Maybe I should have joined this forum earlier! I just bought this Stick, I offered him $1800 and he ( or she maybe, dunno) accepted. No matter, it's done now. I also noted the bridge setup, weird, but setting intonation and adjusting truss rods is not a big deal, I'be built several instruments, mostly electric basses, hammered Dulcimers, flutes and the like, and do setups and repairs for friends, so I actually look forward to taking a whack at this guy. Plus I'm a sucker for Padouk, Our local mill works, Armstrong Lumber, carries a great Padouk selection, a great dealt of which I've used in my instruments over the years.
I thought overall the instrument looked ok, and my dealing with ctguy30 has been good too.
Dunno what is meant about the ferrous metal shim, I get the idea ok, but I don't see it in the pics, maybe it'll be obvious when I get it. We'll see!

FYI Fun with Padouk tip: soak boards in acetone, let dry for a month or so, then without sealing the giant pores, paint white, or use white filler, then sand away all paint. You'll end up with a bright orange wood with tons of white pore streaks running through it, very different, and pretty cool looking...

Ok, The 10 string Stick is in my possession. A brief report follows:

1. Serial number is 1821, very clearly marked, the pic was just not that great on eBay. I hope to God it is not stolen, it took every last penny I had to purchase! I suspect not, my google searches turned up nothing on the serial number.

2. I don't think this is a fake, if it is, we're all doomed...the workmanship is extraordinarily good, and the construction matches all the pics I could find googling the 10 string version.

3. The frets are extremely well dressed, and the 'neck' is as straight as my expensive straight edge can show, and there is lots of fret left. If there weren't a few stray file marks here and there, I would not think it had been played and dressed at all.

4. The setup was indeed all wrong, at both of the nuts, and the 'slide blocks'. The slide blocks looked like aluminum to me at first, but they appear to be some sort of plastic (reinforced nylon?). The adjustable bridge screws are made of steel, but the seller ctguy30 included a little bag with two brass bridge screws, and a replacement slide block, and extra screws to hold the slide block down. This all came in handy, as the bass side E string bridge piece was busted, and I think I know why.

5. I was able to set the action on average to below 2mm after I lowered the pickup block. Plays and sounds very nice...very very nice!

6. The overall condition was what I would have called "like new", as there are almost no blemishes or scratches worth mentioning. What beautiful grain on the wood!

7. The Block has a preamp in it which I believe is activated by inserting the guitar cord jack. It works very nicely, nice warm tone for the pair of pups. Though I don't know what it would sound like without it of course.

8. I slid 'The Block' out, and examined it. The wiring looks very well done. I'm an electrical engineer btw, and while in the Navy as a technician for 6 years, I got to take a NASA soldering course (2 weeks, and there was a 6 week course as well!) so I like to think I have a vague idea as to what good soldering and wiring looks like, and this looks very good. I did not swap the pickups, as after I took the bottom plate off (held on only by one of the mono/stereo switch screws) I saw there were 3 very precisely placed pieces of white tape-like material holding the guts within the block, no doubt an aid to assembly...? I didn't want to mess with them, they looked so nicely placed!

9. There is indeed a small metal(?) plate on the melody pickup under the highest 2 strings (A,D) and I am wondering if I can carefully peel that off and place it on the bass pickup under the C,G strings. I understand the 'flux' comment by Bsharp and the intent of the ferrous metal shim.

10. The case is in good shape, kinda dusty on the outside, not really worn where you would expect a well traveled case would be. I wonder if this is one of those 'stuck in the closet' instruments... I have a few myself... The foam is in good shape too, but will need replacing in a few years as it continues to dry out.

11. The leather strap looks really unused, and is dried out. I made one out of one inch cotton web to suit myself as I don't think I should trust it. And using the leather strap, even at full length, the upper part of the Stick was too close to me to focus my eyes on (yes I am overdue for an eye exam and I do wear glasses), so mine is a little longer.

Summary: This is a really finely made instrument, it sounds great, and I am very much looking forward to learning how to play it. Now I can attend the Interlochen clinic this year in my home state of Michigan... very much looking forward to that right now!

Greg Howard addressed this recently in the thread Eyes Wide Shut:

Thanks Robstafarian, makes sense. Transitioning from 20+ years of jazz gigs as a bass player, I certainly will be needing any good tips. The "Classic" tuning is like playing standing on my head looking in a mirror but I am going to do a total immersion thing, so it's all about the Stick now! Any thoughts on instruction materials? I am currently making my way through Mr. Howards video about re-creating "Time After Time" on Stick. Having a lot of fun with it.

Welcome! Welcome!

There just aren't that many out there! Get them all! Greg and Steve's DVDs, Emmet's Free Hands, Steve's Stickology, Greg's The Stick Book and you're set!

And set yourself up with some Skype lessons asap! They are inexpensive and invaluable! Rob will link you as fast as you can say "ROB! LINK ME!"

Would that be a reference to this post?