Chapman Guitars
Encyclopedia
Chapman Guitars is a guitar
company established in 2009 by Rob Chapman, a guitarist best known for his success on Youtube
. The company claims to be the first to design its guitars "collaboratively", and the design, features and even the price of new models are selected by the votes of Chapman's YouTube subscribers in online polls on his website.
Chapman manufacture their guitars in notably small production runs. The ML1 was initially limited to a run of 500 guitars, although a second batch was produced when the factory which supplied Chapman offered more at a discounted price. The ML2 is limited to 250 pieces. The company has also designed a high-end Korina-bodied explorer guitar named the 'Ghost Fret' which is built to order.
The company's first production guitar was the ML1. In order to make the best guitar for the lowest initial outlay, Chapman chose a design philosophy by which any compromises would be reflected most in the parts which would be most likely and easily replaced by the owner later. Thus those components of the ML1 which were not so easily replaced could be of the very highest quality that the limited budget allowed - the ML1 featured a solid mahogany stratocaster-style body, a maple neck and an ebony fingerboard but pickups (Chapman boasted on his YouTube channel) which the factory supplied for only 50 pence each. The ML1's body and distinctive reverse-style headstock had a simple black finish. The ML1 was competitively priced when it initially retailed for £299, but the second batch allowed its price to be reduced even further to £199.
The company's second production guitar, the ML2 is all sold out (although Private Stocks are built to order). It was made in 3 different versions, the ML2 "Standard", "Custom" and "Private Stock". The ML2 again features a maple neck and ebony fingerboard, but this time the solid mahogany body will be in a Les Paul
style with a natural finish. The "Custom" model will be supplied with a hard-case, Dunlop straplocks and was customised with any hardware or pickups the buyer chooses; the ML2 Private Stock is handmade in the UK by award-winning luthier Jaden Rose, again to the buyer's personal specifications.
Chapman Guitars offers endorsements to guitarists who Robert Chapman feels to have huge potential. Endorsee's benefit from promotional activities, an even more generous discount on the Chapman Guitars range, and if Robert Chapman sees potential within the artist themselves, they can be offered signature gear.
Also Rabea Massad (Chapman Guitars clinician) holds a live guitar clinic on thursday's fortnightly. Rabea also is planning on doing Chapman Guitar's clinics with Rob around the UK.
Anderton's Music Company is the exclusive Chapman Guitar's retailer, and Daniel Davies is the Artist Relations manager for Chapman Guitars.
Current line of Chapman Guitars' Signature Guitars feature;
FYBW-ML1 - Built to the specifications of Benni Wilshire. It features a scalloped fretboard, a solid mahogany body and a maple neck, 25.5 scale length
, two DiMarzio
pickups
- Mo'Joe humbucker
in the bridge and a DiMarzio ToneZone single coil pickup. It also features a coil split, a killswitch, Grover Rotomatic 18:1 Ratio tuners and a Wilkinson WVPCR tremolo.
Tom Edwards from Fields Of The Nephilim
used to endorse the company aswell.
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
company established in 2009 by Rob Chapman, a guitarist best known for his success on Youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. The company claims to be the first to design its guitars "collaboratively", and the design, features and even the price of new models are selected by the votes of Chapman's YouTube subscribers in online polls on his website.
Chapman manufacture their guitars in notably small production runs. The ML1 was initially limited to a run of 500 guitars, although a second batch was produced when the factory which supplied Chapman offered more at a discounted price. The ML2 is limited to 250 pieces. The company has also designed a high-end Korina-bodied explorer guitar named the 'Ghost Fret' which is built to order.
The company's first production guitar was the ML1. In order to make the best guitar for the lowest initial outlay, Chapman chose a design philosophy by which any compromises would be reflected most in the parts which would be most likely and easily replaced by the owner later. Thus those components of the ML1 which were not so easily replaced could be of the very highest quality that the limited budget allowed - the ML1 featured a solid mahogany stratocaster-style body, a maple neck and an ebony fingerboard but pickups (Chapman boasted on his YouTube channel) which the factory supplied for only 50 pence each. The ML1's body and distinctive reverse-style headstock had a simple black finish. The ML1 was competitively priced when it initially retailed for £299, but the second batch allowed its price to be reduced even further to £199.
The company's second production guitar, the ML2 is all sold out (although Private Stocks are built to order). It was made in 3 different versions, the ML2 "Standard", "Custom" and "Private Stock". The ML2 again features a maple neck and ebony fingerboard, but this time the solid mahogany body will be in a Les Paul
Gibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
style with a natural finish. The "Custom" model will be supplied with a hard-case, Dunlop straplocks and was customised with any hardware or pickups the buyer chooses; the ML2 Private Stock is handmade in the UK by award-winning luthier Jaden Rose, again to the buyer's personal specifications.
Chapman Guitars offers endorsements to guitarists who Robert Chapman feels to have huge potential. Endorsee's benefit from promotional activities, an even more generous discount on the Chapman Guitars range, and if Robert Chapman sees potential within the artist themselves, they can be offered signature gear.
Also Rabea Massad (Chapman Guitars clinician) holds a live guitar clinic on thursday's fortnightly. Rabea also is planning on doing Chapman Guitar's clinics with Rob around the UK.
Anderton's Music Company is the exclusive Chapman Guitar's retailer, and Daniel Davies is the Artist Relations manager for Chapman Guitars.
Current line of Chapman Guitars' Signature Guitars feature;
FYBW-ML1 - Built to the specifications of Benni Wilshire. It features a scalloped fretboard, a solid mahogany body and a maple neck, 25.5 scale length
Scale length
*Length scale, - a significant concept in physics used to define the order of magnitude of a system*Scale height, - a specific parameter in physics denoting the distance over which a quantity decreases by a factor of e...
, two DiMarzio
DiMarzio
DiMarzio, Inc. is an United States manufacturer best known for its revolutionary direct-replacement guitar pickups. The company also produces miscellaneous guitar accessories, such as cables, straps and hardware.DiMarzio became known for its Super Distortion model, which was the first after...
pickups
Pickup (music technology)
A pickup device is a transducer that captures mechanical vibrations, usually from suitably equipped stringed instruments such as the electric guitar, electric bass guitar, Chapman Stick, or electric violin, and converts them to an electrical signal that is amplified, recorded, or broadcast.-...
- Mo'Joe humbucker
Humbucker
A humbucker is a type of electric guitar pickup, first patented by Seth Lover and the Gibson company, that uses two coils, both generating string signal. Humbuckers have higher output than a single coil pickup since both coils are connected in series...
in the bridge and a DiMarzio ToneZone single coil pickup. It also features a coil split, a killswitch, Grover Rotomatic 18:1 Ratio tuners and a Wilkinson WVPCR tremolo.
Artists
Ben Wilshire, Adam Ironside, David Evans, Lyle Watt, Myx Harnett.Tom Edwards from Fields Of The Nephilim
Fields of the Nephilim
Fields of the Nephilim are an English gothic rock band formed in Stevenage, Hertfordshire in 1984. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Carl McCoy, saxophonist Gary Whisker, Tony Pettitt on bass, guitarist Paul Wright and drummer Alexander "Nod" Wright...
used to endorse the company aswell.
External links
- Chapman Guitars - Official Website
- Monkey Lord Forum - Rob Chapman's official forum
- RobChappers on YouTube - Rob Chapman's YouTube channel
- Andertons Music Company - exclusive retailer (with online store) for the Chapman ML2 guitar