Prodipe ST Origin Luthier Series: A French-Made Guitar That Punches Way Above Its Price
A guitar hand-finished by luthiers in France, with a roasted flame maple neck, stainless-steel frets, and gold Wilkinson hardware, for £764.99. That's the Prodipe ST SSS from the Origin Luthier Series, and it's one of the most exciting guitars we stock at Pluck & Play.
Made in France, finished by luthiers
Over the past five years, Prodipe has moved production back to France, and the Origin Luthier Series is the finest result of that commitment. Each guitar is designed by Prodipe, then assembled, set up and finished by hand in its French workshops by ITEMM-trained luthiers.
Every instrument gets precise fret-levelling work (planimetry), acoustic testing and individual inspection before it leaves the bench. The sound was fine-tuned with guitarists Ludovic Lanen and Bruno Bongarçon. As Prodipe's founding president Jean-Luc Masson puts it: "Entirely manual adjustment, extremely precise planimetry, thorough acoustic testing, and meticulous fine-tuning form the foundation of this philosophy — one guided by a constant pursuit of excellence."
In short, this isn't a guitar that comes off a production line and into a box. A person has set it up by hand to play properly.
The spec that sets it apart
These are the kind of upgrades you'd normally expect on a guitar costing twice as much:
|
Part |
What you get |
Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
|
Body |
Select alder |
Balanced, resonant, classic ST tone |
|
Neck and fingerboard |
Flamed roasted maple, 12" radius |
Stable, smooth-feeling, and it looks stunning |
|
Frets |
Stainless steel |
Ultra-smooth bends, and they won't wear down |
|
Nut |
Bone, 43mm |
Better sustain and tuning stability |
|
Pickups |
3 × Prodipe single coils, Alnico V |
Bright, glassy, dynamic ST sound |
|
Electronics |
CTS 250k pots, 5-way switch, 1 volume, 2 tones |
Smooth, accurate controls |
|
Hardware |
Gold Wilkinson tuners (oil bath) and 2-point tremolo |
Tuning stability with a touch of class |
|
Strings |
SAVAREZ Hexagonal Explosion 9–46 |
Great feel straight out of the box |
|
Scale / weight |
25.5" / approx. 3.5kg |
Familiar feel, comfortable on a strap |
How it plays and sounds
Pick it up and the first thing you notice is the neck. Roasted maple has a smooth, almost silky feel. The 12" radius sits comfortably between vintage roundness and modern flatness, so chords feel natural and bends don't choke out. The stainless steel frets and a hand-levelled setup make it feel slick and effortless up and down the neck.
Plugged in, the three Alnico V single coils give you everything you want from an ST: chime and sparkle in the neck position, the famous "quack" in positions 2 and 4, and a bright, cutting bridge tone for leads. With two tone controls you can tame the bridge pickup or warm up the neck for bluesy solos. It's a guitar for blues, funk, indie, pop and classic rock, and anything else you throw at it.
Don't just take our word for it: Guitar Interactive's review
Guitarist and educator Sam Bell put the Prodipe Origin Design ST Atlantic Green through its paces for Guitar Interactive Magazine, and he came away impressed. He found the "fit and finish felt boutique-level", said "the neck is one of the standout features", and noted that it "delivers that unmistakable Strat-style character" with a modern edge.
He singled out the flame-roasted maple neck, Wilkinson hardware, bone nut and clean setup, and was struck by "how much guitar you get for the price".
The Origin Design TC got the Guitar Interactive treatment too, and was called "a high-quality instrument at an affordable price".
Finishes, and a TC sibling
The ST SSS comes in two traditional varnish finishes, both with gold hardware:
- Atlantic Green: a deep blue-green gloss that looks incredible against the gold scratchplate. In stock now.
- Burgundy Red: a rich, dark red. Available to special order.
Prefer a T-style? The Prodipe Origin Design TC shares the same French-luthier build and £764.99 price, and is also available in Atlantic Green and Burgundy Red.
Styling tip: the Atlantic Green ST looks fantastic with an Isuzi floral jacquard strap in turquoise and brown. We've paired them in the shop, and they're a perfect match.
Try one at Pluck & Play
We're an authorised UK Prodipe stockist based in Yorkshire, and we think the Origin Luthier Series is some of the best value in guitars right now.
- Free UK delivery on orders over £50
- Fast dispatch: in-stock guitars ship the same day if you order before 12pm
- Play it first: our showroom is open by appointment, so get in touch to book a time
New to Pluck & Play? Use code PLUCKNPLAY5 at checkout for 5% off your first order.
