Chapman Are Doing It Again

[@Impulse21s]

Is it just me, or has Chapman morphed into the James Corden of the guitar world?

[@DBMorris]

🤣😂🤣😂 thanks s perfect! 😂🤣😂🤣😝😝😝

[@krusher74]

i have not watched anything in the chapman guitar world for about 5 years but always felt he was a bit of a bellend than was full of shit. now it seems my instinct was true.

[@caiusmadison2996]

Yup, the one that "we don't want to claim" is the sentiment.

[@nabilsalha1941]

Bingo

[@mhoppy6639]

Bang on my friend. Odious. £3500 for a chapman?????!!!!!! Give me a Gordon Smith every single f@cking time for £1700 max. Handmade in England beautiful finish, generally pleasant people to deal with (it appears)

[@nickioa]

The blue British ML-1 was mine. It was built by Jaden Rose along with one for Nick Johnston and Rob himself (who sold his own model as soon as I informed him that I was going to sell mine and terminate the relationship). The guitar itself was fine but not better than any of the guitars that Jaden built under his own name. And that is where the problem lies - by "Chapmanising" guitars from Jaden Rose, Sims Custom, PJD or any other workshop, the guitar buyer loses out. They have to pay a substantially higher price and lose the experience of having a guitar built to their own specifications. I feel it is a sneaky act to continually obscure the fact that these guitars are, and always have been built by workshops that buyers can also access directly. That doesn't gel with Lee's claims of impartiality and being on the side of his customers; I wonder if that is why he always looks so uncomfortable whenever he appears publicly with Rob nowadays. I wish them the best but I implore anyone considering a British Chapman to also consider some of the other British brands available around (and even well below) the £3500 price point; Grays Guitars, Patrick James Eggle, PJD, Gordon Smith, Mike Smith Guitars to name but a few.

[@HarlanHarvey76]

Shoot, even a Crimson guitar can be had for that price - and you could build it yourself!

[@mhoppy6639]

Some really excellent analysis here. Like you, I’d never wish ill fortune on ANY venture in business or otherwise but I do sometimes wish that Rob Chapman gives *some* sort of consideration to how he comes across to the community who, after all are also his customers, focus groups, market research panels all rolled into one. The worst and rock bottom being the juxtaposition of asking for cash for insurance and then buying that £5k guitar for the baby. He could (probably with justification) claim that the 2 were never related in terms of cash source but the tone-deafness of that sequence finished him off for many people.

[@yurimodin7333]

I normally play ~$300-$400 import guitars, I tell all my friends that once I get the urge to go over $1,000 I am just going to a custom builder and getting EXACTLY what I want. At $3,500 I would expect to be heavily involved with the process like a tailor made suit. Thanks for sharing your story.

[@HarlanHarvey76]

@@yurimodin7333 yes, that or you get something that is objectively hi quality with a long history of maintaining value. I.E. Ernie Ball MusicMan, Ibanez JEM or PIA, Custom Shop Fender.. But let's be honest, today's dollar isn't the same as yesterday's. Most hand built high spec Custom builds with exotic woods from an established and recognized luthier will cost between 5k-7k There is absolutely nothing wrong buying a hi end production guitar, it just needs to have a history of holding its value - or be incredibly valuable to the person buying it and keeping it for life.

[@bnlowry]

I REEEEEEAALLLLY want to play a PJ Eggle bad!!!

[@mickhofman]

I dont know how anyone could buy a Chapman given the shady relationship with the truth that Rob has..

[@StackBundle]

Do you really think the fenders and Gibson's of the world are all squeaky clean companies? They're all filled with people just as - if not even more - shady that ostensibly have done far worse things than Rob.

[@Ua-zr1og]

I got a new Bea Paleblood as I could get it cheap, it’s a pretty decent baritone. No issues with it apart from the output Jack coming loose but that’s an easy fix. But I definitely get why people have issues The the brand and the man behind it.

[@DovydasMusic]

We are approaching the Chappening anniversary soon so this seems just in time for the big celebration

[@Guitareben]

What was the Chappening (I'm pretty out of the loop)

[@gibsonflyingv2820]

@@Guitareben I think the last time KDH exposed him as a fraud and soiled his reputation.

[@ziggylayneable]

I would venture to Guess that Mr Chapman soiled his own reputation just by his daily behavior,and it took the internet awhile to catch on before realizing the man was an egotistical bully

[@ritwikjs]

oh man i remmeber your video in support of KDH those years ago. Really helped lend credence to KDH's work. I'll put my hands up and admit i thought the first audio audit was a hit piece, but after seeing your work on it, i changed my mind about them

[@mhoppy6639]

@@ritwikjs I thought Dovydas’s response video was balanced and excellent. Thoughtful and supportive - he let the two pieces speak for themselves and sadly, Mr Chapman’s “my truth” video seemed to reveal a very thin skin indeed. “My truth?” More like “my alternative facts”

[@RobHGuitar]

This video has more views than the actual Chapman announcement video, it's crazy how far his channel has fallen view-wise. I remember back in the day he was pretty much the biggest guitar KZbinr

[@twanger644]

ive found that most guitar youtubers are the most self serving, boasting, bragging, egomaniac showoffs on the planet. the commentary guys such as KDH are so much better

[@tompoynton]

@@twanger644 cocaine is a powerful drug

[@joelgriffin8222]

@@tompoynton Correct.

[@hawshimagical]

rob chapmans appeal back in the day was his interactions with other people. he always seemed full of himself but in a way that put the spotlight on people around him too, not just himself. alot of that element is gone now, just like his hair

[@gdawgs101]

@@twanger644 Like who else?

[@jonwanrocks]

idk what good i put out in the universe to deserve this but KDH shooting on chapman is one of my favorite things on the planet

[@yourbore]

Same, Chapman is a douche

[@RByrne]

Yeah. Rob is one of my least favorite people.

[@luckylicks3497]

They are high-minded con artists, and the "grreetings, captain" has got to be the most lame and off-putting one-liners I can think of.

[@fredriksvard2603]

@@luckylicks3497"grreetings" is one of the main reasons i blocked andertons etc a long time ago. If he's got some sort of fanbase, that makes me lose faith in humanity.

[@SidneyTurnerOfficial]

@@fredriksvard2603 He has rarely been on Andertons for a while now.

[@BenScott777]

That was some damn good investigative journalism. Nice work, dude.

[@DoktrDub]

This guy is always solid with his information, I respect that.

[@liamdowling14]

Chappers, the David Brent of the guitar world.

[@tompoynton]

Nah the Captain is Brent, Chappers is Finchy

[@Matt-mk8ph]

@@tompoynton Shorter, stubbier, and with a beard.

[@williampeckham9838]

Nah, David Brent is actually likeable.

[@jakebullet824]

I don't agree with that in the workplace!

[@timothyyy1259]

Hahaha bang on

[@stavrose1834]

Those “reliced” guitars in the video looked absolutely horrendous! Incredible that the brand put their name to them. And interesting to see the use of the expression “brand new sold as overstock” on marked down guitars on the chapman guitars reverb channel. I translate “overstock” as can’t sell…

[@infinidominion]

It's like first graders were running the company

[@MR-um9ck]

I suspect Chapman decided to relic them because they’d been knocked about and used by him and others a few times over the years. They were likely too damaged to be sold as new so they did the relic jobs to cover it all up. That’s exactly the kind of thing we’d all expect Chapman to do.

[@beautifulguitars3158]

Only Rob Chapman 😅😅😅😅😅

[@entombedthrower443]

I cannot believe this, I literally 20 minutes ago rewatched the Chapman audio audit. Funny how it works. Love your stuff man🤘🏻

[@brendanm1245]

Me too! I watched it last night for the first time in like 2 years, and then this pops up “5 minutes ago”

[@richardharrold9736]

@@brendanm1245 this was probably uploaded yesterday but only set to go public today, so the algorithm started pushing the old audio audit...

[@martinemesguitar]

@@richardharrold9736 I would be surprised if the algorithm is affected by videos that haven't been published yet, but that's just a guess.

[@richardharrold9736]

@@martinemesguitar I've seen it happen quite recently with Tom Scott and the Tim Traveller both doing videos on a reaction ferry across a river in Switzerland, one is weeks old, the other about four years old, when the former was uploaded, about twenty-four hours earlier the algorithm started pushing the old one...

[@bridgetpollock6760]

Me too.

[@LeviClay]

The market is simple... start out selling turd planks to kids for £500, then 10 years later hope they've grown up, got jobs, but still worship you enough to spend £3500 on another turd plank because they've not learned their lesson?

[@metalpuppet5798]

If you think the quality doesnt drastically increase between those price ranges then you have never held a guitar in your life

[@LeviClay]

@@metalpuppet5798 like with the last ones that were 1000s but he’s now selling for 850 on reverb It’s not about them not being higher quality. It’s about them being worth what they’re charging. History tells us they almost certainly won’t be

[@metalpuppet5798]

@@LeviClay they arent selling them for that cheap because they arent worth thousands. They are. They are selling them for that cheap because they dont care because that old British Standard project just didnt work out logistically and now with the new ones out they probably wouldnt sell the old ones for that money. Sometimes you gotta make business decisions that dont make sense at first glance. Its all about the new ones now and they are highly speced, hand built, customizable guitars. You play custom ordered guitars yourself as far as I am aware. You should know that 3000-3500£ is really not a lot in that field.

[@LeviClay]

@@metalpuppet5798 “they aren’t selling them for that cheap because they aren’t worth thousands” Yes they are fanboi If they were worth 1000s, they’d sell in a heartbeat at 1500. Instead they were 1000… and they didn’t sell so they were reduced. Do you understand the concept of “worth”? Something is only worth what you’re able to sell it for/what someone is willing to pay for it. It’s really that simple. If you can’t sell something for 1000… then it isn’t worth 1000s is it?

[@metalpuppet5798]

@@LeviClay I just sold a 30s anniversary PRS (3300€ new) for 1600€ because no one would buy it for more. That doesnt mean its not WORTH more. It absolutely is. People are just not willing to PAY more. I still sold it because it didnt fit my needs and I didnt want it to just sit in a case. With the new Chapmans out there people wouldnt be willing to pay thousands for the old ones. However that doesnt mean that they wont be willing to pay thousands for the new updated ones.

[@mreyes8519]

Chapman didn’t have much business creating a guitar brand, all things considered. He was really just a glorified reviewer on YT. Sig model? Absolutely. Whole brand? Not a chance

[@HarlanHarvey76]

He's also an average pro player at best.... that's no knock. It's just the truth.

[@Birkguitars]

And RC was in a band with Rabea. That must have dented RC's ego at least a little bit.

[@josuastangl7140]

@@HarlanHarvey76 well he's not really a pro "player" is he?

[@HarlanHarvey76]

@@josuastangl7140 pro is a term used loosely these days but yeah, he does make money playing so...

[@josuastangl7140]

@@HarlanHarvey76 I also make money playing, but I wouldn't consider myself pro, as it wouldn't be enough for me to live off without my jobs on the side. I consider Rob as a guitar company owner, who also plays guitar on the side and not the other way round, but I know what you mean. I don't think he could sustainably live off playing guitar alone, not counting his KZbin channel, as that's more like a (affiliate-/) marketing business, selling for other (or his own) brands.

[@burresseffects]

Glad I wasn’t the only one who raised an eyebrow when this was announced.

[@daveh4925]

i looked like nancy Pelosi

[@MrBillUp]

The problem with Chapman Guitars is the name. Chapman. He is the most unlikable musician in England. The embodiment of a narcissist. Lee says publicly that him and Rob are still close friends, but in reality he tries to distance himself from him as much as possible. It all started when Chapman threw Riff City Guitars under the bus.

[@timpit164]

I was seriously thinking of purchasing a Chapman guitar. Thank you for bring things to light with this video and the one 3yrs ago which I just watched. Glad I didn’t make that mistake especially after seeing the quality of his guitars.

[@masvader08]

Heard the ones made overseas give you the best bang 4 your buck. As much shit as they get they make good affordable guitars that look great and sound great too. If you got money for their high-end stuff you're better off getting a kiesel or some like that. Frankly, chapmans better of focusing on the B4YB realm and stop the boutique guitar bs

[@Jennifer_Prentice]

I dislike Rob and no matter how nice the guitars are I would not pay a dime for any of them if any of the income goes into his pocket..

[@isaacsilverblade]

People must be completely insane to even consider buying something with that asshole's name on it...

[@danieltilleru3528]

I just don't like Rob Chapman

[@Sifuben]

I watched the announcement video and thought "they look really pretty but I guess they'll be £2.5k". I was absolutely stunned to find they wanted Suhr/PRS money.

[@feebypeels2883]

KDH: "Are they good? They'd have to be at that price point." Gibson: sweats profusely.

[@LiquidAudio]

Then Chapman: Sweats even more profusely!

[@youreatoilet]

Gibson are very overpriced but at least they have the history/legacy/Iconic designs on their side... Price is still not justified but much more so than Chapman

[@bnlowry]

God I wish I could upvote this comment more than once!

[@davidburke2132]

To be fair the Gibsons at the £3.5k-£4k price point are mostly Custom Shop models, and those ARE very very good guitars.

[@feebypeels2883]

@@davidburke2132 An R9 is great, but having to spend twice what a Standard costs is absurd.

[@SH43418]

I had a Chapman. It was a very pretty guitar and felt good to play. But recently hit some financial issues and it was the first guitar to go just to pay rent. And with thing's that @KDH pointed out previously I have soured on Rob. His sleaziness is so easy to see now. So it was easy to part with.

[@JROD082384]

The worst thing about Chappers is that his sleaziness has been there all along, just tucked away and out of view under a very thin veneer of showmanship and the guise of being a decent human being…

[@beathermit3876]

sleazy -- lol look at your profile picture bruv lol hahaha you look a menace to children

[@beathermit3876]

@@JROD082384 I dont know what you are talking about you fucking weirdo

[@Two_Seat_Pete_FatA55]

I’m surprised you manage to sell it , there’s been quite a few local to me on sale for a long long time and nobody seems to buy them, even for very cheap compared to their retail price

[@royeaston6067]

Dude posted a video threatning someone and bragging that he wields a lot of power because he has so many followers.

[@wretchedrider2157]

Stellar video! I, like many I'm sure, started out enjoying Rob's original videos in his music closet with PRS and Orange Amps. Oh, how the mighty have fallen... He knew how to manipulate the system, even back then. Gets free/cheap gear as an endorsed artist without ever really gigging? Bravo, Chappers! And God bless you, KDH, for standing up to the troll monster!

[@bigassdummy46]

You didn't like his shit band Dorje?

[@wretchedrider2157]

@@bigassdummy46 hard no, good sir!!

[@Mabufu381]

@@bigassdummy46 i think the hilarious part of dorje was they were literally all solid musicians (especially Bea and Dave the bassist) in another instrumental only prog band called Toska, and Rob just sort of mushed himself in as an extra worse guitarist and shit vocalist and demanded they play trashy watered down prog/blues rock since thats basically all he knows, and changed their name to a buddhism reference to fit his holier than thou ness.

[@DaddyWarbucksunlimited]

There's a fraudulent feel to this Chapman crap

[@Rose.Of.Hizaki]

I think maybe in those days. What must have been 10+ years ago. A lot of companies were trying to get their heads around the whole social media aspect of the internet and it just so happened that Chappers was trying to build a friendly character along with a community/brand by doing private guitar tuition and guitar tips videos and he was pretty adept at guitar. I think a lot of brands wanted to retain him as a product reviewer or a _"clinician"_ as I think thats what he did in the early days with his channel before the whole monkey lord and chapman guitars thing took him away from that. And he did quite a few guitar clinic sessions with the brands that endorsed him. Free gear/endorsement to do guitar clinics and market/review their products. For a short period of time all their objectives aligned, Rob seemed a really nice guy to work with until he decided that he wanted to go do something else and be more than just an endorsee for those brands. Im not going to shit on him for having ambition. Its good to have ambition but I think his ego got the better of him as time went by and he found a way to make a lot of money and an empire based on lies and misleading people. makes me think of the band Chappers was apart of well before Dorje with Dave Hollingworth, and a drummer with the nickname 'stick' -- Chappers was well into trying to make that band work but it just vanished overnight after doing a few gigs and then never spoken of again. I actually found 'stick's' youtube channel not long ago (didnt know that he had one!) and left a comment asking what happened to the band and his dealings with chappers. I was very surprised to get a reply from him but he did reply but i cant for the life of me remember the name of his channel I think a lot of his old content was drum tuition videos. Seemed a really solid guy, A lot of time is just looking after his kids now. The problem with lies is they will eventually come back to haunt you. Its taken a while for it to happen but his brand and character he built over the last decade is slowing falling apart.

[@Tarn92]

"It's the best of the best" Rob says repeatedly about everything he puts out. Honestly I feel like people sometimes forget he's trying to sell a product first and foremost. If you pretended he was a car salesman you would be even more skeptical of the integrity of his sales pitch.

[@henrygvidonas9573]

Sounds like those people need to acquire some basic media literacy skills? In addition to some common sense? Ol' Robert Chappers wasn't the only one who seemingly didn't (or doesn't) understand the nature of the beast called "the internet".

[@0megalul309]

KDH the equalizer of the YT guitar community.

[@kebab_boi]

More like the keemstar of the guitar community 💀

[@adamallcorn8762]

@@kebab_boi nah

[@RWulff007]

@@kebab_boi keemstar more like Rob. A guy you love or "hate"

[@Rex-golf_player810]

@@kebab_boi what how

[@kebab_boi]

@@Rex-golf_player810 his entire channel is all about canceling others from the guitar community, beef, drama, and on top of all of that he monetized his channel. Idk his entire ethic seems very cheap. Basically if your entire channel depends on the defamation of other entities (just to make a quick buck) then that really shows what type of person you are.

[@jambertin54]

You made Anderton do a guitar world interview where he now says he will be "declaring any personal financial interest" in products featured in their videos. Lol Keep exposing these people. We need more people like KDH!

[@j3xh]

here after UKGB bailed on them 😂

[@pavanpatel4150]

I agree with KDH. What probably happened is that no one wanted to buy these. Asking 3500 GBP in 2018 for an off-the-shelf guitar from a little-known manufacturer (PJD) and a brand run by someone like Rob Chapman is a big ask. You could buy an Ibanez J Custom, a Suhr, ESP etc with that money.

[@richardharrold9736]

To be fair, in the UK, PJD (and, in 2018, Sim's) are well-known and highly-regarded craftsmen. But putting Chapman's name on the headstock at that price point is a bad idea.

[@robmcd]

I just did the change into Aus dollars and that’s $6300. I could literally buy anything for that.

[@cartorius]

@@richardharrold9736 I mean... I'd hire the best guy to build my guitars if I had a custom shop. I've never heard of PJD but I have heard of Chapman (im in Canada) so some of this bias is literally because you guys are aware, the rest of the world... not so much. 6k for a Guitar... this better be PRS quality.. and hopefully if the builders are as good as everyone says..

[@georgemeller4074]

Necro'ing the comment a little, sorry. Yeah, the fact that you could buy an ESP--not just a Standard, but an ESP-JP model (think of the artist signatures!)--for what Rob was asking is just ridiculous. Those guitars come with so many more features and options, and the quality is so far out of the league that Chapman operates in... It's insulting to both the consumer and the competition, really. A prime example of a big fish in a small pond, trying to punch above their weight class.

[@kalreynolds5829]

@@cartorius The rest of the world is not aware of Chapman lol. There is no brand recognition there. It won't retain it's value, and it's also not stocked in guitar shops so people don't pick them up there. This is literally why they didn't sell, they're trying to get rid of off the shelf guitars at boutique prices from a brand with a bad reputation lately. For that money, you could get any number of great guitars made by luthiers with real names. I'm not even dissing PRS, PRS are great, but it's not their name it's trading on, it's Rob's. The same way it's a niche of people who have a negative opinion of Rob and the inside baseball, it's a tiny niche of people into guitar worldwide who have any opinion on Chapman guitars.

[@markhunstein1320]

Oh heck yeah, inject that good good pointed and well thought out good faith criticism of Chapman directly into my veins

[@roryt1985]

Do you own an iPhone ? Or Nike clothing ? Any products from Nestle at all ? You are a weak and hypocritical human being.

[@markhunstein1320]

@@roryt1985 what the fuck are you telling about you colossal dork

[@Сунђербобан]

Crapman...

[@isaacsilverblade]

"Should £3.500 appear too small Be thankful I don't take it all. 'Cause I'm the Crapman. Yeah, I'm the Crapman..."

[@dennisneo1608]

Chapman at $3000 or Fender at $3000? FENDER all day every day.

[@IndyRockStar]

I honestly didn't know Chapman guitars was a a guitar company until I saw the Rabea Maasad's video saying he was leaving Chapman today.

[@skatarest77]

Man I couldnt imagine buying a guitar from chapman if my life depended on it. It would still feel wrong.

[@fredriksvard2603]

Who are these people who do it? Rabea fans perhaps, he's one badass player.

[@timegoblin.]

I bought one second hand from a local shop simply because it felt sounded and played amazing. 2019 Ml3 pro modern and it had a better fit and finish than the American Tele’s in the shop at the time. Best 600 bucks I ever spent. I couldn’t give a fuck less about the “internet drama” associated with Rob. It still gets more play time than my Gibsons or Fenders or PRS.

[@castleanthrax1833]

I've seen a few online in stores in Australia, and every time I see them, the price is lower than the last time. I guess everyone dislikes them due to the association factor. ✌️🇦🇺

[@TybudX]

@@timegoblin. I bought the 2017 traditional and after swapping out the internals and the the pickups it's my go-to tele. I paid about half what the MSRP is for it. The build quality is as good as anything else that has seen a CNC machine. The original pickups didn't sound bad, either, but I traded some Lollars a while back and they are much brighter.

[@timegoblin.]

@@TybudX it sucks when people overlook fantastic instruments simply because of an opinion of the company’s part-owner. While Rob may have made some idiotic decisions regarding optics and customer satisfaction, it doesn’t mean the guitars are bad.

[@nasko235679]

These guitars are tightly connected with Rob's reputation which has not been good these past few years. If price is not competitive compared to other more renowned brands then the only selling point is Rob himself which makes it incredibly difficult to believe that they'd sell out at full price.

[@sprinkleLPs]

I havent followed guitar stuff for years. What exactly happened to ruin robs reputation?

[@Neil-Aspinall]

@@sprinkleLPs See KDH's other vid on the guy.

[@Utube-g3g]

@@sprinkleLPs kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3jbiZqJi7-frrs here it is. Again, it’s on this channel. You probably should watch it to see what happened. Rob was so arrogant and it was his demise.

[@CagedPaps]

@@sprinkleLPs after you've watched KDH's last video on Rob, if you just search KZbin for 'Rob Chapman exposed' or similar you'll see lots of other videos from stores that used to sell Chapman guitars to artists he collaborated with. Basically all calling him out for being a bit of a twat but from their perspective.

[@njknknmnn6995]

Now Rabeas left....

[@MR-um9ck]

How about a line of luxury Chapman wigs? Got to have more chance of success than expensive Chapman guitars!

[@Mistertbones]

Those are the worst relics I've ever seen.

[@TheOtherJohnBrowne]

"But... but nah" - KDH, 2022 Somehow that made me laugh so hard

[@benjaminspudich8519]

Nah just nah that’s my saying lol love it!!

[@martinemesguitar]

Would have been funny if he bought and reviewed the British chapman. But if it was one of those ones that looked like it had a horrific relic job, then it definitely wasn't worth that price lol. Having said that I just looked on the Chapman reverb and looks like all those 2018 models are gone so presumably they sold.

[@alfredoxmxs3803]

I'd love to see on a Chapman British Standar headstock a "Chapman BS" decal, 'cause apparently it's just full of BS

[@robertc5387]

I never thought of that before - how ironic that the initials for his “premium” line are BS…. great observation!

[@allanflippin2453]

HAHAHA Chappers.... the gift that keeps on giving. Great video!

[@ILLRICARDO]

Never liked Chapman the guitars or the man.

[@joeschmoe6720]

I don't think Chapman guitars ever recovered from your original audio audit, and by that I mean Rob.

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

He literally left the country. Lmao

[@joeschmoe6720]

@@AWMJoeyjoejoe Yea he's never been the same since it's obvious

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

@@joeschmoe6720 It must have hurt for someone with an ego that large to get such a public shaming. Just for the record I have zero sympathy.

[@joeschmoe6720]

@@AWMJoeyjoejoe Oh definitely his ego couldn't handle it. I think it crushed his soul. No sympathy from me either KDH did exactly what needed to be done.

[@richardharrold9736]

@@joeschmoe6720 and it's rather telling that Rob Scallon immediately stopped using his Chapmans and went to Schecter...

[@TheDingledong4lyfe]

these are right up my alley. i have a very particular need to spend $3,000 on $600 guitars

[@richardharrold9736]

To be fair, just the raw materials for these will be over $600. Never mind any other costs.

[@poorman9259]

not to mention dragged through the rocks, thats just what ive exactly always wanted

[@TheDingledong4lyfe]

@@richardharrold9736 is he using Chapman Timber to build them?

[@metalpuppet5798]

You sir have no clue how much it costs to build a hand made guitar

[@johnbuell8035]

@@metalpuppet5798 go on, keep defending the family

[@BungleJoogie68]

3500? That sure is a SIZE amount of money

[@relicboxing]

😱🤣 Rob is a grade aa clown,his clowndom is SIZE.

[@Pughhead]

Chapman Guitars has turned into a joke. It was originally a clever way for Rob to sell merch and grow his channel, now it's just embarrassing.

[@philheath9854]

Taking someone elses Body shape designs and putting reverse Headstocks on them isn't going to set the Guitar world on fire.

[@S-T-E-V-E]

The only reason I would never buy a Chapman guitar is that every time I looked at the Headstock it would remind me that I gave the Twat money! I just couldn't live with that!

[@timegoblin.]

Just support a local shop and buy one second hand then. Chapman’s can be a dream to play if you find a good Korean iteration.

[@S-T-E-V-E]

@@timegoblin. You say that like I'd even want one?

[@billyperry3059]

@@S-T-E-V-E You're the one that said you had only one reason not to buy one, and "I don't even want one" is not the one reason you gave.

[@shorerocks]

I put black gaffa over it. No joke. Also over the symbol at the 12 fret. I just play it occasionaly, and it does not feel different, so... this is a ML-1 Pro Walnut, btw.

[@timegoblin.]

@@S-T-E-V-E such vitriol...much hate....for why

[@burttheburger]

Lee Anderton looks nervous when he was announcing guitars. Almost like he knew about the scam and was being bribed/ blackmailed by Rob

[@KDH]

Not a scam, just very expensive guitars from a brand that hasn’t had much success in the past at selling very expensive guitars. That said Lee owns 50% of Chapman and is just as responsible for how the business is run.

[@aliengrey6052]

@@KDH oh dear!!!!!! Thats why!!!

[@BungleJoogie68]

@Ted Wilson KDH didn't start a go fund me for vocal lessons

[@joshgriffiths3500]

@Ted Wilson you're a comedian mate 😂😂

[@maspesasmasperras5554]

@Ted Wilson hi chapman keep being salty

[@RByrne]

Rob Chapman might do better changing the name of his company. "Sink-pisser Guitars" seems fitting.

[@johnbuell8035]

Ha ha. Hilarious.

[@nebtrebeh5588]

This video needs an update as of today.

[@booshting3520]

I think the ship has sailed on the brand. Chapman did irreparable damage to his own name and the guitars are just not exciting at all.

[@marcolombardomusic]

The issue I have with Chapman guitars is not really about the instruments as it is about the guy representing the company. Charming in the worst way possible. Paul Reed Smith presents himself as a man with a vision; Chapman sticks to me as the guy chasing the most possible profit. I'll pass.

[@richardharrold9736]

PRS always struck me as an egotistical arsehole, tbh, but there's no doubting the quality of his guitars (albeit I never really cared for how they sound). But yeah, Chapman ceased to be fun and just became slimy and narcissistic.

[@maverick_trail]

@@richardharrold9736 You are correct, Paul is an ass with an ego the size of a planet, but he's an awesome engineer. He created a brand new instrument where he designed literally everything on it (pickups, bridge, tuners, nut, etc) from scratch. His designs are now instantly recognizable, so I guess you can say he earned that ego.

[@richardharrold9736]

@@maverick_trail yeah... money aside, he's what Elon Musk wishes he was. Talented, commercially successful, funny, if still egotistical and a pain in the arse at times... but then what demanding perfectionist has ever been easy to live or work with?

[@roryt1985]

Do you own an iPhone ? Or Nike clothing ? Any products from Nestle at all ? You are a weak and hypocritical human being.

[@ArnoVdVelde]

I mean, I don't think these will ever sell. There is just no prestige or reputation connected to these enough to want someone to spend all that money. If they priced themselves in the market, high end guitars at 2000 They could price themselves into the market and slowly move prices up as their reputation build. As it is only super fans will jump on that, and it's hard to go by their word. Even if they are great, spending that amount of money unless they are better than something else is just a liability in my eyes.

[@redrocker1055]

You should do a video on Nita Strauss scamming her fans with a Kickstarter campaign to fund her record only to then quickly sign a record deal and pocket the $165,755 pledged by 1,913 backers.

[@neilwestwood4107]

Ola Englund done it way better @

[@Thrashmetalman]

and just today chapman announced their builder cant build for them only 2 months after they announced this.

[@ZeroMilk]

Chapman Guitars will have to take Rob Chapman’s name out of the brand entirely (and likely remove him from all business decisions going forward) if they ever hope to become a viable competitor to all of the other excellent brands already out there. No matter how cool a guitar under this brand might be, having to look at Rob’s name right there on the headstock would be reason enough for me never to buy it.

[@TiberiusWallace]

The issue here is that building electric solid body guitars isn't something the Chapman company are experienced at. They can spec them up and order them but that's it. Now the here's the thing, if you were a British based builder with an actual workshop that is capable of building these in anything close to numbers (say 10 a month) don't need Chapman. They're cut can only be smaller than what they could get by sticking their own boutique branding on them.

[@ashleygreenaway6312]

I’ve never clicked so fast to see what drama is going on now. I’m sat here grinning like an idiot. Wondering what that fool has been up to.

[@aliengrey6052]

He is a bit of an idiot business wise. Some people are not made to do business. Rob is one of those. He’s a nice bloke but has no idea. I’m surprised Lee Anderton is aligning himself to him. Dear oh dear.

[@ashleygreenaway6312]

@@aliengrey6052 you say nice bloke, I say smarmy prick. He appears to have no redeeming qualities at all.

[@aliengrey6052]

@@ashleygreenaway6312 was being diplomatic

[@ashleygreenaway6312]

@@aliengrey6052 I get you. I think I just have a super sensitive aversion to these egomaniac/sociopath types. I’m blind so I’ve never seen the bloke, but his voice and way of presenting himself verbally gives me all the signals of someone I could never trust.

[@isaacsilverblade]

@@ashleygreenaway6312 Spot on!

[@vegasaxeman]

Mr. KDH, Thanks for not only saying things that most people are afraid to say, but for having the balls to post it on KZbin in person! I would be the first one to say give the guy a break, but this Chapman guy is SUCH A SELF INDULGING TWIT! His arrogance is unparalleled! Give it to him the way that he deserves it my friend! Continued success with your channel! God bless and take care...

[@MrNickRowe]

Now waiting for another video on these lmao

[@paulbates4100]

You hit the nail on the head I think. Electric guitars are simple beasts and only warrant thousands of dosh if they have heritage.

[@USTTRM]

I agree. Who would play those prices for a Chapman? I repeat, who?

[@schmoemi3386]

Or maybe if they are made individually to your exact specs... 🤷‍♂

[@SW-by9ob]

Craftsmanship, customisation and quality components are far more important than heritage to me, but then you can get all of those things and British made for considerably cheaper than the Chapman and don''t have to put up with that name on your headstock. I'd much rather spend £2-2500 on a guitar like the above from a small UK luthier than on a Gibson LP Standard for example despite the lac of heritage.

[@NotLuigi]

How did you watch this video and come away with the exact opposite point that he made? His point was that most brands start out in the high end, expensive, custom shop (AKA £2K+) range and then when they build a reputation and financial safety net that's when they move into the lower end markets and mass production. The exact opposite of Chapman who have been mass producing affordable guitars for over a decade now

[@kalreynolds5829]

@@NotLuigi A 4000 dollar guitar isn't affordable. Neither is a 3500 pound one. These are not affordable guitars, they are extremely expensive guitars. At that price point, they are competing with heritage and vintage guitars, with signature models by reputable manufacturers, and high end stuff from companies with far more brand name than they have. That's the problem. If you drop that money on a Chapman, it will not retain any of it's value, because it's a Chapman. So it had better be your favourite guitar ever, because when you sell it you're losing money. And, they're not even custom. You're paying through the nose for a brand name, Chapman, that has no worth as a brand name. You'd be better off contacting the luthier directly and buying a custom. The Chapman part adds nothing to the arrangement.

[@allendean9807]

I wonder if Rob is running low on cash? His social media presence is less than most, not sure how many guitars are sold…. Makes you wonder….

[@DrewPeabaws]

Those 'relic' guitars make me want to boak. Worst relic job I've ever seen.

[@kylestewart4444]

Nobody wants to buy a “premium” product made by a company with a reputation for shitty products and terrible quality control. Even if their British made guitars are pretty good, it’s still a Chapman and that immediately leaves a bad taste in the mouths of many people. The fact that Chapman is again trying to sell guitars in the same price category as Suhr, custom Kiesels and pre-owned Fender Custom Shop guitars, along with many other premium options, is ludicrous to me. Chapman guitars just don’t seem to be anywhere near as good as any of those, they barely hold onto any of their original value and from where I’m standing, there’s just no pride of ownership when you buy a Chapman. Even if it’s their top of the line model. Dropping $3,000-4,000 on a guitar is a pretty big deal to most people. You want to feel like you’re getting something special. Something that retains its value and could be an incredible heirloom for your kids or grandkids some day. You want it to be something that you will be proud to own and I just wouldn’t be very proud to own a $3,000-4,000 Chapman. I’d feel like I had wasted my money and could have have gotten something far better.

[@greygardens81]

I’m sorry but why is any guitarist or luthier giving Chapman the time of day? He’s a snake oil marketer from what I can tell.

[@aliengrey6052]

To be honest vintage guitars are a lot cheaper and better made at a fraction of the price. Trev Wilkinson is a genius. Suhr guitars use his hardware.

[@saltpeter7429]

I had a VINTAGE Les Paul Deluxe with mini humbuckers. Great guitar. Although that is the only one I owned, I have played others and they are the bee's knee's. Strats and LP's and SG's they've got it covered for the price.

[@MR-um9ck]

If you have a few British Made guitars knocking around unsold in Andertons for several years and they keep getting played and bumped into etc by the guys, your only course of action is to “relic” them because they’re too scuffed up to be sold in new condition.

[@Tremonster261]

Great investigative video as always KDH. I didn’t really think there was any Chapman bashing here, you just cut through the bullshit and presented the facts as always, that’s why I’m subscribed! The fact that there’s no real artist of note on the Chapman books is a point I’ve made in the past, but I think you’re the first person on YT that’s mentioned it. For me, Chapman guitars always seemed like a bit gimmicky, almost like Rob created them just to have his name on the headstock of a guitar and say ‘I own a guitar company.’ Sure he says he’s super proud of them etc etc, but it never feels genuine. PRS went out and forced his guitars into the hands of renowned players as he genuinely believed they were better than anything else out there. First he got Santana, then Tremonti and they’ve never looked back. I feel like I’d have much more respect for Rob if he’d done something similar with his brand. Get out there and get them into the hands of players and not just create ‘signature’ models for your KZbin mates. I really can’t see this forth attempt selling any either, considering their cheaper Korean line appear to be continually discounted, so clearly not many people are buying those either.

[@roryt1985]

Great investigative video ? Did you miss the comment in here from a luthier saying he made more than KDH intimated in the video ?

[@Tremonster261]

@@roryt1985 Yep

[@roryt1985]

@@Tremonster261 maybe time to rethink your appraisal then.

[@Tremonster261]

@@roryt1985 maybe

[@brooksrownd2275]

I never bought a guitar because anybody famous was paid to play one, since that's completely irrelevant to myself playing it, and to my own sense of style. Actually, making signature models for other youtubers is just good business sense on his part, since the market for Chapman guitars was based entirely on his youtube audience, so it's natural to try to tap into the similar audiences of other youtubers.

[@lukeellis5476]

Chapman We’ve recently been made aware that it’s looking unlikely that UK Guitar Builders (UKGB) will be able to fulfil any more orders for the companies it supplies, including Chapman’s UK workshop series. Fortunately, we are already in dialogue with an alternative experienced high-end Guitar builder with a view to being able to resume production in the next 4-6 weeks. All customers with orders placed for UK made Chapman guitars have been informed and offered the option to wait or cancel and have their deposits returned. At this time, we would just like to wish all the staff at UKGB, the best for the future and reassure everyone that the Chapman workshop series production will resume as soon as possible.

[@steelisreal]

All customers informed? I wonder if he cancelled the order..?

[@stefromfortworth]

@@steelisreal sounds like they’re not cancelling orders but hoping to fulfil them with another builder.

[@steelisreal]

@@stefromfortworth you missed the joke. He doesn’t refer to Rob…

[@peterprice5896]

Rob chapman has always been a clusterfuck as a business man he just hasn’t got the acumen more and more he has faded into obscurity he should have stayed a musician with his band they weren’t great three lardballs and a skinny bassist who all seemed to stand legs open shoes at 2.45pm on a cliff top somewhere……it’s seems the only one doing any good is Lee Anderson and that more about his dads hard work than anything else…….me I would not have any chapman even for free as the brand has been damaged by all this is it isn’t it back and forth.

[@tacob69]

You want to know why Chapmans don't sell in the US? Riff City!! Whatever you say about guitarists, we are a mostly loyal bunch and to see Chapman screw over Riff City for a company almost every guitarist hates(they only shop GC because there is nothing else close) its near impossible to recover Chapman especially since they are a hyped up budget guitar company at heart.

[@LorSTApunk07]

I used to go way out of my way to drive out to their New Hope store. Joe & Co. were a good bunch of folks. Miss that store.

[@kyuubi287]

Every year, my cousin and I would drive up from Chicago just to spend a week hanging out at Riff City. We became good friends with both Joe and Al over the years. We bought all of our musical equipment from them until they closed. I was a huge Chapman fan. I had three Chapman guitars, posters, t-shirts, albums, you name it. All of it is gone now. I just couldn’t stomach keeping any of it after the whole Riff City thing went down.

[@maverick_trail]

I couldn't believe how much time and effort Joe put into promoting Chapman and for what? To get stabbed in the back.

[@PaulLembo]

I bought a Chapman from Riff City, a ghost fret. Riff City were friendly in email, I wasn't local. I was sad to see them go. I also think its absurd to pretend their failure was Rob's fault in any way. They had a contract, and when it ran out he didn't renew it. Happens all the time in the world of business. You get a better offer, you take it. I think the mistake Rob made was not doing everything he could to keep a band with Rabea going.

[@LorSTApunk07]

I don’t blame the failure of Riff City solely on Rob. His conduct afterwards, savior complex, and lying to me when I called him out - said all I needed to know.

[@Chris-yq7xv]

I will never own a Chapman guitar after the back stabbing of Joe at Riff City. Here a guy opens his home up to Chapman and company, rents a tour bus to promote the brand, spends countless hours setting up clinics and then have the brand given to GC once the ground work initiated interest. The only Chapman I will own is the one to start my fireplace.

[@vitnemec8365]

I’m not gonna lie, I was ready to buy one of those discount british standards. Cause I have no standards.

[@b1g2r3m4b5]

Yo KDH it’s time for a new video after the new delay of the UK Chapmans

[@BaBaBaBenny]

I think the one thing that's always stumped me about this move is... why? Sure, Rob cut his teeth on youtube demoing boutique guitars, so I *guess* it makes sense that he wants his own personal guitars to hang with the big dogs but Chapman's core audience is, for the most part, bedroom guitarists. I don't see a tonne of people playing chapman but when I do its very rare that its anything dearer than the "entry level" stuff, meaning they may not be shifting a tonne of their £1000 + models as it is. Whats the big driving force to getting out a £3000 + British made guitar? Is it some sort of badge of honour? An attempt to raise the company's status?

[@richardharrold9736]

Whatever Rob's many deep personal flaws, I believe he does genuinely love this country and wants to support its battered economy and tarnished reputation. He knows British craftsmen are every bit the equal of those in America and Japan. We just don't have a brand with the clout of Gibson, Fender, PRS, ESP etc.

[@mvramos]

Cmon, he moved to Malta. I’m a foreigner living here and I think I love the UK more than Rob does.

[@mvramos]

That said, I agree with your view on British craftsmanship.

[@richardharrold9736]

@@mvramos he moved to Malta because his wife is Maltese and he wanted to remain within the EU rather than Brexit Britain... which is understandable. I'm an unrepentant Leaver and even I am sick of the Faragists and their relentless xenophobia... plus the weather is better in Malta!

[@MR-um9ck]

@@richardharrold9736 he didn’t do anything at all for any reason other than ego and greed. The reason for the latest sure-to-fail line of expensive Chapmans is simply because he has a fantasy that he can line his pockets with more of the public’s cash. That is all.

[@PapaBrejj]

I love how the selling point is the things Bri'ish. Love me chippy. Love me Chappy. Simple as. Meanwhile my £175 Harley Benton JB-75 from China figuratively and literally slaps.

[@Metallex]

I'm just starting the video, but it's hilarious to me that a £3.5k guitar has a Wilkinson bridge that costs about 30 quid.

[@DasRightfortyforfo]

Insane right? That is USA PRS territory but doesn’t even compare

[@PaulCooksStuff]

They don't cost £30. It's a new custom Wilkinson design, made in the UK. Not a mass produced Chinese Wilkinson (yet).

[@petegaslondon]

"he best of the best" lol .. And hold on Paul where's the UK Wilkinson factory ??? Well spotted, Metallex !

[@PaulCooksStuff]

@@petegaslondon you think Trev Wilkinson needs a factory to build 10 custom bridges? He can bang them out in his garden shed. Trev worked directly with Chapman on a new system that Captain Lee describes as a happy accident in the Chapman/Captain launch vid, circa 9m14s. A variant of Pete Thorns bridge that Wilkinson is going to mass produce in future. So no, it's not a £30 cookie cutter bridge that you can already get. The Pete Thorn version is £230 and good enough for a £3500 Suhr.

[@petegaslondon]

OK perhaps you know more than I @@PaulCooksStuff , I merely knew Wilkinson as the name on cheap but seviceable Chinese bass/gtr parts ;) Youre saying Wilkinsons's a Brit? And specifically claiming he custom-made these himself, not from the Chinese run? Think I'd need to see a bit of proof, at least for the latter part? Chapman's been such a BS'er...

[@JG-ux7of]

The biggest problem with the British Standard Line is that British people are not famous for guitar building. If it were hand wired Amps, that would be different but there’s absolutely no reason for anyone to pay a significant premium for them just because they’re made in Great Britain. American made guitars are sold at a premium because of the reputation that has been earned over several decades. Japanese Guitars and most recently Korean Guitars typically fetch a higher price due to their assumed quality craftsmanship and not just because of the wage standards in their respective countries.

[@stefromfortworth]

@Chapmanguitars have totally abandoned their original demographic. I was really rooting for them when they were making budget friendly guitars for everyday people, that also kicked ass. I still own 2…and even though they BOTH had the worst quality pots and switches I’ve EVER experienced on any guitar, at any price…they actually have a nice neck and a cool look…. But £3500 for a chapman? No chance, especially after learning they’ll inevitably be worth 1/3 of that almost immediately. That’s pretty much fender Custom shop money. They should stick to what they’re good at, making affordable but halfway decent mod platform guitars.

[@richardharrold9736]

If you want a high-end British-made S-type guitar, just go to Thomas Gray in Cornwall (formerly in Teddington, on the Thames south-west of London). His guitars are genuinely stunning, he's a nice guy and you get exactly what you pay for.

[@richardharrold9736]

@@Cobra21245 he's down near St Mawes on the Roseland Peninsula, but Andertons stock his guitars. Like me, he's originally from Leatherhead (his late father was a famous record producer who produced T-Rex's early albums, among other things), I moved west to just the Devon side of the Tamar in 2019 and Thomas Gray followed last year... he and I have only met once, at Andertons, but there are some interesting parallels (I'm also the son of a musician), and for both of us, getting out of Surrey was the best thing either of us could have done.

[@anthonylong6403]

Also take a look at Gordon Smith guitars who make bespoke and off the shelf S, T, and LP type guitars, that have a long heritage and which command good - and rising - resale prices. And, you can actually visit their workshop in Northampton, choose your woods and then have regular updates on how your guitar is progressing.

[@barryb90]

Wow, I would do a better relic job than 5:52. That is abysmal.

Oh lord that really looks like total shit

[@isaacsilverblade]

Cringeworthy!

[@Neil-Aspinall]

The poor old Captain...... I think the Capt. should abandon the name Chapman due to the baggage. I would stick to the under 1000 pound guitars as Chapman have proven they do not have a good re sale value. 3500 pounds is a ridiculous price when you look at all the guits in this price range?

[@johnbuell8035]

I think he pretty much has distanced himself, hasn’t he? You’d have to be dumb not to.

[@Neil-Aspinall]

@@johnbuell8035 I'd drop the name and start a fresh, there is enough good will to do this I feel. I always thought it quite bizarre that the Capt. actually used that name as when ever a real person's name is used you are asking for trouble. Look at Thomann with their Harley Benton range, it's going great. Anderton's with a cool new name could easily do this as well and it would be a success!

[@johnbuell8035]

@@Neil-Aspinall actually, I’m wrong - I just saw (not watched) recent videos with Lee. Surprising decision from Lee, even if purely on a business level.

[@Neil-Aspinall]

@@johnbuell8035 Sorry I don't really understand what you mean?

[@johnbuell8035]

@@Neil-Aspinall I was just saying that I thought Lee had distanced himself and was then surprised to realise that he has not.

[@michaelolejnik7417]

Looks like you rattled clown Chapman , well done , let it rip , don’t take down critical videos , we have ur back , that guy is a horrible person

[@Fugettaboutit]

These look like home-made kit guitars colored with RIT dye.

[@inquisitor4635]

I just re-watched the old Chapman audit recently and now we have this.

[@Robstrap]

Chapman always rubbed me the wrong way..

[@edanzbox]

I bet Rob shakes each time you upload, absolute gold!

[@mxwx51]

Rob has become a bit intolerable, but I doubt he shakes every time KDH goes chasing clout...

[@carlkilonwise]

Good show sir. Thank you for posting! Chapman for me was a nightmare. Never again.

[@shovington67]

Love to hear the story?

[@emmanuelwolfmusic410]

The disingenuousness of Rob is astounding, I wouldn't even trust him with tuning my guitar let alone selling me one .

[@tsnetlcd]

these guitars are just fender showmaster copies with a left hand tele neck, 0 cost in research and development, and the price! just an ego project.

[@travisspaulding2222]

If Chapman wants to make it work, he really needs to find artists who will play them. Ibanez had Steve Vai, which enticed more guitarists to start playing them to the point where they became commonplace, and more importantly, they established a reputation of excellence. If he thinks his KZbin channel is enough to cause people to buy a $3500 guitar, then I think he may be getting in him own way.

[@BobGnarley.]

But who can pull that off nowadays besides Tim Henson? I legitimately can't think of another non branded artist that could put chapman in the spotlight to the effect of people like Steve Vai

[@travisspaulding2222]

@@BobGnarley. They don't have to be nonbranded. Guitarists change brands all the time. He just needs to entice someone coming up on their contract.

[@metalpuppet5798]

He has many amazing players in the roster already. They dont have to be stupid famous to be a good advertisement

[@travisspaulding2222]

@@metalpuppet5798 He needs more than amazing players. He needs players with selling power. None of the guitarists on his roster have enough selling power to elevate a brand.

[@metalpuppet5798]

@@travisspaulding2222 they do. Fame doesnt equal selling power. Talent does. There also are a bunch of great KZbinrs who still to this day love their Chapmans. Rob Scallon included. Just because he switched doesnt mean he doesnt like them anymore. KZbinrs are advertising GOLD these days

[@jesuschristpose896]

I have a friend that bought a Chapman guitar, it was just ok, he fell for the whole Chapman crave on youtube, the guitar will not stay in tume and there was a lot of cosmetic issue for the price, my friend bought a Harley Benton Fusion series at half the Chapman price and its twice the guitar. If I was to buy today it would be Harley Benton.

[@MR-um9ck]

I always think Lee Anderton should create his own Harley Benton style of brand. Thomann have had HUGE success selling their HB range, Lee should do the same with a new brand at Anderton’s. Get Rob Chapman to buy you out of Chapman guitars, discard that brand and start something new - the sky’s the limit Lee!

[@doctorpaul8138]

I owned the green ghost fret for a few years, along with the grey hand-made ML1. Both great guitars, but both absolutely made by Jaden. I also had about 10 other Jadens, two of which are still with me. As the Moderator on Rob's forum for many years, I became more than frustrated with the site 'management', so bailed many years ago. Shame. I'll not be dropping a single £ on the new range.

[@russelblacker2562]

Chapman and KDH in the title? Fastest click on video ever.

[@Viper-dz2kw]

Lee trying to endorse Chapman without endorsing Chapman is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen, “these are as good as anything.. you can buy.. from any other brand”

[@ukmanthailand]

He owns half the company - why wouldn't he want to promote his own products?

[@jongbong1912]

@@ukmanthailand they know they're ripping people off, it's cringe

[@ukmanthailand]

@@jongbong1912 You're missing my point really. Lee isn't going to be shy to promote products sold by a company he owns.

[@Guitar-uc4dx]

@@ukmanthailand How do you know for sure that Lee owns exactly 1/2 of Chapman guitars?

[@ukmanthailand]

@@Guitar-uc4dx I don't know for sure that he owns exactly 50%, I'm just going on what he's said in past videos. But I don't see how the exact percentage is really relevant. The point is, as a director and co-founder of Chapman Guitars, he will want to promote their products. To claim that he's doing so reluctantly, as a favour to an embarrassing friend, is simply misleading.

[@mrljgibson]

Andertons pretty much kicked Rob out the door for being an arse. I'm surprised they even still carry his guitars.

[@slapitman]

The problem with Chapman is that he honestly believes marketing and hype is the solution to everything. Rob, if you're reading this...the reason Anderson, Suhr, Friedman, Tyler etc are successful is not because they OEM and brand engineer other peoples factories into brand houses. Its because they're respected as builders and quality over hype is their No1 priority. They know their stuff, you Sir have no credibility in this area and are blustering your way through believing you are a 'brand'. Narcissism is not entrepreneurship it's narcissism.

[@Jgrav]

I paid an independent builder about 2000 for a custom build to my specifications. While my specs aren't crazy demanding, it's just insane to me Chapman thinks they can ask so much for this line. Honestly I like the new line but I can endorse the guy at this point.

[@Theenragedone]

I paid an independent builder 2400 for a ground up one off custom 7 string to my specs which were boutique. Like you I cannot imagine spending spending 3k US for what they are offering. These don't come close to what my 7 has.

[@callumhayes9733]

Drop some names

[@Jgrav]

@@callumhayes9733 Grzenia Guitars

[@ruffastoast8570]

It makes me laugh man, he should just sort his shit out but he won't, I'm looking forward to his rebuttal video where he spits his dummy out and tries to sue everyone.

[@DevandTay0501]

I have been waiting for this. Chapman can't build guitars for shit in both pre audit and after the fact the audit happened. Last Chapman I had was cracked on the fretboard, had 1 screw missing in the headstock tuning pegs. Overpriced pieces of firewood which Chapman makes a hefty amount of.

[@richardharrold9736]

Yet they're made in Korea by WMI alongside PRS SE, Schecter etc. The ones I saw in Andertons were absolutely flawless in the literal sense - zero build issues. Maybe if you ordered directly or bought from another retailer you're more likely to encounter issues... but the team at Guildford were clearly ensuring no duff guitars reached the shop.

[@DevandTay0501]

@@richardharrold9736 yes and even then most of those "flawless" guitars will end up deteriorating with possiblity of flaw during the shipping process. Korea or not Chapman makes good firewood

[@richardharrold9736]

@@DevandTay0501 no reason for them to deteriorate in shipping... and if you're in the UK then you might as well just go to Andertons yourself.

[@DevandTay0501]

@@richardharrold9736 unfortunately for us Americans that's not the case. For me personally with my financial status it's not doable solely on the basis of low income as well as past experiences in general. One time I had this sweet Music Man from Ernie Ball and during the shipping process the headstock came completely off when I took it out of the box and the box itself was in tatters. Needless to say a physical store is preferred. Maybe when I'm on vacation in the coming years I'll plan making a visit to Andertons.

[@richardharrold9736]

@@DevandTay0501 oh sure, and if you're on a low income and in the US then there are probably better brands and businesses to buy from. It's a shame Riff City went bust as they would have taken care of you... If you do want to deal outside the US I'd suggest Thomann in Germany, they're enormous and have their Harley Benton range of budget guitars...

[@Tremonster261]

So the workshop is ‘unable to fulfil orders.’ Seems strange to me that it’s the exact same reason as was given initially with the British Standard series. This was before he later changed it to ‘the workshop wanted to sell the business to us.’ I guess it’s all just speculation until UKGB put out a statement themselves. The thing is, we’re all questioning Chapman’s statement because at this point, nobody believes anything he says. If it is the case that a lack of orders/interest has forced them to yet again pause this ego driven vanity project and they’ve again tried to turn it around and blame the workshop, then I think that will be the final bridge burnt. No workshop will work with them again. I can see the only way for Chapman to have a custom shop UK made guitar is for them to open their own workshop and hire their own luthiers, but they’ll never do that as the level of investment will be much higher than the return. The simple fact of the matter is there is just not, and never has been a demand for a high end Chapman guitar.