Hey SB...i was just reading your post in the vic firth poll thread...i see you are quite familiar with a lot of vater models.i play the dave weckl model by v.firth...the thing is i teach at this drum school and they're about to make a deal with vater for providing sticks to the teachers!so i wanted to ask you what would you say is the vater model that matches the feel,size,weight etc. of the weckls more closely?have you tried em'?what i like about them-besides their feel-is that -as david states in his dvd that they WANT to work with,know what i mean?if anybody else has some input i'll be very happy to read what you have to say...peace
Yes I have played with the Weckl Evolution stick a quite few times (in Guitar Center, LOL).
Vater stix to try: New orleans Jazz (wood), Sugar Maple - Recording or the Recording (hickory... may be slightly heavier than you want in the hickory), Teardrop Cymbal Stick (maple), Lil John Robert's Philly Style stick (hickory).
** The maple models are light and very durable, solid sticks.
These would probaly bethe closest feel in size (diameter) and 16" length ( Lil John's is 16 1/8").
The best overall balance stick that makes me feel it wants to do the work is the Steward Copeland Standard. It is a different feel than the Weckl but it really plays itsellf in my opinion. I love it. It feels longer because it is so balanced from end to end. great cymbal defintion and full yet defined sound on the toms.
Vater sticks tend to be slightly heavier than Vic Firths because of the drying process Vater uses. Vater doesn't have near as many acorn/tear drop tip stick as Vic Firth.