Setups

6 January 16 - David Tipton (CO), to Emmett:
Just spent a few hours playing back and forth between my new trio of Sticks. Using my new Grand as the benchmark to compare the setups on my older instruments, I'm delighted to say they're all in top notch shape. I can only imagine the detailed work that must go into getting an instrument to that point. I'm just grateful knowing Stick Enterprises was there when I needed them.

To me, what you do is magic. When all the elements of a properly setup instrument are in place, it leaves me free to really focus on music. I really can't emphasize how much I appreciate this. The light touch, the gorgeous tones, seem to invite inspiration!

30 August 13 - Eric Anthony (Kuwait), to Stickist.com:
SUBJECT: First adjustment on the divided truss rod
I'd been noticing that the string hight on my Grand 12 has been getting a little high at the pickup end. So after reading all the posts on here and the info on the S.E site, plus watching Greg's video multiple times, I got out the wrench and had a go. I was amazed at how easy and painless it was :D The only problem was sighting down the bass side as the midi control was in the way. I was equally suprised to find it required very little re-tuning, and only on a couple of strings.

Figgered I'd post this just in case anyone else was agonizing over doing their first adjustment.

06 March 13 - Per Boysen (New York), to Stickist.com:
SUBJECT: Loving how easy the Stick is to maintain!
      I need to use my several decades old Stratocaster for a recording and decided to give the intonation a quick face lift before kicking of the recording. And then I realized how used I have become to the super easy maintenance. On my Sticks I take three minutes to adjust the neck every second week and they just play perfectly smooth but on this rock n roll crap axe I need to take off the strings as well as the pick-guard just to reach the adjustment point for the truss rod. And then put everything back and tune up the bitch. Horrible design... people must love that strat tone to go through all that.
      The Stick design is just totally efficient.

20 February 12 - Daniel Mitton (Italy), to Stick Enterprises
    I received The Stick and I'm now back home to Italy. The instrument is beautiful, perfect every detail with great craftsmanship! Even more beautiful is the setup and the sound when I finally managed to plug it into my rig! The great tone I always hoped for is finally achieved and the control over the dynamics is unbelievable. Every single detail was above my expectations!
    Congratulation to Emmett for his vision and to all the SE team for making it real! And thanks a lot Cambria, for all your help!

25 October 11 - Ken Hayward (Florida), to Cambria at Stick Enterprises:
    Just got The Stick today. It's amazing. I've never played one set up fresh from you guys, and it makes a world of difference, but I'm sure you hear that all the time. So far, its everything I could have asked for. Now to get used to the extra two strings!

07 January 09 - Jan Hellman, (Stockholm, Sweden), to Stickist.com:
    Okay, my new Stick has arrived today by UPS. I unpacked everything and got blown away. Beautiful instruments indeed. One thing that got my attention right away is how easy it is to play a properly setup instrument. I definitely have to adjust the truss rods on my other instruments. I've not done that in years. One gets easily used to slightly higher action on the strings but it does get harder to play..... That was kind of a great lesson to learn. Again, since I've noticed this EVERY time I've got new instruments, 3 times now. I'm dumb..... :lol:

28 November 08 - Matt Rogers, (Texas), to Stickist.com:
    I don't think that a Grand hinders your speed in any way compared to a 10. The string spacing is a bit narrower on a Grand, so you have to take a little care at first not to hit those accidental double-stops. On a 10-string you have a little more room between the strings and can throw your fingers around with more recklessness, if you will. As an Alto owner, I switch back and forth between it and the Grand all day long during our gigs, and I never have any trouble adapting to the differences in feel. All properly set-up Sticks are a joy to play, regardless of the number of strings.

18 August 08 - Sean Sterling (WA), to Stickwire:
    Proper setup not only gives you those freely soaring improvs but it can also save you from injuring your hands and associated muscles. I have been working mostly on graphics the last few weeks - not spending very much time practicing. Two solo gigs, both five hours of playing with a few breaks, came upon me suddenly. To my delight I played them without effort. I had expected my hands and arms to be quite useless after these gigs. A month ago I very carefully setup my Rosewood Grand to perfection (with new strings).

13 August 08 - 88persuader (NH), to Stickist.com:
     In regard to the callous ... I've been playing nothing but Stick and NS Stick for the past year at home and professionally and have LOST ALL of my callouses on BOTh hands. And I play all the time and gig almost every weekend. I believe someone once asked Emmett about callouses and he said something to the extent that if he had them it would mean he was playing wrong ... or something like that. If you have to play your strings hard enough to develope callouses I think your Stick is probably in great need of adjustment. Your neck should be perfectly straight, no curve at all, and string action so low to the frets that you can tap and hold notes with little to know effort. Your strings should almost be touching the frets the full length of the neck. A set up like that takes no effort to play. You can tap very softly and still play so that gives you a lot of dynamic expression and speed because you're not fighting the instrument.
    It's funny ... two weeks ago I got a call to play an acoustic guitar gig. I don't think I EVER felt so much PAIN in my fingers!!! I have been playing bass and guitar much of my life but now after playing nothing but NS Stick and Grand Stick for the past year plus my finger tips are totally soft. Also my left hand wasn't ready to FIGHT holding down acoustic guitar strings playing bar chords and soloing. What a battle! I made it through and played fine but my hands were in pain for a whole week afterwards! I honestly didn't even play Stick for the next 5 days because they were so sore. Sooooooooooooo again, if you're developing callouses on your right hand fingers definitely consider getting your new baby in for a tune up. You WON'T BELIEVE the difference a properlly set up Stick makes!

30 July 07 - Rob Howiler, to Stickwire:
    As a kid, I "experimented" (i.e., destroyed) a guitar trying to learn how to adjust it. The Stick is perfect for me because you can just give it a small turn & check it. Maybe another small turn and check it again. So easy a caveman (i.e., ME) can do it.
    The sheet that came with my Stick had perfect instructions - the ones online were great, too. I was so worried that first time I had to adjust the truss! But it came out wonderfully in the end. Excellent design, IMHO. After all, if *I* can do it properly, it MUST be a great design.

06 December 06 - Jim Streeter, to Stickist.com:
Emmett wrote:
>IMHO, the beginner is in even greater need of optimum setup and
>playability, otherwise the instrument can be discouraging to play and
>the inspiration evaporates. I also feel that playing method itself
>declines in reputation if there are too many hard to play instruments
>in circulation.

Truer words were never spoken! I've only been playing the Stick about 2 years and have very little previous music experience. Some here on the list may be familiar with my other posts regarding the recent arrival of my new 10-String and the subsequent sale of my older, circa 1976 10-String.

It would be extremely difficult for me to point to any one particular thing about my new Stick and say "This is so much better than my old Stick that *it* alone is the main reason why I'm so happy now." However, it's very clear to me that my playing is better, my fatigue level is much lower (or non-existent ), and my practice times have increased dramatically (from a sometimes-hard-to-get-through hour each night with the old Stick to one and one-half to two hours without even realizing it with my new Stick!). The individual improvements and refinements over the years really do add up.

Hope this helps anyone out there who might be considering either the purchase of a new Stick or a return of their old Stick to SE for a tune-up.

06 December 06 - Steve Adelson (NY), to Stick Enterprises:
Just back from a duo gig and my percussionist actually unsolicited said that my Solar Stick sounded better. I agreed. Since it's all the same electronics as usual, I think it's just set up so fine, I played better. Thanks for your craftsmanship and artistry.

13 February 06 - Micah Ball (CA), to Stickwire:
I personally stopped using compressors (at least for live playing) a few years ago. It really doesn't take long to develop enough finger sensitivity to be able to regulate your own volume. Of course a good setup is essential.

12 February 06 - Flint Blade (FL), to Stick Enterprises:
Just letting you know I got my bamboo Grand Stick a few days ago and have been playing it nonstop since I opened the case. It's absolutely beautiful, thank you so much. It's amazing to me that the production of my Stick was overseen by Emmett himself. I mean, I hear stories of people finding old Fender guitars that were made when Leo Fender was actually in the company. I was playing an old ironwood that was in dire need of some good setup attention. Playing this new one is like getting glasses after years of being nearsighted and not even realizing it. I love it.

01 June 05 - Glenn Poorman (MI), to Stickwire:
My padauk instrument rarely needs adjustment. I've found that when it does, it's usually not so much a result of temperature change as it is humidity change. In Michigan, we have a pretty drastic swing in the average humidity between winter and summer so twice a year (right around the same time I start to notice my piano needs tuning) I'll need to give it a tweak. That tweak will carry me through all of winter. In the summer, I might need an additional tweak going from climate control to none.

03 April 05 - Rob Martino (IL), to Stickwire:
I went back and tried measuring the string height on my Stick again just to make sure I wasn't giving Jim inaccurate readings, and assuming I'm measuring correctly (I'm just resting a small ruler on the fret and looking along the length of the fret), on the thinnest string the height is a hair under 2/32" at the 17th fret and a hair above 2/32" for the thicker strings (on the melody side). So hovering around the 1.5 mm mark. The setup feels great to me.

21 March 05 - Steve Burnett (NC), to Stickwire:
I've had my Grand since '97 and I sent it in around 2001 for a setup, new strings, and (while it was there) a GK-2A pickup retrofit. What prompted me to send it in was the original owner mentioned at one point that he'd bought The Stick in standard tuning and switched to Matched Reciprocal and heavy gauge strings himself, and that he wasn't sure he'd done the gauge switch adjustments correctly, so he wasn't certain it had ever been properly set up in heavy gauge. When it came back, it felt wonderful. I recommend that if you buy a used Stick, strongly consider sending it in for a good factory setup at Stick Enterprises before you get attached to it.

25 October 04 - Glenn Poorman (MI), to Stickwire:
I would suggest getting handy with your truss wrench. Ideally, you shouldn't have to adjust your neck too often but expecting to never have to adjust it is pretty unrealistic. The Stick is, as you know, basically one huge neck and there's virtually no way you're going to go through weather changes without some movement. That is why the truss is exposed and why the wrench is supplied. We all carry it with us. We all tweak every so often. Usually, the cold weather seasons give me zero reasons to even look at my neck. During the summer though, I'm constantly moving from non air conditioned humid environments into air conditioned dry environments and ... yep ... I have to tweak on occasion.

18 November 03 - Greg Howard (VA), to Stickwire:
Most of us longtime Stick players have tried other instruments. For whatever reason the vast majority of us are still Stick players. Sticks have a unique sound, and that is surely part of it. But my contention is that the main reason is the unique feel to the way they play, in part because of their overall design, but also because they can be set up so well (a reflection of the design and refinements made along the way). "Technique-ly" they are physically easy to play. Learning the method is another matter, but the act of playing is not physically demanding when they are properly set up. If they were not easy to play, frustration with the method would ensue, making the whole exercise of building, selling, distributing and buying pointless. Any instrument that hampers the user becomes a filter through which the players ideas must be forced, an instrument which will conform them to its own limitations. Any reduction in playability would be contrary to Emmett's vision, which is one of facilitating musical expression through the wellspring of his two-handed tapping method.

14 November 03 - Kevin Ramsey (Japan), to Stickwire:
I made a truss adjustment today during my lunchtime practice session. Actually, it turned out to be a relatively large adjustment, as I had let the action get away from me over the last couple of weeks (+ the recent and sudden decline in temperature). I was amazed (as always when I get the action back down to where it _should_ be) at the difference in playability of my Stick after the adjustment. I'm not exaggerating at all when I say it was exactly like playing a different instrument than just moments before. My playing became more fluid, faster, and much easier due to less movement and power required from fingers/hands/arms. And, playing suddenly became much more _fun_. For a Stick (and any beginner's model that may or may not be introduced in the future) setup is _everything_.

22 October 03 - Michael Winslow Czeiszperger (NC), to Stickwire:
I'm sorry to hear about your wrist pain. One thing to consider is if your stick is used and hasn't been refurbished in a while. I just got my 10 year old stick back from SE, and I can't believe how much easier it is to play. The left hand medium strings that used to require significant effort to play are now effortless...

3 October 03 - Jaap Kramer (Holland), to Stickwire:
I use an alternative trick: I gently press down the thinnest bass string on both the first and the last fret (simultaniously). The string acts as a ruler, and if I see any relief between the string and the frets halfway the "neck" (that is, around the 8th fret), I tighten the truss rod a bit. If I notice some rattling (on my Stick the thinnest bass strings start rattling at the lowest frets when the truss is too tight) I loosen the rod a bit. It's that simple. Takes less than a minute (I usually do this while "wearing" the Stick).

22 July 03 - Greg Howard (VA), to Stickwire:
I don't think it's true that having lower volume on the lower frets is a characteristic of a properly setup instrument. Maybe I play the first fret just a tiny bit harder than the others, but it ain't much, and the 2nd and 3rd are no different than higher up. This is why Emmett's instruments are so ideal for the technique, they are setup so that all notes on the fretboard should be equally playable. He puts a lot of time into this, and into making instruments that can be easily adjusted to keep them that way. I'm sorry I didn't get to take a look at your Stick when I was in Montreal. A lost opportunity, I think.

1 June 03 - Paul Frields (VA), to Stickwire:
One of the best things I ever learned about my Stick was not to be afraid of tweaking the truss. The truss is there to help you get your instrument's setup as perfect as possible. Make sure you learn how to "read" the state of your fretboard, by holding the instrument up toward a light.

30 December - 02 - Drew Rittgers (WI), to Stickwire:
Huzzah! Oak Stick 001 has returned from SE. The difference is nothing less than astounding. Super-low action, string-to-string balance, even notes up and down the fretboard-it's fantastic. I have to say the effort of sending the instrument in and waiting is well worth it. Now to get about the business of familiarizing myself with the Baritone Melody tuning...

17 September 02 - Chris Browne (IL), to Stickwire:
Greg showed us a marvelous little trick to remember how to adjust the truss. Put The Stick on in normal playing position. From the LEFT, put the truss rod adjustment wrench into position. Push the wrench AWAY from your body to push the strings AWAY from the fretboard. Pull the wrench TOWARDS your body to pull the strings TOWARDS the fretboard. The reaction to the adjustment is almost immediate.

16 September 02 - David Wozmak (NH), to Stickwire:
My experience with Stick Enterprises, where a wooden Stick was shipped 3000 miles (as the crow flies), by UPS, braving the handlers and the rigors of air travel, from a dry, stable temperate environment to a humid, variable, cold/hot one...the instrument arrived in perfect tune, and perfect adjustment. Everything I see on this list and my personal communications with other Stick players, points to this being the norm, rather than the exception. My guess is that Stick Enterprises has an out-of-the-box "Stick Setup Sucks Statistic" of something like one tenth of one percent.

7 September 02 - Paul Frields (VA), to Stickwire:
Obligatory playing comment: I noticed the climate changes in my area had thrown my action a little out of whack on my 10-string, which I recently sent out to S.E. for maintenance. A quick tweak of the truss rod and once again it was restored to utter perfection. I try to check it every time I play, but like many people, sometimes I forget. Have you checked your truss today?

23 August 02 - Vance Gloster (CA), to Stickwire:
If you want to do something with The Stick, even casual playing or small parts on your recordings, it is important to have a good instrument. I would talk to Stick Enterprises about having your instrument tuned up. It would not be expensive to get an adjustable belt hook for your instrument, which should take care of height problems. And you probably need a new set of strings. On my old 10-string I also opted to get a more modern pickup, and I like it a lot better. But just remember I warned you. Getting a well-set-up Stick may put you right on that slippery slope toward being a full-time Stick player!

21 August 02 - Winston Burger (CA), to Stickwire:
Just last night I intonated my Stick to compensate for a switch from medium to heavy Baritone Melody strings. I followed Greg Howard's setup instructions-found at www.greghoward.com/profile/Stick/setup -which use the 2nd and 14th fret notes for setting intonation. After 45 minutes of detuning (by all means get one of those little guitar string winders if you don't have one already!), retuning, and moving around the Slide-Blocks I got it very well intonated. Before setting intonation, be sure that the strings are tuned up to pitch, the truss is properly adjusted, and the string action/pickup height are where they're supposed to be. With Greg's instructions and a fair amount of patience you can learn to set up your Stick very close to factory spec.

7 July 02 - Paul Potts (MI), to Stickwire:
The workmanship is as impressive as it is on all The Sticks I've seen: that is, obviously done with a great deal of expertise and attention to detail. Emmett isn't kidding when he talks about the work they do to make the fretting surface very smooth and playable across the whole instrument. It's also clear that the whole tapping concept just really wouldn't work without this careful setup.

12 April 02 - Paul Frields (VA), to Stickwire:
Rosewood Grand #691 (5+7) just arrived today from California and it is positively beautiful. I've compared the setup to my other Stick, and found the new one is quite superior in playability. I can't wait to try tweaking #777 to see if I can't bring it up to scratch. (And yes, I do have a note pad ready to take down details before I start screwing it up!) :-) Believe it or not, I'm bringing my Stick to a show tonight to try a song or two. My drummer begged me --what could I do? At least I practiced as much as I could, so hopefully it won't be too bad; wish me luck!

16 October 01 - Glenn Turner (IL), to Stickwire:
Because The Stick has much lower action than a guitar, very small truss rod adjustments can make a big difference in playability. Here in Chicago we have cold winters and hot, humid summers. I usually need to adjust my truss rod once in spring and again in the fall. I have never adjusted the nut or bridge pins on a Stick unless I was changing string gauges and/or tunings.

30 June 01 - Greg Howard (VA), to Sticknews:
Perhaps an easy way to look at your height question is that the clearance at each successive fret should be the same, i.e. when you are playing at the second fret, there should be just as much clearance of the string over the third fret as there is over the 8th fret when you play it at the 7th. Hope that makes sense.

5 October 00 - Gary Beckwith (NY), to Stick Enterprises:
Well, Yuta - you were right - setup IS everything! I've had this Stick about 6 months, and to tell you the truth, I was seriously thinking about selling it. I liked the whole concept behind The Stick, but when I went to play it, it just felt uncomfortable, unwieldy, and awkward. I couldn't seem to connect with the instrument. In a word now, I am flabbergasted. I can't believe how well it plays. The action, the tone, the repose, the feel - it's completely different. And the most amazing thing of all is how comfortable I feel with the instrument now. Yuta, thank you for the numerous times you suggested to me that I send The Stick in to be looked at. I'm glad I finally took your advice! And thank you, Emmett, even though I know that this is just "routine" to you, with all The Sticks you work on every day, but to me, it's nothing short of a miracle. Thank you both.

5 October 00 - Christopher Lavender (FL), to Stickwire:
The crazy thing about this instrument is the importance of setup. I'm finding that even with tiny adjustments to the truss rod (so small that there really isn't even a noticeable visual difference) there is definitely a noticeable difference in the action. I guess it's because of the incredibly low string height.

24 August 00 - Greg Howard (VA), to Sticknews:
Regarding picking, there's a compromise on any instrument designed for tapping. If the strings are low enough for low uniform tapping action, they will probably buzz when you pick them, unless you do so very lightly, simply because the excursion of the string is greater. If you set them up for good action for strumming and picking, it may be too high for easy tapping (this has been my experience with the tapping guitarists that I know. The NS/Stick seems to be able to deal with this compromise pretty well, it also has a disengagable damper so you can play open strings, but it only has 8 strings.

24 August 00 - Eric Vander Werff (TX), to Stickwire:
If you own a Poly and have not had an Emmett set-up, your Poly will not play at its maximum potential!!! When I bought mine used, the previous owner had heavy gauge strings on it. It was only designed for light (it's two built-in trusses weren't strong enough to withstand the tension - at least that's my understanding). When I got it, it didn't play very well. However, I had no idea, since it was my first Stick. When I received my Purple Heart, I discovered what the best action of any stringed instrument in the history of time felt like. My Poly had warped a little from the increased string tension. Thus, I had the adjustable truss rod installed. It was so absolutely, totally worth it. I highly recommend it to anyone who has an old Stick. I figured that as long as I had it over there at Emmett's house, and since I already owned a Stick with the standard p/u, I might as well get a Block installed on it. That was also an excellent decision! Now, my Poly's action smokes, and the sound is really powerful. I love my Poly. The obvious advantage to getting a Poly is that you can pick them up pretty cheaply. I paid $550 for mine. Of course, with all of the modifications, I spent more than that, but my instrument is like new, and has most of the coolest Stick innovations on it. (I didn't need the adjustable bridge, since I play in standard tuning).

12 July 00 - Joe McCollam (CA), to Sticknews:
The instrument's playability really surprised me, actually. I thought I did a darn good job of setting up my old Stick (oak #780) through three sets of string gauge/tuning changes, but this new Stick is very noticeably better. All of a sudden, it seems my right hand has turned into Superhand.

29 May 00 - Paul Mimlitsch (NJ), to Stickwire:
All I can say for sure is that I've had my new SB8 for a couple weeks now, played it inside and outside, hot and cool weather, and haven't had to do any truss adjustments at all - heck, I've hardly had to adjust the tuning.

28 April 00 - Andy Salvanos (Australia), to Stickwire:
Thanks for the responses to my truss rod questions. I would like to add that I have found the truss rod on my Stick to be extremely powerful in making small adjustments to the instrument. When it is set right, you can basically leave everything else alone. I have always found the truss adjustments on Fender-style basses to be somewhat of a hit-and-miss operation, but not so on my Stick.

11 March 00 - Russell Keating (IL), to Stickwire:
I've never had any problems with my Sticks (and I am just a few towns west of you). My Sticks have gone from summer (with and without air-conditioning) to heat in the winter with no humidifier and had no problems.

28 January 00 - Reginald Hunt (NY), to Stickwire:
I just finished tweaking the truss on my 10 string and was amazed at the difference! I found that playability improved (probably due to the action returning to the original factory height), the intonation improved, and the tone became crisper, and volume level up and down the neck was more consistent. I was recently finding playing to be a bit of a strain due to the extra effort it was requiring to activate notes, but this adjustment remedied that, allowing a much lighter touch. I highly reccomend regular checks of the neck to see if truss adjustment is neccessary. I love my purpleheart again!

19 December 99 - Vance Gloster (CA), to Stickwire:
I did not believe it when I first got involved with the Stick, but the whole experience you have with the instrument (playability, tone, etc) is very dependent on how it is set up. This is much more true of the Stick (and other tap-focused instruments) than it is of guitars and basses.

19 December 99 - Jaap Kramer (Holland), to Stickwire:
With the Stick the setup is even more important than on a guitar, because it not only influences playing comfort, but also sound. The way a brand new Stick is set up is close to perfect: there's a delicate balance between the strings rattling and reduced playing comfort (being something like one twist of the truss rod - LEARN HOW TO ADJUST IT!!! READ THE SETUP INSTRUCTIONS!!) So, if you have the feeling that your Stick doesn't play as well as before, check the neck and adjust the truss rod accordingly.

5 November 99 - Scott Wedel (WA), to Stickwire:
Each time I have gotten a Stick, it's been in great shape. The ones I've gotten from Stick Enterprises have been nothing short of amazing. The instruments arrive completely set up for Emmett's 2 handed tapping technique, and they are just like butter to play. The craftsmanship of the instrument, the stability of it, and basically everything about a new Stick screams "HIGH QUALITY". The instrument arrives in tune - tuned to whatever tuning you wish; all you have to do is specify what tuning you want when you order the Stick and SE will make sure that it's tuned that way when you get it - with the appropriate strings, of course, and instrument setup. The setup of the instrument really holds itself well, too... however, there is a truss rod on all new instruments. Generally, if the setup gets out of whack, it takes a quarter turn or so of the truss rod wrench (included with the Stick) to drop it back into the optimal setup. The Stick stays in tune under all conditions, with the exception of weather conditions where any instrument would waiver in pitch. The Stick is a light instrument, generally - normally coming in at around 5-7 pounds, depending on the wood you choose. They type of wood that the Stick is made of has NO BEARING whatsoever on the sound of the instrument.

25 October 99 - Jaap Kramer (Holland), to Stickwire:
The mechanics engineer in me is highly impressed with the overall quality and, maybe most of all, the setup. We're talking about tolerances of thousandths of an inch here!!! This thing almost plays itself... Soundwise this instrument is FAR better than my old one. Great balance between the strings, a full, clear sound.

4 October 99 - Andy Salvanos (Australia), to Sticknews:
My first reaction was to start adjusting the screws at the bridge and the nut, but it soon became apparent to me that they were already set up correctly (a turn of the nut screw raised the string way above the first fret, which is not desirable). Instead I returned to the original settings and gave the truss rod a little twist, and instantly the problem was gone! I have since "tweaked it" a bit, because my initial adjustment was too severe. In the end, there is usually a trade-off between a tiny bit of buzz and very low action in stringed instruments, but I guess this comes down to individual preferences. If you're having similiar problems, I strongly recommend using slight truss adjustments as opposed to fiddling around with the other settings.

2 September 98 - Scott Wedel (WA), to Stickwire:
It's commonly said that crosstalk should be minimal on a properly setup instrument; however, I was skeptical about this until recently. It really is true!

30 July 98 - Greg Brouelette (CA), to Stickwire:
I want to 2nd this comment. I went through a period where I lowered the action of my Stick about every 6 months. Emmett looked at it a couple of years ago at a Stick seminar and said to go even lower. I can play VERY quiet notes and VERY loud notes. One thing I've noticed is that if I'm playing a repeated pattern of very soft notes my fingers don't actually leave the strings. The touch is so soft that I press the string to the fret softly to make the very quiet note, and when I want the note to stop I lift JUST enough for the string not to make contact with the fret, but the string is still in contact with my finger. It's an amazingly light and gentle touch, but you can get really quiet and yet very clear notes.

97 - Russell Keating (IL), to Stick Enterprises:
A properly setup Stick is a true joy to play. Once a Stick is set up properly, all that is usually needed to keep it that way is slight adjustments to the truss rod. If you change tunings and or string gauges or if you bought a used Stick that was adjusted improperly, you may need to do more to correct the setup. If possible, send your Stick in to Stick Enterprises. Once Emmett works on your Stick, you will be guaranteed that it will be set up right and this will give you a benchmark of what a proper setup feels (and looks) like.