Thanks guys - here are pics of what I'm doing, first the 1-2-4 fingering:
(click to enlarge)
You'll notice that my forearm is almost vertical to get this in position. This fingering gives positive tone on fingers 1 + 2, less so on 4
Now the 'barre' 1-1-4 fingering:

This gives a positive tone on fingers the top two notes, less so on the lowest one, and my forearm is at a less extreme angle. The thumb is on the neck bevel in both, but in the 1-2-4 fingering it's almost on the outer edge.

arsacane's idea of floating the thumb over the board until a comfortable position is found is parallel to that of a well known cellist called Victor Sazer who wrote a cello technique book incorporating Alexander Technique principles. A cellists's left arm is in a somewhat similar position to a Stick player, and he suggested at times letting the thumb float without touching the neck.

Max

Hi Max,

Thanks for posting the pictures, can you post one from the other side so that I can see what your thumb is doing?

I think the most helpful thing you could do would be to angle the instrument back another 10 degrees or so, and get it closer to your left shoulder.

This would enable you to have a more relaxed attitude with your left arm, not having to hold it out "in front" so much. It would also open up your wrist a bit, and bring the fretboard more into view.

Emmett's belt-hook and shoulder strap do this naturally, and it's one of the big ergonomic advantages The Stick has over an instrument with a body, where the weight of the body pulls the neck forward.

Greg - here's a photo of my thumb position in the 1-2-4 fingering:
Now here it is in the 1-1-4 fingering:

Max

Hi Max

The pics are really helpful.

It looks to me like you have the flat of the thumb contacting the bevel. I find this makes it a little harder to open the hand up over the board, and consequently it's harder to use hand motion to support the pinky.

If you check out the Basic Free Hands DVD starting at around 6:30 you'll see that there is a way to re-orient your thumb so that the inside edge is contacting the instrument rather than the flat part of the thumb.

In some ways the Stick is all about "playing the angles". The more freedom of movement your hand has the easier it is to fit it into whatever situation arises.

Hope that helps.

Thanks again Greg, I'll watch the DVD.

Max

Getting a SG-12?

Hey Per, that's cheating!

Max