Thanks for all the responses. I'll stack up the responses to each person in this post.

I enjoyed the video @earthgene. I'd heard descriptions of the different tunings but it was great to hear examples of them and their benefits all in one place like that.

Unfortunately it also kind of sealed the deal on 4ths on both sides because Greg said even he can't switch between 2 instruments with 4ths and 5ths bass side.

I have considered the NS Stick but I like the vertical position for tapping.

@robmartino Yes indeed the purpose is to keep it in the bass guitar range with a focus on playing bass parts rather than melody and chords. The large amount of overlap is for ergonomics and ease of playing. I like the access of the lowest strings in the center on such a wide instrument, especially for a bass where I'll be playing them a lot.

Finally @Big George Waters I think you've hit the nail on the head. I like that a whole lot. Got any samples of your playing out there I could check out?

Thanks, everyone!

Getting a new Chapman Stick with a custom tuning exactly the way you want it is never unfortunate.

Have it your way and be happy with your new purchase, you can share all the bitchen new ways to make music, exactly the way Emmett intended it

Powagoat, no I don't... nothing on line... I'm still stuck in the analog world s far as recording goes [which I've been told is not a bad thing !!]

I will say that for amplification, I use two Ampeg SVT400TH amplifiers that are in a single rack [which I can no longer pick up] into two Trace Elliot 1 x 15 cabs [the larger ones which were made], each half of the SB-8 gets it's own amp and speaker, and man does this stack shake things up !!

It's - to me anyway - a very very exciting tuning !!
I'd love the chance to play it with two drummers and some horn players and just really tear it up doing some full blown mind expanding free-jazz improv ala 1970s style....

Actually - I think that tuning which I mentioned - I think that's at the 1st fret - not at the nut.

I think - but I could be wrong, because I was going by what my ears were telling me.... where I am going with this is it would be fun to find a capo for like a 12 string guitar which might work on the SB-8 so it could be played like an electric bass when the mood strikes

The funny thing is - prior to getting the SB-8 believe it or not I was very seriously looking into an original 12 string Stick, with the slotted screws at the nut end, but then I got into thinking that for me anyway, there would be too many similar strings - and I remembered what Grace mentioned to me a while back about a very exciting way to set up a Stickbass, and I never looked back once S.E. had a real nice one that was used for sale