Angus wrote:
I'm in the market for a Stick, and I'm wondering what sort of effects age and use has on Chapman sticks.
For example, I'm looking at two different sticks. One is ten years old, and has been played a fair bit. The other is only five years old, and hasn't been played much. Will one play or sound any better/worse than the other, or go out of tune more easily?
I realise that the condition of a stick mightn't have much to do with age at all, and more to do with how well kept it has been. Is this the case?
Thanks in advance,
Angus
I believe they do stand up well to age. Necks can be adjusted and pickups can be changed and upgraded. One difference is very old Sticks don't have adjustable trussrods or adjustable bridges so the instruments sometimes need to be retrofitted with an adjustable trussrod and instruments with set bridges aren't as flexable in regard to changing tunings. That said a well adjusted old Stick often pays as good as a brand new one. Especially if it's sent back to Stick Enterprises for the set up!