Best Alder Body Chapman Electric Guitars in 2024

Here you'll find the best Alder body Chapman electric guitars. This is a lightweight type of wood that was popularized by Fender. According to them, it's a wood that offers a balanced tone but that favors the upper midrange slightly.

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 BEA

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Chapman ML3 Pro BEA
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Playability 73
Sound 78
Build quality 82
Value for money 68
Overall Score 78

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)
Own it? Share your opinion
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  • 3 Prices - New from $2,099 >
  • From Chapman's 2021 Signature series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Mapa Burl Solid Flat Top with Satin Finish top
  • Alder body
  • Roasted Birdseye Maple neck
  • Roasted Birdseye Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Bare Knuckle Silo Rabea Signature Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan SL59 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Schaller 3802 Vintage Tremolo bridge
  • C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Schaller M6 Locking (18:1 Gearing) tuners
  • See all specs and compare >
Show all Specs
  • 3 Prices - New from $2,099 >
  • From Chapman's 2021 Signature series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Mapa Burl Solid Flat Top with Satin Finish top
  • Alder body
  • Roasted Birdseye Maple neck
  • Roasted Birdseye Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Bare Knuckle Silo Rabea Signature Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan SL59 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Schaller 3802 Vintage Tremolo bridge
  • C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Schaller M6 Locking (18:1 Gearing) tuners
  • See all specs and compare >
Strengths & Weaknesses
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

2. Chapman ML3 Pro BEA Baritone

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Chapman ML3 Pro BEA Baritone
FIND IT ON:
Reverb logoSweetwater logo
Playability 75
Sound 78
Build quality 78
Value for money 72
Overall Score 77

What our users think

  • Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
  • Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (6 votes)
  • Pickups noise: Noiseless (2 votes)
  • Pickups power: Slightly Hot (1 vote)
Own it? Share your opinion
FIND IT ON:
Reverb logoSweetwater logo
  • 1 Prices - Used from $2,099.98 >
  • From Chapman's 2021 Signature series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 28"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Poplar Burl Solid Flat Top with Satin Finish top
  • Alder body
  • Wenge neck
  • Wenge fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Bare Knuckle Silo Rabea Signature Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan SL59 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Hipshot 41060 Hardtail bridge
  • C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Hipshot Grip-Lock Open (18:1 Gearing) tuners
  • See all specs and compare >
Show all Specs
  • 1 Prices - Used from $2,099.98 >
  • From Chapman's 2021 Signature series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 28"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Poplar Burl Solid Flat Top with Satin Finish top
  • Alder body
  • Wenge neck
  • Wenge fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Bare Knuckle Silo Rabea Signature Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan SL59 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Hipshot 41060 Hardtail bridge
  • C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Hipshot Grip-Lock Open (18:1 Gearing) tuners
  • See all specs and compare >
Strengths & Weaknesses
Chapman ML3 Pro BEA Baritone
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Black Tusq XL 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

3. Chapman ML3 Pro Traditional

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Chapman ML3 Pro Traditional
FIND IT ON:
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Playability 73
Sound 77
Build quality 74
Value for money 80
Overall Score 75

What our users think

  • Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
  • Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (6 votes)
Own it? Share your opinion
FIND IT ON:
Reverb logoSweetwater logo
  • 2 Prices - New from $649 >
  • From Chapman's 2021 Pro series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Roasted Maple – Dark Colour neck
  • Roasted Maple – Dark Colour fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Hot Tele (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Hot Tele (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Chapman String-Through Tele-Style with Brass Saddles bridge
  • C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Hipshot Grip-Lock Open (18:1 Gearing) tuners
  • See all specs and compare >
Show all Specs
  • 2 Prices - New from $649 >
  • From Chapman's 2021 Pro series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Roasted Maple – Dark Colour neck
  • Roasted Maple – Dark Colour fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Hot Tele (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Hot Tele (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Chapman String-Through Tele-Style with Brass Saddles bridge
  • C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Hipshot Grip-Lock Open (18:1 Gearing) tuners
  • See all specs and compare >
Strengths & Weaknesses
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

4. Chapman ML3 BEA Baritone

Compare
Chapman ML3 BEA Baritone
FIND IT ON:
Reverb logoSweetwater logo
Playability 75
Sound 72
Build quality 64
Value for money 75
Overall Score 70

What our users think

  • Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
  • Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (6 votes)
Own it? Share your opinion
FIND IT ON:
Reverb logoSweetwater logo
  • 1 Prices - Used from $2,099.98 >
  • From Chapman's 2021 Signature series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 28"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Flame Maple Veneer On Flat Top with Satin Finish top
  • Alder body
  • Roasted Maple – Medium Colour neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Chapman Henchman Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Chapman Henchman Mini Rail Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Chapman String-Through Hardtail bridge
  • C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Chapman Locking (18:1 Gearing) tuners
  • See all specs and compare >
Show all Specs
  • 1 Prices - Used from $2,099.98 >
  • From Chapman's 2021 Signature series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 28"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Flame Maple Veneer On Flat Top with Satin Finish top
  • Alder body
  • Roasted Maple – Medium Colour neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Chapman Henchman Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Chapman Henchman Mini Rail Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Chapman String-Through Hardtail bridge
  • C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Chapman Locking (18:1 Gearing) tuners
  • See all specs and compare >
Strengths & Weaknesses
Chapman ML3 BEA Baritone
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

All Prices

5. Chapman ML3 BEA

Compare
Chapman ML3 BEA
FIND IT ON:
Reverb logoSweetwater logo
Playability 75
Sound 72
Build quality 63
Value for money 75
Overall Score 70

What our users think

  • Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
  • Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (6 votes)
Own it? Share your opinion
FIND IT ON:
Reverb logoSweetwater logo
  • 1 Prices - Used from $2,099.98 >
  • From Chapman's 2021 Signature series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Flame Maple Veneer On Flat Top with Satin Finish top
  • Alder body
  • Roasted Maple – Medium Colour neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Chapman Henchman Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Chapman Henchman Mini Rail Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Chapman String-Through Hardtail bridge
  • C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Chapman Locking (18:1 Gearing) tuners
  • See all specs and compare >
Show all Specs
  • 1 Prices - Used from $2,099.98 >
  • From Chapman's 2021 Signature series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Flame Maple Veneer On Flat Top with Satin Finish top
  • Alder body
  • Roasted Maple – Medium Colour neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Chapman Henchman Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Chapman Henchman Mini Rail Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Chapman String-Through Hardtail bridge
  • C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Chapman Locking (18:1 Gearing) tuners
  • See all specs and compare >
Strengths & Weaknesses
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

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