Re: 10 string or 12 string?
BobbyE wrote:
I'm a pro guitarist, and have been intrigued by the Stick for awhile, since Steve Adelson demonstrated one to me at a guitar show.
I'm going to get a Chapman Stick, so, should I get a 10 string or a 12 string?
Thanks!
Bob
I don't think there's a right or wrong answer to this question.
You'll get a lot of people who tell you that 12 strings is necessarily better, but there are also reasons to go with 10.
I play both regularly, so perhaps can give you a more balanced view than someone who only plays one or the other.
1. Visual simplicity. The Stick is about patterns of notes, and about geometry. To me it's much easier to see and feel these shapes on a group of five strings than it is on a group of 6 strings.
2. Narrower board, feels sleeker in your hands (weights less, too).
3. Greater string spacing. This is definitely a consideration if you have thicker fingers.
4. The basic technique is the same, whether you play 10 or 12, but playing 10 strings encourages you to develop hand movement skills rather than always playing "positionally". My personal belief is that hand movement is really helpful in sound, independence, and fretboard navigation, so whatever you can do to get it happening right away will benefit you in the long run.
5. Overall range is the same, if you go with the Classic tuning
6. they cost less...
Even though the Grand Stick has been around since the early 1990s, the players you know about started on 10 strings. It did nothing to inhibit their development as players, and may have helped it.
There are several excellent players who still only play 10-string, including Emmett and Cides.
Things I personally like about the Grand Stick:
1. the high bass 4th, excellent for more complex chord voicings using only the bass strings.
2. more possibilities in arrangements, the extra string gives you more timbral flexibility.
3. as a teacher, it's nice to have one instrument that encompasses the different tunings my students use.
I hope that helps. You can always get a Grand Stick once you learn the technique on a 10...