Vater MVTS-1SZL Sizzle Tenor Sticks — Hickory, Felt Ball on the Butt End
The MVTS-1SZL is a tenor stick with a hard felt ball fixed to the butt end. The idea is simple and makes sense within a second of playing: flipping the stick changes the sound completely, without putting anything down or reaching for another tool.
What sets it apart
- 16.5 in (41.9 cm) by 0.680 in (17.3 mm)
- Hard felt ball fixed to the butt end of the shaft
- One tool, two sounds, reached with a turn of the wrist
- Uses the hickory shaft of the MVTS-1 tenor stick
- Recommended by the manufacturer for indoor lines
- Changes tone without losing a bar
The problem it solves: the bar you do not have
An indoor percussion line changes sound often, sometimes every eight bars. Switching tools means putting down, picking up and resetting your hands: three motions, and at least one spare bar that is not always written into the part.
With a ball on the butt end, the switch fits in a turn of the wrist. The player flips the stick and plays. What was not feasible becomes an arranging option, and indoor line writers compose accordingly.
Two ends, two vocabularies
At the tip, you get the response of a tenor stick: clean attack, lively rebound, tight passages possible. At the butt end, the hard felt ball produces a round, short sound, closer to a mallet than to a stick.
The contrast is stark, which is exactly the goal: a change the audience hears without anyone having to explain it.
What to think about before equipping a line
The weighted butt end shifts the balance toward the back. The stick does not behave quite like its version without the ball, and a line that alternates between the two will feel the difference.
The safest approach is to equip a whole section with the same model rather than mixing, so that the feel stays the same from one player to the next.
Specifications
| Length | 16.5 in (41.9 cm) |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 0.680 in (17.3 mm) |
| Butt end | Attached hard felt ball |
| Wood | American hickory |
| Base | MVTS-1 tenor stick |
What it is for
- Indoor multi-tenor line
- Arrangements alternating two tones within a piece
- Repertoire written for indoor percussion
- Sections that have to change sound without dead time
- Marching snare in contrasting passages
Compare with other manufacturers
Two-sound tools from other makers:
| Manufacturer | Comparable model | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Vic Firth | Sticks with a head attached at the butt end | Different head density and length |
| Promark | Reversible sticks with a felt end | Often aimed at drum kit rather than marching |
| Innovative Percussion | Marching sticks with a weighted butt end | Synthetic shafts offered alongside |
| Regal Tip | Double-ended models | Head attached using its own process |
Frequently asked questions
- Does the weighted butt end change the balance?
- Yes, it brings weight toward the back. The stick stays playable as normal, but the feel differs from a regular tenor stick.
- Does the ball hold up over time?
- It is attached to the shaft, so it is something to inspect the way you inspect a tip. Any play that appears between the ball and the wood should be taken seriously.
- Is it useful outdoors?
- The manufacturer recommends it first for indoor lines, where contrasts in tone are written into the arrangements. Outdoors, the nuance gets lost in the open space.
- Should the whole section use the same model?
- It is better. Mixing with unweighted sticks gives two different playing feels in the same section.
Avis clients
Does your arrangement call for a sound change with no spare bar?
Aucun avis pour le moment. Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience après votre achat.