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Chapman MLB-1

AshInAmsterdam

AshInAmsterdam

Guest
Dec 8, 2015
1,196
1,038
Amsterdam
#1
I was very keen to try a Chapman guitar before I left the UK a year ago, and still haven't had the opportunity, but I was especially keen to purchase (almost contemplated ordering one without trying it) the Ghost Fret, which is quite a beautiful thing to behold. I procrastinated over blue or black (surely you'll understand why when you see them) for long enough that the GAS passed and I subsequently became a bassist primarily...

Which leads to the point of this post - Chapman have released their first bass. I like it. Collaboratively designed by 100 bassists, though in a controlled manner that they explain in the video, it sure looks pretty. I'd like to see it in different colours than natural, cos that's not really my thing, but I'm still leaning towards finding one!

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#3
Watched the video last night. It sounds fantastic, but then Dave could make a 2x4 with a nail through it sound good. I live quite close to Andertons (their main stockist?) I might head down there and give it a go.
 
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#4
I'd be interested in trying one out. We've got a dealer here local in Denver I might have to go visit.

The 8" fretboard radius is pretty interesting. I actually prefer it round like that, anywhere between 7.25" and 9.5". I dig that they made enough room for a preamp with controls.

Stainless steel frets? 5-piece Neck through? Wenge/Bubinga? Pretty awesome. I kinda like the controls too--blend or dual volumes.

That bass player seems good but I hate it when reviewers go nuts on the slapping. I play a fair amount of slap myself but I want to hear what the bass sounds like more in other playing styles. Slap doesn't work for the majority of music I'd say, even if it's fun and can sound awesome in some genres.
 
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#9
Antisyzygy said:
That bass player seems good but I hate it when reviewers go nuts on the slapping. I play a fair amount of slap myself but I want to hear what the bass sounds like more in other playing styles. Slap doesn't work for the majority of music I'd say, even if it's fun and can sound awesome in some genres.
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drives me batty...also the talk to playing ratio is way out of whack - PLAY IT - fingers, pick and slap...
 
#12
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I'm in love.
 
#13
Daniel Piper said:
View attachment 2910209 View attachment 2910210 View attachment 2910211

I'm in love.
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Yeah the fanned fret is sexy. Ive been digging into the world of fan fretted basses. Have a dingwall on the way and I figured if I like it a lot I might pick up another more affordable fanned fret. Problem I see with the Chapman is the price. If it were a couple hundred cheaper I'm sure they'd be pretty big sellers but they are up in a price range where they actually have a lot of competition. More and more companies are making fanned fret basses now. Used to be only novax and dingwall. Now there's Ibanez, esp, keisel, and newer companies like acacia guitars are making fanned fret basses new in America for less than a lot of these companies imports.
 
#14
Gorn said:
The bass sounds good.

The two guys are really annoying.
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I find "Chappers" to be the more annoying of the two. He reminds me of one of those self pitying charisma-nerds that always tries to hug all the girls in a given group of people for a bit too long. :rolleyes: An absolute legend down at the local Games Workshop branch. Awkward, thinks he's gregarious enough and generally doesn't know when to pipe down. I've played music with that sort of guy and their guitar skills tend to match their personality; domineering, gibbering and a bit one-dimensional if technically proficient.

Chappers and the dreadlock'd dude do a good line in... errr... contemporary accessible metal with a blues edge? Black Stone Cherry without the groove but with a bit more skill? Who knows.

And like all good Youtube celebrities, I'm always left thinking "Yes.... and?". Beyond his Youtube content he's in a weird pop-djent band bringing CrUsHiNg ToAnZ to the masses. Yet their output doesn't really compare to the many thousands of hours of him and the Andertons dude dicking around with guitars and practicing their 3rd-rate comedy routine. :sleep:
 
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#16
Nephilymbass said:
Yeah the fanned fret is sexy. Ive been digging into the world of fan fretted basses. Have a dingwall on the way and I figured if I like it a lot I might pick up another more affordable fanned fret. Problem I see with the Chapman is the price. If it were a couple hundred cheaper I'm sure they'd be pretty big sellers but they are up in a price range where they actually have a lot of competition. More and more companies are making fanned fret basses now. Used to be only novax and dingwall. Now there's Ibanez, esp, keisel, and newer companies like acacia guitars are making fanned fret basses new in America for less than a lot of these companies imports.
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True.

I guess this is differentiated by its neck through design, interesting woods and high grade top wood- all difficult to find on the basses competing in the 'combustion' area of the market.

I would love to spec a kiesel vanquish with fanned frets, or grab one of the 2018 Ibanez models (then upgrade the pickups)
 
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#17
Anymore info on these Chapman basses?
I've never heard of them before, but I picked one up today in GC and loved it. It's the first time I've felt "at home" on a 5-string. Super comfortable neck, lightweight with a fairly small body, sounded pretty good at low volume (didn't wanna crank it in GC). Seems like a pretty well-made instrument. I just don't know much about em.
 

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