TEST: Chapman Guitars ML3 Bea Rabea Massaad Baritone

 OK, I admit it, I love baritone guitars when it comes to drop tunings. No standard guitar, no matter how high quality, is able to reproduce the crisp and incisive tone of a quality baritone guitar. Why? Coming up in the test! What are we testing? A Chapman Guitars ML3 Bea Rabea Massaad Baritone!

Why baritone guitars?

OK, a bit of physics must be involved, but really only in a very rudimentary way. When our piece of wire, called a string, is stretched between 2 points with a certain tension, a certain tone will sound when it vibrates. If we shorten this distance but keep the tension, the tone will be higher, the other way around, if we lengthen the distance but keep the tension, the tone will be lower. So far, so good. This means that if we shorten the scale length of an instrument, the string tension decreases for the same pitch, or increases for a longer scale length.

So, for fun, let's take a standard 010 set in standard tuning. Already with a drop tuning of 2 semitones we have a single slobber on the fingerboard. The alternative, a thicker set of strings, e.g. a 011 set. This game can be continued 1 to 2 times, but at the latest from the 012 set the G-string is already wound and at the latest at 013 it's over, unless you take a special set, such as my signature string set ( https://www.thomann.de/de/pyramid_axel_ritt_013_056_string_set.htm ), whereby I play this in standard tuning, but this is another story.

With increasing thickness of the strings, however, the swinging in and out behavior of the strings also changes, so that a clean tone shaping no longer wants to succeed with a standard scale length. The solution to this problem lies in the scale length. By lengthening the scale length, comparatively thinner strings can be tuned much lower, resulting in a much better defined tone with much more character. A strong baritone string set with the thickest still cleanly vibrating plain G-string would be, for example, this set here ( https://www.thomann.de/de/pyramid_axel_ritt_signature_baritone.htm ).

As before, too little string tension is the main problem for a defined downtuning. The strings quickly sound "boomy" and they may only be "stroked", since a harder attack causes the string tension to shoot up and the intonation of the guitar to go to hell, even with the best octave purity. Conclusion, the lower the tuning the longer the scale length aimed for.

The construction of the Chapman Guitars ML3 Bea Rabea Massaad Baritone

The Chapman Guitars ML3 Bea Rabea Massaad Baritone is the baritone version of YouTuber Rabea Massad's signature series. A review of the standard version of the ML3 can already be read here ( https://www.amazona.de/test-chapman-guitars-ml3-std-bea-mensis-e-gitarre/ ), so this review is primarily about the differences to the baritone version.

At first glance, the guitars do not seem to differ that much, if you disregard the retail price, but this is probably also due to the country of manufacture. While the standard version is made in the "real" low-wage country Indonesia, the baritone version is built in Korea, which results in a store price that is almost twice as high. But one should also consider the expected sales figures, where a standard guitar is always ahead of the baritone version.

Again, a Tele body is used, but somehow the pickup arrangement seems to be different. This is not an optical illusion, but is based on the scale length of just under 711 mm, which, unlike many other competing specimens also labeled as baritone guitars, is already a full-blown baritone guitar. Not everyone has to use an extreme scale length of 760 mm, as is the case with my custom baritone guitars, but to speak of a "baritone" below a scale length of 700 mm, I find a bit "audacious".

This scale length could theoretically be implemented by simply extending the neck, but this would cause a problem. It is well known that the optimal vibration point for the neck pickup is below the 24th fret. On some guitars, the neck pickup is moved back a bit in favor of two more frets, but loses a bit of character as a result. If one wanted to place the neck pickup on a baritone guitar simply by extending the neck below the 24th fret, the pickup would have to be placed almost completely in the neck. Furthermore, the shifted center of gravity would greatly increase the top-heaviness of the instrument.

To counteract this, almost all baritone guitar manufacturers move the bridge construction and bridge pickup further back, so that the neck pickup can just be placed on the body near the base of the neck. This has of course optically and also play-technically the consequence that the distance between bridge and neck pickup is clearly larger, than with a standard guitar. This is also the case with the Chapman Guitars ML3 Bea Rabea Massaad Baritone, so the instrument looks a bit "different" and also plays a bit differently, especially with palm muting playing styles. However, one quickly gets used to the changed dimensions.

Apart from these differences in basic construction, many points between the two instruments are identical. Both instruments feature a toasted and bolt-on maple neck with ebony fingerboard. However, on the baritone version, the manufacturer has placed fluorescent dot inlays on the fretboard side to aid orientation on a dimly lit stage. Otherwise, shaping, pickups, alder as body wood, maple top, natural binding, circuit, everything as with the standard version. Only the weight is slightly higher at just under 3.6 kg, because more wood was used.

But wait, the final inspection has slopped properly. With Indonesian production, one could possibly turn a blind eye, but not with Korean production. On the Chapman Guitars ML3 Bea Rabea Massaad Baritone is a baritone string set with wound G-string, here D-string. You can do this, and it is not unusual, as long as you don't want to do any bending on the instrument. However, if you string such a set, the octave purity must also be adjusted accordingly. On a standard set with a plain G string, the characteristic octave purity offset is always between the last wound string (D) and the first plain string (G). However, this offset must be between the G and B (B) strings on a set with a wound G string (baritone D string), as it is on a steel string acoustic guitar, which is not the case on this guitar.

Rather, the assumption is that the octave purity was adjusted by eye, since this misadjustment should have been noticed during a proper adjustment via a tuner. The adjustment error should have been noticed during the final inspection at the latest. Anyway, 5 minutes of adjustment work with the right tool, maybe 10 minutes if you want to check the other strings at the same time for safety's sake and good.

The Chapman Guitars ML3 Bea Rabea Massaad Baritone in practice

Like any other baritone guitar with an "adult" scale length, the Chapman Guitars ML3 Bea Rabea Massaad Baritone feels a bit unusual for a standard guitarist at first impression, which has not only to do with the extended scale length. Especially the swinging in and out behavior of the longer strings needs a little getting used to. Although the sound itself comes across very crisp and concise in unamplified mode, the strings physically always need a few milliseconds longer until they have reached their targeted oscillation rate. This is not noticeable in normal playing mode, but if you want to drive a few shredding attacks, you will be slowed down a bit here and there, especially in the lower registers.

Sound-wise, the Chapman Guitars ML3 Bea Rabea Massaad Baritone offers the same advantages and disadvantages as the standard version. The guitar resonates very well, the sustain is outstanding especially in chord playing and the overall appearance of the guitar knows how to convince.

Unfortunately, as with the Standard, the two Chapman pickups can not really convince me. The basic sound of the pickups is comparatively harsh and "angular", a real feel-good feeling just does not want to arise. Even if the construction of the guitar offers a good basis for a singing tone, the pickups again do not manage to transfer the structural quality of the guitar. In addition, there is a mechanical problem with the neck pickup. When struck harder, the high B string wedged itself under the overhanging edges of the coil body at the top several times, not really nice.

Conclusion

With the Chapman Guitars ML3 Bea Rabea Massaad Baritone, the British manufacturer has a good baritone guitar in its catalog, which also deserves the designation baritone due to the decent scale length. While the structural substance of the instrument is convincing, the pickups unfortunately could not really convince me due to the "angular" basic sound.

Additional informations:

Chapman Guitars is a British guitar company founded by Rob Chapman in 2009. Since its inception, Chapman Guitars has established itself as a major player in the guitar industry, offering high-quality guitars at affordable prices. In this article, we'll take a deep dive into Chapman Guitars and explore what makes this company so unique.

The Early Days

Rob Chapman, the founder of Chapman Guitars, began his career in music as a guitar teacher in the early 2000s. He quickly became a popular guitar teacher and began making YouTube videos to share his knowledge with a wider audience. In 2009, he decided to start his own guitar company, and Chapman Guitars was born.

Initially, Chapman Guitars was a small operation, with Rob Chapman designing and selling guitars out of his garage. However, the company quickly gained a following, and demand for Chapman Guitars grew. Today, Chapman Guitars has a team of employees and a dedicated fan base around the world.

Design Philosophy

One of the things that sets Chapman Guitars apart from other guitar companies is their design philosophy. Rather than simply copying classic guitar designs, Chapman Guitars takes inspiration from a wide range of sources, including modern and futuristic designs. This has resulted in a unique lineup of guitars that stand out from the crowd.

Chapman Guitars also places a strong emphasis on playability. All of their guitars are designed with the player in mind, with comfortable neck profiles and easy access to the upper frets. The result is a lineup of guitars that are not only visually striking but also comfortable and easy to play.

Affordable Prices

Another major factor that sets Chapman Guitars apart is their commitment to affordable prices. While many high-end guitar companies charge thousands of dollars for their instruments, Chapman Guitars offers guitars that are accessible to a wider audience. This has made Chapman Guitars a popular choice for musicians who want a high-quality guitar without breaking the bank.
Despite their affordable prices, Chapman Guitars does not sacrifice quality. All of their guitars are made with high-quality materials and are designed to last. This has earned Chapman Guitars a reputation for producing some of the best guitars in their price range.

The Product Lineup

Chapman Guitars offers a wide range of guitars, from traditional designs to more modern and unconventional shapes. Here are some of the most popular guitars in the Chapman Guitars lineup:

ML1
The ML1 is one of the most popular guitars in the Chapman Guitars lineup. It is a modern take on the classic double-cutaway design, with a lightweight basswood body and a comfortable, satin-finished neck. The ML1 is available in a variety of finishes, including solid colors and stunning quilted maple tops.

ML2
The ML2 is a variation on the ML1 design, with a slightly thicker body and a set-neck construction. The result is a guitar with more sustain and a warmer tone. The ML2 is available in a variety of finishes, including a stunning flame maple top.

Ghost Fret
The Ghost Fret is a unique guitar design that takes inspiration from modern and futuristic shapes. It features a beveled mahogany body and a satin-finished neck with 24 jumbo frets. The Ghost Fret is available in a variety of finishes, including a stunning red-to-black fade.

Traditional Series
For those who prefer more traditional guitar designs, Chapman Guitars offers the Traditional Series. These guitars take inspiration from classic designs, with features like bolt-on necks and traditional finishes. The Traditional Series includes models like the ML3, ML4, and ML5.