ESP LTD SCT-607B Signature Review – If It’s Good Enough for Stephen Carpenter…

Body And Neck:
Electronics:
Hardware:
Sound:
Value:

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Your eyes aren’t deceiving you – it’s a Telecaster built for metal. Although, it’s not your regular Fender Tele. The SCT-607B is a high-end, beastly baritone 7-string Tele made by ESP’s LTD subsidiary, especially for Deftones lead guitarist Stephen Carpenter. Is it good enough for one of the best metal guitarists in the world? Let’s find out!

Body & Neck

Without seeing this guitar, you may expect it to look like something from ESP’s existing line – something with sharp edges, double cutaways, and intense paintwork. You probably weren’t expecting a guitar with a Telecaster body… But this SCT-607B features just that, with the familiar soft single-cutaway shaped body, made from solid alder with a jet-black finish. It even sports the familiar Tele pickguard, in white.

With a reassuringly heavy weight, it features a 27” scale length – the baritone scale, which is great for keeping tension at low tunings. It’s way faster to play than a traditional Fender Telecaster though, with the thin U-shaped maple neck proving very slick in the hands. It’s joined with neck-through construction for superb stability, and shows off an ebony fretboard and 24 extra-jumbo frets. The highest frets aren’t as easy to access as shredders may like, but that’s the trade-off for having a cool Tele shape.

Hardware

This premium 7-string is loaded with active electronics in the shape of two EMG 81-7 humbuckers – one at the bridge position, and the other right next to it in the middle. Controls are kept very simple, with just a master volume and master tone control knob, as well as a three-way selector switch – a set-up that doesn’t stray too far from the original Tele. Same goes for the fixed bridge, which is a TonePros locking tune-o-matic bridge for ultimate stability, while the LTD locking tuners at the other end complement this. Essentially, when you tune your guitar, it stays in tune!

Sound

As for tone, this awesome 7-string has it in abundance – it’s a real beast, with a dirty low-end and articulate highs. The EMGs allow for blistering lead playing that cuts through any mix, and remains clear even at the highest volumes. Thanks to the pickups and the neck-through construction, the SCT-607B offers huge sustain. For sound quality, it’s near perfect – an excellent 7-string guitar.

Conclusion

The shape won’t appeal to everyone – some players may want easier access to the higher frets, while some would just prefer something with a little more metal attitude. However most players – Stephen Carpenter included – will absolutely adore the SCT-607B, for its huge playability and crushing sound. For a 7-string guitar that pushes $1,000, it still shows very good value.

For more info about the ESP LTD SCT-607B Signature, click here.
For more 7 String Electric Guitar you might like, click here.