Used Stick Instruments, Retrofits, Repairs, and Rebuilds

In addition to our current production runs of new instruments, we repair and rebuild Sticks from all older productions going back to 1974, including those in ironwood, injection molded polycarbonate, and later adjustable hardwoods. We usually receive several used and older Sticks on a weekly basis as trade-ins on new instruments, also for repairs and retrofits, and sometimes as buy-backs.

My daughter Grace and I rework and refinish all surfaces, replace old parts, and do the fret work, adjustments and setup required to make an old Stick play and sound like the newest one from our current production. Of course, older repaired and rebuilt Sticks are lacking some of the adjustable features and components of the newer ones, but this poses no problem to players who have decided upon one of the more standardized Stick 4ths with 5ths tunings.

Used

Used Sticks are occasionally available from Stick Enterprises, including newer and older instruments of all ages at prices ranging from $1,500 to $2,200, depending on model, age and adjustable features (prices include used hard case, adjustement tools, stereo cable and instruction book).

All instruments are reworked, refinished, and adjusted in our shop as described above to sound and play like new.

Used Sticks are shipped with one-year guarantee as with our new instruments.

Please contact us to for particulars or to be put on our waiting list. Used instruments that we buy back or acquire through trade-ins tend to come and go quickly.

Retrofits

Retrofitted items include our custom Roland GK-3 MIDI pickup/preamp unit for five or six strings, our ACTV-2™ active EMG pickup mode, our PASV-4™ passive Villex pickup module, our patented two-way adjustable truss rod, adjustable nut screws which can be added to older instruments with the fixed nut, and the adjustable belt hook.

Retrofits do not include our Fret Rods™ on older Sticks with the "jumbo" bass guitar frets. Also, we don't recommend the patented adjustable bridge as a retrofit on earlier ironwood and polycarbonate instruments, as it would protrude a half inch or so beyond the tail end. With the introduction of the omni-adjustable bridge in 1992, I redesigned the wooden tailpiece structure with a rounded and protruding "butt" on which to rest the instrument in a standing position.

Currently the most popular retrofits are The Block® pickups and the MIDI pickup. Some wood work, fret work, setup and adjustments must be done with all retrofits to insure optimum performance and playability.

Retuning an older Stick to a different set of intervals might also fall under the heading of a retrofit, and requires setup and adjustments, sometimes with a bit of fret work.

New report with hi-res photos from Eric Knapp
about having his old polycarbonate Stick updated with a new truss rod and hardware.

Repairs

The first thing I do upon receiving a used or older Stick for repair is to break down the work into separate jobs, itemizing charges for work to be done and prices for parts to be replaced. We then report my "diagnosis" to the Stick owner with various recommendations, and he or she chooses what work to have done. We then give a firm price quote of the total for all work and parts. The shipping cost within the US is somewhere between $18. and $26., and overseas air shipments range from $130. to $180. (as in parts of Australia).

If for any reason we don't agree on prices or work to be done, we will return the instrument to the owner at our own shipping expense. Our prices for such work are reasonable and moderate, though older instruments generally require more work and parts replacement. We almost always end up making the necessary repairs after giving itemized price quotations.

All Rebuilds

On all used Sticks that we accept as trade-ins or buy-backs, Grace and I do the same shop routines as we do on the repair jobs. I do whatever surfacing woodwork and fretwork is necessary to make the fretboard straight, re-crowning the frets on a very flat and even plane and playing surface. Sometimes when necessary, I install the newer adjustable truss rod.

I shock-mount the pickup module on rubber tipped set screws, often widening the diagonal channel walls to further isolate the pickups from vibrations emanating from the wood and strings. I sometimes recommend replacement of the pickup module.

We sand and refinish the rear and sides of these instruments and I often deepen the rear beveled surfaces along the sides of the fretboard area to give the instrument a sleeker look and smoother feel.

On older and blemished instruments, Grace skillfully sands and refinishes the entire fretboard area between the frets. Certain component parts are usually replaced, including damper, bridge set screws and twist-lock fastener for the shoulder strap. We often recommend the new adjustable belt hook, a new shoulder strap, and sometimes new foam in the lid or box of the case. The tuners are tightened for uniform winding action. We sometimes replace the dot inlays.

When the instrument is fully reworked on all surfaces, refinished and polished, Grace and I then re-string and set it up. I then spend one to three hours in final setup with each instrument, making minute adjustments at bridge, nut, pickups and truss. It "grows" together at this final phase, each adjustment interactive with the other, with more exacting filing and crowning of individual frets to eliminate any remaining buzzing or unevenness at this very low setting for light and fast tapping action.

Whether the instrument be strung in heavy or light gauges or anything in between, the touch is very light and the action is fast and expressive. All instruments that leave our shop share this rigorous setup, including the first Stick ever commercially built in l974, ironwood Stick number 101, which I still have, as well as prototypes going back to 1969.

All rebuilt and repaired instruments are guaranteed for one year as with our current productions, and come with the same warrantee card that accompanies a new Stick.

After final setup I fine tune and play test every instrument, correcting any minor problems that remain. An air shipped instrument usually arrives at the customer's door in tune.

All Sticks sent to us for repair, trade-in or buy-back should be packed in the case with strings roughly in tune. If the original carton or one of similar dimensions is not available, the case can be wrapped in cardboard for shipping. Please do not wrap tape around the case itself.

I hope I've given you some idea of what you can expect from us in rebuilding or repairing an instrument. With The Stick, or with any tapping fretboard instrument for that matter, the setup is everything, along with the basic structural work that allows that setup.

All the Best, Emmett.

©2001 and 2008 Emmett H. Chapman