Chapman Stick

[Paul Brainard]

Offering this up here before I give it a shot on Ebay.

Rosewood 10-string Stick, S/N 414. Dead mint condition. Includes case, strap, stereo cable, and "Free Hands" instructional book.

This was a gift from Emmett Chapman to LA studio legend Al Hendrickson (from whose estate I acquired it), but I don't think he ever really played it.

$1750 plus shipping & insurance.

[Brian Echenberg]

makes my mouth water, if I could only play it. beauty. Brian

[Jim Cohen]

Yeah, I think trying to tackle that beast at the same time as pedal steel would require a separate brain somewhere...

[Gary Shreve]

I watched in complete amazement as two guys in an Austin, TX mall played the heck out of them. One by itself is phenomenal, but two, in the hands of very talented, practiced musicians is a beautiful work of art.

I will get me one of those things one of these days. Just not today.

Never thought I'd see one for sale here on this forum, though. I bought one of those guy's CD's, and it is one of my favorites right now.

I have to think that learning to play a stick is about 2 percent as difficult as learning to play the steel guitar. Of course, if I had one of my own, it'd probably be a dead heat.

[Geoff Kooris]

Those are so beautiful.I love the sound. It will make someone very happy. If I tried to play that, my brain, small as it is, would explode.

Geoff

[Jending]

interested in a sierra olympic swap?

[Jim Cohen]

Interesting: the low strings are in the middle...

[Jim Sliff]

Jim - yeah, it's an interesting instrument. It's played by "tapping" the strings - no picking. The right hand plays what we would thing of as the lower strings (at the top of the guitar), and the left hand the "higher" strings (closer to the ground). It's almost piano-like in concept, with a really fascinating sound. I've given it a try a few times and if someone shows you a few basic positions it's fun. But it's REALLY hard - to me much harder than even pedal steel, which is no cakewalk.

Unlike a piano, notes can be in multiple locations - so your brain has to be thinking in two three-dimensional settings at once. It's intimidating and takes real talent, but good players are stunning to watch. Tony Levin plays the thing like it's a simple 4-string bass he makes it look so easy. But the music that comes out is stupendous and simply surrounds you.