Last week I received my new Dark Bamboo 12-string Grand Stick.

Emmett again did a great job on this and I just want to show you some of the details of this incredible instrument. There is a flickr set with all photos here.

Black Recon Stone linear inlays:


A rubber inlay at the bottom:


Two extra frets:

I had the idea that there is enough space for maybe even 5-6 additional frets. But Emmett told me that with each fret you add, the strings need to be adjusted higher. So you can add even more frets than two, but on cost of playability. So two frets seemed to be the best tradeoff.
But the two frets are not included in the CNC program of the basic Stick body shaping, that's why Emmett had to rework the body manually and use jumbo size guitar frets instead of rails.

Finally, here is a tune I recorded with my new Stick yesterday. It is Pat Pat Methenys "Last Train Home". Just a one shot recording with no overdubs or additional post processing. Just minimal effects from my pedalboard. Enjoy...

Listen on the following page: Last Train Home

All in all, my new Stick again showed me Emmets ambition to build a perfect instrument. For me, he is so close...

Best,
TheMM

Beautiful playing there. And a great song. Well done. Good fun to listen to. Thank you.

Now the rubber inlay.... Is that a new feature on the Stick´s or did you ask them to add some for protection? Never seen that before. Great idea if you want to put your Stick on its tail down on the floor.

Again, beautiful playing. Well done and congrats to a fine instrument.

Sincerely//Jan

Nice song and rendition, Marc. Love the bare-bones 2-finger bass rhythm of only the roots and inversions (pretty sure that's what I heard). A video would tell all, of course. Your automatic tremolo effect was in triplets against the four - nice touch, kind of an old American sound.

Then came a more complex passage with sustained, overlapping notes in the higher register. I'd call it one of the many forms of "FingerSticking" (courtesy Jeff Pearce for the term). Nice buildup to that memorable moment.

Thanks also for those clear and detailed photos of your new Grand Stick. So far, you seem to have the best shots of the black obsidian Recon Stone linear markers. Glad you're enjoying your new instrument.

BTW, each additional high fret entails lowering the pickups, not raising the action at the bridge. Volume is a bit reduced. Also, those two high frets are the old "Rods" that I used before invention of the Rails.

Best, Emmett.

Thanks for your kind words, Jan & Emmett.



One of my older Sticks already had this feature and I really found it useful in everyday situations whenever there is no stand available.




Thanks Emmett. Yes, this one is just basic two finger bass of the roots, which is quite a challenge for me to be played exact. No added harmonics. The tremolo is a Voodoo Vibe which I really love on the melody side of my Stick. And I found out that is works perfectly for the Stickup and the PASV-4.