As good as having that versatility is, Splitting the coils has come quite a long way in the 20+years since. They aren't quite a match for guitars that do have a Single coil instead. Whether that is because they are Humbuckers first and foremost and built as such or maybe its the fact that you set up everything for he Humbucker tones and splitting the coil has too big a drop in volume and/or doesn't quite sound like a SC - close but still not quite the same. The new TCI - at least with the Core Paul's, does an exceptional job of sounding like a SC with no drop in volume. That is its Selling point so if that is a Quitar that has 'nailed' the splitting coil sound, it stands to reason that others haven't.
I believe older guitars, especially those with just 1 Tone push/pull pot for Splitting both coils simultaneously, doesn't quite have the option to run the Guitar as a Bridge HB and Neck SC (or vice versa) which also removes the option of a HS or SH combination in the middle position. In the middle position, you only have the option to have 'both' as HB's or 'both' split. Not saying that someone needs to have the option to split each Humbucker individually - although it can be quicker to swap from a Neck SC type tone to a Bridge Humbucker tone and its easier to have a mini-toggle than to pull-up (pushing down is easy) to split coils.
Both instruments are different anyway and the question isn't about comparing a Core McCarty vs Core Paul's. Two instruments that would share the same quality materials, same attention to detail, same build quality built by the same hands essentially too. The woods will be dried and 'cured' properly - everything is using the highest quality materials and parts. Then it would comedown to what you need in particular - do you need the tones and splittable TCI puck-ups more than the McCarty tones. Its much less to consider in my opinion. Comparing an SE to a Core though, regardless of what SE and what core, there are many more things to consider - like the quality of the woods, the curing to turn the resin into crystals, the one piece neck that took weeks to make to ensure its settled and stable, better quality PU's and Electrics etc. PU's can be 'wound' anywhere but that doesn't mean the quality of the wire, the magnets etc are the same. Whatever aspect you want to pick, whether its the body or neck woods, whether its the PU's or the Nut, whether its the Tuners or the Pots - everything on a core is a 'step' (or more) up from SE. The only thing that looks to be on-par with a Core is the Bridge on the SE Paul's guitar - both Core and SE Paul's Guitars have the 'same' bridge.
There is no argument that the McCarty at $1400 is the better guitar if you look at everything individually. There is no doubt that the quality is a bigger step-up and that, if you buy it, you can sell it for around the same money - its not going to drop in value. There is no argument that, in general, the McCarty is the better instrument. The one 'spanner' in the works though is what the OP wants, what they are looking for from an instrument, which fills that hole the best, which one does the OP want to play the most. There could be some aspect which is more important to them, to their needs and that cannot be met in their price range - like the ability to individual coil split and (to them) the better SC tone. Its still up to them to try both to see which fits them best. Even if the McCarty doesn't have the option to Split, I would still pick the McCarty but the OP may feel differently...
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