Concerning Rabea leaving Chapman, I think it simply because he wants to be free to choose his gear and develop other affiliations as he feels it. He seem a really honest guy (and obviously an amazing player) and just want to move forward on his own path. There is nothing wrong nor dramatic with that.
ever since the drama rob chapman created with some youtube beefs, the chapman brand seemed like it got stale, and Bea/Scallon just outgrew chapman... especially bea, he's probably more well known than the chapman brand at this point.
One of the reasons EVH left Musicman was due to Musicman not being able to keep up with demand. I remember EVH stating that he called several Musicman dealers to ask about his guitar possing as a interested fan. The dealer would tell him they were 6 months out from getting more or something to those lines.
Very little demand for Chapman guitars, even the Bea models. Bea left because he wants his name on a decent quality guitar rather than the shoddy stuff Chapman puts out.
One thing I’ve noticed about not just Rabea Massad, but nearly all players, our interests vary minute to second. Over the years, Massad has used more single coil, bluesy guitars, strats and the like. This has shown an evolution in not only his playing, but his needs for a guitar. It might be simply a case of wanting something that doesn’t jibe with the chapman brand.
I think a brand like Chapman would be well served by a partnership with a company like Lace Musical. Lace Sensors and Alumitones are a natural choice for Chapman, especially if you're looking for the most flexible choices in a guitar. I have no idea what the costs would look like to add Lace pickups as a factory option, but I know Fender was really happy with them until they figured out they could make their own noiseless pickups in China for less.
Hey Phil, thanks for your dedication over the years. I receive my first tube amp tomorrow. I’m kind of excited because I’ve been playing for 18 years and have never owned one
Great episode Phil, I purchased a Chapman Ghost Zero from defunct guitar store Riff City, between Chapman's QC and also Riff City, guitar arrived riddled with finish flaws, binding discoloration, scratches, and clear coat imperfections, sent it back and tried a different model of Chapman and same result. Last ditch effort with Chapman guitars. Have played several throughout the years and just never felt quality justified price. Played Squiers with better QC. Perhaps Rabea found better quality and royalty deals in a better brand that he enjoys playing more.
@Ralph Reilly he said nothing, just he wanted to move on. It is super clear Rob's name has been extremely toxic since the KDH thing and he s just going down without breaks. It will soon be over for Chapman guitars coz of Rob's toxicity
@@mehegama before I say what I'm gonna say, let me make one thing clear, im not a chapman fan, want to one of his gigs about 2012, he stayed afterwards for drinks and was a grade A cunt, with that said, what you're saying makes no sense, if rabea had any hard feelings towards Rob he wouldn't still be doing bids with Anderson's, he also wouldn't be with victory, like pointed out in this vid.
He seemed quite upset about it. Whatever his faults, Rob Chapman gave Rabea his big break and Rabea is pretty open about that. He's still working with Andertons and Lee is a director of Chapman guitars. They still seemed on good terms. It's probably just a case that he has an opportunity to grow his career and being tied to a brand isn't working for him right now.
This has been a great year for KYG episodes! Thanks for your time and talent. You are appreciated! Thanks Phil and family, and KYG gang! Happy New Year!!
I am another vote for Yamaha acoustics. In fact most Yamaha gear offers great bang for the buck and their acoustics are no exception. Even better deal if you can find them barely used.
Regarding Chapman guitars, I can only speak from my own experience: the ML3 Pro Traditional and the CAP10 super strat i have, are among the best guitars in my collection. Playability, design esthetics and factory specs are spot on.
I have a ml3 modern standard and it’s 2x better than most of the £1k+ instruments I have owned and played. Regardless of opinions I will alway keep my eye out for my next Chapman acquisition.
The Chapman stuff are no different from any "pro series" guitar from the Harley Benton catalogue. It wouldn't surprise me if they're both made in the same factory.
People forget that Dorje, the band that Rabea was in with Rob, was basically just Toska with Rob Chapman in it. Toska was a far more successful prog band than Dorje ever was and most of the creative output of that band wasn't from Rob. Rob did give Rabea a signature guitar despite being relatively unknown, but the whole thing screamed of a callous business move. Rob knew he couldn't get big names, so he just got talented names that he then amplified through his existing social media activity so he could sell more guitars. I'm fairly convinced at this point that Dorje was just a marketing ploy. If you look on the Chapman site, Rabea is currently the only listed signature player - the rest are just people that have used Chapman at somepoint. Personally I feel like the whole situation started to feel very one-sided, Chapman guitars are fine but they're not great. Rabea playing Chapman was probably more beneficial for the brand than it was for Rabea. Same goes for Rob Scallon.
I can only agree, Chapman guitars started as a brand that Rob asked his RU-vid channel members to design, even he stated that there were options that he would not have chosen. I have had the thankless job of rebuilding far too many of them, the first batches were realy bad. Rob Chapman and his guitars are just not desirable these days, they can be bought at way below list price even from Andertons.
I like/liked Dorje, I love Rebea's playing and I really like Robs voice. I have all of the actual physical CDs! The instrumental Toska stuff doesn't really do it for me, I like rock songs with lyrics and singing like a normie, lol.
@@judosailor610theres been several controversies, and the brand is just really sketchy in general. I personally think their guitars suck, but i guess there is people who like them. Also rob chapman himself is really fucking weird and very very probably a pedo
I can vouch for hearing loss and female voices. I attended too many concerts in the 70s and 80s that has damaged my hearing. The worst affect is trying to hear their voices over the phone. You can hear the sound, just not with enough clarity to understand what is said. It's not exactly like hearing adult voices in a Charlie Brown show, but kinda.
@@josuastangl7140 not sure how they can justify that guitar being more expensive than Keith Merrow's 7 string signature guitars, those Schecters are just masterpieces, I highly doubt any chapping guitar comes close at any price.
@@JohnWiku I agree, the Schecter KMs are one of the best bang for buck guitars out there and I'd take one of those over any Chapman. Just if I had to pick a Chapman, the BEAs have always been their best guitars.
In Rabea's case, and this is a guess, I think it might simply be that his friends own the company so to him it feels a bit half assed, and he wants a legit deal with one of the big brands. think it probably that and likely that one of the big brands has been tapping him up. I would not be surprised if it an internal thing or Rabea where for himself he wants to get a deal with one of the big makes because that init self is an acheivement, and although Champan are cool its his friends brand so it maybe feels a little token. Thats my guess
I think you hit it on the head with Chapman not being able to keep up with production of the Rabea signature models. They are almost constantly in back order for those models. I actually have a ML3 Pro Bea Baritone, and it took me almost a year of checking on a weekly basis for stock to get one ordered. And even once there was stock, the vendor (Anderton's) sold out of the 15 units within 48 hours...and back to backorder the models went for months.
hey man, they dont make the baritone in a cheaper version right? also, you notice rabbea using strandberg on shred vid? Also notice his recent collab with PLINI? :)
There’s almost no demand for any Chapman guitars including the Rabea models. Rabea left because he wants his name on a proper guitar’s headstock and it will soon happen.
About men's hi-freq hearing loss as we age....at 67 years, I got on my Harley and thought I had a blown head gasket. The sound was lower mid-range chirping with almost no higher freq. After freaking out, I went to the best ear, nose and throat doctor I could find. He said that it was a viral infection and prescribed anti-viral medication. On the next visit, he said my hearing had improved from 80% loss to about 80% plus. Phil McKnight is correct about male hearing loss. But, in some cases (guitarists), Doctors and drugs......
I think the backorder theory here is correct - the Bea models are constantly unavailable and they produce in batches that sell out and then its wait wait wait
Watching this from 2 miles from where Rob comes from in Wiltshire. In fact I dropped my son at St Augustine's yards from John of Gaunt where Rob went to school. Rob is polarising but to go from being a guitar teacher part time in Southwick less than 20 years ago to be talked about by all of you guys. That's an achievement. Trowbridge massive
I don’t think Bea left Chapman for monetary reasons, I don’t get the impression that that was the nature of their relationship. He’s really branched out and plays different guitars all the time. I really think Chapman is not doing well and he’s distancing himself preparing for a time when there isn’t a Chapman to be endorsed by. It really even seems as Lee Anderton has distanced himself from rob personally even though he’s a partner in Chapman. I really don’t think Chapman is going to be around much longer.
The smart thing for Lee Anderton to do is stop bank rolling the C brand now and fire sale what's left. Then start a guitar company that sells only under a 1000 pounds guits and basses. A new name is absolutely needed yesterday.
Well- I just got the Black CV Strat I was telling you guys about buying- and just got done repackaging it to send it back. 9th fret, bottom E string- completely dead- I don't mean a little buzzy or sort of flat- I mean like completely dead. How does that even happen- how can all the other strings be fine in the 9th fret but the bottom E- completely muted out and dead? I tried raising the action of the bottom E- raised it up level with all the other strings- still dead as a door nail in the 9th fret. So, I repackaged it and printed out the return label- I paid too much for it to start having it repaired out of box. Probably going to take a new fret being installed and then all of them leveled. Man, this sucks- not only the guitar- I also bought a JHS moonshine and when I went to return this I saw where they cancelled my order and refunded my money. Merry fuckin xmas everyone.
Happy new year, thanks for all the content. Kind of sad regarding the whole Chapman thing, if you're looking for a small brand that does it right, I suggest Reverend guitars. Joe Naylor is still designing things, and Ken Haas is running the place correctly.
All the very best to you and yours in 23 and thanks for all your graft and sharing in 22. Hope you enjoy a wee dram at the bells bud. 👍👍👍🥃Respect to you mate.
Thanks Phil and KYG team for a great year of entertaining and educational podcasts. I've had tons of fun watching, having a few drinks at late night on Fridays. Here's to a better 2023 with even better guitars and music!
Talking about make it your own..I took a flat top prs se Santana and made it into an arch top with a Dremel..mistake maybe..but I have had dozens of guitars and I always turn back to it ..22 years old and still awesome
Wanted to comment on the 'womens voices' thing. I've been partially deaf since birth and made it a lot worse as a teen with loud headphones and metal. But this is absolutely true, and hearing isn't just about the vibrations but also attention and background noise. I can't hear anything in a car unless it's cranked. Hearing aids are tiresome and make the world real loud (and I have some of the best on the market). So like people who use a wheelchair because walking long distances is painful and exhausting, but *can* stand up and move around if needed, disabled people get dunked on and disbelieved all the time. If someone tells you about their disability, please believe them.
He may just want to go to a new company. Chapman guitars are actually great guitars for the price. But, no matter what I hope Rabea and Rob the best of lives. Both have had great content for years.
brother I keep staring At the Dumble Amp above your Heaaad.. How much Was That.. people change and want to pursue other things.. but How did you Get your Hands On. Dumble.... that's what I want to know
15:26 I respect your view on a signature guitar, but I would love to see one out there for people to buy. You still have valid input on what goes into a good guitar so I’m not sure what the holdback is. I appreciate your humility, but I would certainly look into owning a Philip McKnight signature guitar, I think it would be great for you.
I do think that his ML3 signature T-type with the paduk neck is awesome. I was lucky to play one when he and Rob toured the US that Riff City sponsored and it felt really good. And I’m a big fan of paduk as a neck wood. But at that time, asking for slight over $1100.00 for an over-seas guitar struck me off….. and then the next generation ML3-Bea T-types we’re even MORE $$…. I can’t see how they were selling of any significant qtys…… That’s a tough sell.
Ive had 2 chapman guitars and both had SO many issues and they where a pain in the ass to work with. I ended up with a ghost and returned it for a rob scallion 6 string and that had more issues then the ghost did. I sold it on marketplace and picked up a diamond series schecter and ive never looked back. Ive been thinking about a solar recently but after dealing with Chapman im very hesitant to try a "no name" brand. Ive been looking at a cheap firefly lp copy recently.
One can probably be ruled out.... In a vlog a fair while ago Chapman mentioned none of his signature/endorsees are contractually exclusive to their models. He actively encourages them to play other brands because he also wants to play other brands. So it's unlikely to be that, though it's also conceivable that if Rabea had wanderlust, his own integrity could've lelt him uncomfortable having a sig model with his friends company but playing it less and less. It's also odd that Chris Robertson / Black Stone Cherry signed with Chapman last week and nobody bats an eyelid. Rabea leaves this week and Chapman are apparently at deaths door.
@@PaulCooksStuff In fairness, Black Stone Cherry did one song that people know, and most people don't seem to know that it was them. I've learned this at work recently; almost nobody knows the name of one hit wonder bands.
@@PaulCooksStuff There's a lot of Rob Chapman haters out there. I'm not one of them, but some people have all kinds of gripes. Rob is one of the reasons I started my own channel, because I loved the videos he did with Lee. I still follow Rob.
I love that youre conscience about using equipment in yout vids thats not outlandishly expensive for most of us and that youre up front about that. Ive seen too many demos of gear that are played through amps worth more than my entire rig and theyre usually not up front about that.
Some very interesting insights into the business of signature / artist products, Phil! Could be any one or a combination of factors you outlined. Happy NY & thank you Cheers
I got a kingpin (1) and love it. I got a deal, very playable and I cant play loud. I use it both acoustically and electric. But it covers lots of range (pickup seems a little hot and of course is sort of am acoustic-electric. It can be hard to settle on a voice for it. I think piezo might work in it, but that spec’ is 6x money.
@@keithb5612 I'm sure he has gotten quite a few knocks on his door by various companies, and by making that video, he's probably getting a bunch more. I still think it would be the wisest (and most fulfilling) to make his own BEA brand though. BEA Guitars?
@@HansAaraas As far as I know, starting a guitar company is not just not a guarantee for making big bucks or even to have a stable income, it also demands a whole lot of time and commitment. Rabea just seems more like the passionate musician, that rather spends his time playing then doing office work, to me for him to want to start his own brand.
I’ve been in the music industry for 40 years. There is no money in music unless you can write a hit song or album. Once you can digest that just play for your love and enjoyment and have another career for income.
I have a 2000 Seagull Artist Series acoustic guitar. I always tell people it's the closest thing to a high-end Martin that I can afford. It really does have a great sound.
Hi i have heard what Rob Chapman said about coming over to the uk to a guitar show . a number of interesting things .he will be demo-ing not an employee (no staff ?) and he did not have any standard guitars at the the show this time (factory closed ? limited stock ?) . i dont know but i have found him ,while being a solid player ,to talk the talk a bit . i might be wrong :)
It's their particular style of English accent I believe. I've definitely noticed Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond do it too, sometimes inserting an R sound if they say a word ending in an A sound. For us who don't have that accent, the best way is to inunciate his name, as spelled.
Chapman is getting a new artist, Chris Robertson of Black Stone Cherry. He's a damn good player and tours frequently! Remember, artists look for the best deal for themselves. I remember Rob Scallon was playing anything and everything sent to him before he made his Chapman deal and it's not like he's dominating the music scene. Sometimes, it's just as much a Company leaving the artist as it is the artist leaving a company!
Hi Phil, on acoustics I say: Takamine Takamine Takamine ☝🏻👀🎈😜🤣. Natural Series ESN10c good enough for a certain Austin, Texas plucker… Monte Montgomery (another Patrick) Nordland ODR-C I ❤️ both because that’s the way I am 😜 And core to my tonal paradise is the Wampler Ego compressor, an 1176 in a box with 5x knobs on 👀🤣 Feel, feel, feel 🤫 Happy New Year with ❤️❤️❤️ to you and yours
i am one of those weird people who has both a silver sky (se) and a cutlass. i love the whole thing about the silver sky, i actually found a little different in the se neck which i liked better so i went with that and saved money. but i absolutely love the cutlass neck, im a big fan of V necks and after selling a clapton strat i wanted another V neck and stumbled across the cutlass. if i had to pick only one it would be hard because i like the silver sky for the body and everything but the cutlass neck is better in my hand
I played a silver sky before the se came out and didn't like it at all. I've played 3 se models and loved them all and am seriously considering selling my 62' strat reissue in favor of an se silver sky. They're that damn good.
@@BkBk-gy6vr the neck shapes on the cutlass and silver sky couldnt be more different, one is a somewhat "normal" S type and the other is a narrower nut which some people hate, a soft V that runs half way down to about the 10th fret. a lot of people who play music man guitars dont like fender style necks and vice versa
Luke Appleton, formerly of Iced Earth and currently lead guitarist for both Absolva and Blaze Bayley, plays a Chapman Ghost Fret. Saw him in September and he/it sounds great.
I was going to ask if you still liked the Vntage Tone Prometheus since I use mine all the time and wanted to see how it held up over time for you. Thank you for answering the question unspoken. I find new wonderful sounds from it all the time and it stacks well with other overdrive/gain pedals...all the dirt pedals. It along with my KYG Zither guitar stand are two of my favorite splurge buys.
Hey Phil, Would you please do a deep dive on a Sire S3 (new budget line)? Can't get info from Sire and the Sweetwater reps don't know. I wanted to know if the pickups were cheap ceramic pickups. Hate that they put out another line before the first rollout actually happens
I bought an AZ Preztige not long back. Took it for setup and 6 of the frets were high and he gad to shim the neck pocket. So even premium guitars need a bit of 3rd party TLC. Chapman guitars are affordable guitars. I’d expect to have a tech work his magic on one.
Thinking out loud the fact that Rebea got a deal very early in his carrer may have been a way for Chapman guitar to pay him. As time goes by, they sell less of his models and revenues decreases and he's looking for a better deal. Recently he worked with Neural DSP for a plug-in and that gave him further exposure and growth opportunity. Love you channel. Best for 2023
I love my katana head.But when tried to take it further, and hit the wall on electric but for practice it fits in stereo cabinet and for practice mostly because wife approves .But its also pretty loud so did a worship set in stereo acoustic -that was great and this was outside, hay, dogs, barns so that it was cheap and simple helped. Got an H9, but on a pedalboard on the ground-no go. Cheap is good and good-enough can be perfect. BTW you don’t need 2 katanas to go stereo, used a Jensen equiped cab and an FRFR. Of course, I really wished global EQ could be individually saved to the 8 presets. They seem to put limits on it. Had to just get past that consoled I spent 230 months used.
Regarding Martin v Gibson discussion on the budget side- Agree and disagree. I agree on the C.F. Martin "High pressure laminate" these are essentially the value shoppers alternative to carbon fiber for a well built instrument that's great for outdoor.. Those "X" series as they were called (I think they still are) are great for that use... Gibson's G series that starts around $1200 and goes to about $2000 are really not great, however what Gibson has done is to do something you predicted Phil, they are elevating the Epiphone brand...So they have an all-solid wood Epiphone Hummingbird, J-200 and J-45 that are pretty faithful in spec to the USA Gibson acoustics bearing the same names. Epiphone calls these the "Inspired by Gibson" series and they are suppose to co-exist with Epiphone Masterbuilt (also all-solid wood acoustics) for stage worthy, mid-range guitars, priced right around $1000. Built in Indonesia, but they are fantastic guitars. They even PLEK these at the factory. I'd take one over any C.F. Martin guitar coming out of Mexico... The other big player is Taylor, and if you like the Taylor sound, what they build in Mexico is identical in build quality to their USA product.
I personally think Rabea might be interested in partnering with Mayones. They seem to have worked very closely over the last 4 or so years and the guitars seem to suit him very well
I’m gonna call out Phil here for being old man in the 21st century. Not using an amp because you don’t want to update the app is like not playing a guitar because you don’t want to change the old strings
"I don't want to have to update stuff." God yes. This times 1000. I got a (the small) spark and didn't want to deal with that. Thought it might be a tiny pedal platform. Sounded awful, and didn't want to fidget with an app that has to get updated. Your story about lost presets makes me not regret sending it back. I don't want to rely on software when I'm going to play. Just knobs that work, on the piece of kit itself.
I'm sure there's some examples I'm not aware of, but I'm surprised there's not a deal where the artists don't just use the standard stock models as they come out. Like a standard strat or lp. It seems like smaller artists more under these deals rather than having a sig with royalties.
