TEST: Chapman Guitars ML1 Modern Baritone

 It's an interesting, albeit diametrically opposed, development in the guitar sector in recent years. On the one hand, especially with modern styles, you can hardly find a guitar that is still tuned in standard mode; on the other hand, the very popular downtunings are only very rarely used by baritone guitars, which are naturally designed for this range were designed for. Why is that? Is it really just due to the larger dimensions and the associated physical challenges or are there other reasons why many guitarists, even in the Drop A range, prefer to use the comparatively short standard scale length rather than the ambitious baritone scale length. In order to clarify this question, among other things, we are testing the Chapman Guitars ML1 Modern Baritone Rainstorm today, which might give us one or two answers.

The construction of the Chapman Guitars ML1 Modern Baritone Rainstorm

Maybe once again, why baritone guitar? The easiest way to explain the approach is with the structure of the string instruments within a classical orchestra. Imagine your standard electric guitar is the violin. The approach is now to transport the more or less the same string tension to lower registers. To ensure this, the diameter and length of the strings are increased, easily seen in violas and cellos. Exactly this principle also applies to a baritone guitar, which is reflected in the Chapman Guitars ML1 Modern Baritone Rainstorm in a scale length of 711 mm, i.e. approx. 63 mm longer than the long scale length of a standard electric guitar. This ensures that even with the standard baritone tuning B-E-A-D-F#-B, the strings do not appear limp and wobbly.

Chapman Guitars has most of its instruments built in Indonesia, whose factories have become the standard for inexpensive, yet high-quality instruments in recent years. With a retail price of 889 euros, the Chapman Guitars ML1 Modern Baritone Rainstorm is in the middle price segment and has to assert itself against several competitors. When it comes to the choice of wood, Chapman Guitars relies on a tried and tested mix, consisting of a mahogany body (the number of parts could not be determined due to the opaque finish), a four-screwed, matt lacquered neck made of maple and a very light fingerboard made of Macassar ebony. An exception is the ceiling made of comparatively soft poplar wood, which was mirrored and prepared very elaborately in terms of painting and staining various knotholes.

The ceiling is very thin and is only used for visual reasons; the diameter is too small to have an effect on the vibration behavior. In order to give the body a little more visual structure, a side binding was attached, which follows the shape of the armrest very nicely. When it comes to body shape, the Strat shape was once again used, although the rib milling is quite close to the original, while the armrest was a little more subtle. There are also 2 intensive millings on the lower cutaway for better playability of the instrument in high registers.

Due to the baritone construction, you can primarily tell from the neck dimensions that it is a different instrument than a regular electric guitar. The satin finish neck has a subtle C-shape that fits well in the hand. The fingerboard radius of 350 mm should also suit most users, as it has a good middle ground between low action (large radius) and ergonomic grip (small radius).

Electrical and hardware

In some of my previous tests of Chapman Guitars, the in-house pickups often didn't fare particularly well. I don't know to what extent other customers have noted this as a point of criticism and to what extent this may have led to them turning away, but the fact is that the Chapman Guitars ML1 Modern Baritone Rainstorm is now equipped with Seymour Duncan pickups. These are a Seymour Duncan Sentient in the neck position and a Seymour Duncan Pegasus in the bridge position, both pickups with Alnico magnets. Both pickups can be split using the push/pull function of the treble control, and the instrument also has a master volume control as a second control. In order to be able to switch the pickups, the Chapman Guitars ML1 Modern Baritone Rainstorm has a rather difficult 3-way blade switch, which enables the neck, neck bridge and bridge standards. In combination with the push-pull function of the treble control, there are 6 different sound combinations.

The hardware of the Chapman Guitars ML1 Modern Baritone Rainstorm is completely black. Once again the Chapman String-Through Hardtail is used, in which the strings are led through the body and countered on the back of the body. The advantage of this construction: the string tension is better transferred into the body, which mainly leads to better sustain behavior. Disadvantage of this construction: the strings are bent twice by 45 degrees, which increases the risk of string breakage and the associated string breakage. For optimal tuning stability, the manufacturer has equipped the instrument with locking mechanisms, which is reflected, among other things, in faster string changes.

The Chapman Guitars ML1 Modern Baritone Rainstorm in practice

From the very first grips you notice that, despite the longer scale, the instrument fits very well in the hand. The combination of neck and body harmonizes very well in terms of vibration; I couldn't find any dead notes or other vibration resistance. The transient response is necessarily a little slower due to the longer strings, but that's what physics dictates. However, you can counteract this by adding thicker strings to achieve an appropriate attack with the higher string tension. The very brave can also try my baritone signature set https://www.thomann.de/de/pyramid_axel_ritt_signature_baritone.htm, but the tension was calculated for a 760 mm scale length, so that the string tension on the Chapman Guitars ML1 Modern Baritone Rainstorm will be slightly lower.

However, given the really good vibration data and the very good workmanship, there were two points that didn't convince me, although in fairness I have to say that one point is probably due to my personal playing style. We're talking about the fact that if you play a little harder, the high B string tends to get caught under the bobbin of the neck pickup due to the larger deflection and can't find its way back onto the fingerboard until you pry the string out of the bobbin with your finger. I am aware that, due to my very hard touch, this problem will probably only occur to a few other guitarists, but I still recommend checking the instrument for your personal playing style if necessary.

Let's come to my subjective weak point of the guitar and this is (again) to be found in the pickups. While the original pickups from Chapman's own production used to sound a bit treble-heavy and pointed, the built-in Seymour Duncan pickups unfortunately go in the other direction, i.e. they have a fairly dull basic sound, especially in the humbucker setting. Unfortunately, this problem cannot be seriously solved by increasing the treble/presence, as this only increases the “scratchiness” of the sound, but not the midrange, which is somewhat underexposed here.

It is of course impossible to say what motivated Chapman Guitars to choose these pickups, but I am quite sure that the instrument would have performed much better with the Seymour Duncan standards such as the Jeff Beck model. Be that as it may, there must have been a reason and I really don't want to get involved in company politics. Since the instrument is otherwise convincing across the board, I would personally include two additional pickups in my budget for the sake of simplicity and everything should be fine.

The sound files were created with a Hughes & Kettner Triamp MKIII, a Marshall 412 cabinet with Celestion G12 75T and 2 pcs. Made Shure SM57. In the clean and crunch area, first in split mode, then in serial humbucker circuit.

Conclusion

With the Chapman Guitars ML1 Modern Baritone Rainstorm, the British manufacturer with Indonesian production has a very well-made and vibration-friendly instrument in its portfolio, which is convincing in almost every respect. The special features of the baritone concept were well captured and implemented very well.

Only the low-pitched and uninspiring sound of the two Seymour Duncan pickups detracts from the overall impression a little, but that doesn't change the overall very good impression of the instrument.

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Additional Informations:


Chapman Guitars is a British guitar company founded in 2009 by Rob Chapman. The company started out as a one-man operation, with Rob designing and building guitars in his spare bedroom. However, Chapman Guitars quickly grew in popularity, and Rob soon found himself unable to keep up with demand.

In 2011, Rob moved Chapman Guitars to a larger workshop in Southend-on-Sea, England. This allowed him to increase production and expand his team. Chapman Guitars continued to grow rapidly, and in 2014, the company moved to its current headquarters in Rayleigh, Essex.

Today, Chapman Guitars is one of the most respected guitar brands in the world. The company's guitars are used by professional musicians all over the globe, and they have been praised for their quality, playability, and sound.

**The Early Years**

Rob Chapman was born in 1979 in Southend-on-Sea, England. He started playing guitar at the age of 13, and he quickly became a proficient player. In his early twenties, Rob began working as a guitar teacher, and he also started a YouTube channel where he gave guitar lessons and reviews.

Rob's YouTube channel quickly became popular, and he soon had a large following of guitarists from all over the world. In 2009, Rob decided to use his platform to launch his own guitar company. He called it Chapman Guitars.

The first Chapman guitar was the ML1 Pro. It was a modern take on the classic Les Paul design, and it was packed with features that were not typically found on guitars in its price range. The ML1 Pro was a huge success, and it helped to put Chapman Guitars on the map.

**The Growth of Chapman Guitars**

In the years that followed, Chapman Guitars continued to grow and evolve. The company released a number of new models, including the ML2 Pro, the Ghost Fret, and the T Series. Chapman Guitars also began to offer a wider range of options, such as different body woods, pickup configurations, and finishes.

As Chapman Guitars grew, it also began to attract the attention of professional musicians. A number of well-known guitarists, such as Rabea Massaad, Plini, and Yvette Young, began to use Chapman guitars. This helped to further increase the company's popularity.

**Chapman Guitars Today**

Today, Chapman Guitars is one of the most respected guitar brands in the world. The company's guitars are used by professional musicians all over the globe, and they have been praised for their quality, playability, and sound.

Chapman Guitars offers a wide range of guitars to suit all budgets and playing styles. The company's guitars are available in a variety of body shapes, pickup configurations, and finishes. Chapman Guitars also offers a number of left-handed models.

In addition to guitars, Chapman Guitars also offers a range of accessories, such as amps, pedals, and cases. The company also has a thriving online community where guitarists can share tips, tricks, and ideas.

**The Future of Chapman Guitars**

Chapman Guitars is a company that is constantly looking to the future. The company is always innovating and developing new products. Chapman Guitars is also committed to providing excellent customer service.

With its focus on innovation, quality, and customer service, Chapman Guitars is well-positioned for continued growth in the years to come.

**Here are some of the key factors that have contributed to the success of Chapman Guitars:**

* **High-quality products:** Chapman Guitars are known for their quality construction, materials, and sound.
* **Innovative designs:** Chapman Guitars offers a number of innovative features that are not typically found on other guitars.
* **Affordable prices:** Chapman Guitars offers high-quality guitars at a fraction of the cost of many other brands.
* **Strong online presence:** Chapman Guitars has a strong online presence, which allows it to connect with guitarists all over the world.
* **Excellent customer service:** Chapman Guitars is committed to providing excellent customer service.

**If you are looking for a high-quality, affordable guitar, then Chapman Guitars is definitely a brand worth considering.**