Head to head
Melding old-school charm with modern features
It’s no coincidence that these guitars find themselves embroiled in the same group test. Alongside the obvious similarities in pickup format and bolt-on construction, all four guitars share a common 648mm (25.5") scale length. This measurement is essential for the classic Strat snap in the top strings, and twang in the fatter ones. Upperfret access is easier with the sculpted heels of the Chapman ML-1 Traditional and Sterling Cutlass, but we didn’t have too many problems with the Fender and G&L guitars. It’s worth noting that the Cutlass has vintage-style narrow frets. The others have medium jumbo efforts, which are easier to deal with when you’re bending strings above the 12th fret.
Tonally, all four guitars live in the same postcode. Bridge pups are typically bright and twangy. The middle and neck units offer increasing levels of warmth, yet unlike muddy sounding humbuckers, you get loads of clarity no matter how heavy the overdrive. There are distinctions. The G&L has just a touch more warmth than the other guitars. There’s some real fatness here, which works great for blues noodling. The Fender’s pups sound like vintage classics with a bit more muscle. They push your dirty channel a bit further and there’s crystalclear clarity on every setting. We love the smooth vibrato unit, too. If you want to hear one of these twin-pivot ‘floating’ Fender whammy jobs at its best, Spotify Jeff Beck’s Where were you.
Regrets? Yeah, we have a few. The G&L’S Dual-fulcrum vibrato is stiff. It sticks wherever we park it, making tuning stability impossible. It’s a shame as our previous experiences with this vibrato model have always been positive. The Chapman plays great but there are some sharp fret ends to contend with. Don’t get us wrong, it’s not like arm wrestling with Edward Scissorhands, but they’re noticeable. Just make sure your ML-1 Traditional is fine before you part with your money.
the g&l has some real fatness, which works great for blues noodling