So, I played a Chapman Grand Stick today...can you say hardcore gas?

[Aaron Saunders]

For over a year and a half, ever since I first started tapping and learning about tap-style instruments (Warr Guitars, Megatars, and Chapman Sticks of varying kinds,) I've been dreaming playing one of these things. Today was the last day of the semester and the end of the focus program, and a bunch of the class (all musicians, I'm in a music focus program) was at lunch. I was doing some mixing in the computer lab and there were maybe...five or six other people. Then...in walks a female teacher...

...

...

with a CHAPMAN GRAND STICK. I swear, I nearly crapped my pants. We all ran right up and crowded around and watched one of the two teachers of my course try and work his way around on it (a blues guitar player who doesn't really tap all that much.) I shotgunned second, since the other bassist in the program still there got first dibs.


Guys...I've gotta say. God has taken form. The form of the Chapman Stick. I pulled out a few licks and chordal stuff I could apply to the melody side (tuned in fourths, C#-D) and funked around on the bass side (fifths, C-E.) Seriously, dudes. I've now got hardcore, never-experienced-true-gas-until-now kind of gas for a Chapman SB8 bass stick! Anyone own one of these? How much did you pay for it? Is Stick Enterprises one of those companies that strictly sells at list, or can you get 'em cheaper from a dealer? I've got serious gas and I know I could so some really neat stuff with this thing, but I've got an URB/EUB and a six string to save for too.

Let's all discuss the greatness of Chapman Sticks, and especially, the SB8 Bass Sticks. Any favourite recordings? Pictures? ...Stickists?


EDIT: It belonged to the teacher's boyfriend, who is apparently out of the country and she thought we'd appreciate it. So...any Canadian TB'ers out of the country right now? If so, well...your Stick is gonna be a bit used when you get it!

[cybersnyder]

I don't think there are any dealers. Emmett Chapman makes these more or less in his garage. There is a waiting list, so you'll probably have to wait awhile for a new Stick. The other place to get one is ebay, but they tend to go for almost new prices and you have no idea of the condition. I've only had the opportunity to try one once, but it was poorly setup and I wasn't impressed. The 8 string bass version is probalby the least produced version. Possible exception would be the NS Stick. Look around stick.com. They have some very good articles. Also, check out the links section.

Good luck,
Rich

[lucas vigor]

At the NAMM show, Emmett Chapman hooked one up for me, so I could play it. It took a few minutes to get things sorted out as far as the notes and wherfe they are, but man! The possibilites are endless.

I feel horrible because I missed the chapman stick performance in the BBQ section..damn!

As far as who to check out: Tony levin on the early 80's king crimson albums (discipline, Beat, three of a perfect pair)and with Peter Gabriel (shock the monkey) and also on the Joan Armatrading (sic) album "the key"

Nick Beggs (formerly of Kajagoogoo) album "stick insects".

New King crimson uses Trey Gunn, and he plays the WARR guitar which is similar, but a copycat design.

[Rapscallion2112]

luuuuuucky, i've been wanting to try a Warr sooooooooooooooo bad....

[Garry Goodman]

I still have my Stick #173 and I paid a whopping $600 for it in 1975.It still works,and actually,I like the shorter scale and closer string spacing.It is made of Iron wood and,the bridge is...simply screws in the wood.There was never a truss rod,but the neck is still straight.It was my first stereo instrument-a brilliant inovation .

[Eggman]

I am on the list for the new graphite neck version of the NS Stick - which is tuned like the Stick Bass but allows for tapping and figerstyle/slap/and pick play. Check out Gary Jibilian and Don Scheff on their websites - Links on the Stick.com site.

[Acepiloto]

Yea, I've had the gas pains for a stick for over a year now. I played an NS/Stick, I really want to try one with the odd tunings. But gas pains are easily squandered by lack of money...

[Nick Bassman]

Originally Posted by lucas vigor

New King crimson uses Trey Gunn, and he plays the WARR guitar which is similar, but a copycat design.

Another take on the same kind of instrument maybe but a copycat design

[Bard2dbone]

I have a serious love-hate relationship with mine. I can't play it for crap. I take it out every once in a while and try to figure it out for a couple of months. Then I get frustrated and put it up again.

Mine is also one of the old no-truss-rod ironwood models, serial #801, from October of 1981 or so.

[Suckbird]

I also want one!

Too bad they would go for around 3000$ shipped to sweden incl. duties and accesories.

But i might, might buy one, if i ever get a touch of that mouch money.

[Bard2dbone]

Originally Posted by Suckbird

I also want one!

Too bad they would go for around 3000$ shipped to sweden incl. duties and accesories.

But i might, might buy one, if i ever get a touch of that mouch money.

I'd sell you mine for less than that. How much of that is shipping?

[maui-san]

Originally Posted by Suckbird

I also want one!

Too bad they would go for around 3000$ shipped to sweden incl. duties and accesories.

But i might, might buy one, if i ever get a touch of that mouch money.

The used Stick market in Europe is small, but they do come for sale from time to time. I searched a german Stick forum every night for about a year, until I got a great deal on a 10-string which is now mine .

[jetforcex]

Originally Posted by lucas vigor

As far as who to check out: Tony levin on the early 80's king crimson albums (discipline, Beat, three of a perfect pair)and with Peter Gabriel (shock the monkey) and also on the Joan Armatrading (sic) album "the key"

Nick Beggs (formerly of Kajagoogoo) album "stick insects".

New King crimson uses Trey Gunn, and he plays the WARR guitar which is similar, but a copycat design.

Don't forget Greg Howard !!! Masterful player.

[hippiesandwich]

I had the opportunity to see Tom Griesgraber a couple months back with Jerry Moratta (who plays on his new CD). GOOD STUFF!!! http://www.thossounds.com/

[Ian Perge]

I've been enchanted with The Stick since 1997, but after seeing Greg Howard live twice (once with his full band over from Europe, once solo) I've vacillated between wanting a 10-string, dropping the idea until I've improved as a bassist, and going for an 8-string as a "bridge" between the two.

The problem is that unless you use an uncrossed tuning (in which you lose a great deal of chordal options and in general what The Stick is *about*) playing one is difficult in the beginning because it's not a "kinda-sorta" bass. It is it's own instrument, and for that reason people going into it with a g*itar/bass mindset often fail to grasp it. That also may be the reason some of the most successful players come from a keyboard background and not one of a stringed instrument. They already have the mindset of using two hands independently engrained.

[Palomorado]

i play a Grand Stick regularly in both studio and live situations. i love the possibilities of the instrument as well as the option on tone it gives you.

i bought my first 10 string in 1997 and it didn't hang around too long. i just couldn't get my head around it at the time. but for some reason the memory remained and i found myself looking for a Stick again.

this time i bought a used SB8 Stick Bass. The straight 4ths helped and I slowly started to mess with different tunings until i finally got to a hybrid of the original Stick tuning. At that point i statrted to see the limitations of the Stick Bass for what i wanted to do.

at this point i ordered a Gradn Stick from Stick Enterprises and when they called to tell me it was done i sold my Stick Bass (FOR A PROFIT!!!) IN A DAY and sent the money off to SE.

Now i'm loving it and looking to get an OLD 10 string!

i strongly reccomend checking out www.stickist.com and the stickwire newsgroup. that is the best place to get used instruments as well as learn about the Stick.

if you can get the Stick Bass you may just find what you are looking for but if not then it is the perfect bridge from bass to the Stick or Grand Stick.

[Andre_gt7]

Michael Manring is really good

[Blackbird]

Originally Posted by Andre_gt7

Michael Manring is really good

...but he does not play the stick! Tony Levin does, though.

There's a forum dedicated to tapping instruments. it's Traktor Topaz's Tappistry.org. They have a 'for sale' section too.

The thing that struck me about that forum is that there are so many more tapping instruments than the Stick and the Warr guitar and of course, the Santucci Treblebass, which is the one I own.

[Scotius2001]

Cool thread! I own Stick # 741 which was the prototype of a long scale version that Emmett made 3 of for Paul Edwards and Randy Strom of Kittyhawk back in the 80s. Randy sold this one to me when he got his upgraded version. Not getting much use these days but still one of my prize possessions.

As for artists, check our Greg Howard http://www.greghoward.com/
He's got a great clip on Stick.com
http://www.stick.com/method/greg_howard2.wmv

Good stuff...

[Andre_gt7]

Originally Posted by Blackbird

...but he does not play the stick! Tony Levin does, though.

.

not as a main instrument!! but he does sometimes...its beautiful...