Champman Cap 10 America

mprcomp

Hi,

I have bought a Chapman Cap 10 america to try it and so I can compare to a regular Special Strat that have tried. Has lots of positives but when it came there is a slight gap between body and neck is that usual for a bolt on? Secondly neck pickup is constantly tipping towards neck so not flat.

First guitar I have bought in 13 years or so. I am just checking are both of these things defects?

mprcomp

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5Djjmf1LcXVejdHTE5nLURheVE/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5Djjmf1LcXVUGI0VEV6SlVhWUk/view?usp=sharing

Cabicular

The pickup is either catching on something or the spring is bunched
the gap is just tolerance with the pickgaurd cutting and it either bothers you or it doesn't
i wouldn't reject the guitar for either of them but some might

Jack_

I've seen many worse neck joint fittings than that.

darthed1981

Is it any good though?  I've heard such mixed things about Chapman guitars.

Their new Flying V costs more than the Gibson ones do - so they certainly are CONFIDENT...

absolutpepper

I had an ML-3 for a wee while.  In many ways it was a nice, decent quality and perfectly serviceable guitar.  I just had it as a backup as I wanted an HSS and it was cheap 2nd hand.  The fretwork was tidy and the wilko trem was decent enough but there was just something about it that was a bit...bland.  The stock pickups were garbage (but at the time Chapman made no bones about that and they were recommending swapping them in any case) and I found the veneer on the top to look a bit false for some reason.  In saying that if I had been starting out and it was my first proper electric i'd have been more than happy with it.  In the end I only kept it for a few months.  The new ones don't interest me, I just dont think that the price point justifies what they offer (I haven't played one so could be wrong) and I imagine their 2nd hand value will drop like a stone.  But the early Korean ones are nice enough guitars and if you're willing to mod them and spend money on them i'm sure they'd do you a good turn.

darthed1981

absolutpepper said:

I The new ones don't interest me, I just dont think that the price point justifies what they offer (I haven't played one so could be wrong).

That's what I was thinking, their new "pro" range is genuinely pricey for far-east guitars.  They come in higher up price-wise than Mexican Fenders and a lot of Gibsons.

But they are still very shred oriented, at the end of the day that's not where I live.  I actually think Chappers, Lee, Matt, Rabea etc. are fairly genuine guys trying to make a good product, so fair play to them.

Musicman20

I do wonder who buys all the Chapman guitars, but they must be doing well as they wouldn't be pushing new models etc. Fair play as well, they seem to have hit a niche. 90% of them seem to be metal or shred orientated which takes me out of their target customer, but the Cap 10 looks nice!

I really don't like some of the colours they offer, and the creeping prices are going to have to compete with a lot of big brands.

absolutpepper

darthed1981 said:

absolutpepper said:

I The new ones don't interest me, I just dont think that the price point justifies what they offer (I haven't played one so could be wrong).

That's what I was thinking, their new "pro" range is genuinely pricey for far-east guitars.  They come in higher up price-wise than Mexican Fenders and a lot of Gibsons.

But they are still very shred oriented, at the end of the day that's not where I live.  I actually think Chappers, Lee, Matt, Rabea etc. are fairly genuine guys trying to make a good product, so fair play to them.

I agree, I think they are genuinely trying to offer a quality product and I think they've taken a leaf out of the PRS SE range where they have essentially 2 versions of the guitars - a cut down budget range and then a higher spec range.  I hope it does well and all that but they just don't do it for me.  I like my stuff heavy but i'm not a shred guy (just gimme a Les Paul) but if I was I think there's far more appealing options from ESP/LTD, Ibanez, etc.  Thats a crowded market...but i'm sure they did their research before jumping in.

To me the most interesting thing is how this fits with their 'built for the fans' model...which was a unique and cool concept that now seems abandoned in favour of this new range.  I'm sure the free R&D still has value right??? ;-)

peteri

Never had a Chapman, ordered a ML-2 once - but cancelled it when I got twitchy about resale values, and fair plays they were very accommodating.

I have to echo what everyone has just said - I am very surprised at the new range, not the look etc - but the price point.

I can't believe they've got this wrong, but it seems to be pitching them against some very heavy hitters (Ibanez, ESP, Fender, Gibson) - which is a big ask

Gadgie

Could be the wiring coiled/springing up and tilting the pickup. does it push down and spring back up again?