My Stick is #5562, but I heard (read) that Stick serial numbers were re-started somewhere along the way.

I have been playing guitar over over 35 years. I think I am one of the top 10-million guitarists in the world. I have been playing Stick about a year and a half, and I'm pretty sure I am already one of the top 10-thousand Stickists.

Here is another punch-line.

Just one, Stickist's can do it by themselves.
or
Just one, Stickist's want to be the center of attention, that's why they play a Stick
or
A Stickist can do it with one hand and provide dramatic underscore with the other.

Thanks for the posts, PLEASE keep them coming. We must find the ultimate Stickist joke(s).

My guess is somewhere around 750-1500, this accounting for folks that have multiple Stick's and folks that own one but really don't play. This is a total guess but I doubt that that range is too far off.

I assume String sales would be a decent indicator. I guess defining this may be undesired though considering some can turned off by too many and other by not enough. Me, I just like the Stick but must admit uniqueness played into my original decision.

-Curtis

Could it really be that few? I was guessing somewhere between 5 & 10 thousand.

What's your punch-line?

LOL!




LOL!

This is a risky thread!!! last time we ran this subject it was the precursor to the old forum going down and dying irretrievably!

I've always wondered about the serial number chronology. My first SB8 was #1727, made around 1999. Then my 10-string is #1823 made around 2001. I then sold #1727 back to SE for an extended scale SB8 with midi, #5116 and that was around 2004. Then my Graphite Grand #5607 came in 2008.

So the period 1999-2001 seems reasonable for #1727 to #1823, and so does the period 2004 -2008 for #5116 to #5607, but that period in the middle has some 3,000 serial numbers (#1823 to #5116) in about a three-year period! What's up with that?

D

Hi Dave,

The first production Stick was numbered 101. They continued sequentially up into the polycarbonates to somewhere around 3000 (I'm not exactly sure of the highest number).

There was an overlap of serial numbers when Emmett started making the one-piece hardwood instruments with the adjustable truss in 1989, the first of these was 001. He was still making polycarbonate Sticks at this time; I bought 2757 in 1989.

I think it was in 2003 that he tallied up all of the instruments sold and started the numbering based on the actual number produced. The ten-string I got in 2003 is number 4965.

So that's the reason for the gap in numbers. I think they're just over 6000 now.

As far as the number of individual owners goes, I don't know, it's hard to know how many people have more than one instrument, but I'd say it's probably at least 3500-4000 owners.

I hope that answers your question.

Awesome! I can say with authority that I am one of the top 5000 stickists, in the world.

When I play out, I usually ask the audience who all has heard a Chapman Stick.....usually very few people raise their hands. Then I inform them that they are about to hear the "Best Chapman Stick player they have ever heard." Of course, when I opened for The Garner Family, David Parr and Greg Howard, I had to change it a little.

"How many of you have heard a Stick player. Then I am the best player you have ever heard. And in about two hours, I will be the worst Stick player you have ever heard."

Jim

Some of the best Stick jokes are in Steve A (Lee Vatip)'s Stickology book peppered throughout, especially found on p.15 and P. 35 Not gonna put 'em all here ( hey Steve, can't sell the milk if you give away the cow? right!) but here is one of my favorites,

"Accidentally left my Chapman Stick in my car. When I came back, the window was smashed. Looked inside, and there were two Sticks there!"

One of the many great reasons to buy Steve's great book & DVD!

Fun thread- thanks Jeff!
take care,
dave brosky - Pittsburgh