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Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid
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Playability
72
Sound
73
Build
74
Value
58
Score
73
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Playability
73
Sound
81
Build
78
Value
77
Score
77
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Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged vs Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid

Reasons to Get
Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged over Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs South Korea
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2022 vs 2021
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
60s SlimTaper vs C Shape
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
HHH vs HSS
High output without hum and tons of tone versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm) vs 0.905'' (23mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.93'' (23.6mm) vs 0.944'' (24mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Paint Finish
Aged vs Poly
Paint has been artificially aged
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 13.78'' (350mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid over Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged

Decorative Top
Flame Maple Veneer On Flat Top with Gloss Finish vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
C Shape vs 60s SlimTaper
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HSS vs HHH
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.905'' (23mm) vs 0.82'' (20.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.944'' (24mm) vs 0.93'' (23.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Paint Finish
Poly vs Aged
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
77 vs 58
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged vs Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid

Bridge Pickup
Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) vs Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) vs Seymour Duncan Classic Stack
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) vs Seymour Duncan Classic Stack
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Basswood
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Roasted Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Roasted Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs R6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Nylon vs Black Tusq XL
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged vs Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid

Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid is probably the better product overall with its final score of 77 compared to the Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged's 73 score, although not by a lot.

The Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged in every aspect.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid is the better choice.

The Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged meets only 4. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged Overview

  • From Gibson Custom's 2022 Murphy Lab series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • ABR-1 Maestro Short Vibrola bridge
  • 60s SlimTaper Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Grover Kidney tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid Overview

  • From Chapman's 2021 Pro series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Flame Maple Veneer On Flat Top with Gloss Finish top
  • Basswood body
  • Roasted Maple – Medium Colour neck
  • Roasted Maple – Medium Colour fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Seymour Duncan Classic Stack (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Classic Stack (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Chapman 2-Point Tremolo bridge
  • C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Hipshot Grip-Lock Open (18:1 Gearing) tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in the Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Woods Used in the Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid

Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple
Basswood wood pattern used for guitar building
Basswood

Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.

Basswood is a lightweight type of wood that isn't as expensive as other popular choices for guitar building. It gives more power to the mid-range frequencies. Its color can vary from pale white to light brown. Find out more about Basswood.

Winner: Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged.

Pickup Configuration

The Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged has an HHH configuration while the Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid has HSS pickups.

A triple Humbucker (HHH) can be intimidating at first, but it's one of the combinations that offer the most tone versatility. You'll be able to have from a lot of output for Hard Rock genres, to warm and clean sounds that are more common in Jazz.

On the other hand, HSS provides a great balance if you like to play with a lot of distortion, but also love to use clean tones. You'll get a lot of output at the bridge position, but you'll be able to play bright clean tones at the other positions.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

However, the Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid's online:

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

The Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid gives you 5 switch options while the Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged gives you 3. This means that the Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged's switch options
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 66
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 73
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid
Pickups 100
Sustain 80
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 81

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged compares to the Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged is built in United States while the Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid is made in South Korea.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

South Korea was for many years the number one choice for mass-producing semi-premium guitars. They can build excellent guitars for a cheap price. Now, it's less common to find Korean guitars because Indonesia has proved capable of building guitars just as well, but likely for cheaper.

Winner: Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged has a Nylon nut. It used to be one of the highest quality materials for nuts (and still is), but it's rare to find nowadays because it's hard to work with. It's a very resistant material with very low friction, so it will keep the guitar in tune and will last for a long time

On the other hand, the Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid comes with a Black Tusq XL nut. TUSQ nuts are usually the highest quality you can get. Black TUSQs are made from a special slippery material that helps the strings get back to its original position (one of the keys to tune stability).

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

In this comparison, the Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid is the only one that has stainless steel frets. These frets will basically last for the entire life of the guitar. They will never need polishing nor replacement. And not only that, but some people also notice that bending and vibratos are much easier to perform when they upgrade to stainless steel.

Winner: Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

Both come with a similar bridge: Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

The Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid has the best tuners of the two because they are locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

Winner: Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

The Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged has a Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

On the other hand, the Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid comes with Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Nylon Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • Strap Lock
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio

Final Build Quality Scores

Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged
Quality of materials 66
Features 55
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 74
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid
Quality of materials 83
Features 75
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 78

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged Nut Width
Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged Nut Width
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid Nut Width
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged has the wider nut with 42.9mm (1.688'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 0.9mm (0.034'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged's Scale Length
Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged's Scale Length
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid's Scale Length
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid's Scale Length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

The Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid has the longest scale: 25.5". The Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged Neck Profile
Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged's neck profile
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid Neck Profile
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged has a D type of neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

The Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid, on the other hand, has a C neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged Fingerboard Radius
Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged's Fingerboard radius
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid Fingerboard Radius
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged Frets Size
Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged's Frets Size
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid Frets Size
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid's Frets Size

The Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged's Medium Jumbo frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 72
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged vs Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid
General Gibson Custom 1963 Les Paul SG Custom With Maestro Vibrola Ultra Light Aged Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid
Brand: Gibson Custom Chapman
Year: 2022 2021
Configuration: HHH HSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States South Korea
Series: Murphy Lab Pro
Colors: White Blue, Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Solid Mahogany Basswood
Bridge: ABR-1 Maestro Short Vibrola Chapman 2-Point Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Bolt-On
Tuners: Grover Kidney Hipshot Grip-Lock Open (18:1 Gearing)
Fretboard: Ebony Roasted Maple – Medium Colour
Neck Material: Mahogany Roasted Maple – Medium Colour
Decoration: Mother of Pearl Block Glow-in-the-Dark Side Dots with Black Infinity
Scale Size: 24.75" 25.5"
Shape: 60s SlimTaper C Shape
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.93'' (23.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.905'' (23mm) - 12th Fret: 0.944'' (24mm)
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 12" 13.78"
Nut: Nylon Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Classic Stack (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Classic Stack (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 1