Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM vs Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany
Reasons to Get
Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM over Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany
Reasons to Get
Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany over Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM
Other Key Differences
Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM vs Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany
Shared Features
Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM vs Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany
Common Strengths
- Locking Tuners
Common Weaknesses
- Neck-Through Build
- Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
- Weight Relief
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- High-Quality Frets
- From a High-Quality-Standards Country
- Luminescent Sidedots
- Strap Lock
- 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 Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany is probably the better product overall with its final score of 69 compared to the Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM's 66 score, although not by a lot.
The Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany wins when it comes to sound, playability, value for the money. On the other hand, the Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM has the upper hand when it comes to build quality.
If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany.
Which One is Better for Beginners?
If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM is the better choice.
The Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany meets only 6. 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.
New Player Friendliness
Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Short scale
New Player Friendliness
Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Narrow nut
- 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.
Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM Overview
- From Sire's 2021 T7 series
- Larry Carlton Signature
- Made in Indonesia
- 6 strings
- 25.5"'' scale
- 9.5" Fretboard Radius
- Flamed Veneer top
- North American Alder body
- Roasted Hard Maple neck
- Roasted Hard Maple fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Sire LC Super-M (Zebra type) Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
- Neck pickup: Sire LC Super-M (Zebra type) Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
- 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
- 5-way Switch
- T7 2-post Modern Bridge(Steel Block and Stainless Saddle) bridge
- C-Shape Bolt-On neck
- 22 Medium Jumbo frets
- Sire Premium Locking Tuner tuners
- Compare Specs >
Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany Overview
- From Charvel's 2017 Artist Signature series
- Joe Duplantier Signature
- Made in Indonesia
- 6 strings
- 25.5"'' scale
- 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
- Mahogany body
- Mahogany neck
- Ebony fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Joe Duplantier Signature DiMarzio Fortitude (Humbucker/Passive)
- Neck pickup: DiMarzio PAF 36th Anniversary (Humbucker/Passive)
- 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
- 3-way Switch
- Charvel Fully Adjustable Radius Compensated Bridge with Anchored Tailpiece bridge
- Charvel Speed Bolt-On neck
- 22 Jumbo frets
- Charvel-Branded Die-Cast 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 the Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM
Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.
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 Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany
Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.
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.
Winner: Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany.
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
The Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany pickups from a more specialized brand than the Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Hard Rock and similar genres.
We found the same or similar pickups to the Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany's online:
Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.
Winner: Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany.
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 Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM gives you 5 switch options while the Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany gives you 3. This means that the Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve
Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.
When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.
Winner: Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM.
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 Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM compares to the Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany.
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.
The Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM has a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.
On the other hand, the Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany comes with a Plastic nut. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.
Winner: Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM.
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.
The Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM's brige is a Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.
On the other hand, the Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany's is a 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:
Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM
- Locking Tuners
- Bone Nut
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- Made in Indonesia
- No Expensive Woods
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Top Brand Pickups
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- Made in Indonesia
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Tremolo
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
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 Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany has the wider nut with 42.9mm (1.688'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 0.9mm (0.034'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany, 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 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
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 Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM and the Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany have a C-shaped 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.
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 Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany 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 Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM favors large hands more than the Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany.
Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM:
Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany:
Fret Size
The Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH E Mahogany has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Sire Larry Carlton T7 FM's Medium 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.
