I was wondering if there’s anyone in the New York City area who has a Stick and would let me try it out for an hour maybe. I’ve always wanted to get one as I kind of have to have “that sound” but I’m not actually a bass player. I play synthesizers, with a little guitar on the side, but I just want to see if the Stick makes sense to me, in a sense. I do have a LinnStrument, so the concept isn’t totally foreign to me, but to be fair they’re also completely different things. I’ve also used iFretless Bass on the iPad for years, but again, it’s similar(-ish) in concept but not at all the same thing.

Happy to travel anywhere in New York City that's remotely near a subway, and I'd even be fine paying for an hour in a rehearsal studio if folks don't particularly want a stranger in their house.

As an alternative, I'll be up in the Boston area from July 7th through the 14th so that could work too if there's anyone up in that area.

I've always wanted to get a Stick but I've just been too chicken to place an order without at least trying one out.

Thanks.

look up Steve Adelson.

Even when you try a stick before you buy will not determine much. Many people go in blind and end up fulfilling a fun and adventurous journey ,then there are those who actually become well established like Steve A as mentioned above.If you don't like challenges save your money, but if you don't mind hard work and study the dividends will pay off. tenacity . only my humble opinion.

You're fortunate in that (I think) you're within fairly easy travel distance of one of the foremost Stick players/instructors on the planet in Steve Adelson (Lee Vatip on this forum).

I ordered a Stick and signed up for a Stick workshop before I had even touched one. The first one I ever held in my hands was at that workshop.

Two years later and the day's practice is almost the first thing I think of when I wake up. It's hard to go a day without playing the Stick and practice sessions of 1-2 hours are just an average day.

I don't know that I really gained much from that workshop other than discovering that making decent musical noises with the Stick is pretty easy. I've clearly become a bit obsessed with it. Others struggle to get into it and set it aside after a short time, which of course I simply can NOT understand!!

I would suggest you just do it, and spend some serious time with it when you get it. Note that Sticks don't depreciate much, so the financial risk is pretty low, particularly if you can find a used one which you can typically re-sell for the price you paid for it.

Hey you got a lot of good and useful advice here, I subscribe all of them...
the most cruel thing is the time to wait until your stick arrives...
but one tip is missing here, its the model to choose, and this depends on the size of your hands...for me a grand stick with it's 12 strings is to big for my hands, a ten string stick is my favorite....
....my graphite 12string grand must wait to be played, I can't give him more then 15 minutes per session, then I have to change to the smaller 10string stick, the spread is to much for my hands....
...at the moment I am thinking about buying an alto stick, but I have to think about the tuning for the alto first, because the offered tunings don't convince me....

...and btw if you can contact Steve Adelson for lessons, it's the best you can do for learning....

Steve moved to Arizona. Pretty sure. He used to be in long island not NYC . I'm in Orange county, no subways here. I have a few Sticks if you're interested in trying one. About an hour and a half from NYC. I do not play very well so don't expect much of a demo. I don't have pedals I play straight through amps Message me if interested. Regards.
Oh maybe he's moving back? Guess it's too hot in Arizona.

StIcKsTiCkStUckStickinG

Yes he's back East now, though last heard the property deal was still a work in progress, so he's unlikely to have had the opportunity to properly unpack. That said he is settled enough to be offering lessons again - see https://www.stickist.com/viewtopic.php?p=139331#p139331

Steve has relocated and is settled in back on Long Island. Gigging twice a week and teaching via Skype
Thanks
Steve