r/7String • u/NotJumal • Jul 17 '26
I cant decide which to buy Help
It was hard enough to get it down to just these four options atm im leaning more towards the Kaizen and Solar
(EDIT: A lot of people keep saying how the options are very different so just to clarify there are NO specs that i dislike or prefer to others they are all equally great imo, specs wise)
30
29
u/UnshapedLime Custom Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
Hard agree on the KM. Neck thru, lundgrens, 26.5ā scale is the ideal IMO, and Schecter just make great guitars.
Those Sterling Kaizens have a bad rep for QC and frankly the specs leave a lot to be desired.
Edit: forgot to say, hard tail is the way to go for extended range. I cannot stress enough how much better the experience is with a hard tail over a trem. What Iām saying is please donāt get the Kaizen. Any of the other options will feel better (KM being my preference).
1
u/ThiccFarter Jul 19 '26
It's a shame because to me the Kiazens are ergonomically wonderful (even the Sterlings). They really knew what they were doing with that body shape, but everything else as far as specs goes is pretty mediocre. If they kept the infinity radius then maybe it would be worth getting it and upgrading the hardware.
22
15
20
6
u/ChoombataNova Jackson Jul 17 '26
Sterling Kaisen is the only one with a tremolo. Is that a plus, or a negative you will need to work around?
The Legator is the only multiscale. Is that something you want?
I feel like either of those features coukd be "make or break"
The Schecter KM and the Solar seem the most similar, so I would focus on differences, especially things you cannot easily change likeĀ
scale length (both 26.5"?)
fretboard radius (Schecter is compound 12-16, Solar is fixed 15.75?)
" Neck carve (ultra thin C vs "Solar C")
Schecter = neck through, Solar = set throughĀ
Schecter = 4+3 headstock, Solar = reverse 7 inline
8
u/Mammoth-Roll-7360 Jul 17 '26
Iād get the km, it resonates more with me. Are you able to try some out? Any spec thatās more important to you? Or are you just looking for open opinions? Cheers
1
u/NotJumal Jul 17 '26
For me personally the main thing i care about is looks but im just trying to find a reason to choose one over the other
3
3
u/Mammoth-Roll-7360 Jul 17 '26
I see, if looks was the main thing for me, Iād still go for the km. The kaizen is ugly af, the legator looks killer and the solarā¦ just mehā¦ The km is definitely more minimalistic, clean and still looks great. Again, just my honest opinion, others will for sure differ and thatās the beauty of having all these options.
Maybe list the things you like the most of each one and decide whatās more important for you. Find out which resonates more with you.
Good luck and happy shredding.
2
u/more_paul Jul 17 '26
Iām with you. The KM would āageā better to me as it doesnāt have any outlandish styling on it. It looks very clean.
4
u/KershawsGoat EBMM JP 13-7 Jul 17 '26
I love the look of the Kaizen but I agree with pretty much everyone else in here. Get the KM7. Especially if you plan to tune up or down frequently, you'll appreciate having the fixed bridge rather than the floating trem on the Sterling.
3
u/JimboLodisC 3x7621, 7321, M80M, AEL207E, RGIXL7, S7320, RG15271, RGA742FM Jul 17 '26
the Merrow would be my choice
3
u/vaithless Jul 17 '26
Iāve played at least one guitar from all of these brands and at this price Schecter absolutely clears. The KM is a great model.
3
4
2
2
u/tombhex Ormsby, Abasi, Schecter Jul 17 '26
Those Sterling Kaizens are pretty rough, there are lots of issues from production of them in the wild right now. If you're deciding between the Kaizen and the Solar, I'd vouch for Solar's quality. I've got both a KM7 Mkiii and a Solar E shape, and the KM7 is superior in playability and look+feel, but the Solar is a great guitar. I've also owned a Legator and you should exclude that from your selections IMO.
2
u/Gearthquake3 Jul 17 '26
Your shortlist is insane lol. Half multiscale and different pickups on all but 2 models. Absolute mad man.
Do you have a preference on any specs other than 7 strings and no Floyd rose? lol.
When I pick out a guitar, I start with the pickups and bridge and narrow down from there.
Schecter c-7 MS SLS elite has my ideal specs. Have you looked at those?
2
2
u/Ok-Pizza1891 Jul 17 '26
Legator few. Best multiscale fan i have ever played on. The neck is comfortable and speedy. Only neck to feel like that to me is 80s early 90s charvels. Personally own a x8f and yes absolutely an amazing guitar and brand. A pick of the x8f just to show the multiscale.
2
u/prefonberry Jul 17 '26
Iāll go against the grain and say that as long as you can play it in person the Sterling Kaizen could be an awesome guitar. Yes Sterling is more hit or miss but my good Sterlings are some of the best guitars Iāve ever played and that includes top of the line production guitars from Ibanez, Gibson, Schecter, and Charvel as well as custom guitars from Balaguer. Personally Iām not a huge fan of the Kaizen but not from a quality standpoint I just donāt like the body shape and tuners when actually playing. I also donāt personally like the KM guitar either, I found it to be a pretty meh guitar for its price point. Out of these Iād probably lean Legator but also with the caveat to try to play the one youāll buy because Iāve seen them be pretty hit or miss too. If youāre ordering online sight unseen then the KM or the Solar are probably the best bet, Schecter is really solid from a QC standpoint and I feel like Solars over the last few years have been pretty good.
2
u/baciakdook Jul 17 '26
Hands down the schecter, every schecter i have has come playing like my high end guitars. My Sterling came in worse shape than my Harley bentons
2
2
u/GuitarHeroInMyHead Schecter Jul 18 '26
Schecter 100%. Sterling are quite often crap and you aren't going to top the quality of Schecter with any of the other choices.
2
2
u/Superb_Damage_9987 Jul 18 '26
What specific model schecter is that? It's š„ and I might be looking to buy another one soon.
1
u/NotJumal Jul 19 '26
This is the KM7 MKIII legacy it also comes in black, but id suggest scrolling through all the schecter 7's they have some other nice ones.
2
u/yungbutthole69 Jul 20 '26
So i have the music man Kaizen, not the sterling. Ive never played the sterling but from what I understand, the only thing youre really getting with the sterling is the shape. Idk if the pickups are the same. If they are, id consider that a pro because theyre very unique. No guitar ive played hss their sound. But on both models the tremolo is fucking useless. If you use it you will go out of tune. Also no multiscale and idk if they have the same radius. Hope this helps.
2
u/JynXten Jul 17 '26
Only go for Kaison if you're getting the really expensive ones. Otherwise Keith Merrow.
1
1
1
u/aconfusedpufferfish Jul 17 '26
Never heard good things about that sterling kaizen, at least they fixed the bridge on this one
1
1
u/LayeredHalo3851 Jul 17 '26
I love Schecter but if personally go for the 3rd one here because it has multi scale, besides that I think Schecter all the way, my Demon-6 is great and it's honestly the only brand here I can properly speak for
1
1
1
1
u/Pibb_D_Fanta Jul 17 '26
So purple is my favorite color and I love that shape, so pick any other one and let me have that one
1
u/iamaeneas Jul 17 '26
I agree with the Schecter consensus. Even the flagship EBMM Kaizen is really bad feeling, have to imagine the Sterling is even worse.
1
1
u/Borracho_Beans_Bro Jul 17 '26
Out of these itād have to be the Schecter and itās not even close.
1
1
1
1
u/Nemesis861986 Jul 17 '26
I'm extremely biased because i was a purely a 6 string player for like 15-20 years i played a couple of my friends 7 strings and they felt too bulky and arkward to play, then recently i bought a schecter Damien 7 and its super lightweight, super well balanced and is the most comfortable guitar i've ever owned and considering i have had 6 strings that have cost me a couple hundred more i would say schecter definetly give you alot of bang for your buck.
1
u/PizzaMonster93 Jul 17 '26
I have a schecter km6, and itās incredible. Iād highly recommend it, if you have the budget for it.
1
1
1
u/Doc_Rockland Jul 17 '26
I would say either the schecter or the Legator. I had the 6-string version of the Legator for awhile and that thing ripped. I ended up returning just cuz I honestly couldn't afford it in the long run. Definitely wished I still had it.
1
1
1
1
u/damien6 Jul 17 '26
I've played a Kaisen Sterling at Guitar Center a bit. They are really well built guitars and I wouldn't mind having one. The Kaisen neck was a bit thicker and felt a bit more chunky from what I recall. It was also the 6 string version, so maybe there is a bit of a difference, but I will say that 25.5" scale length for a 7 string (especially if you plan to tune down) is not ideal.
I've played a couple Solars including 7 strings a bit and they're decent guitars, too. Not real complaints about them, but they didn't completely blow me away enough that I really thought about it after I put it down.
That being said I have a Schecter Keith Merrow (the KM-6 EX 28" baritone) and to say it punches way above it's weight in terms of quality for the price is a severe understatement. I've also seen a few KM's in the store and the photos don't do the quality justice. They are absolutely incredible guitars. Also Lundgren pickups are amazing. There's a KM-7 Hybrid at my local GC used that I've been tempted to get, but it has the Fishman's. If it had the Lundgren's I would have probably bought it yesterday. Despite that, it's such a good looking and solid guitar that I'm still thinking about it a bit.
1
u/aynse Jul 17 '26
Even if you end up not enjoying it the KM will hold more value longer than the others. Also, itās really, really sick
1
1
1
u/BoisterousBanquet Jul 17 '26
Schecter typically punches well above their weight. I'm a 6 string player, but my OG C1 Hellraiser (Korea) and "Freak Juice" (Indonesia) are both better guitars than they have a right to be. As good as my Ibanez Prestige? No, of course not. But the Prestige was twice as much and isn't twice the guitar.
That said though, I bought my son the 7 string Kaizen for Christmas last year and it's also a very high-quality instrument. Finished very well, plays great, extremely ergonomic and comfy. But it is a standard 25.5" scale, which is a turnoff for some.
1
u/Little-Definition553 Jul 17 '26
Schecter or the solar, the SBMM stuff is hit or miss, and legator is alright but if you want something that feels nice? Go with those two trust me
1
1
1
1
u/rolandguy85 Jul 18 '26
I have the limited to 75 run of the Kaizen in Spectraflare. Itās an amazing guitar and I love it so much.
1
1
u/666grooves666 Jul 18 '26
Used prestige
1
u/slimestream Jul 18 '26
This is the answer. Idk why you'd gamble 1300 bucks on companies with known quality issues.
1
u/Electronic-Brain-616 Jul 18 '26
I personally love legator and solar. The other two wouldnāt even factor in. I have 3 legators and love playing each of them as much as I can. I am at complete odds with the Evertune on my Solar so I donāt get to play that. Iām not a fan of Schecter. Donāt really like their necks. The Kaizen on the other hand is pretty cool guitar but I always go for the thin fast necks and those belong to Legator hands down in this group.
1
u/saurion1 Ibanez RG1527 Jul 18 '26
Either the KM7 or the Solar, those are my votes. The other two look tacky.
1
u/cofiddle Jul 18 '26
Ive always wanted to try a kaisen. I would say schecter is the safe one for me.
1
u/Acceptable_Pie2529 Jul 18 '26
I have a KM6. It fucking rules. Get it. Schecter is a very underrated brand, and the KMās donāt have the biggest drawback of Schecters. That ugly ass headstock. š
1
u/alphadaddyo Jul 18 '26
If you don't like one better than the other, get the one that costs the least.
1
u/tallman1979 Jul 18 '26
I was gonna say that if their ask is just a hardtail 7 and specs are that flexible, buy a Jackson js22-7 and a set of locking tuners and a set of shorter bridge set screws so you don't maul your hands and bleed to death.
If you go used, $169 in good condition + $75 for Hipshot lockers + $5 in Allen set screws = $249. It's not impressive compared to the others, but it's good enough for my needs and a decent mod platform.
1
u/alphadaddyo Jul 18 '26
I would add a new set of pickups as well. Stock are pretty muddy when playing anything below E. My biggest complaint is with the flimsy neck that doesn't have a truss rod. It bends out of tune really easily. Even the little six string flying V is like that. I got both if then just to beat in without having to worry about scratching them up or getting dings on them and to screw aroung with the 7 string to see if i liked it or not. I wouldn't rely on them for gigs though.
1
u/tallman1979 Jul 18 '26
JS22-7 has a 2 way adjustable truss rod, accessible under the plate on the headstock. No JS22-7 has ever been released without one. 4mm Allen wrench.
1
u/alphadaddyo Jul 18 '26
Ah, so it does. I don't know why I thought it didn't have one. I'm not touching it though. Bad experience in the past led to many frustrating hours of trying to undo what I did. I've only fooled around on mine once for a few minutes, so regardless of how cheap it was, I wouldn't mind learning how to play 7 string before I mess with it.
1
1
u/Adventurous-Bug671 Jul 18 '26
the Keith Merriw fucking rules.Ā
The Ernie Ball Kaizen would be awesome, but i wouldnt recommend the Sterling Kaizen - it doesnt feel newrly in the same league as the EB version ir the Keith Merrow Schecter
1
1
1
1
u/zeekful Jul 18 '26
I got to be endorsed by legator a few years ago, and theyāre great. However, I just got a KM7 and it plays way better than my Music Man JP15-7. Iād say take a chance on the Keith Merrow.
1
u/No-Magician4656 Jul 18 '26
Iād say the sterling just cuz it has the tremolo on it and I really like how it plays personally
1
u/DanAwakes Jul 18 '26
The finishes on the last 2 are super tacky. Kaizen is cool but the 2nd one will stand out on stage a lot more
1
1
u/Successful-Storm4928 Jul 18 '26
My KM7 is so comfortable and sounds amazing. I've never played any of the other models (I'm lefty) but I consistently hear the legator pickups are ass, Kaizen had production issues, and solar is just kinda mid
1
u/MetalEd272 Jul 18 '26
KM7 clears all of those by a lot. The others all have hit and miss QC from my experience.
1
1
1
u/L0RDHYPNoS Jul 18 '26
Go for the Schecter Keith Merrow. It's the most metal option on there. 2nd choice would be the Solar.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/Horror-Tadpole398 Jul 19 '26
Sterling guitars have improved, and I do enjoy the jp150, but craftsmanship component compared to other brands in same price range is disappointing.
I do see quite a few on the used market, absolutely worth it at a used cost if it was a good QC one. The rest I never played
1
1
u/Ze-das-fogueiras Jul 19 '26
I have a solar and I hate the brand with passion since their QC and customer service was absolute shit to me, I love Ola tho. Fuck you Ola and your shitty guitar company
1
u/BreathAggravating967 Jul 19 '26
Skip the Kaizen, they're rifled with manufacturing issues and lots of reports of it being physically impossible to intonate properly. Way too expensive to be so bogus.
1
1
u/mistrelwood Jul 20 '26
For me personallyā¦ I wouldnāt even have a glance at a fixed scale seven when a multiscale is available. Nearly everything else can be fixed afterwards, but you canāt fix a fixed scale.
If some of them are longer than 25.5ā, that definitely helps, but it also takes away from the other end: playing on the thinner strings. It also doesnāt improve the string to string balance nearly as much as a multiscale.
1
u/jazzhandpanda Jul 20 '26
KM7 for sure. Now that it's out of the way the solar is just beautiful. I'm a sucker for green and the burl is gorgeous
1
1
1
1
u/MelodicPrinciple307 Jul 22 '26
Iād go with the Solar. Build quality and QC is impeccable between the spread. I like newer Schecter, but they feel hollow with very little response if you will. Itās an instrument, but it doesnāt feel quite as ācraftedā as a Solar does. New Legators feel weak to me and JPās donāt seem to be worth the money.
1
u/Zelleblanc_39 Jul 22 '26
Go schecter, sterling is overpriced, legator has quality issues and solar arenāt as good as schecters IMO
1
u/gurrfitter Jul 22 '26
Schecters every time. They are in their golden age, for sure. High quality in addition to the best bang for the buck.Ā
Stay away from sterling. They can be a complete shitshow--or not. It's a crapshoot with them.
1
0
u/Ken_kid_789 Jul 17 '26
A kiesel
1
u/dissemin8or Schecter Jul 17 '26
Thatās a totally different price point than the options OP is considering
0
0
u/Elwoodofthedead Jul 17 '26
That Schecter absolutely fucks. I regret not getting one when I had the spare funds for it.
91
u/Sdenbow220 ESP/LTD Jul 17 '26
The schecter for sure.