#1917102 - 07/24/24 06:53 PM
My Stick journey begins...
|
calypso
Planeteer
Registered: 07/22/05
Posts: 2543
Loc: mid-Missouri
|
Or maybe it won’t be a journey – maybe it will be a short visit if I can’t come to grips with the thing…
Anybody have one of these?:
It is a Chapman “Stick”. 10 strings. Used. A polycarbonate model from the late 80’s. It has three frets out (I have the frets – just need to glue them in). I need a few other items before I can get serious with it. Regular guitar strings are no good – it has a 34” scale. The output is stereo. It hooks to your belt and uses a special strap to play standing up. Strings, strap and stereo cable are on order. And it appears that the foam in the case turned to dust years ago:
So I’ll get some gun case foam and repair that.
Then what?
My guitar skills are no good; they may even be a detriment. My rudimentary keyboard knowledge? – worthless! – the bass strings are reversed so that you usually play the lowest note with your index finger instead of left hand pinky. Bass strings are in 5ths, melody strings are in 4ths (that’s the “classic” tuning – as you can imagine, there are many alternates).
I’m not sure how much time I will spend trying to make music with this… I can barely play guitar. But it was a birthday gift from my wife, so I feel obligated to give it a try.
The instrument has an interesting history. I guess the “polycarb” models were the hot thing in the eighties. He went back to wood after that, but the newest Sticks (called “Railboards”) are all metal (and 12 strings – yikes!).
Youtube shows some quite amazing talent out there. Wow.
Do any of you have any experience with this device?
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1917106 - 07/24/24 07:06 PM
Re: My Stick journey begins...
[Re: calypso]
|
Popmann
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 05/23/02
Posts: 33617
Loc: Twangville, TN
|
Heard the name from many a liner notes. No experience.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1917108 - 07/24/24 07:08 PM
Re: My Stick journey begins...
[Re: Popmann]
|
MadGuitrst
Offender Of Senses
Planeteer
Registered: 06/10/99
Posts: 22679
Loc: 3rd Stone From The Sun
|
Well, that's darn cool, calypso! I never touched one, but I bet it's a blast. What or who draws you to The Stick?
_________________________
“When your 'education' limits your imagination, it is called indoctrination.” -Feynman
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1917117 - 07/24/24 07:33 PM
Re: My Stick journey begins...
[Re: MadGuitrst]
|
TAPKAE
The Artist Presently Known As Ed
Planeteer
Registered: 02/28/02
Posts: 3018
Loc: Trumplandia Acres, Shithole US...
|
I've never actually played one but my friend Tom Griesgraber had picked it up in the summer of 1997 a few months before we met and was plinking around on it. He was already a Berkelee grad on guitar and bass, and it happens that, in those days a decade before YouTube, while he was a massive Tony Levin fan, he only knew Tony's work with Peter Gabriel. I egged him on to hear King Crimson, and he was a bit hesitant to begin, but in a short while, he got the new religion and was off to the races as a full-fledged Tony Levin fan, and was interested in Fripp's Guitar Craft course and did that a few years later.
For a while he was doing a lot of local (San Diego, SoCal area) shows, and has had an annual residency at our summer fair. He also got into the King Crimson/PG orbit and did an album with Jerry Marotta (PG's drummer in the earlier years), and California Guitar Trio, extending their trio show sometimes. All the CGT guys were early Guitar Craft students.
So it was kind of with a bit of a sheepish pride I saw Tom in a 2021 show in Utah, in one of the first significant tours undertaken as the Covid era waned. King Crimson was touring with their 7 headed beast formation, and California Guitar Trio was touring. Except one thing. The CGT guys are not from California, and one of them is from Japan, where the Covid restrictions were sufficiently tight he wasn't allowed to leave and come do the tour. So, on short notice, Tom got the gig, already knowing most of the repertoire and the two remaining guys (one of whom had made an album with him). In fact, later on, instead of being just a stand in he was asked to join in the CGT as a trio member replacing Hideyio.
Also on the tour, Tony Levin posted to his blog a lot and mentioned Tom as a fantastic Stick player and who took the time to show Tony himself some tricks and tips.
So while I was at the show seeing Tom open for King Crimson on their last tour, it was on my mind that I introduced him to KC, or at least made the convincing case he should really check them out.
If you hang in the Stick community, Tom's name is certain to emerge as one of the better ones who's done well. He's a super friendly guy and an ambassador of the Stick, having worked sometimes for Emmett himself.
_________________________
The Artist Presently Known As Ed _ Need a second opinion or input on your recording? Troubleshooting a mix? Get in touch for a 1:1 Discord chat! https://discord.gg/DCDjZUfb2E
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1917142 - 07/24/24 09:37 PM
Re: My Stick journey begins...
[Re: MadGuitrst]
|
calypso
Planeteer
Registered: 07/22/05
Posts: 2543
Loc: mid-Missouri
|
Well, that's darn cool, calypso! I never touched one, but I bet it's a blast. What or who draws you to The Stick?
I have no disposition to it. I made the mistake of showing a video to my wife...
Ed: thanks for that info. The Stick "community" is small and tight-knit as far as I can tell, but seems very friendly. I'm waiting to see if I can even qualify as a beginner before asking to join. Totally different mind-set and motor skills...
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1917154 - 07/24/24 10:22 PM
Re: My Stick journey begins...
[Re: calypso]
|
TAPKAE
The Artist Presently Known As Ed
Planeteer
Registered: 02/28/02
Posts: 3018
Loc: Trumplandia Acres, Shithole US...
|
I'm pretty certain they all remember what it's like to be new at that thing. Back in the early days when I got into King Crimson about 30 years ago when Thrak came out, I expected all the Stick players to be into KC and in hopes to find one, I put an ad out in the local weekly rag. I got invited to a gathering of maybe eight dudes. Only one was into Stick because of a Tony Levin/KC influence. Most of the dudes were into jazz or folk or funk and had come from an assorted guitar and piano background, but one thing is for sure, they were willing to have me drop by even without actually having seen a Stick by that point.
_________________________
The Artist Presently Known As Ed _ Need a second opinion or input on your recording? Troubleshooting a mix? Get in touch for a 1:1 Discord chat! https://discord.gg/DCDjZUfb2E
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1920149 - 08/05/24 11:43 PM
Re: My Stick journey begins...
[Re: TAPKAE]
|
calypso
Planeteer
Registered: 07/22/05
Posts: 2543
Loc: mid-Missouri
|
Progress report:
frets all glued in:
refurbished the case with some new foam:
next: put on the new strings and see if I can make any noise with it:
deadline is Christmas to learn to play a legit song...
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#1920192 - 08/06/24 01:59 AM
Re: My Stick journey begins...
[Re: calypso]
|
Wish
🌴 VSP Moderator 🌵
Planeteer
Registered: 09/09/00
Posts: 12048
Loc: Phoenix, AZ
|
Carol of the Bells.
No pressure.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
