell if it was not your cup of tea.


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