PRS vs ML-1 Pro Chapman

[sumpe]

Here is my question:
I want a 24 fret, vintage trem, mahogany body with a set or through neck guitar, which I am happy to mod with pickups I want. My budget is bout 500-800£, the higher end being for a guitar that ideally has a decent tremolo at least.

I have looked, as many of us do, endlessly at a series of guitars, for several weeks. I also considered building a guitar from scratch,which would be great, but too much for my budget and maybe also unecessary at this stage if there is something out there I can use, cheaper and still great, instead.

My options so far:
PRS SE Custom 24 - 2016 or earlier
PRS SE Custom 24 2017 models
Chapman ML-1 Pro

NOTE: I want tones that range from blues to prog rock to rock to metal - I have other guitars for a jazzy tone, so that is a not a must, BUT I want creamy blues tones.
I was set on illuminator pickups (dimarzio) humbuckers with split coil toggles options on both neck and bridge on a guitar with the general specs above.

The ML-1 Pro seems a nicely build guitar with decent tremolo and decent tuners, but it is Strat style set up! And the pups that are in it seem a bit too rock/metal focused for me (at least running a simple pick-up selector tool from Seymour Duncan - a whole new learning experience for me as I already spent days looking up Dimarzio pups for a HH set up)

Any opinions about which guitar base/template would be more robust so I can then put in the right pickups on them. For those favoring the ML-1 Pro, I would appreciate any advice for pickups, from any make (though I am biased for Dimarzios), ideally with a hum and split option (i.e. single-coiled sized humbuckers)

Thanks a lot for any feedback!

 

[Gibsonwarrior]

£800 will get you A LOT of guitar if you would consider looking in the second hand market. I'd be looking at the older USA PRS CE's or a Patrick Eggle Berlin. You might even pick up an older custom 24 if your lucky.

 

[toothace]

I agree...check the used market. $1000 (about 800 your money) could score you a nice USA made instrument

 

[garrett]

There's a ton of value packed into the Chapman for sure. There are a lot of practical differences between it and the PRS models though, like scale length, fretboard radius, woods, etc. that might help make up your mind. The Hipshot tremolo is my favorite (yes, even over any of the PRS trems) and their tuners are excellent as well.

I suggest trying to get your hands on a 2017 model SE CU24 before you make up your mind. You may like the new pickups.

To further stir the pot, S2 models are an excellent value on the used market. An S2 CU24 will give you a noticeable step up in quality.

 

[Lee B.]

From your list, I'd say wait for the 2017 SEs to arrive with the 85/15 derived pups and try a few of those out. If those pups are anywhere near as good as advertised, you might not even need to swap them for those styles of music. For vintage strat style trems, it's hard to beat PRS's in my opinion. If you go the SE or older used PRS route, you might follow John Mann's advice elsewhere in this forum and also get a PRS core nut, that one upgrade would probably make it just about as stable intonation-wise as anything else and add a little extra to the sustain and harmonics besides.

 

[Boogie]

If you're worried about the pickups being too metal-focused, I'd either wait on the new 2017 SEs or consider another SE model...the SE245. It's a 24.5" scale length with, as I'd call them, hotter vintage-voiced pickups that do well with classic rock/blues as well as modern voiced amps.

 

[John Beef]

I remember watching a video of Rob Chapman touring the Korean factory where those guitars were made, and there were a crap-ton (note: non-metric measurement) of PRS SEs being built right along side them. So, you dislike that it's a strat style? Get a PRS SE then, they're going to be basically the same build quality and same woods.

 

[sumpe]

Thanks so much guys for all responses.
I am leaning towards a now cheaper old version of PRS SE Custom 24 over Chapman for a) easy of swapping pickups to things I am more familiar with or desiring to try, b) feel - I have tried PRSs and like their feel, but can NOT get my hands on a Chapman anytime soon and c) I can fit a tripleplay fishman in the PRS if I so desire, but not on the Chapman guitar. That being said, once I try a Chapman guitar, if I really dig it I might save up and have a strat style 24 fret as well, which I don't.... first things first

I do think there might be an edge money to value on the chapman, but with the price drop on the PRS SEs, I can easily get the tuners and nut changed, in addition to swapping pickupts for nearly the same and yet have a guitar I am somewhat familiar with feel and dig.

 

[Kazz]

The tuners really aren't bad, but if you want locking tuners John Mann does modify SE tuners to lock, or of course there are other brands that fit.

 

[charliefrench]

There is a lot of 'monkey see, monkey do' on the Internet and it is easy to allow oneself to be swept into making needless decisions, especially when it comes to guitar gear. Never tried a Chapman myself either and I have no reason to believe they are not worthy but If you do decide to run for an SE then all I can say is please don't be in a hurry to swap out everything. I have an SE STD 24 and all I have changed so far are the strings. Had little issues like strings binding in the nut (pass me the files) and the tremolo needed setting up (bought used). At one point one of the trem springs began to sing along while I was strumming so I placed some packing foam under them. The tuners work well. Have considered buying a locking set but then I think there is no real need. Generally I am not a fan of hot pickups but I really do like the HFS at the bridge position. It is not all volume and no tone like some are and you can find searing harmonics just about anywhere if that is what you wish for. Both pickups sound okay when tapped too. Good luck

 

[sumpe]

Thanks. Wise words. I think the no rush thing is def the way to go. Plus, it allows one to know the differences when something is switched, rather than swapping too eary and not knowing what the guitar sounds like.

 

[charliefrench]

I agree. With my SE Standard 24 I was a little unsure at first about having the pickups spaced so close together. The neck and both pups together sounded pretty much the same (thought they would be) and I missed not having 2V/2T. I was comparing it to my Les Paul and this is not the best approach. Thinking back what I was trying to do was have the guitar sounding like my LP which is madness. The honeymoon period is long over and like this guitar more and more. The acoustic sound is magical. And I got it for a song.

When we first have a fresh guitar we go through the examination period which can last quite a long time. We are measuring and weighing everything up. Wondering if we made a good or a bad choice. It is often only when we stop looking at it and begin to play the thing properly that its true character shines through. That said, there are also times when you instantly know. Very recently I bought a used older version SE Custom 22 on the Internet. It came fitted with strings that I did not like. I replaced them with my regular brand and instantly I knew me and the pickups would not get along so I tried some alnico fives and the difference was night and day. These transformed the guitar totally and I mean in a good way. And again, all gotten for a song really. In case you don't know I am cheap.