Chapman Cap10 America

darthed1981

Hi All,

Does anyone have, has tried, or used to have a Chapman Cap10 America?

Compared to most of the line-up, it seems to have much better "all round" tones, it actually looks nice, and I'm thinking it might be the super-strat for me.

Worth a trip to Guildford to audition one?

newi123

I think asking the audience about chapman guitars may be the wrong option here, have you tried phoning a friend? 

darthed1981

newi123 said:

I think asking the audience about chapman guitars may be the wrong option here, have you tried phoning a friend? 

Well, seems so, should just ask Chappers for his opinion ("its almost as wonderful as me...")

Honestly though, does seem like the super-strat I might be looking for, I might have to visit guildford!

Bucket

Try one.

I've always liked the look of many Chapman models spec-wise and appearance-wise, then been very disappointed when I've played them.

darthed1981

Bucket said:

Try one.

I've always liked the look of many Chapman models spec-wise and appearance-wise, then been very disappointed when I've played them.

I sure as heck wouldn't blind buy one!

Bucket

Good call.

LaCathedrale_UK

Bucket said:

Try one.

I've always liked the look of many Chapman models spec-wise and appearance-wise, then been very disappointed when I've played them.

Unfortunately this is my opinion too - I say unfortunately because I do think the guys are attempting to do the right thing, but it just flat-out misses the mark for me. I've found all chapmans to be very heavy, and super plain satin/unfinished style just feels half done.

darthed1981

WilliamAyerst said:

Bucket said:

Try one.

I've always liked the look of many Chapman models spec-wise and appearance-wise, then been very disappointed when I've played them.

Unfortunately this is my opinion too - I say unfortunately because I do think the guys are attempting to do the right thing, but it just flat-out misses the mark for me. I've found all chapmans to be very heavy, and super plain satin/unfinished style just feels half done.

One of the reasons I don't mind the Cap10 America is a lot more work seems to have been done on the finish, the original Cap 10 I think looks hideous.

LuttiS

I've always liked Chapman guitars.. Got a bit of a soft spot for ML3's, got some super-duper sounds and feels from them

I am intrigued by the Cap10 America though, would love to try one. Personally, i'd happily blind buy (live in North Wales, so no dealers up here) as I've had great experiences with others.

darthed1981

I like that new sorta Wine Red ML-3 you often see Chappers playing.

Sassafras

I think you can only play heavy, mushy high gain stuff on them. At least that's the impression I get from hearing Chappers play.

ennspek

I've seen them in Andertons and some of them looked really nice. I didn't try one though.

LaCathedrale_UK

darthed1981 said:

WilliamAyerst said:

Bucket said:

Try one.

I've always liked the look of many Chapman models spec-wise and appearance-wise, then been very disappointed when I've played them.

Unfortunately this is my opinion too - I say unfortunately because I do think the guys are attempting to do the right thing, but it just flat-out misses the mark for me. I've found all chapmans to be very heavy, and super plain satin/unfinished style just feels half done.

One of the reasons I don't mind the Cap10 America is a lot more work seems to have been done on the finish, the original Cap 10 I think looks hideous.

By 'more work' you mean a plain white poly coat? It's not exactly breathtaking. Having said that, at least they have some semi-decent pickups in them.

TimmyO

WilliamAyerst said:

darthed1981 said:

WilliamAyerst said:

Bucket said:

Try one.

I've always liked the look of many Chapman models spec-wise and appearance-wise, then been very disappointed when I've played them.

Unfortunately this is my opinion too - I say unfortunately because I do think the guys are attempting to do the right thing, but it just flat-out misses the mark for me. I've found all chapmans to be very heavy, and super plain satin/unfinished style just feels half done.

One of the reasons I don't mind the Cap10 America is a lot more work seems to have been done on the finish, the original Cap 10 I think looks hideous.

By 'more work' you mean a plain white poly coat? It's not exactly breathtaking. Having said that, at least they have some semi-decent pickups in them.

No the 'America' one has a burst finish

darthed1981

TimmyO said:

WilliamAyerst said:

darthed1981 said:

WilliamAyerst said:

Bucket said:

Try one.

I've always liked the look of many Chapman models spec-wise and appearance-wise, then been very disappointed when I've played them.

Unfortunately this is my opinion too - I say unfortunately because I do think the guys are attempting to do the right thing, but it just flat-out misses the mark for me. I've found all chapmans to be very heavy, and super plain satin/unfinished style just feels half done.

One of the reasons I don't mind the Cap10 America is a lot more work seems to have been done on the finish, the original Cap 10 I think looks hideous.

By 'more work' you mean a plain white poly coat? It's not exactly breathtaking. Having said that, at least they have some semi-decent pickups in them.

No the 'America' one has a burst finish

Yeah this - the original Cap10 is the white poly, the one I don't like.

Dis is the Cap10 America - https://www.andertons.co.uk/p/CAP10-AMERICA/solid-body-electric-guitars/chapman-cap-10-america-guitar-in-red-burst

The sharp division of opinion makes me want to try one more.  Need some time to get away!

Evildurka

Deffo try them out. I have never had a cap10 but had an ml-2, ml-3rc and ml-1bea. The ml-2 was the weakest before I put some bareknuckles in it but that was because the original pickups were not the best. The guitars are really well made from my experience and play great when setup to your liking.

The ml-2 and ml-3 were very heavy but not heavier than my les paul from 1995. I also found the satin finish models to have a bit more edge to their tone presumably as the finish allows the would to breathe where the hard lacquer doesn't. 

Also final point is this. Currently I don't own any chapman guitars but this is not a reflection on those guitars but more a reflection on my gas. I have owned 4 prs, 2 evh Wolfgangs, 1 peavey wolfgang, fenders,custom shop fenders etc the list goes on none of them were bad guitars but the temptation of something new is always there. I'm not saying the chapman's are in the same league as a cs start either just don't dismiss them because you may think chappers is a Pratt.

GoldenEraGuitars

Imho you'll get better value from a fender strat. 

I recently put a post up on the RCF (I won't be posting there anymore tbh) regarding some of the new prices too. £900+ for some models and £1250 for the Bea signature. Really? For a Korean guitar? I also read Bea reply to a guy on Facebook about the cost to which he replied that the guitar should be £1600 or so if there was a distribution company handling it. Ridiculous.

As much as I applaud them for getting a company off the ground in today's climate I also have to be harsh now that their pricing has risen significantly in their Pro series. They are head to head with a lot of American made strats and Gibson as well as my favourites; Ibanez Premium. Regardless of the spec you'll get a big branded guitar from a company that has a history of making great guitars. 

LaCathedrale_UK

By the way, there's a CAP10 original for £250 used on Andertons now if anyone wants to take a punt, that's £120 ontop of fhte humbucker pickups RRP (Jazz/JB) for a superstrat.

digitalscream

lonestar said:

Imho you'll get better value from a fender strat. 

I recently put a post up on the RCF (I won't be posting there anymore tbh) regarding some of the new prices too. £900+ for some models and £1250 for the Bea signature. Really? For a Korean guitar? I also read Bea reply to a guy on Facebook about the cost to which he replied that the guitar should be £1600 or so if there was a distribution company handling it. Ridiculous.

As much as I applaud them for getting a company off the ground in today's climate I also have to be harsh now that their pricing has risen significantly in their Pro series. They are head to head with a lot of American made strats and Gibson as well as my favourites; Ibanez Premium. Regardless of the spec you'll get a big branded guitar from a company that has a history of making great guitars. 

Yeesh. Just read that thread...it started off rather sensibly, then the fanboys got involved and it went a bit silly.

My problem with this kind of pricing for Korean factory-made guitars is exemplified by one of my guitars:




That's a custom-made Jaden Rose Modern T Lite, with SD '59s in both neck and bridge (since replaced with Lace Sensors, but that's beside the point). Exotic-ish woods (black limba body, pistachio fretboard), and hardware from Jaden's Series 2 guitars. He estimated that, if he was to make it as a production model, it'd come in around the £1200 mark. Oh, and I actually got to pick the bits of wood I wanted (I love that grain stripe along the fretboard).

So...the price point of the ML-3 BEA forces me to compare the two - sure, the BEA has a Floyd and stainless frets, but those are the only significant differences in spec. Which would I rather spend that money on? Well...there's no choice to be made, really.

darthed1981

lonestar said:

Imho you'll get better value from a fender strat. 

I recently put a post up on the RCF (I won't be posting there anymore tbh) regarding some of the new prices too. £900+ for some models and £1250 for the Bea signature. Really? For a Korean guitar? I also read Bea reply to a guy on Facebook about the cost to which he replied that the guitar should be £1600 or so if there was a distribution company handling it. Ridiculous.

As much as I applaud them for getting a company off the ground in today's climate I also have to be harsh now that their pricing has risen significantly in their Pro series. They are head to head with a lot of American made strats and Gibson as well as my favourites; Ibanez Premium. Regardless of the spec you'll get a big branded guitar from a company that has a history of making great guitars. 

It's hard to argue with that assessment, as I noted in another thread, they actually price higher than the equivalent Gibson models in some ranges, like their Flying V.

That said, I haven't played any Chapmans, I'm very curious as to what they are like.  I'd be interested to see what the typical reaction is when someone going in to try a Fender or Gibson tries a chapman as an alternative.

Musicman20

lonestar said:

Imho you'll get better value from a fender strat. 

I recently put a post up on the RCF (I won't be posting there anymore tbh) regarding some of the new prices too. £900+ for some models and £1250 for the Bea signature. Really? For a Korean guitar? I also read Bea reply to a guy on Facebook about the cost to which he replied that the guitar should be £1600 or so if there was a distribution company handling it. Ridiculous.

As much as I applaud them for getting a company off the ground in today's climate I also have to be harsh now that their pricing has risen significantly in their Pro series. They are head to head with a lot of American made strats and Gibson as well as my favourites; Ibanez Premium. Regardless of the spec you'll get a big branded guitar from a company that has a history of making great guitars. 

This!