All current models of our Touchboard® line of Stick® fretboard tapping instruments are fully adjustable to accommodate any desired tuning. Linked on the right column is the original 10-String Classic™ Stick tuning of five melody strings in descending 4ths and five bass strings in ascending 5ths, along with several popular variations in the Stick family of melody 4ths/reversed bass 5ths tunings.

Tunings are identified at the "octave position," marked by the inlay at fret #12.

Our 34"-scale and the new X36 36"-extended-scale instruments share the same pitch-to-inlay-marker relationships. Because of this, players can transition easily between the two and all of our instructional materials apply equally well to either scale. They are identical, except that the extended scale has one extra low playable "X" fret where the nut would be on a 34"-scale instrument. This means that frets #1-24 have the same pitches on either scale length. We number the playable frets #1-24 on the 34" scale, and #X-24 on the 36" scale.

In a conventional 4ths tuning, bass chords often sound muddy. The Stick's inverted 5ths bass allows the player to anchor chords with very low roots, spreading the rest of the voicing out over the 2 1/2 octave range accessible within one hand position. This tuning also lends itself to some creative and innovative bass lines, and is another of Emmett's innovations, carried over from his 9-string guitar, on which he made his first tapping discoveries.

As an option especially suited to 12-string models, the highest bass string can be tuned down a whole step, creating a 4th interval between the two highest strings. See Emmett's article on the High Bass 4th Interval to find out more.

Other custom tunings can be strung and set up on all models with no extra work or custom charges, as all Stick hardware accommodates any gauge string at any string position.