Hey Stick friends, seeing a beauty SB8 up on Reverb for a respectable $3250. I really like the detail they used in the body of the auction, lots of pertinent information and displayed in an easy to read detail format.



The seller looks legit and I feel that with the TRS to dual TS cable and the softshell case, it's a pretty fair price.

With all of the Tariff Wars going on lately, prices are getting crazy.
Most people are holding on to their cash until the economy stabilizes.

That is observant and a cold hard fact, but when you consider you could be paying $3500 for this:

https://reverb.com/item/87750449-stick-enterprises-chapman-stick-1985-ironwood



It may not seem so bad if you are in the market for a new Stick.

I actually prefer the older Stick.
It has a better tone that doesn't fluctuate with temperature.
I noticed that the tone changes slightly with the Railboard as it warms up.

I'm glad that I bought my instruments in Canada at a fair price.
I got my Angico hardwood Stick in Canada for $1200 CAD = $831.91 USD
I bought the Railboard in Canada for $2500 CAD = $1733.15 USD

The Ironwood that you referred to is over $5000 in Canada.

Buying them in your native country is the best and most efficient means of acquiring one. I was glad to bring one with me when I travelled to Portugal to sell my 12-string Maple to Rod. Finding one through the Stickist is also a good way to go. I saved my mate Randy a few hundred dollars on what Reverb or eBay would have charged him through posting it here on the Stickist first.

I have already received a nice note from the Techno Empire on Reverb in my message to them. As mentioned in my original post, the details they shared in the body of the message provide a great template for those that are buying and selling Chapman Sticks.

Here is how they listed their instrument:

About This Listing
WORKING CONDITION: Excellent - Plays great. Each fret is very responsive and the overall tone sounds incredible. All of the electronics are working properly as well. In all, everything is in excellent working condition.

PHYSICAL CONDITION: Excellent - In amazing condition. Everything is clean, well-kept, and perfectly intact. Overall, the physical condition is excellent.

INVENTORY #56086

BRAND: Chapman Stick

MODEL: SB8

FUNCTION: 8-String Tapping Bass

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: This listing is for a Chapman Stick SB8 8-String 36" Scale Tapping Bass w/ Original Case

SPECS:

Serial #7051
Finish/Color: Natural Tarara
Weight: 6.60 lbs
Nut Width: 3.25"
Scale Length: 36"
Fretboard: Tarara
Frets: 24
General Neck Shape: Flat D
Pickup Configuration: 2x EMG Single Coil Pickups
Knob and Switch Configuration: 2x Tone Knobs, 2x Volume Knobs, 2-Way Switch
ACCESSORIES INCLUDED:

Original Case
Owner's Manual & Registration
CBI Stereo 1/4" TS - TRS Cable
Chapman Stick SB8 Heavy Gauge Strings
Strap
Additional Tools
UNPACKAGED WEIGHT: 10.50 lbs.

UNPACKAGED DIMENSIONS: 48" x 7.25" x 10"

Right?! Right down to the inclusion of extra tools, the unpacked weight and even the gauge of strings.

Glad to hear you are getting some use out of the older instruments, I'm a 36" scale 10-string player myself, but to each their own.

Does the scale length really make that much of a difference?

I always thought that my Railboard was 36" scale
but apparently it's not, even though it measures almost 36".
https://stick.com/instruments/railboard/

Here's the explanation.

SCALE LENGTH
This new model's "scale length" (bridge to nut) is back to 34 inches, two inches shorter than the present 36 inches on standard hardwood, bamboo and graphite models, but the space from nut to "X-fret" is expanded by 1 3/4 inches to provide lots more room for the left-hand fingers and rear thumb at that first fret. The X-fret space with damper is thus stretched to 3 3/4 inches from the standard 2 inches, providing a full and uniform tone and a consistent "feel" at this first tapped position.

I'm going to take a wild guess and say that maybe they did this because the length of a string matters when it comes to long sustains?

Yes it does. To my ears and fingers, at least.

I played a 34" scale 10 string (built 1996) for 21 years. It was the only Stick I've ever known. Until I bought one off a guy on this list that was 36" scale (built 2012).

Tone difference: very subtle. But distinctly there. More defined. AKA brighter highs and distinct growly-er lows. I assume this has to do with longer string length always being a better tone. Think Grand piano against an upright. No comparison.

Playability: I found the 36" more fluid feeling instead of muddled like my 34". But that might be because of fret rails vs. rods.

The 34s aren't bad one bit. But the scale DOES make a difference.

That's too much for an SB8, which is arguably more niche than a standard 10-string. $1500 max for me, as soon as I figure out what to do with it that I can't already do on a 6-string bass.

Expecting to get an SB8 is $1500 may or may not be a realistic expectation, there are deals out there so one never knows. Just need to shark the boards on Reverb or eBay hoping that someone is not entirely aware of the real value of their product.

I do agree that I would prefer to pay half or even a third of the actual value, but a new instrument with all that is being offered here is in well in excess of $4k (an the wait) versus a 5-7 year older instrument in what looks to be excellent condition with a nice load out of accessories.

$3600 ~2017 SB8
$160 Softshell case
$56 Set of Heavy strings
$120 LapDawg
$15 Wrench
$26 TRS to dual TS Cable

It also has that Slider strap, which I am unfamiliar with. Bonus I guess.

$318.16 ~8% CA sales tax
================

$4295.16 before shipping. With shipping, handling and insurance, that would no doubt add $200 domestically to start. So just about $4500 for a new instrument and the wait versus $3250 and $35 (?!!!) shipping domestically does not sound like a bad deal if one is in the market for an SB8.

As for the the feel of a 34" scale instrument, well it is more taunt, which I like, but again, to each their own mate. I posted this more so because I liked how it was advertised, the photos, the description and the price is fair for a handmade instrument of the quality of a Chapman Stick.