“Very much at home with syncopated djent chugs, fast thrashy power chord riffing, and blazingly quick lead work”: Jackson JS22-7 DKA Dinky HT review

Should a beginner choose a 7-string as their first instrument? This extended-range guitar from Jackson looks to make its case

A Jackson JS22-7 DKA Dinky HT 7-string guitar on a fluffy white rug
(Image: © Future/Matt McCracken)

Guitar World Verdict

An incredibly fast-playing instrument that works a treat for all things heavy, the JS22-7 is an awesome option whether you’re a totally new player, or you just want to try out seven strings without spending too much cash.

Pros

  • +

    Awesome playability

  • +

    Ridiculously low price

  • +

    Fantastic good looks

Cons

  • -

    Some minor QC issues

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While I wouldn’t personally recommend getting a 7-string guitar as a first instrument if it inspires someone to play, then who am I to dissuade anyone from going extended range for their first? The Jackson JSS22-7 DKA Dinky HT is a 7-string guitar firmly at the beginner end of the price spectrum, making it great for those who want to add one to their collection without spending loads, or if you want your first instrument to be capable of emulating 7-string guitar heroes like Tosin Abasi, Stephen Carpenter, Misha Mansoor, and Ola Englund.

There’s not a huge amount of competition at this price point, because a 7-string is a pretty specific type of guitar. The Jackson we’re looking at today costs in the region of $199.99/£239 and there are similar offerings from ESP and Ibanez that are only slightly more expensive than this model. There’s no question it’s an absolutely bonkers price for what you get, but is it any good? Let’s find out.

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Matt McCracken
Junior Deals Writer

Matt is a Junior Deals Writer here at Guitar World. He regularly tests and reviews music gear with a focus on guitars, amps, pedals, modelers, and pretty much anything else guitar-related. Matt worked in music retail for 5 years at Dawsons Music and Northwest Guitars and has written for various music sites including MusicRadar, Guitar Player, Guitar.com, Ultimate Guitar, and Thomann’s t.blog. A regularly gigging guitarist with over 20 years of experience playing live and writing and recording in bands, he's performed everything from jazz to djent, gigging all over the country in more dingy venues than you can shake a drop-tuned guitar at.