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Picking up Chapman Stick?

Just fiddling around on it?
Basically, yes, I have several method books and DVDs, but I really have hardly used them, just progressing by noodling around. Got hugely sidetracked with the synth connection too, what a rabbit hole to get lost in that is... hehe
 
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Based on the photos on the CS website, ergonomically it looks good for me as I've always played my XL2 at about 1 o'clock and struggle with the closer to horizontal position many play conventional basses at.
 
OK, rephrase. Are they decently made? So long as the structure is fine I could tweak the rest of need be.
Mine was not satisfactory, needs serious additional fretwork to really be playable. I need to get it PLEKed. Progress was much faster with the actual Chapman. YMMV.
 
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Mine was not satisfactory, needs serious additional fretwork to really be playable. I need to get it PLEKed. Progress was much faster with the actual Chapman. YMMV.
I should add, though, it was enough to "test the waters" and got me far enough to know I wanted to go farther. So served its purpose.
 
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OK, rephrase. Are they decently made? So long as the structure is fine I could tweak the rest of need be.
One thing I remember is that the "Touchsytle" instruments are made with higher quality than the "PunkRods"
And that the bridge saddles were non adjustable.
But that was back in 2008.
Kevin may have "Upped" things over time.
The Krappy Bassists Klub

My apologies to the OP for the derail!!
 
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In my younger days, (mid 70’s?) I called Emmett Chapman. His wife answered the phone, I asked for Emmett, she said, “oh!, I gotta hear this!”, as she put Emmett on the phone. True story.

I also called the 411 operator in California and asked for the phone number of Frank Zappa. The operator said, “your kidding, right?”

I called Isaac Asimov once back around 1980. His number was in the Manhattan telephone directory.
 
I do a lot of two hand tapping stuff on bass, a friend of mine had a grand stick (I believe) and lent it to me for about 4 months... No curve, just a 90 degree angle straight up. Nothing I had on the bass really transferred over. Cool but like learning something completely new.
But, I also had the pleasure of sitting next to Leo Gosselin for an hour as he shredded jazz standards with walking bass lines chords melody and solos all at once, so it is a worth endeavor that is super satisfying once mastered. I just have no idea how many hours of the day you might have to commit to it. But I mean, look how happy he is...
20160223_155909.jpg
 
If I am not mistaken the stick in the picture is the first (or one of the first) railboard prototype. I don't think Leo kept it though...
The one in the video looks to be an older 12 string Grand Stick just like mine. Checking out his video catalogue - I may have found a new favorite Stick player - as much as I love Tony, it's hard for me to believe I'll ever get there - this guy seems a little more "accessible". :)
 
I buy everything I see on TB ( just kill me ) and I almost pulled the string on a Chapman Stick many times.
But time = money, honey. And it would take me a M years to learn it. Seems like Tony has moved on too :)
( this is good stuff fyi, imho )

 
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I buy everything I see on TB ( just kill me ) and I almost pulled the string on a Chapman Stick many times.
But time = money, honey. And it would take me a M years to learn it. Seems like Tony has moved on too :)
( this is good stuff fyi, imho )


He still plays the stick, even with LTE (funny way to spell instrumental Dream Theatre without John Myung) AFAIK (as well as KC, Stick Men, and everything else)
Although this is from a few years ago too



I'm really tempted, but I've never been much of a piano player
 
Just an observation, but wouldn’t it have made more sense to design The Stick with the bass register on the bottom and the treble on top? Then you wouldn’t have to reach over the strings.
Then it wouldn't work at all. Reaching over the other half of the strings isn't inconvenient at all, it puts the strings you want for that hand right under your fingers (if your hand position is correct). I tried playing the other way, each hand on the closest side - it doesn't work (for me).