You know, I'll be honest: an instrument is an instrument is an instrument.

I am astonished that a good luthier who has experience with fretted instruments can't figure out how to make a Stick work.

Granted - the biggest obsticale to me was realizing that the string tension is way way way lower than a regular electric guitar or bass for that matter, and that fact alone is what is so important when setting up a Stick, because that factors in everything: your truss adjustments, your intonation... and any fret dressing if needed.

I am so guilty of having the strings tuned to pitch like a standard fretted instrument only to wonder why they break so easily, but once I figured out that the gauges for each string are way way different - much lower - than a standard instrument, because of the tension difference, once I figured that out then everything made complete sense and fell into place.

I wish Xlramp would jump into this conversation since he really knows probably better than anybody else the importance of proper string tension when tuning a tapping type instrument.

There is no way I would send an instrument to S.E. to have to wait two years to have it worked on, no way.

I would through local music shops find a luthier who has experience in multipul types of stringed fretted instruments, and stop by for a friendly conversation and go from there.

I seem to recall getting an older Ironwood that has a wooden nut, along with wooden belt clip, from maybe Chicago Music Exchange a while back, and that played fine right out of the box.

A email to Emmett, God rest his soul... and he provided me with the correct flatwound strings for that particular instrument, and I was good to go changing each string one at the time - and again understanding that the tension at the proper pitch is much less than one would think.

That was the toughest thing for me to understand.

Like you I'm sure they could, provided they stopped & thought about it (& maybe did some research).

Hey, I'm a know nothing newbie with no luthier experience, but necessity (& a desire to play with tunings) meant I've been on a crash course in Stick adjustements in the last year, using only Internet resources and this fine Forum. While I'm certain I'm no where near SE standards I can now restring a Stick to a different tuning in an afternoon & have it all sorted out to a playable state, including intonation, either that same day or within a couple of practice sessions.

Maybe the issues people report with luthiers are down to "didn't stop to think, or do any research, just set it up like a guitar" maybe including a guitar like action, and even putting some 'relief' in the beam rather than getting it straight?

Even 'experts' may be prone to wearing blinkers, seeing everything in terms of what they already know?

I guess I wasn't clear in my past post. SE puts your name on a list, then after the waiting period (2 years, or less) they contact you to send in your instrument. They don't keep your instrument at SE for two years.

I wasn't about to wait 2 years, so I started fiddling with adjusting the stick myself. I still have my place in line, just in case my fiddling did more damage than good.

Nevermind the language difference.
Monkey see, monkey do...

From a playability standpoint, it's totally worth it to send to SE for setup. If you have to wait for ~2 years to send it in, maybe learn to do it yourself.
Maybe reach out to some of the online Stick instructors to see if they can help you set it up via Skype or Zoom.

I'll second that sentiment 100%. I have just received a brand-new NS/Stick from SE after 3 years on an instrument that was loaded with troubles. The difference in the two is dramatic with the NS winning out hands down at less than half the price. Subjectively, it's a superior instrument because of sound and feel. Objectively, it's better because there are more features like stereo/mono output, adjustable nut, more adjustable bridge and retractable damper making this the best touch style instrument I've ever played. I've learned the hard way that not just anyone can make these instruments.

I've been experimenting with setting up the string height on my Railboard. I start with a very flat fretboard. This is verified by looking down the length of the Railboard while pointing one end at a ceiling light while viewing the fretboard from the opposite end. I sometimes flip it around the other way for verification.

In my case, the truss rods are completely backed off with no force in either direction. I thought that this was odd, but that is where it's the flattest.

I set my bridge and adjustable nut flap, so the strings are the same (1mm height on either end of the fretboard).

I tap a note at the center of the fretboard (just above the anchor for the double truss rods). The note rings clear. (If it didn't ring clear, I would have to raise the string height on either end.)

I work my way along in either direction testing notes for buzzing. (with a difference) I hold pressure on the fret above the note that I'm tapping. (i.e. nut side) I move along until I hear a note buzz, or not ringing clear. When I find a note that doesn't sound proper, I adjust the truss rod on that side until the note rings clear.

In my case, I had to increase/extend the both truss rods to provide a slightly concave fretboard. This sounds counter intuitive to the way that I thought it would work. When I visually check the clearance between the string and each of the fret rods, I'm at the lowest that I can go.

The end of this story is my Railboard is much easier to play now. The strings are now at 1mm clearance and the notes ring clear without any buzzing. The entire process was figured out by observing how the double truss rod was designed.

1. start with a flat fretboard
2. lower your string heights so they match at either end.
3. test your notes, starting at the center truss mounting location.
4. adjust your bridge truss rod, so that all notes from center to bridge ring clear.
5. adjust your nut truss rod, so that all notes from center to bridge ring clear.
6. double check your string heights along the entire fretboard length.
7. check the playability of the instrument. If it doesn't sound right, check which strings are at fault and raise the string height at each end and repeat the above process.

is the truss rod nut at the top adjustment the same as the bridge truss nut. i.e. clockwise to loosen/bow the rod ( https://stick.com/instruments/tech/setup/ ) . and counterclockwise to arch the beam ? (from the perspcetive of wearing the stick while adjusting) ?

I flip the Railboard over and see if either truss nut is pushing towards the center of the fretboard or away from it. There's a pretty big gap in the middle where it doesn't push or pull in either direction.

If it's easy to turn the truss nut, you are loosening it.
If it's harder to turn, you are tightening it.

Tightening the truss nut towards the center will create a convex fretboard.
Tightening the truss nut towards the ends will create a concave fretboard.

The most important thing during this process, is to have good lighting and visually inspect the distance between your string and each fret along the fretboard. I can usually tell by pressing the string down until it reaches the fret. How far did that string travel compared to the other strings?

If I still can't tell, I use some elastic bands and fasten the string down to the fretboard on either end of the Railboard. The string now becomes my straight edge. I inspect the string to fret clearances along the fretboard to get an idea of whether the fretboard is convex or concave. On my Railboard, a slightly concave fretboard seems to sound best.

That concurs with what I find with both my two single truss rod Sticks (bamboo 12 string Grand & 10 string Graphite) when compared to a 'proper' straight edge, i.e. if I use the straight edge and a feeler gauge to get the fretboard absolutely straight I get buzzes. If I then add a tiny bit of a bow (typically about .004" / 0.1mm) the buzz goes.