Chapman stick style, two handed tapping type instrument build.

GuyBoden

I'm thinking about building something similar to a Chapman stick style, two handed tapping stick type instrument.

I've become interested in the Tapladder design that is described here:

http://rjaysplace.com/tapladder/history/tapladder-history.html

Tapladder sound clip:

http://rjaysplace.com/tapladder/history/first-sounds.mp3

The sides of the Tapladder don't seem beneficial for hand positions, so I'd prefer a design built on an Aluminum T section with stainless steel frets/rails fixed on top with epoxy.

Aluminium T section:

https://www.aluminiumwarehouse.co.uk/4-in-x-3-in-x-1-4-in-aluminium-t-section

Any ideas gratefully received?

Funkfingers

GuyBoden said:
The sides of the Tapladder don't seem beneficial for hand positions. 

They are not. The distance from the edges to the outermost strings is particularly alarming. (This may, in part, be a consequence of the maximum possible string spacing over a P-style pickup coil.)

Multi-string instruments such as the Chapman Stick and Strandberg guitars have a bevel along either edge of the back of the neck and a flat back. 

The sound clip makes the instrument sound out of either tune or intonation. 

GuyBoden

There has been quite a few versions of the Tapladder built over the years by other builders. The Sonorus Tapper seemed to be a higher quality build.

But, they all have the wide side sections, which in my personal opinion may make it harder to position your hands for playing. That is why I'm interested in trying a similar design, but with a flat aluminium neck, with the rails/frets fixed with epoxy in grooves.

Any ideas?

GuyBoden

After a lot of research, I think I'll build a Two Hand tapping stick type instrument from conventional wood, using a neck thru design. On reflection, the Tapladder has too many negatives aspects.

GuyBoden

I've made a lot of progress with this over the non-eventful Xmas hols, I'm using a huge piece of maple with with stainless steel rods for frets. I'm in the process of fitting the stainless steel rods in with epoxy resin. It's looking good, pictures soon.

paulnb57

Id like to see it

tanihhiavlt

Would love to see the photos I bought an 8 string for 

axisus

They are pretty ugly compared to the elegance of the Chapman stick design.

GuyBoden

axisus said:

They are pretty ugly compared to the elegance of the Chapman stick design.

I posted this early December.

GuyBoden said:

After a lot of research, I think I'll build a Two Hand tapping stick type instrument from conventional wood, using a neck thru design. On reflection, the Tapladder has too many negatives aspects.

So, I agree, the negative aesthetic nature of the tapladder was one consideration.

GuyBoden

Here are some not very good pictures of my "Planck", named after Max Planck the pioneer of Quantum Mechanics. I'm in the process of filing the slots for the stainless steel 3mm dia rods. The rods are exceptionally difficult to cut and shape, being stainless steel, so this could take weeks. I will be using epoxy resin to fix them in place.

I've done a lot of the easy work on the thru neck and fretboard over Xmas while waiting for my Stainless steel rods. My main concern is that I didn't have the skills to do a truss rod, so it has no truss rod, but the added depth of maple should be stable enough, I hope. Fingers crossed.

GuyBoden

Gluing the stainless steel rods in place. A lot of cutting and filing will need to be done on the rod ends.

GuyBoden

I'm thinking of spraying it all matt black to cover up my bad workmanship and wood butchering skills. Obviously, I'll be using a primer and good paint.

I've also got a pair of inexpensive high output hot rail pickups from Warman today, so I will be cutting an access slot for the pickups.

PeteC

Thats cool,  I remember seeing an early incarnation of The Blue Man Group , and the backing band were using a couple of chapman sticks - the sound was utterly amazing. 

Good luck with it - maybe if its not too late could you fit some carbon reinforcing strips from the back of the Planck to strengthen it given there's no truss rod ? 

GuyBoden

PeteC said:

Thats cool,  I remember seeing an early incarnation of The Blue Man Group , and the backing band were using a couple of chapman sticks - the sound was utterly amazing. 

Good luck with it - maybe if its not too late could you fit some carbon reinforcing strips from the back of the Planck to strengthen it given there's no truss rod ? 

Yes, carbon fibre along the back of the neck is a good idea, I'll be doing that if there is a bow in the neck after stringing it up. I've ordered a set of 10 string tapping strings from Newtone, they make extra long tapping guitar strings here:

https://newtonestrings.com/shop/tapping-string-sets-for-chapman-stick%ef%b8%8f-style-instruments/

GuyBoden

More progress has been made on the Planck, just fitting the Machineheads, pickups, string thru holes, nut and bridge saddles.

I'm going to fit a conventional nut, just a bit longer, not zero fret.

GuyBoden

Disaster, the machineheads are breaking when tuning the bass string. I used guitar machineheads, but drilled the string hole larger to enable the large bass strings to pass through the hole. One broke when tuning the bass strings, I then used my spare machinehead, but with a slightly smaller hole. That broke too.

I have ordered some Bass guitar machineheads, but will need to drill much larger 14mm holes into the headstock, which is a worry. It's never easy.

I've ordered these:

https://www.northwestguitars.co.uk/1-x-wjb750-bass-tuner-for-right-handed-bass/ 

GuyBoden

I've installed the Bass Guitar machineheads onto the Planck, they look very ugly, too big and don't look right. The smaller guitar machineheads looked much better. The good thing about the bass machineheads is that they function well and won't break at the string hole like the guitar machineheads.

I'm just sorting out the bridge and electrics, then I'm finished, I hope.

I prefer the much nicer Chapman stick guitar machinehead solution, but I presume they have machineheads specially designed for the bass strings.

Cheesyfeet

Would the 'handle bit' that you use between thumb and finger (must have a technical name I'm sure) not fit on the bass tuners instead of the giant 'handles' for a more pleasing aesthetic?

GuyBoden

Cheesyfeet said:

Would the 'handle bit' that you use between thumb and finger (must have a technical name I'm sure) not fit on the bass tuners instead of the giant 'handles' for a more pleasing aesthetic?

Good idea, but unfortunately, the machinehead "buttons" are a different size on guitars and bass machineheads. I have plenty "Buttons" for both guitar and basses, unfortunately they are not inter changeable. I could grind the buttons down on a grinder, but that would be a lot of very precise work and the chrome would come off.

paulnb57

Guy, may I ask why you didnt use something like jumbo fret wire instead of stainless rods for frets? I would have thought it would have been easier to install fretwire...I bet there is an obvious answer Im not getting!....

Great, unusual build!..

GuyBoden

paulnb57 said:

Guy, may I ask why you didnt use something like jumbo fret wire instead of stainless rods for frets? I would have thought it would have been easier to install fretwire...I bet there is an obvious answer Im not getting!....

Great, unusual build!..

It's not my idea, older Chapman sticks have rods instead of frets, so I thought I would have a try at installing stainless steel rods. Frets would be easier, but smaller, it's virtually impossible to touch the fretboard when fretting notes with rods.