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Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat
Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar
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Playability
73
Sound
82
Build
65
Value
73
Score
73
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Playability
73
Sound
82
Build
65
Value
73
Score
73
FIND IT ON:
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Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat vs Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar

Reasons to Get
Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat over Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar

Release Year
2022 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs Coil Split
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups

Reasons to Get
Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar over Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat

Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Multi-Voicing
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups

Other Key Differences
Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat vs Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar

Bridge Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern vs EMG 57 TW7
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern vs EMG 66 TW7
Different Neck Pickup

Shared Features
Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat vs Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
7
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Locking
Same Nut Material
Strings
7
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.89'' (48mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Floyd Rose
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Active
More output
Decorative Top
Burled Maple vs Burled Poplar
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Neck Profile Type
D
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Retainer Bar
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that both instruments scored 73 out of 100, which makes them similar in terms of quality.

The Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar wins when it comes to. On the other hand, the Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat has the upper hand when it comes to.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 3 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat Overview

  • From Dean's 2022 Select series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 7 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Burled Maple top
  • Alder body
  • 3 Piece Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose 1000 (Korean) bridge
  • Slim D Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Jumbo frets
  • Grover 18:1 tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar Overview

  • From Dean's 2020 Select series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 7 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Burled Poplar top
  • Alder body
  • 3 Piece Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG 57 TW7 (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: EMG 66 TW7 (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose 1000 (Korean) bridge
  • Slim D Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Jumbo frets
  • Mini Grover 18:1 tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HH. Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat's and use them on any guitar:

Both use Active pickups. These pickups use an additional 9v battery to be able to increase their output for high gain tones. This is why they're popular among heavy metal guitarists. Their disadvantage is that you need batteries for the pickups, so you'll need to spend money on batteries and time swapping them. Also, the clean tones aren't as clean as other pickups because they'll have really hot output.

Winner: Tie.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat offers Multi-Voicing.

Multi-Voicing means the pickups come with multiple ''voices'', which means they can change the tone and gain by a simple switch or knob. Piezo, Fishman and similar are considered multi-voicing pickups.

On the other hand, the Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar comes with the following: Coil Split.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat's switch options
Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 74
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 82
Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 74
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 82

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat compares to the Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Indonesia.

Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

In this case, both have Locking nuts. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

Unfortunately, neither of them have a retainer bar for the nut, which would be a helpful addition. Without it, the strings will change pitch once you lock down the nut, so you'll have to make more micro-adjustments at the bridge to tune it correctly.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

Both come with a similar bridge: Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat's are Grover 18:1 while the Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar's are Mini Grover 18:1

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat
Quality of materials 55
Features 65
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 65
Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar
Quality of materials 55
Features 65
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 65

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 48mm (1.89'').

This is considered a wide width for a 7-string guitar. It gives your fingers the extra space you need to play without muting accidentally, but this also makes bar chords harder to perform, especially if you have small hands.

Scale Length

Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat and Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat and the Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar have a D-shaped neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

Fretboard Radius

Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat and the Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar have the same fretboard radius of 16". This fretboard radius is really different from Stratocasters, but it's also a lot flatter than Les Paul fingerboards. It'll favor plating single notes over playing chords. This doesn't mean you can't use it for rhythm, but a more curved fretboard offers better playability for chords. Bending and sliding without losing sustain will also be more likely in a flat fretboard like this one.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison are balanced for most hand sizes.

Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat and Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar Frets Size
Both have a similar Jumbo fret size

Both have a Jumbo fret size. This is one of the tallest frets you can get. You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. It will give you the best sustain and all types of chords will be easier to play. However, you can end up changing the pitch of your notes if you press too hard, which is something people used to feeling the fretboard do when trying Jumbo frets for the first time.

Final Playability Scores

Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 90
Playability 73
Dean Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 90
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat vs Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar
General Dean Exile Select 7 Floyd Fluence Nat Exile Select Floyd 7 St Burl Poplar
Brand: Dean Dean
Year: 2022 2020
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 7 7
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Select Select
Colors: Black Burst Blue Burst Satin
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: Floyd Rose 1000 (Korean) Floyd Rose 1000 (Korean)
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Grover 18:1 Mini Grover 18:1
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: 3 Piece Maple 3 Piece Maple
Decoration: Pearloid Small Offset Dot Pearloid Block
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Slim D Slim D
Frets: 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 16" 16"
Nut: Locking Locking
Nut Width: 48mm (1.89'') 48mm (1.89'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern (Humbucker / Active) EMG 57 TW7 (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern (Humbucker / Active) EMG 66 TW7 (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1