There's no doubt that the DC-747 ($629; $989 as tested with gold hardware and koa wood) is a solid piece of work. It's not unduly heavy, but it conveys the sense of resonant mass you expect from a custom bass guitar. The curvy body contours and the wide, flat fretboard also suggest a boutique bass.

There's something bass-like about the tones, too, and not just because the instrument descends to low B. Thanks to its formidable woods, top-grade parts, and impeccable construction, the 747 delivers bright, powerful tones with exceptional sustain. The pickups are loud and articulate, and there's remarkable evenness throughout the instrument's range. The high output and tonal clarity add up to massive wallop in crunch mode. In fact, this ax suggests the winning formula for maximum low-end beef solid, bright-sounding woods, a fixed, string-through-body bridge, and straight string pull behind an immaculately worked nut.

The feel is pretty immaculate, too. The tall, fat frets are almost friction-free, and the lightly oiled neck feels wonderful. The neck-position humbucker unleashes one of the best meltdown metal tones of this roundup. The 747s bright, hi-fi tones have little vintage colorsome will love the guitar's articulate, even attack, while others may find the tones lacking in midrange character. Some modem 7-stringers may not be able to hang with the Carvin Is early-'90s look, but you cant argue with the handsome wood grain of our review model.

Pros: Excellent materials and workmanship. Supersmooth feel. Loud, well-defined tones. Massive seventh-string muscle.

Cons: Some players may find the tones overly bright.