Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage vs Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7
Reasons to Get
Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage over Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7
Reasons to Get
Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7 over Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage
Other Key Differences
Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage vs Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7
Shared Features
Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage vs Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7
Common Strengths
- Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
- Locking Tuners
- High-Quality Nut
- High-Quality Frets
- From a High-Quality-Standards Country
- Top Pickup Brand
- Expensive Wood
Common Weaknesses
- Neck-Through Build
- Weight Relief
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Table of Contents
Price History Comparison
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Which One is Better Overall?
After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 81 compared to the Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage's 79 score, although not by a lot.
The Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7 wins when it comes to sound, playability. On the other hand, the Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.
If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7.
Which One is Better for Beginners?
Both meet 6 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
Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
New Player Friendliness
Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Short scale
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.
Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage Overview
- From Schecter's 2021 Artist series
- Keith Merrow Signature
- Made in United States
- 7 strings
- 26.5"'' scale
- 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
- Alder body
- 5 Ply Maple/Walnut neck
- Ebony fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Keith Merrow Custom Fishman Fluence (Humbucker/Active)
- Neck pickup: Keith Merrow Custom Fishman Fluence (Humbucker/Active)
- 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
- 3-way Switch
- Hipshot Low Profile Fixed Bridge bridge
- Thin fast C Bolt-On neck
- 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
- Hipshot open gear locking with Knurled Barrel adjustment tuners
- Compare Specs >
Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7 Overview
- From Jackson's 2018 Artist Signature series
- Misha Mansoor Signature
- Made in United States
- 7 strings
- 26.5"'' scale
- 20" Fretboard Radius
- Caramelized Basswood body
- Caramelized Quartersawn Maple neck
- Caramelized Flame Maple fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Bare Knuckle Ragnarok (Humbucker/Passive)
- Neck pickup: Bare Knuckle Ragnarok (Humbucker/Passive)
- 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
- 5-way Switch
- Hipshot 7 Fixed .175 bridge
- Speed Bolt-On neck
- 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
- Hipshot Open-Gear Locking 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 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.
Woods Used in the Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage
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.
Woods Used in the Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7
This wood has beautiful patterns only found in specific types of maple.
Basswood is a lightweight type of wood that isn't as expensive as other popular choices for guitar building. It gives more power to the mid-range frequencies. Its color can vary from pale white to light brown. Find out more about Basswood.
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 Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage's and use them on any guitar:
We found the same or similar pickups to the Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7's online:
The Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage's pickups are Active while the Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7's are Passive.
Passive pickups are what most guitars use. These have a normal output that works well for most genres. However, Active pickups are the preferred choice of heavy metal players because they offer extra output thanks to their 9v battery, which results in a heavier, more distorted sound. Bear in mind that achieving a completely clean tone with them won't be easy. So if you want to also use clean tones, you might want to avoid Active pickups.
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
The Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7 gives you 5 switch options while the Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage gives you 3. This means that the Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7 gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve
Both offer you the same type of pickup mod: 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.
When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.
Winner: Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7.
Final Sound Quality Scores
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 Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage compares to the Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.
The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.
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.
The Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage has a Compensated nut. Each hole where the string sits at the nut is cut at a different distance from the bridge, which compensates for the different amount of tension that each string is subject to. This fixes most intonation issues across the fretboard, so it gives great tuning stability.
On the other hand, the Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7 comes with a Black Tusq XL nut. TUSQ nuts are usually the highest quality you can get. Black TUSQs are made from a special slippery material that helps the strings get back to its original position (one of the keys to tune stability).
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.
Both in this comparison come with stainless steel frets. These frets will basically last for the entire life of the guitar. They will never need polishing nor replacement. And not only that, but some people also notice that bending and vibratos are much easier to perform when they upgrade to stainless steel.
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: Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.
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
They both have locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.
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:
Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- Compensated Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Multi-Voicing Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Tremolo
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Multi-Voicing Pickups
- Strap Lock
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
Final Build Quality Scores
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
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage has the wider nut with 48mm (1.89'') vs 44.5mm (1.75''). This is a 3.5mm (0.14'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.
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 26.5".
This scale is close to the popular 25.50" length, but adding an additional inch allows you to tune your strings lower while keeping the action low without causing fret buzz. This is useful for lower tunings, 7-string, or even classical guitars.
You want to avoid such a long scale if you don't plan to play in low tunings since the longer scale also means the frets are more separated, making it harder to play fast, especially for small hands.
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
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.
In this case, both have different neck shapes:
The Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage has a C type of neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.
The Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7, on the other hand, has a D 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
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.
In this case, the Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.
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.
And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage favors large hands more than the Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7.
Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage:
Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7:
Fret Size
The Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 MK-III Stage has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Jackson USA Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7's Jumbo frets.
Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.