The Chapmans were designed by vote on the web. They are the "best" of the design suggestions. And they are beautifully built.

I'm with you Rain. The tune-o-matic bridge just feels so natural. It's like my ring and pinky finger don't know where to go when I'm playing my strat, tele or any trem equipped guitar. I always end up back on my sg.

And I end up with this, slightly bigger than a Les Paul, Tele, but not as big as a es-335. In fact it is the es-335 younger, smaller sister.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de-yA2v4A3w
 
 

spacealf
And I end up with this, slightly bigger than a Les Paul, Tele, but not as big as a es-335. In fact it is the es-335 younger, smaller sister.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de-yA2v4A3w
 
 

Very, very nice. I'd love one of those ES type of guitars. And that guy has a very nice touch. I'd never heard him before - not knowingly, at least - so I had to look him up. Not the kind of music I listen too but that guy sounds great.

Also glad to read there are a few fellows with the same impression regarding those bridges.
 
I should say that I've played strats for over 20 years - and had also developed some very bad habits posture and playing-wise, which probably covered up other bad habits, which themselves etc...
 
Obviously I cannot blame them on the strat or its bridge. What I know however is that the transition kind of forced me/gave me an opportunity to modify my posture and playing - everything down to the way I hold the pick... This in turn allowed me to finally break through some doors and walls I'd been banging my head against for years. Talk about a fresh start at 40.
 
I could probably make the adjustments when/if playing a strat, but at this point I don't really have the desire. My favorite LP has coil tapping, so I get the best of both world. :)
 

I've heard some teles that sound good and fine. Actually I keep scratching my head lately, and can't decide on anything as of late. Solid Les Paul this year with 57 hums a bit cheaper than the es-339 (Epiphone way cheaper), modern weight relief  les paul standard (same price as es-339) or slightly cheaper les paul with single-coil and 57 hums but with granadillo (armadillo - just a joke) fret board. Epiphone if wanting cheaper price, and can not decide. But then, I have to think about other budget things also, so maybe it is just a dream.
 
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPTAAWRCH-13/
 
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPNTDCBCH-13/    (no none weight relief)
 
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ES3399ARDNH/
 
Never heard of Jeff P either. (keeps on going in that video though.)

Think I will just go nuts over the guitars anyway, perhaps wait a while yet as to (can not decide anything lately - duh headache).
 
need a rich uncle or something perhaps.
 
Oh, well, need more practice with what I have for a guitar probably only.
 
Might as well look at telecaster also, but the one I tried someone else owns (only a few seconds) necks seemed really small.
 
 http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPSCAHYCH-13/
might as well throw that in also. Since it is only a dream anyway.
 
 

Looks like you drool over pretty much the same bunch of guitars as I do. And Sweetwater has the best "pornographic material", best pics and all, don't they? :P
 
I'm fortunate enough not to be able to budget anything - not until my wife gets her green card and I can upgrade my visa and work here and take some gigs. All the gear I've acquired in the last 2 years was offered by her.
 
At this point, I'm happy enough with my Epiphone Les Paul Traditional Pro to try and refrain from seriously wanting new guitars unless I go for the bigger ones, like a genuine Gibson. There'd be no point in accumulating more LP copies, and this one is as good as a budget guitar can get - at least, for me. And since I'm not about to ask my wife to buy me a $2500 guitar, that settles it.
 
There's one exception in the form of the white Gibson SGJ, admitting that I can find one that works right for me - because the Gibson name doesn't necessarily mean that it's all that good, and with inexpensive guitars, you pretty much have to try every one of them until you hit the jackpot - just like with Epiphones. However, the brand name does help your guitar maintain a certain market value. But that's one that I could probably find a way to budget (that has been bugging me quite a bit recently). 
 

 
I'd probably throw a pair of 57's in it eventually. I figure this could be a way for me to cheat myself out of that promise I made to myself when I was waiting for that possible cancer call earlier this year that I'd someday have a genuine Gibson. ;)

I don't think you could go wrong with any of those Gibson's you have posted Spacealf. The weight relieved LP with Classic 57s would suite me just fine. I used to think it had to be a solid bodied LP for me, but I now kind of like the lighter feel of the weight relief and the tone sounds just as good to my ears. Infact, I kind of like the chambered tone a little better to be honest. I have an Epi 335 with upgraded Classic 57 pu's in it and it holds it's own as well. In fact, I find myself playing it more than my LP these days.

Well, after going bonkers yesterday, just seeing the price on the tele just made me cringe.
Besides the environmental concerns and the laws concerning that even for trees I fail to see why some people even consider paying that much for a guitar. But to each their own, just is not in my ball park, but still I rather have USA made if possible and perhaps therein lies the problem. Oh, well, trying not to be bonkers in the future, but then a long time ago (in the '60's a guitar made here did not cost any more than a Epi nowadays), but then I suppose that is in the past. I just wonder if you hung onto a guitar thinking it be worth more in the future, I wonder now and I suppose the norm may well be 3-d printer guitars or something whatever that is called - plastic guitars and wood would be looked at with disdain instead of some heritage.
 
??
oh, well, back to some kind of life.
But what some costs new, is something else with the price around or at the price of that tele pictured. Just don't me me play any better.

 
Then there are old blues artists with a beat-up ol' ascoutic guitar wailing the Blues and playing a guitar like never heard before.
 
P.S. I have a chambered Les Paul and did not pay all that much for it back in 2011, and it sounds fine with the burstbucker pickups. (but learning more every day and still better is better hardware wise but the price increase for the better seems out of place to me).
??
I just don't get to wound up anymore, well sometimes, but try not to.
 
(just a note they have SG not in that color with 57's and cost way less then $2500.) (about $1295 if you can stand the color and maybe some even cheaper anymore.) Too many guitars to look at.
 
Actually I did not pay more for my gibson Les Paul then an expensive EPI ( the highest price ones) and perhaps just a little less, but like anything, sure seems like prices keep going up faster than I think they should).
And that was only 2 years ago when I bought mine (2011).
After years of not having a guitar, even a cheap one or anything. Bought an Ibanzez whatever but just did not have it I suppose (like a cheap es-355 but neck seems small to me, and I don't know, never got into it, but even with different pickups, probably sounds okay also, just the neck I suppose I should try and get use to. ??)
 
There is also a video with Jeff P playing a telecaster doing Jimi Hendrix song - Little Wing. Actually he can play that guitar also. Me, that's another story.