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Very often in mails or private conversations people ask me questions about the Stick. Since the questions often repeat, I desided to post my answers here. Feel free to send me your questions!

Q: What is this instrument that you are playing?
A: The Chapman Stick
Q: The Stick like a stick?
A:...

Q: There are too many strings, I cannot count them.
A: My Stick has 10 strings, but there are also 8 and 12 string Sticks.

Q: Is it difficult to play the Stick?
A: It is difficult to play well the Stick, just like any other instrument.

Q: Can a girl play the Stick?
A: Do I look like a boy!? Of course a girl can play the Stick, there are a few very good women-Stick players, such as Virginia Splendore, Carrie Melbourne, Linda Cushma...

Q: Why did you buy the Stick and not a guitar and a bass? To save money?
A: The Stick, as a tapping instrument, gives different possibilities from the bass and the guitar and is also very well known for it's specific beautiful sound. I still have a guitar and a bass, but to tell the truth, I hardly ever touch them anymore.

Q: Can I buy a Stick in a music store?
A: You can buy a new Stick only directly from the Stick Enterprises or its distributors,  but sometimes you can find a used Stick at some music stores in the USA or at Ebay.com.

Q: (usually asked by security guards) What do you have in this case? A riffle?
A: No, it's a musical instrument. No, not a trombone...no, not a sitar...

Q: Will the Stick play without amplification?
A: No, the Stick is an electric instrument, and just like an electric guitar will not produce much sound without amplification. There is an acoustic Stick, called Acousticks, owned by the Stick player Bob Culbertson, so probably in the near future one will be able to buy also an acoustic Stick.

Q: Can one play the Stick with traditional guitar or bass methods?
A: The Stick is designed specifically for tapping, though many musicians also use sliders, e-bows and whatever else to play the Stick. But if you want in addition to tapping to play with traditional guitar or bass technique, such as plucking, picking, slapping, the NS Stick will be the perfect choice for you.

Q: What kind of Stick do you play?
A: I play a standard 10-string Polycarbonate Stick.

Q: I listened to the songs on your CD, but coudn't hear any Stick there, there was a band playing. Where is the Stick?
A: Almost everything, except for the vocals and drums is played on the Stick.

Q: Can you use different effects on the guitar and the bass part of the Stick?
A: Definitely, the Stick has a stereo pickup which means that each side of the Stick can be amplified and processed separately.

Q: Is the Stick expensive?
A: For such a great custom-made instrument, it's very cheap.

Q: How do you call a person who plays the Stick, a sticker?
A: A person who plays the Stick is usually called a Stick player or a stickist. I really love the Spanish word stickista.

Q: I don't have a Stick, can I attend a Stick gathering?
A: Sure, you are welcome!

Q: Where could I have heard the Stick?
A: Many people really heard the Stick, but they don't know that they did. You could have heard the Stick on the albums of Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Yes and many others.

You can email me your quesions, just click here and write!