New Guitar - nearly

[richard]

Just about to take redundancy/early retirement and want to treat myself to a new guitar around £500/£600 mark.

Thinking of either Yamaha Pacifica HFM:

http://www.iguitarmag.com/magazine-editions/guitar-interactive-issue-9/reviews/yamaha-pacifica-611hfm/

or Chapman ML2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svymJzfrIK0

I'm edging towards the Chapman because the pups seem really articulate and punchy  particularly the natural finish model (go to 4:34 of the demo). I don't really want to be changing pickups straightaway whatever I buy. My number one gigging guitar is an all mahogany Gibson Firebird Studio with a set of RYs. I've grown to really love the bright punch from the RYs. The Pacifica seems really nice too. Both guitars seem to be excellent value.

What do you folks think ?

[gwEm]

Thats really hard to say! But I think the Pacifica would be more of an alternative to your Firebird Studio with the P90 neck pickup and longer scale length.

It comes with Duncans, so it should be decent soundwise.

[Brow]

I've used 1 of those Pacificas and was really rather impressed tbh!

Have you considered looking 2nd hand? You can get a lot more bang for your buck that way.

[richard]

Brow, did you play the Pacifica through an amp ? I'm pretty sure the P90 will be okay but I'm concerned that the Custom 5 SH14 may be lacking in mids. What was your impression ?

Having done more internet reading I'm starting to swerve back to the Pacifica. It seems to be the better put together of the two. I'm thinking that, if I don't get on with the bridge pickup, it'll be a great excuse for another Bare Knuckle - the Crawler is the most likely candidate.

[gwEm]

I'm thinking that, if I don't get on with the bridge pickup, it'll be a great excuse for another Bare Knuckle - the Crawler is the most likely candidate.

You could even try a magnet swap to change it into a 'Custom' or 'Custom Custom'. It'll only cost a couple of quid.

[richard]

Cheers Gwem, I'd forgotten that you could do this with the custom series. I've got a batch of magnets that a kind friend from the SD forum sent me a couple of years back.

[Brow]

Brow, did you play the Pacifica through an amp ? I'm pretty sure the P90 will be okay but I'm concerned that the Custom 5 SH14 may be lacking in mids. What was your impression ?

Having done more internet reading I'm starting to swerve back to the Pacifica. It seems to be the better put together of the two. I'm thinking that, if I don't get on with the bridge pickup, it'll be a great excuse for another Bare Knuckle - the Crawler is the most likely candidate.

I cant remember if I did or not tbh.

I had a custom 5 in an LP and HATED it. Far too scooped mids for my taste.

[Telerocker]

Pacifica is great value for money. I even thinking about getting one myself.