Chapman Youtube Drama Continues...

DLM

@Snags Thank you very much for providing a great service. 

Creed_Clicks

Why do people care so much about these people? They work in guitar shops and do product reviews online. That’s it. Everything else is bullshit.

midlifecrisis

When my wife comes home from work at the end of today and enquires if ive managed to do any of the chores i was intending to do, im sure she'l fully understand when i explain about this thread ive been spending time reading.

imalrightjack

I’ve heard they’re going to get the people involved to perform a Razzle Stack at NAMM. Don’t watch this space. 

Jez6345789

I have followed this for whatever reason morbid curiosity or it actually is a modern business story played out in social media.

As said when Chappers started it was impressive to pickup 50k subs 
and the collaborative design idea seemed very much from the wisdom of crowds mentality at the time.

The first Chapmans from China were not the best and mostly seen as a cheap upgrade platform.

After that, presumably with Andertons experience they completely mirrored the PRS SE Schecter etc model so World Music then cheaper standard Indonesian versions etc. Came out with more and more mates signature models. It started to become almost like a vanity publishing exercise.

As Rob has a good following and we are in the age of selling to social media followers I have no doubt, Chapman, with Andertons pushing them along shifted a good few guitars.

Then with the big Namm launch a couple of years ago I sort of got the impression of something I seem to have had a lifetime of experience dealing with growing small business, the biggest three-letter word starts to come into the equation. EGO

When everyone is pushing in the same direction to get something to critical mass it all works, then with success comes the growth of EGO and then people get stupid self-belief that they were the god-like figure that made it happen.

Then you quickly slip into the fantasy realm with the statements Like “you know these things when you own a guitar company” “ owning a guitar company” As a Guitar maker etc etc. All of this is normal to me, seen and had to work with business partners several times over the years that develop this problem.. Robs so-called real Truth is just symptomatic of not really having anyone to reign him in and the massive over self-belief that comes with the first taste of success. 

A prime example, the British edition is nobodies business failure except Chapmans saying I wanted to save people is just deflection his name on the door he runs the company that's where the buck stops. If His U.K. ghost builder let him down at the 11th hour I find it incredulous there was simply no other solution. I am pretty sure if it was a good deal for the guys building them and the order books were full it would have happened or if it was a good deal then another company would have wanted the opportunity. As they say when you run a guitar company.

Ultimately its really just a bit of internet gossip but it would seem the longer it rolls on the truth of Mr Chapman is just a simple example of what happens with Ego, a modicum of success and being in a world where you are believing your own publicity fuelled by a fan base. 

Sounds like the demise of most rock bands. "What do you mean there is no solo in comfortably numb" :-)

Haych

Chapman’s been on the phone to KDH: “Brilliant, man, worked exactly as I planned. The internet has gone nuts. I’ll wire the money to your offshore account as agreed. Want some goodies from NAMM?”

mixolyd

Fortheloveofguitar said:

mixolyd said:

Not sure which video this comment came from but how did this play out? What was Chappers response?

The only response has been the Kevin Spacey-esque video linked above where he talks about loving everyone and learning so many amazing things.

i think some of the commenters here might be little naive on the YouTube commenting system and how large channels influence it.  By replying to Adam’s threatening comment, Chapman is promoting it to his many followers.  This is roughly equivalent to making a post stickied at the top of this forum, or giving it >100 upvotes on Reddit.  The information-free content of his reply makes sense here - he’s not really trying to say anything, just making sure the comment is seen by his followers who will then upvote it.

The mere 8 minutes between the two comments supports KDH’s accusation that Chapman has published his video targeting KDH for harassment, then gone to KDH’s video to watch his followers carry out said harassment and amplify the most heinous example.  At this point, KDH is forced to either remove the comments (knowing more are on the way) or remove the video which is what he did.  Chapman wins: another good day for Chappers PLC.

That Chapman has previously threatened to name and shame (I.e. sick his followers on ‘em) any detractors that he took exception to condemns him from his own mouth - or keyboard in this case.

The reaction on YouTube to this - where the community has seen this kind of deliberate harassment campaign before and can recognise the obvious signs - speaks for itself.  As things stand, Chappers’ era of substantial success on YouTube is as good as over.

jonnyburgo

It's just a bunch of guitar nerds that love the smell of their own farts. Umm hang on a minute....

mixolyd

Threat in the wake of Chappers’ charity SNAFU.

https://i.postimg.cc/L8JmQxmG/138-DA69-B-465-F-49-EB-927-E-6-B39600316-C9.jpg

More highlights from the comments of KDH’s video in wake of Chappers carrying out his threat:
https://i.postimg.cc/vTnN66yq/323-E33-EC-94-FF-4441-9-AE5-4-ED1-DE6-D3-AF0.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/jdV9Yv6G/41-B803-B6-252-D-492-C-AA49-3-A770-B0-C9866.jpg

fields5069

"About myself". That's one step away from talking in the 3rd person.

DLM

*DLM nods in agreement*

Modellista

Haych said:

Chapman’s been on the phone to KDH: “Brilliant, man, worked exactly as I planned. The internet has gone nuts. I’ll wire the money to your offshore account as agreed. Want some goodies from NAMM?”

Don't agree.  I think this is Chapman's Ratner moment.

hollywoodrox

OilCityPickups said:

 

Grangousier said:

Surely it would take a lot more effort to be a fake guitarist than to be a real guitarist who's just very, very bad. That would take no work at all, as I can attest. I'd be quite impressed if someone was a fake guitarist. 

Surely you are only a fake guitarist if you have Gibson or Fender tattooed on your head ...

I was going to have epiphone tattooed on me knob but they could only fit Epi 

hollywoodrox

DLM said:

soma1975 said: WAH WAH WAH... etc.

Why do people always bring Kirk Hammett into arguments? It's like the guitar forum equivalent of Godwin's Law, FFS. 

People shouldn’t be pickin on Kirk , he’s a good kid

Modellista

Jez6345789 said:

I have followed this for whatever reason morbid curiosity or it actually is a modern business story played out in social media.

Agree 100% with all of this, wish I could have put it so well.

Chapman obviously hit a great business opportunity with the initial collaborative design idea.  His clientele were young internet-savvy guitarists who bought into his persona and enjoyed the interaction with their idol.

Slightly older cynics like me couldn't understand what the fuss was about.  I've gone on record saying Chapman isn't a musical artist in the sense I was brought up with - someone who's primarily known for their music.  He's primarily a businessman that plays the guitar.  This may be an old-fashioned viewpoint but I suspect it's widely held. Despite Dorje's modest success it's not what he's primarily famous for by a considerable margin.  I believe Dorje comprises mainly of Anderton's employees - it's a symptom of the Anderton's Youtube content success, not the other way around, regardless of his ludicrous claims of being able to make a living off his music and being in the charts three times this year, statements which stretch the truth so far it becomes invisible. 

Then we come to Jez's salient points above. Perhaps it takes a lot of ego to get where Chapman’s got, undoubtedly a lot of hard work and a sprinkling of luck. But when the ego starts to take over you’ve got a problem. Personally it’s always been apparent that he loves himself but now it’s really gone too far. I think he has to apologise, eat some humble pie, and hope he’s not done irreparable damage to the brand whose popularity is by definition inextricably linked with his. 


 

Sassafras

People should be growing up.

soma1975

Again though, what is the issue with what Rob posted? If you were trying to damage my business or posting libel I'd threaten you with legal action too. 

He is not responsible for the fuckwits any more than Marilyn Manson is responsible for Columbine. 

Fuckwits gonna fuckwit. 

Agree totally about the ego and guitar business post above. Certainly how it seems on the outside. That said they are clearly not closing down production any time soon and so he may well have a different metric for measuring success than you or I. 

antonyiv

soma1975 said:

He is not responsible for the fuckwits any more than Marilyn Manson is responsible for Columbine. 

Actually he is. But I liked the comparison with Marylin Manson. 

gibsongretschfan

It’s not libel if it’s true

Lev

I don't think you can read much into that Holy Sh!t comment. I do think he would have been wise to just post something along the lines of - thanks for all the love and support but please do not make threats towards or intimidate any other individual in an attempt to defend me or my businesses. 

Saying nothing just fuels the perception that he is happy for these fuckwits to carry on.