Chapman Guitars at NAMM

guitarfishbay

Musicman20 said:

Yes, true, but Boss are a huge huge company, with a well known branding, and usually, extremely high quality.

But that doesn't mean that the British Standard series of Chapmans won't have an effect on the perception of later import models.

At the end of the day they're trying to grow the business, it makes sense for Andertons to have an in house brand doing well at all price points because they keep more profit, really they're coming out of the same factory as LTD/PRS SE/Schecter but in each of those cases those companies need to make a profit too.

carlos

One thing I know: No matter how bad they are, they'll score at least 4/5 on a music radar review. 

crunchman

carlos said:

One thing I know: No matter how bad they are, they'll score at least 4/5 on a music radar review. 

Maybe the next Fretboard challenge could be to build a guitar bad enough to get 1 out of 5 on a Music Radar review.  Could be entertaining.

Whitecat

carlos said:

One thing I know: No matter how bad they are, they'll score at least 4/5 on a music radar review. 

Pros: Boutique build-quality. Excellent range of tones for the shredder. Monkey Lord Mojo built-in.
Cons: Quality doesn't come cheap!

4/5 RECOMMENDED

Whitecat

crunchman said:

carlos said:

One thing I know: No matter how bad they are, they'll score at least 4/5 on a music radar review. 

Maybe the next Fretboard challenge could be to build a guitar bad enough to get 1 out of 5 on a Music Radar review.  Could be entertaining.

Having spoken with some gear reviewers in the past, it tends to be the case that if a publication really *hates* something or thinks its downright awful, it's likely they just won't bother with it. That's why it's very rare to see less than 4 star reviews in any magazine... you might get the odd 3/3.5, likely from a non-advertiser or on a niche product that a company doesn't expect to sell a lot of, to give the illusion of fairness and balance, but anything lower than that and they just won't print.

Fretwired

Whitecat said:

carlos said:

One thing I know: No matter how bad they are, they'll score at least 4/5 on a music radar review. 

Pros: Boutique build-quality. Excellent range of tones for the shredder. Monkey Lord Mojo built-in.
Cons: Quality doesn't come cheap!

4/5 RECOMMENDED

More like 4.5 ...

There’s a strong and welcome whiff of people power when it comes to Chapman guitars.

Brand founder, Rob (aka the Monkey Lord), isn’t a dusty tonewood tappin’ guitar maker; he’s a guitar-toting internet celebrity-cum-entrepreneur who’s gone from creating a smattering of electrics in 2009 to a full-blown range of some 29 new models.

Whitecat

Fretwired said:

Whitecat said:

carlos said:

One thing I know: No matter how bad they are, they'll score at least 4/5 on a music radar review. 

Pros: Boutique build-quality. Excellent range of tones for the shredder. Monkey Lord Mojo built-in.
Cons: Quality doesn't come cheap!

4/5 RECOMMENDED

More like 4.5 ...

There’s a strong and welcome whiff of people power when it comes to Chapman guitars.

Brand founder, Rob (aka the Monkey Lord), isn’t a dusty tonewood tappin’ guitar maker; he’s a guitar-toting internet celebrity-cum-entrepreneur who’s gone from creating a smattering of electrics in 2009 to a full-blown range of some 29 new models.

"...if we have any niggles with this debut British-built model, they are minor ones - the decision to place the jack socket on the back of the guitar is a little unusual but it's something we could get used to. The intonation screws that fall underneath the bridge pickup could have been placed in a more accessible location. And finally, the latex and velour case it includes isn't quite to our taste - but we're a little old-fashioned that way! Fundamentally, these things don't change the fact that this is a guitar we would be happy to talk over someone else playing for years to come."

Bridgehouse

Whitecat said:

Fretwired said:

Whitecat said:

carlos said:

One thing I know: No matter how bad they are, they'll score at least 4/5 on a music radar review. 

Pros: Boutique build-quality. Excellent range of tones for the shredder. Monkey Lord Mojo built-in.
Cons: Quality doesn't come cheap!

4/5 RECOMMENDED

More like 4.5 ...

There’s a strong and welcome whiff of people power when it comes to Chapman guitars.

Brand founder, Rob (aka the Monkey Lord), isn’t a dusty tonewood tappin’ guitar maker; he’s a guitar-toting internet celebrity-cum-entrepreneur who’s gone from creating a smattering of electrics in 2009 to a full-blown range of some 29 new models.

"...if we have any niggles with this debut British-built model, they are minor ones - the decision to place the jack socket on the back of the guitar is a little unusual but it's something we could get used to. The intonation screws that fall underneath the bridge pickup could have been placed in a more accessible location. And finally, the latex and velour case it includes isn't quite to our taste - but we're a little old-fashioned that way! Fundamentally, these things don't change the fact that this is a guitar we would be happy to talk over someone else playing for years to come."

"..the hallmark of a good guitar these days has little to do with live playing or recorded sound. Your modern player isn't a Dog and Duck Local Pub player where your shoes stick to the floor after years of Stella and Strongbow build up a finish like Tru-Oil.. Neither are they recording or session musicians who demand playability, sound, comfort and reliability. No, the modern player likes to live out their playing on the internet, spending hours watching review videos, typing on Internet forums and extolling the virtues of Alnico IV vs V magnets. In many ways, this new range is the bullseye that the internet guitar community has needed for years - the guitar that has more significance when talked about than when played. The guitar for which the sound of a thousand internet keyboard warriors is more important than it's output through any amp."

Fretwired

Er .. I wasn't joking ... :-)

When reading it imagine you hear Jeremy Clarkson's voice ..

http://www.musicradar.com/reviews/chapman-ml1-pro-traditional

Bridgehouse

Fretwired said:

Er .. I wasn't joking ... :-)

When reading it imagine you hear Jeremy Clarkson's voice ..

http://www.musicradar.com/reviews/chapman-ml1-pro-traditional

I wasn't joking either...

darthed1981

Bridgehouse said:

Whitecat said:

Fretwired said:

Whitecat said:

carlos said:

One thing I know: No matter how bad they are, they'll score at least 4/5 on a music radar review. 

Pros: Boutique build-quality. Excellent range of tones for the shredder. Monkey Lord Mojo built-in.
Cons: Quality doesn't come cheap!

4/5 RECOMMENDED

More like 4.5 ...

There’s a strong and welcome whiff of people power when it comes to Chapman guitars.

Brand founder, Rob (aka the Monkey Lord), isn’t a dusty tonewood tappin’ guitar maker; he’s a guitar-toting internet celebrity-cum-entrepreneur who’s gone from creating a smattering of electrics in 2009 to a full-blown range of some 29 new models.

"...if we have any niggles with this debut British-built model, they are minor ones - the decision to place the jack socket on the back of the guitar is a little unusual but it's something we could get used to. The intonation screws that fall underneath the bridge pickup could have been placed in a more accessible location. And finally, the latex and velour case it includes isn't quite to our taste - but we're a little old-fashioned that way! Fundamentally, these things don't change the fact that this is a guitar we would be happy to talk over someone else playing for years to come."

"..the hallmark of a good guitar these days has little to do with live playing or recorded sound. Your modern player isn't a Dog and Duck Local Pub player where your shoes stick to the floor after years of Stella and Strongbow build up a finish like Tru-Oil.. Neither are they recording or session musicians who demand playability, sound, comfort and reliability. No, the modern player likes to live out their playing on the internet, spending hours watching review videos, typing on Internet forums and extolling the virtues of Alnico IV vs V magnets. In many ways, this new range is the bullseye that the internet guitar community has needed for years - the guitar that has more significance when talked about than when played. The guitar for which the sound of a thousand internet keyboard warriors is more important than it's output through any amp."

That is top parody.  If you both told me that was actually on there, I'd love it.

carlos

Fretwired said:

Er .. I wasn't joking ... :-)

When reading it imagine you hear Jeremy Clarkson's voice ..

http://www.musicradar.com/reviews/chapman-ml1-pro-traditional

The writing is shocking in that piece. Do they have editors look over this stuff?
With such sharp, clean presentation, there’s a danger that - like many modern instruments - this could feel rather sterile. - what the fuck does that even mean? Because it doesn't have any paint on, it feels sterile?

If you asked players what they don’t like about a Strat, this might well be the answer. - Surely, this is the solution to what players don't iike about a Strat, not the answer? English is my second language but this sentence says the opposite of what it wants to say.

Bridgehouse

darthed1981 said:

Bridgehouse said:

Whitecat said:

Fretwired said:

Whitecat said:

carlos said:

One thing I know: No matter how bad they are, they'll score at least 4/5 on a music radar review. 

Pros: Boutique build-quality. Excellent range of tones for the shredder. Monkey Lord Mojo built-in.
Cons: Quality doesn't come cheap!

4/5 RECOMMENDED

More like 4.5 ...

There’s a strong and welcome whiff of people power when it comes to Chapman guitars.

Brand founder, Rob (aka the Monkey Lord), isn’t a dusty tonewood tappin’ guitar maker; he’s a guitar-toting internet celebrity-cum-entrepreneur who’s gone from creating a smattering of electrics in 2009 to a full-blown range of some 29 new models.

"...if we have any niggles with this debut British-built model, they are minor ones - the decision to place the jack socket on the back of the guitar is a little unusual but it's something we could get used to. The intonation screws that fall underneath the bridge pickup could have been placed in a more accessible location. And finally, the latex and velour case it includes isn't quite to our taste - but we're a little old-fashioned that way! Fundamentally, these things don't change the fact that this is a guitar we would be happy to talk over someone else playing for years to come."

"..the hallmark of a good guitar these days has little to do with live playing or recorded sound. Your modern player isn't a Dog and Duck Local Pub player where your shoes stick to the floor after years of Stella and Strongbow build up a finish like Tru-Oil.. Neither are they recording or session musicians who demand playability, sound, comfort and reliability. No, the modern player likes to live out their playing on the internet, spending hours watching review videos, typing on Internet forums and extolling the virtues of Alnico IV vs V magnets. In many ways, this new range is the bullseye that the internet guitar community has needed for years - the guitar that has more significance when talked about than when played. The guitar for which the sound of a thousand internet keyboard warriors is more important than it's output through any amp."

That is top parody.  If you both told me that was actually on there, I'd love it.

Sadly, it's all from my own fair hand.

wesker123

Fretwired said:

Plectrum said:

Musicman20 said:

I'd rather it had SIMS on the (non-reverse) headstock!

This where I think Chapman's business model falls down. His name has no added value. People looking to spend £3,500 on a UK built guitar will probably choose a luthier based on his/her reputation for building the style of guitar the customer is interested (that would be my approach anyway) then deal with the luthier directly.

Disagree about Rob's name. The Khardashian clan are a waste of oxygen but their collective enhanced buttocks and breasts sell lots of goods. Rob is a minor celeb over here and with Lee I reckon they'll sell guitars - I read it would be more like one a month, not 15 a month. I'm sure Rabea will be playing one .. I wish them luck. So long as their QA is better than Gibson and PRS they should be OK.

PRS QA is a problem?

RMJ

What's a cum entrepreneur?

GloopyJon

I joined this board recently since it's apparently the biggest UK guitar forum so I'm a noob here but I'll just add my 2p here if I may, since a few people have asked "Who actually owns a Chapman?"

I own three of them - an ML-2, a Ghost Fret and an MLB-1 (the original bass).  I didn't buy them because they had Chapman on the headstock, but because they had the specs that I wanted at a reasonable price.  My first one was the ML-2, which I bought because I wanted a hardtail with an ebony fretboard (etc but those were the main criteria), and it was a match.

All of mine are decent guitars; there's nothing you can point at which is actually wrong with any of them, although I have the impression that they are not as polished, in terms of design, as models from bigger brands.  Nevertheless, I've been perfectly happy with them for the price, and I'm a big fan of the bass which IMO is really an under-valued instrument.  Not that I'm a great bass player, but I find it really nice to play and I love the woods that they used (I'm using most of them in guitars that I'm building nowadays - bubinga and wenge etc.).

I quite like Chappers as a YouTube personality although I don't bother with the "lifestyle" stuff which I find a bit self-indulgent.  However, he and Lee have done a brilliant job of building their respective brands, and as a Brit I'm happy to see their success.  I read somewhere recently that apparently Chapman guitars is the biggest selling European brand these days (yes, I know they are made in the East); if true, that is a massive achievement in a few short years.

I find the prices of the recent incarnations a bit steep too, but then I haven't actually gone into a shop to try them out since the reset of the brand last year.  From the videos, they look as though they've taken a step up in quality and I think they've made some great designs and I love some of the colour combinations.  If I was still buying guitars (I've kind of moved on to making them), I'd definitely look at them still.

Concerning the British Standard series, they look very nice...I do share the general shock at the price.  I'd have thought that somewhere between £2k and £2.5k would be more reasonable, from a market position point of view, but building stuff in the UK isn't cheap.  Personally, if I was going to spend £3.5k on a guitar, it'd either be a PRS or a custom build; however, "Made in the UK" does hold a certain cachet in many other countries and there are some stunningly good luthiers in the UK - several of them have been mentioned in this thread already (I have a Jaden guitar, for example, and I'm pleased to see him getting back into guitar-building).  If Chappers manages to sell some of these, then good for him.

I think what he needs is a couple of professional reviews to give some third party opinions on their quality (I was going to say "unbiased" but I don't really think that's true of some professional reviewers!).  If that happens, I'll be interested to see what they say since I probably shan't be laying my own hands on one of them in the foreseeable future.

That's all; as you were!

Frizer

Good luck to him. It's not my cup of tea or price range but it's nice to see a British company trying something like this. 

Daved756

I like him. 

mbe

I'm bored with this thread now so....
...I'm out! 

lasermonkey

Sorry, what was the question?