Rabea Massaad drops Chapman Guitars

[Devin]

I always thought Chapman guitars were mostly pretty fugly anyway

 

[Whizzinby]

Well Guitarmory and Cerberus are the same company and as far as I know, most of their pickups AND guitars are actually “made” by someone else…

Wasn’t that the critique against the Chapman “British Standard” line, that they basically outsourced those to other local builders and claimed they were being produced in-house?

 

[pipelineaudio]

Almost all of the guitar brands we talk about here were (at least the better ones) made at World Musical Instruments in Korea, who are absolute fanatics about building awesome instruments. Now a lot are being done under the same management in Indonesia. Its more about how the brander decides to spec the guitars and how much markup they want to add.

 

[JerEvil]

Wasn’t that the critique against the Chapman “British Standard” line, that they basically outsourced those to other local builders and claimed they were being produced in-house?

Oh. Not sure but sounds right. The Cerberus stuff SHOULD be in a better place on the import side of it’s the same folks building them that I knew of.

But all non-custom Guitarmory pickups and Import Cerberus builds are not made by them. Which is fine. I mean ESP doesn’t make LTD and Schecter doesn’t make Schecter, as it were.

 

[Jarick]

Almost all of the guitar brands we talk about here were (at least the better ones) made at World Musical Instruments in Korea, who are absolute fanatics about building awesome instruments. Now a lot are being done under the same management in Indonesia. Its more about how the brander decides to spec the guitars and how much markup they want to add.

Aside from my income bracket sliding up, a lot of my lack of interest in import guitars is that they are much more of an unknown than they used to be. Maybe a decade ago, if a guitar was made in Korea (typically WMI), you could be pretty confident it was good quality and a great value. Now, almost everything is made in China or Indonesia, and seems to be way more hit or miss.

 

[JerEvil]

Aside from my income bracket sliding up, a lot of my lack of interest in import guitars is that they are much more of an unknown than they used to be. Maybe a decade ago, if a guitar was made in Korea (typically WMI), you could be pretty confident it was good quality and a great value. Now, almost everything is made in China or Indonesia, and seems to be way more hit or miss.

Yep. This is why I’m out on imports unless specifically from Japan ala Jackson’s revised series or Ibanez.

I actually just started making my own first build as I’m done with the mass produced thing for a bit.

 

[pipelineaudio]

Aside from my income bracket sliding up, a lot of my lack of interest in import guitars is that they are much more of an unknown than they used to be. Maybe a decade ago, if a guitar was made in Korea (typically WMI), you could be pretty confident it was good quality and a great value. Now, almost everything is made in China or Indonesia, and seems to be way more hit or miss.

I got one of the last LTDs made at world korea as they were transitioning to Indonesia, a 2020 model I believe and it is an absolutely fantastic instrument, and I don't see how it could be any better for any money in the world, except if it came pre scalloped

 

[Lysander]

I actually just started making my own first build as I’m done with the mass produced thing for a bit.

Eh, i find that like most things in life, it depends.

For example, PRS SE's are mostly built in South Korea by WMI and those instruments are of incredible quality. I don't think PRS would stamp their name on them otherwise.

My main guitar these days is a PRS Paul's Guitar SE and i love the thing. Plays like something many times what i paid for.

 

[Jarick]

Yep. This is why I’m out on imports unless specifically from Japan ala Jackson’s revised series or Ibanez.

I actually just started making my own first build as I’m done with the mass produced thing for a bit.

I really should finally put together the Warmoth build I've been wanting to do for about 25 years. I started assembling tools to do fret work. I think that's the kicker for me, I want to be able to make my guitars play amazing.

 

[Bruce]

Dude. The original POD line, faults and all, was featured in thousands of albums and live rigs.

It was quite a revolutionary product when it launched.

Yea I was there for that. The bean was the shit when I came out.

 

[Bruce]

Eh, i find that like most things in life, it depends.

For example, PRS SE's are mostly built in South Korea by WMI and those instruments are of incredible quality. I don't think PRS would stamp their name on them otherwise.

My main guitar these days is a PRS Paul's Guitar SE and i love the thing. Plays like something many times what i paid for.

D’Angelico current higher end stuff also coming out of Korea. Great guitars as well. I have the EX-SS and love it.

 

[Jarick]

D’Angelico current higher end stuff also coming out of Korea. Great guitars as well. I have the EX-SS and love it.

I tried one when I was GAS-ing for a hollow body and it was not great. One of the $1300 models. Maybe just bad luck but was not impressed, although it looked great on paper.

 

[JerEvil]

I really should finally put together the Warmoth build I've been wanting to do for about 25 years. I started assembling tools to do fret work. I think that's the kicker for me, I want to be able to make my guitars play amazing.

That’s why I started. All in my build is about $950. The experience I’ve gotten so far though is invaluable. Being able to have someone side-by-side while doing it, making sure I don’t fuck it up has been awesome.

Like he’ll explain how and why, but isn’t doing it for me. He usually just says, “ here’s why you need to do X,Y,Z. Now. Don’t fuck it up!”

 

[Los-D]

You mean the guy who once put up a about how the QC is a piece of s**t, only to turn around and announce he bought one and will start selling captures a month ago?

View attachment 3428

I occasionally watch for the unintended fun factor

Was dubbed Wrestlemania at The Other Place.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I tried one when I was GAS-ing for a hollow body and it was not great. One of the $1300 models. Maybe just bad luck but was not impressed, although it looked great on paper.

I played a house party on NYE and towards the end of our second set I broke a string on my strat. My bass player had his MIK d'angelico there and I quickly switched to that. It was simply awful the action was higher than snoop dog too so that certainly didnt help either

 

[pipelineaudio]

Action is just setup, many of the WMI stuff has excellent double action truss rods. What else was wrong with it? Its not like making stone age 1950's guitars is some major secret or anything.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Yeah I know the setup is different. Dodgy fretwork, and crazy sharp ends, and something was seriously wrong with the electronics/pickups. I bet with a good setup and replacing some electronics/hardware it would be serviceable but I was happy to put it down. He's not really a guitar player, but I know he takes care of his instruments.

It certainly is a pretty guitar, but I couldn't put that thing down fast enough

 

[pipelineaudio]

That's scary! I've never seen a guitar from World like that, but I suppose if you pay the bottom dollar before sticking your name on it, they may have a crap line, though I would bet it was a different shop

 

[Bruce]

Yeah I know the setup is different. Dodgy fretwork, and crazy sharp ends, and something was seriously wrong with the electronics/pickups. I bet with a good setup and replacing some electronics/hardware it would be serviceable but I was happy to put it down. He's not really a guitar player, but I know he takes care of his instruments.

It certainly is a pretty guitar, but I couldn't put that thing down fast enough

I found the pickups on the D’Angelico oddly suited for rock. Gigged with it and it exceeded expectations. Really just wanted to play it for one song and a picture and ended up finishing the set with it.

 

[paisleywookiee]

For example, PRS SE's are mostly built in South Korea by WMI and those instruments are of incredible quality. I don't think PRS would stamp their name on them otherwise.

Nothing from PRS is made at WMI. All Cortek in either Indonesia or China.