Touchboard Bass?

[Count Bassie]

Anybody here try your hand(s) at playing bass with Chapman Stick type instrument? I know Chapman makes an SB-8 Stick that's designed for bass-only.
Just mulling something over.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Interesting! I'm curious about what's on your mind!

All I know about them is that Tony Levin, one my my biggest bass heroes, is probably the most up-front Stick players out there and has likely done wonders for the Chapman company since the early Eighties.

On that note, I found a video shot of the show I saw last October. ('Tis a shame it cuts off early.) It's not my vid, 'cuz I was all the way by the right-side aisle and a mere thirty feet from Levin. Fun fact...the Stick was definitely his primary instrument during the show, with his old "Three Of A Perfect Pair" Stingray as an occasional alternative. Personally, I was really diggin' that "metal smacking wood" sound it produces.

 

[MovinTarget]

If I were to go Chapman (and had the $$$), I'd probably go with the N/S Stick, designed to be a bit more bi-functional...

N/S Stick

 

[Count Bassie]

If I were to go Chapman (and had the $$$), I'd probably go with the N/S Stick, designed to be a bit more bi-functional...

N/S Stick

I've seen that, you can pluck the strings also.

 

[MovinTarget]

I've seen that, you can pluck the strings also.

exactly, I don't know if it really gives either the Bass experience or the Stick experience authentically, but it might be a nice compromise...

 

[Malak the Mad]

If I were to go Chapman (and had the $$$), I'd probably go with the N/S Stick, designed to be a bit more bi-functional...

N/S Stick

Damn, man! Those transparent wine-red and blue models are sweet!

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[MovinTarget]

Like I said... if I had the $$$

 

[MovinTarget]

It has some different (better?) options than the Bass Stick too: but dang, those finish prices are crazy!

 

[Lo-E]

I have a Chapman Stick that I play every once in a while. I’ve had it for many years and I really haven’t clocked a lot of time on it.

I’ve only been involved with one project where it proved really useful; an improvisational ensemble with two bassists. The other bassist played a fretted 5-string and I wanted to stay out of her sonic space and have a sound that was distinctly different than hers. A fretless 4-string and the Stick each proved to work great.

I never achieved anything close to mastery of the Stick but it’s a lot of fun to play on the rare occasions that I take it out of the case.

 

[M-Mittlesteadt]

It has some different (better?) options than the Bass Stick too: but dang, those finish prices are crazy!

View attachment 7159607

Wow! $3600. But it does come with a strap, so you got that going for you, which is nice.

 

[MovinTarget]

Wow! $3600. But it does come with a strap, so you got that going for you, which is nice.

Its an add-on, but the fact that you can get a 1/2 fretless board is kinda cool, kind of like the Ibanez Ashula: