Hi All,

New to tapping instrunments and recently got my hands on a mobius megatar toneweaver with dual hexaphonic pickups and bartolini pickups. Taking this up as my previous musical project dissolved this month. Ive played guitar for 15 years and bass for two. I was hoping to expand my tapping playing and arrange better original songs by taking up this instrunment

Currently looking to find strings to restring this as a chapman stick but stick doesnt sell strings ubless you own a chaoman stick. I was hoping to tune this to inverted 5ths on thr bass side and 4ths on the meoldy side. Anyone know of any good suppliers and if this a decent tuning to start with? Ive contacted Kallium in CA, USA but is there any good Canadian suppliers of custom string sets?

I figured its worth stringing this like a chapman stick and using the material to learn how to play crossed hands similar to a 12 string grand before I jump on one.inwas going to order a copy of free hands but is there any other material I should be using to learn?

Does anyone know if the 12 grand stick cases also fit ta megatar

If theres any other megatar players in Canada that would be cool too:)

All advice is appreciated.
Thanks

Link to previous metal project:
www.fulldeadband.com

That sounds like a real sweet instrument, and no... the Megatars kinda need their own cases, although one of mine is in a gig bag while the other is in it's original hard case.

As for strings, I'd say go with Kallium as that seems to be the most common name tossed around here, also I would not use Stick Enterprises strings on a Megatar, I use a missmosh of strings myself.

I have a copy of Free Hands, and love it.
I also bought two M.Megatars, preceeded by a Warr Phalanx... prior to getting on the Stick bandwagon, and I've been playing my Sticks now more than anything else, although my other instruments [M.Megatar/Warr...] have their place as well.

One of my Mobius Megatars is also set the way you are thinking for the most part [for crosshand playing...] and that's not a bad idea to see if a Grand Stick might be in your future or not [*the other is a Toneweaver set up in Major 3rds]

Megatars are definatley fun to play [is yours a Mobius Megatar or one of the newer one's that Patrick built ??]

There used to be a Megatar forum called Tappistry.org but it's since been re-vamped and is kind of similar to what is going on here, however it is much more free-form as far as different instruments go [while this is primarially a Stick forum] so that might be a good place for you to check out as well.

Good Luck, and welcome....

I'm off to sleeps, another late night at the plant [*gotta pay for those Sticks !!]

Cheers.........

Where are you in Canada?
I've got some strings for the Mobius Megatar that I bought way back when I wanted to build my own Stick. After buying my vintage stick, I discovered that I didn't like the Megatar strings at all. I'm very particular about tones. I've built my own custom set of strings for just about every stringed instrument that I've owned. That said, if you want some really good custom strings, give the Newtones a try. They are my favorite.
https://newtonestrings.com/about-newtone-strings/

I'm currently out of Hamilton, Ontario but dont mind travelling. I also need to figure out how to amp this thing.

I have a bunch of guotar amps but running this through a mixer for bass/guitar sides then trying to EQ things and pushing it through a guitar amp makes it sound like shit.

I was hoping to learn then downsize gear needed to get a railroad or a grand.

Okay once I get strings my plan was to look at stick methods.

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone.

I run everything mono these days, and I do that by plugging the stereo TRS cable that splits into two 1/4 connectors into a Radial ABY box, and just plug into whatever amp is around and working - this includes everything from a Roland - actually - the Roland Street FX has two inputs, but for my full range set up [see picture] - that's how I do it - Radial ABY box to combine the signal and go from there....
I never - NEVER - had any luck running things in stereo, it just sounded like two different instruments, and I know I'm in the minority here - but I want mine to sound like one extended range instrument.
I've also never had any success with the one amp everyone says to use: the Roland JC 120, and I've had one since the mid 1980s, that was bought by it's original owner in the early 1980s... maybe because I am after a warmer sound...........
That GK set up, I use my M.Megatar that's in a Classic* Grand Stick Tuning [*for the most part...], I use my mid 80s Ironwood Stick, my NS -Stick, and next year both my SB-8 and RB-8 once they are completed, with time being loosely defined - also my 77 Ric 4001s, among others..... including the KYDD 5 string that is pictured.
What kind of guitar amp are you using ??
I'd forget the mixer nonsense and just opt for a basic decent sounding amp that either has two inputs [*like an old early 1970s silverface Fender Bassman with a matching 2x12 cab - that's my recording set up !!] or get a good combiner box and a decent amp that has relatively good frequency response, the rest can always follow later if you like, because to me simplicity is key !!
Good Luck............ and remember most of all to have fun !!

I will . Dont worry.

I have a Hughes and kettner Tubemiester 36 from gigging. I havent run things yet through it infear I'd destroy it. I do have a loop pedal as well I was hoping to leverage with this.

This toneweaver is setup with a stereo out of Magnetic + piezo pickups on two stereo
outputs.

Need to get strings first. I contacted Kallium about a megatar set but havent heard anything back so I'll have to sit down and put an order through. Do you uss the universal string length or the long length strings? My biggest issue is the guitar strings. Do i get strings for extended range guitars then the same for the bass side? Do you have a good combination of these strings to use?

theodonkulus,

Looking at the 'UK Stick' Facebook page i have seen many Stick players who like Newtone's dedicated tapper strings. They are also very much into custom strings so can probably make customised sets designed for tapping.

Kalium strings are designed as 'Extended Range Bass' strings. They are more flexible than typical bass strings so are a fairly good choice for tapping. However they are not designed specifically for tapping.

Anyway, Kalium or Newtone are both good choices.

I am not surprised a guitar amp does not work for you. Guitar amps are typically open-backed and mid-range heavy, designed for a particular tone. They will not be good for the bass strings.
A bass amp with a tweeter would be better, these handle the high strings well. But ideally, some kind of full-range amplification, maybe a keyboard amp?

I am actually using an acoustic guitar amp for low volume use at home, because it is a closed cabinet, has a tweeter and a flatter, more full-range response.
I discovered i dislike both mid-range guitar amps and boomy low-frequency tuned bass amps. This acoustic guitar amp is the first amp i really like the sound of.

Friend, did I read that correctly in that you have a Toneweaver Megatar ????

*Because that kind of really changes things as far as tunings go [see picture below] because of the fret and scale layout....

I did - not that long ago - spy a Toneweaver set up like the instrument to the left, on either Reverb or Ebay... and I was kind of surprised by it, because it's really not supposed to be that way - in fact, I almost want to say the bass was on the bottom, melody on top - for un-crossed playing, and I almost grabbed it for use as an experimental instrument, but I didn't... probably because my old Country Squire Wagon broke down yet again

The amp you described should be fine for checking things out and doing some playing where you can hear yourself and allow things to breathe a bit.

Any chance you could post a picture of this instrument which you have gotten your hands on ??

Oh okay ill chekout newtone too then. Maybe ill ask around the group for these strings.

Sure herr's a picture of my teflon tech. Below

Are you saying I'd have issues with tuning like a stick due to the fanned frets? It came with a uncrossed hand playing tuning but i felt like that was very unnatural. Plus I havent seen much "megatar" material to learn from out therr vs stick. Unless I'm wrong.