Hey all. Here are the latest pics of the "Franken-Stick". I put a powered "Altec Lansing" computer speaker system (including subwoofer) inside for monitoring. It sounds great to me and I can rehearse with my band's CD pumped into it with a small mixer blending the sound of the "Block" pick up, the GK3, and my CD walkman through a small mixer just before the input jack to the speakers. This is more cool than I could have imagined. All it took was a little thought and a lot of courage to make the first incision. I hope someone appreciates this and gets to hear it someday.

Mike

PS it weighs 17 lbs! Not much I can do about that. Glad it had a support peg!

I forgot to mention that the other speaker and the subwoofer are inside, mostly invisible from the outside. It is fairly loud. used it tonight for a personal monitor(of myself playing) along with a drummer(behind drum shield), guitarist, bass player, and singer, all coming through a separate PA system or amps.

That's all I can think of for now. I plan to record an album of origional material using this and my other Stick sometime this summer. But you all know how that goes...no breath holding.

I applaud your courage and creativity.

Thank you, Jeff, for your encouragement. Some people have asked me "why?". But you know how it is...everywhere you look there is a Chapman Stick player. I just wanted to be a little different. That is why I no longer shave my head also...too many shiny pated Stickists.

As Cambria says; "Best Regards", Mike

Unless I am missing something, to me it would make sense that it sounds different since as the strings push on the new bridge, the bridge pushes back on the strings. Changing the tone.

I have been experimenting with acoustic tapping though not with actual Chapman sticks. One thing I would say is that in general the more acoustic output you get from such an instrument the more feedback prone it will become. So there is almost a fork in the road of between an all acoustic instrument and an electric pickup one.

Sorry it took me so long to get back to this...
As far as I've heard so far( and I may be misunderstanding), Emmet has said that the choice in wood makes little or no difference in the sound of the instrument. Granted the strings are now pushing on a different bridge which is pushing on a more plyable top(the cello body) and the strings are connected to a separate tailpiece than a normal Stick, but the pickups are still very close to the strings. Close enough, I am thinking, to pick up the sound of the strings vibrating just above them at a much louder volume than any vibrations comming back to the strings through the bridge after spending some time rattling around in the body of the cello. Kind of like two singers, one screaming and one whispering, into the same microphone.
If you are missing anything, that might be it. But, all that being said, I have more imagination than knowledge about things musical. And am satisfied enough with the outcome not to research further for now. If anyone more knowledgeable cares to weigh in on this, I'd be more than grateful.

Mike

PS. it is pronounced "Fronkun-shteek"

so in the 4th pic it looks like there are two vertical black stripes next to the center truss rod.
What are those?

Hi Randy,
That particular Stick (#1485) was built, I am told, in 1984. Origionally it didn't even have a truss rod, but it did have 2 inlays of some kind(maybe epoxy resin) to give it some support in staying straight. In 2005 or so, I sent it back to SE for a refurbishment and Emmet installed the truss rod.

Those are what the stripes are.

Mike

WOW! Nice job!

As one who can't hardly leave well enuff alone myself, I really appreciate the thought and work you put into it.

Rob "Careful with that Router, Eugene" Cathcart