Donner has become well known in the budget market for manufacturing guitars for about $200 that punch considerably above their weight class. With a sturdy build, reliable hardware, and good construction, the Donner DST-100 — for example — is a solid choice for beginners, and with some modifications, other models — including the DST-152 and DLP-124 — can turn a starter instrument into a good intermediate player’s guitar, or even a backup road instrument.
The new DST-550 (at about $260) seems to be a cut above that, offering a two-point tremolo system and other features that could make this a future favorite (we haven’t tested it yet, so we can’t say for sure.) What we can definitively state is, as Donnor proves with the fully loaded DST-700, an extra $200 can go a long way.
Priced for about $449.99 (use “EAG” code here), the guitar features the functionality, playability, and sound quality of many instruments at twice the price point. The well-crafted, well-balanced guitar includes locking tuners, two high-gain humbuckers, and a tremolo bar that not only descends but also raises the instrument’s tone without quickly going out of tune. With 22 frets, the DST-700 offers ample space for chord inversions and rapid-fire solos, making it a versatile tool for both rhythm and lead playing.
“We plugged in and just started playing. And we kept playing, well past the point where we had a good grasp of the instrument, which is a surefire sign that this one’s a winner.”
The body of the DST-700 is woodgrain finished mahogany, the neck is smooth maple, and the fretboard is attractive rosewood. Two high-output humbucker pickups give the guitar plenty of power, and a three-way pickup selector switch lets players choose between the neck, bridge, or both pickups. One tone knob and a volume knob make adjustments simple, whether you want to create volume swells or find a happy midpoint between the low and high-end tones of your pickup selection.
The sensitivity of the humbuckers, coupled with the versatility of the knobs enable guitarists to play blues, jazz, funk, ambient, classic rock, alternative, punk, metal and virtually any other style without the need for single coil pickups. The locking tuners prevent the need for frequent retuning, even with liberal use of the tremolo bar. Yet for such a sturdy guitar, the DST-700 is amazingly lightweight, offers a useful ergonomic contour, and, man, is it fun to play. The action is great right out of the box, and the intonation is spot-on — no alterations necessary. We plugged in and just started playing. And we kept playing, well past the point where we had a good grasp of the instrument, which is a surefire sign that this one’s a winner.
The two-point floating tremolo with stainless steel saddles may not offer the hot-rodded temperament of a Floyd Rose, but it’s more practical and easier to control, while still being capable of significant sound modulations. The DST-700 is fully functional for shredding, but it’s capable of so much more, and that versatility earns it extra points. We hooked it up to a wide variety of effects and it reacted well in each scenario, whether played clean through a compressor, connected to delays, reverbs, choruses, and wahs, or stacked with overdrives and distortions. Even high-powered fuzz pedals caused just a minimum of collateral buzz.
If there’s any drawback to the guitar, it’s the limited color scheme. The plain wood design is attractive, but it doesn’t scream at the volume the guitar is easily capable of reaching, which may be offputting for players that want to look like they’re in Slipknot. You could think of the DST-700 as a sports car disguised as a practical workhorse, but that kinda sells it short since it’s a subtle, but sweet-looking guitar with just the simple wood design. And while the DST-700 is also available in painted green, that version doesn’t feature double humbuckers, and might not come across with the same high-gain impact.
Quibbles aside, The Donner DST-700 is a great guitar that offers exceptional value for the price. Of all the promising Chinese guitar companies, Donnor continues to deliver quality alongside affordability.
