Best 25.5" Scale Chapman Electric Guitars in 2024
Since the distance between bridge and nut is relatively long, you'll need to give the strings more tension to get them in tune. This higher tension will allow for a couple of things. First, you can get a lower action (get the strings closer to the fretboard) because the strings won't 'wiggle' too much when pluck and won't cause fret buzz. This can allow you to use lower tunings without increasing your string gauge, and it will make it easier to press down the strings fast.
However, the frets will also have a wider separation between each other, which can make it harder to play, especially if you got small hands. The higher tension will also make the strings feel stiffer, so bending will require more strength.
After comparing the 2000+ guitars in our database, these are the best scoring ones with these characteristics. You can use our filters to the left to narrow down these results, or click on "Compare" to get a deep comparison between them. Our automated scoring system takes into account the ratings from ours users who own the guitar, and dozens of parameters to determine the build quality, playability, pickups quality, value for money, and more.
There are affiliate links on this page that may earn us a commission if you purchase after clicking. We are members of the Amazon Associates Program, and many others. However, we compare each guitar against each other under the same parameters, so this doesn't influence our scoring.
1. Chapman ML3 Pro Modern
What our users think
- Neck access to high frets: Easy (1 vote)
- Fret edges: Smooth (1 vote)
- Tuning stability: Holds tune well (1 vote)
- Weight: Lightweight (1 vote)
- Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (6 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (7 votes)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (7 votes)
Chapman ML3 Pro Modern
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Neck-Through Build
- Luminescent Inlay
- Strap Lock
- Made in South Korea
- No Expensive Woods
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
All Prices
2. Chapman ML2 Pro
What our users think
- Neck access to high frets: Easy (2 votes)
- Fret edges: Smooth (2 votes)
- Tuning stability: Holds tune well (2 votes)
- Weight: Lightweight (2 votes)
- Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (6 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (7 votes)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (7 votes)
Chapman ML2 Pro
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Neck-Through Build
- Coil Split Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Strap Lock
- Made in South Korea
- No Weight Relief
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
All Prices
3. Chapman ML1 Pro Modern
What our users think
- Neck access to high frets: Easy (2 votes)
- Fret edges: Smooth (2 votes)
- Tuning stability: Not bad (1 vote)
- Weight: Slightly heavy (1 vote)
- Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (6 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (7 votes)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (7 votes)
Chapman ML1 Pro Modern
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Neck-Through Build
- Luminescent Inlay
- Strap Lock
- Made in South Korea
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
All Prices
4. Chapman ML3 Pro BEA
What our users think
- Neck access to high frets: Very Easy (2 votes)
- Fret edges: Slightly sharp (2 votes)
- Tuning stability: Holds tune well (2 votes)
- Weight: Slightly heavy (1 vote)
- Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (6 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (2 votes)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (1 vote)
Chapman ML3 Pro BEA
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Tremolo
- Strap Lock
- Made in South Korea
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
All Prices
5. Chapman ML3 Semi-Hollow Pro
What our users think
- Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (6 votes)
Chapman ML3 Semi-Hollow Pro
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Ivory Tusq Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Neck-Through Build
- Luminescent Inlay
- Strap Lock
- Made in South Korea
- No Expensive Woods
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
All Prices
6. Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid
What our users think
- Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (6 votes)
Chapman ML1 Pro Hybrid
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Tremolo
- Strap Lock
- Made in South Korea
- No Expensive Woods
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
All Prices
7. Chapman ML3 Pro Traditional
What our users think
- Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (6 votes)
Chapman ML3 Pro Traditional
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Ivory Tusq Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Strap Lock
- Made in South Korea
- No Expensive Woods
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
All Prices
8. Chapman ML3 BEA
What our users think
- Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (6 votes)
Chapman ML3 BEA
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Coil Split Pickups
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- Made in Indonesia
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
9. Chapman ML3 Modern
What our users think
- Neck access to high frets: Very Easy (2 votes)
- Fret edges: Slightly sharp (1 vote)
- Tuning stability: Holds tune well (2 votes)
- Weight: Slightly heavy (2 votes)
- Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (6 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (3 votes)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (3 votes)
Chapman ML3 Modern
- Expensive Wood
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Coil Split Pickups
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
10. Chapman ML1 Modern
What our users think
- Neck access to high frets: Very Easy (1 vote)
- Fret edges: Slightly sharp (1 vote)
- Tuning stability: Not bad (1 vote)
- Weight: Slightly heavy (1 vote)
- Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (6 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (3 votes)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (3 votes)
Chapman ML1 Modern
- Expensive Wood
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Coil Split Pickups
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock