IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE SEVEN_STRING guitars provoked the kind of stares usually reserved for circus show freaks. With the current rage for massive bottom-end riffage (as espoused by Limp Bizkit's Wes Borland and Korn's Munky and Head), seven-string axes are becoming the weapon of choice for more and more young players. And since seven-stringers have proven to be so popular, is it really surprising to see the Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan and Orgy's Ryan Shuck extolling the virtues of the five-string guitar? Sometimes it pays to be a little odd.

Dean's ML X7

With a body that's half flying V, half Explorer and 100 percent rock and roll, Dean's ML guitars have long been a favorite of extreme rockers everywhere. Their new seven-string version remains true to the ML attitude. Arriving in "Braziliaburst" (commonly known as Tobacco Sunburst), the ML X7 is a handsome axe for its uncommonly low price point. While it is a simple and unadorned instrument, the ML X7 is well executed, with a modest brown/gold-yellow burst dressed in a neat, clear-lacquer finish. On our review model, the bol-on neck's satin finish had a comfortable feel, and the fiery abalone dots accented the lovely grain of its rosewood fingerboard.

The X7's high-gain ceramic pickups produced throaty mods and aggressive, compressed highs, even at clean, low-volume amp settings. The bridge pickup on our model was markedly hotter than the neck unit, although their outputs could easily be evened out, if so desired, by tweaking their respective heights. Adding a Boss MR-2 Metal Edge pedal to the X7's output sent the signal into the danger zone, eliciting some microphonic squeals from the neck pickup, even at moderate volume levels. But sticking to the bridge pickup and/or rolling back the tone control a couple of notches helped keep things under control.

The action on our review model was somewhat high (6/64 of an inch on the treble side, 5/64 of an inch on the bass), and it could be lowered only to 5/64 of an inch on the treble side due to a little upper-fret unevenness. But otherwise, the extra jumbo frets were well finished, with no protruding ends or file marks.

The Fine Print

Price - $499

No. of Strings/Tuning - 7; (low to high) B E A D G B E

Construction - Basswood body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, bolt neck

Scale Length - 25-1/2"

Inlays - Abalone dots

Electronics - Two humbuckers with ceramic magnets, two volume, master tone, 3-position pickup selector

Hardware & Finish - Grover tuners, Tune-O-Matic style bridge, V-style thru-body tailpiece in chrome, black "top hat" knobs

Frets - 22 extra jumbo

Finishes - Braziliaburst, Classic Black & Metallic Charcoal

The Bottom Line

Dean's ML X7 is an excellent and affordable means by which to make your entrŽe to the world of seven-string guitar. Minor fret gremlins aside, the ML X7 offers great tone and workmanship in an attractive package.

January 2000 - Guitar World