Chapman ML1 Baritone Review – Introduction
As a dedicated guitarist with a passion for unique and diverse instruments, I recently had the chance to spend some time with the Chapman ML1 Baritone electric guitar. Known for its extended scale length and powerful tonal capabilities, the ML1 Baritone promises to deliver both depth and clarity for a variety of musical styles. In this review, I will share my personal experience with the ML1 Baritone, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses.
First Impressions
Upon unboxing the Chapman ML1 Baritone, I was immediately impressed by its bold and distinctive appearance. The guitar I tested featured a beautiful Black Blood finish, which showcases the natural grain of the mahogany body and maple top. The combination of the dark, rich color and the natural wood grain gives the guitar a sophisticated and modern look.
The ML1 Baritone’s double-cutaway body shape is both ergonomic and visually appealing. The carved top and contoured body provide a comfortable playing experience, while the reverse headstock adds a touch of uniqueness to the overall design. The first impression was highly positive, with the ML1 Baritone exuding quality and attention to detail.
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Playability
When it comes to playability, the Chapman ML1 Baritone stands out. The guitar features a set-thru neck construction with a three-piece maple neck and an ebony fingerboard. The neck profile is a Thin C shape, which I found incredibly comfortable for both rhythm and lead playing. The extended 28” scale length is designed to handle lower tunings with ease, providing tight and responsive string tension.
The ebony fingerboard is smooth and fast, with 24 jumbo frets that are well-finished and free of sharp edges. The extended scale length and jumbo frets make it easier to achieve clear, articulate notes even with the heavier gauge strings typically used on baritone guitars. The action was set up perfectly out of the box, allowing for effortless playability across the entire neck.
Sound Quality
The Chapman ML1 Baritone is equipped with a pair of Chapman’s own Sonorous Zero pickups, which are designed to deliver a wide range of tones from clean to high-gain settings. These pickups are specifically voiced to handle the lower frequencies of the baritone guitar, maintaining clarity and definition.
Clean Tones
In clean settings, the Sonorous Zero pickups produce a rich and full-bodied tone. The neck pickup offers warm, smooth clean tones that are perfect for jazz and blues. It has a rounded character that adds depth to clean chord progressions and fingerpicking. The bridge pickup provides a brighter, more articulate clean sound, ideal for funk and pop styles.
The ML1 Baritone’s clean tones are impressive, offering a balanced and articulate sound that works well across a variety of genres. The extended scale length adds a richness and depth to the clean tones that is particularly appealing.
Distorted Tones
Where the ML1 Baritone truly excels is in its distorted tones. The Sonorous Zero pickups handle high-gain settings with ease, delivering powerful, aggressive tones that are perfect for rock and metal. The bridge pickup provides a tight, punchy distortion with excellent note definition, even at high gain levels. It excels at palm-muted chugs and fast riffs, providing the clarity and aggression needed for heavy music.
The neck pickup offers a smooth, creamy distortion that is perfect for soloing. It has a rich, full-bodied tone that cuts through the mix beautifully, making it ideal for lead playing. The combination of these pickups provides a versatile tonal palette that can cover a wide range of heavy music styles.
Hardware and Features
The hardware on the Chapman ML1 Baritone is high-quality and reliable. The guitar features Chapman’s own hardtail bridge, which provides excellent tuning stability and sustain. The string-through-body design enhances the guitar’s resonance and sustain, making it perfect for heavy riffing and extended playing sessions.
The tuners are Chapman’s locking tuners, which offer excellent tuning stability and make string changes quick and easy. The locking tuners are a significant upgrade, providing reliable tuning stability even with aggressive playing and lower tunings.
One of the standout features of the ML1 Baritone is its scale length. At 28 inches, it provides the perfect balance for a baritone guitar, allowing for tight, defined low-end tones without sacrificing playability. The longer scale length helps maintain string tension, which is crucial for achieving clear, articulate tones on the lower strings.
Build Quality and Durability
The build quality of the Chapman ML1 Baritone is exceptional. The set-thru neck construction not only enhances the guitar’s sustain and resonance but also contributes to its overall durability. The finish is flawless, with no visible imperfections, and the hardware feels solid and reliable.
The mahogany body and maple top are beautifully crafted, with the finish showcasing the natural wood grain. The ebony fingerboard is smooth and durable, providing a responsive playing surface that holds up well to regular use. The overall construction is robust, making this guitar a reliable choice for both studio and stage use.
The combination of high-quality materials and meticulous craftsmanship ensures that the ML1 Baritone will withstand the rigors of regular use. It’s clear that Chapman has put a lot of thought and care into the construction of this guitar.
Ergonomics and Comfort
The Chapman ML1 Baritone is designed with player comfort in mind. The body contours fit comfortably against the body, and the guitar’s weight is well-distributed. Despite the extended scale length, the guitar is surprisingly comfortable to play, with the slim neck profile and contoured body making it easy to navigate the fretboard.
The deep cutaways provide excellent access to the upper frets, which is essential for lead playing. The set-thru neck construction ensures that the neck joint is smooth and unobtrusive, further enhancing playability. The guitar balances well when sitting or standing, making it suitable for a variety of playing styles.
Versatility
The Chapman ML1 Baritone is a highly versatile guitar, capable of covering a wide range of musical genres. While it’s designed with rock and metal in mind, its clean tones and extended range make it suitable for other styles as well. The ability to achieve both tight, aggressive tones and rich, resonant clean sounds makes this guitar a valuable addition to any guitarist’s collection.
The baritone configuration adds an extra layer of versatility, allowing for both deep, powerful low-end tones and clear, articulate highs. Whether you’re playing heavy riffs, intricate solos, or clean arpeggios, the ML1 Baritone can handle it all with ease.
Value for Money
Considering its high-end features and exceptional build quality, the Chapman ML1 Baritone offers excellent value for money. It’s priced competitively compared to other baritone guitars in its class, and it delivers performance and versatility that rival more expensive instruments.
For both intermediate and professional players, the ML1 Baritone represents a solid investment. It’s a guitar that can handle the demands of live performance and studio recording, making it a versatile and reliable addition to any guitarist’s arsenal.
Areas for Improvement
While the Chapman ML1 Baritone is an outstanding guitar, there are a few areas where it could be improved. First, while the stock pickups offer excellent versatility, players looking for more specific tonal qualities might consider upgrading to higher-end pickups. This could further enhance the guitar’s performance, particularly for more advanced players seeking a specific sound.
Secondly, offering more finish options could cater to a broader audience. While the Black Blood finish is stunning, additional color options would allow players to choose a look that best suits their personal style.
Lastly, while the guitar’s setup was excellent out of the box, providing a range of string gauges could help players find the perfect tension and feel for their playing style. This would be particularly beneficial for those new to baritone guitars.
Conclusion – Chapman ML1 Baritone Review
In conclusion, the Chapman ML1 Baritone electric guitar is a remarkable instrument that combines stunning aesthetics, exceptional playability, and versatile sound quality. Its baritone configuration and high-quality pickups make it a powerhouse for rock and metal styles, while its clean tones and extended range make it suitable for a variety of other genres. The build quality and hardware are top-notch, ensuring durability and reliability.
Despite a few minor areas for improvement, the ML1 Baritone offers excellent value for money. It’s a perfect choice for intermediate and professional players looking for a versatile and high-performance baritone guitar. My time with the Chapman ML1 Baritone has been incredibly rewarding, and I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a quality extended-range electric guitar.
