So I find myself in a bit of a dilemma with the Stick.

This last year, I decided to really devote my time to the Railboard, in RMR tuning as opposed to the grand which is tuned in M4. It's been going good. Slow, very slow... but steady progress. No problem, cool. I really wanted to give the standard Free Hands method a try. I went through Emmett, Greg and Steve's books and Bob, Steve and Greg's videos and although I am much better at RMR, it really just hasn't "stuck". I revisited lessons I had taken a few years ago with Steve Adelson, and tried really hard for an epic last ditch attempt at it in the "prescribed" manner...

For kicks, I thought I'd jump onto the 'ole Wenge 12 str Grand and see if I had forgotten anything. I haven't even touched it in a year. Surprise, surprise - I have forgotten nothing. If anything, my ability to learn things in that (M4) tuning feels accelerated by my hiatus. Literally, I can play the darned thing, and it's just a lot easier in M4 for what I want to do...

Here's the dilemma part of it - I just don't have time to pursue two tunings. I have tried M4 on a Railboard and it's umm, well a bit limiting actually - 5ths works out a lot better on a 10 string than 4ths does... for what I want to do, anyways. So, I can play in both tunings. One is a lot easier to progress on than the other for me, though... and the other is "established".

So I already know what I am going to do with myself in regards to the Stick, and where I want to go with the instrument but I am curious - What would you do in my shoes? lol it's a fun "what if" and I can't wait to read the replies...

I i mean me,.I prefer sticking with one type of tuning.i,have# 2- 10 string grands both matched recipical PASV-4.I,can't see leapfrogging all over the place with different turnings, different string configurations and board widths. I,dig in like a tick to become familiar with this type of STICK. I even sold my Railroad off. I do have a SB8 ,Basses and other guitars
But when it comes to Stick I believe getting familiar with one type helps me grow.Thats my story and I'm STICKING to it.

Gee Wizz, Stick w/ the 4ths. I know what I LIKE. And it's DBR with the melody tuned "down" a half-step so the notes "match" @ the fret-markers. NO RULES. Do whatever you want with the Railboard.

I suggest thinking in terms of what you want to do. To simplify things a bit, a musician can do three things with an instrument - experiment, perform, or record. The Railboard has a unique sound that you might want to use for recording or experimenting. It sounds like it won’t be your performance instrument where knowing your tuning may be more important.

Hey Scott, it’s been awhile. I’ve been away from the Stick and the forum while various life-things happened. I’m back now and enjoying re-starting with the instrument.

It’s great to see your journey, which is very clear to see. When I was last here, you were just getting into M4 and exploring that as an alternative to the 5/4 (RMR) tuning. You were excited about M4 and committed yourself to it because it made sense to you, and it fitted the music you wanted to play.

Now you’re much further along the road, and M4 still works for you. This year you’ve tested 5/4 again, but it doesn’t quite click? Sounds like your M4 choice was the right one for you.

I wonder what you felt you were missing, that lead you to try the 5/4 (RMR) tuning again this year? Any thoughts?

I think I heard Greg say in FHF or another session that he doesn’t have the time to work with two different tuning schemes - he’s clearly fluent in 5/4 and chooses not to pursue M4. There might be some good advice there.

I think you have several options and it’s all good.

The Wenge 12-string with PASV4 has some overlap with the R-block sound. You could trade the Railboard for an SG12 in M4 with a Stickup? That gives you a different sound, using your preferred tuning. Just one idea of many...

Great to see your journey, thanks for being so open with what you share.

I’ve purchased/sold a few sticks: Alto, stick guitar, 10 string grand, 10 string rail board, grand rail board and multiple 12 string grands. If I wasn't totally happy with an instrument, I let it go to others who would better appreciate it (and play it). If the 5ths/4ths tuning doesn’t feel right to you, why try to force it? Sell or trade it. By focusing on one tuning you should have better progress. Just look at how well you shred on the guitar. I don’t know your history with guitar, but my guess is you have several years of playing it in standard 6-string tuning.

Sell/trade the 5ths/4ths stick

Hmmm, wise words here from Jeremy. I myself have dabbled with a few tunings and have settled on Matched Reciprocal for the 10-string Railboard, and straight fourths for the NS/Stick. Which is where I started! My Rosewood 10-string is still in mirrored fourths, but with only the 10 strings, it doesn't realize the full capability of the M4s. And I rarely even touch it anymore. If I were less lazy, I'd restring it back to MR, and now saying and typing that out loud, I just might...

But for purpose #3, recording, I use the hell out of my Railboard. I love that sound, and I think I've gotten a good sound out of it. The NS is also butter but I find I dig the Railboard on my DBro Holder, and the fifths in the bass, both as a sound and as a playing style.

I reserve the right to change my mind again, but I've never really changed away from digging the MR tuning and making it work on the Stick. The NS/Stick is tuned as an 8-string bass should be, straight 4ths, and not (shudders) guitar tunings; and then the Railboard is MR, like god intended (but which one? Clapton?).

You should get a 12-string Railboard, trade in the 10-string for it, and tune it M4s. All of your problems would be solved, and no more dilemma, except which pickups you should get (get them all! Is that possible?)

And then decide which bling coating to get on it. I like all of that idea!

Just some feedback, and opinions. Shove them all in the Scott percolator and let that marinate. Lots to think about and there are no wrong decisions. (GOld! GOLd! GOLD!!!! Okay, maybe the silver. Or the gunmetal. But definitely a new 12-string!)

You could sell the 10-string and then be done with it. But that wouldn't be as much fun.

As you've seen on my FB page I'm selling a Megatar...not because I don't like it, but just because I can't play it in a vertical way. I do have a serious handicap with my left shoulder and it's impossible for me to play that way. I need to play in an horizontal way...almost like a guitar or a bass. This instrument is beautiful and sounds great but it's not built for me. I bought it few months ago and I don't have choice to sell it again. Why did I buy it? I wanted to try this tuning in 4ths in the bass part. I like it but I'm so used now to play in inverted 5ths that it was really strange at the beginning. Today I can say that inverted 5th for me is ok because I learned how to deal with this tuning and I feel comfortable with it. It brings me to another way of thinking if I compare to a normal bass in 4ths. I didn't put an ad here to sell my Megatar because I'd like to sell it to a Canadian. I'll see later if it's realistic...lol. Have fun on your side Scott...

I had a Megatar Storm w/Bartolinis over 10 year's ago.What model is yours Alain ?

I've had 9 Chapman Sticks, all with the same tuning. If the tuning works, play it.