Vater Los Angeles 5A Drumsticks — Wood Tip, Hickory
The VH5AW is a pair of American hickory drumsticks in the 5A size: 16 in long, 0.570 in at the grip. Its whole character comes down to how that wood is distributed, since the manufacturer describes it as front-weighted. The stick drops faster than you expect and comes back up on its own after the stroke.
What sets it apart
- 0.570 in (14.5 mm) grip, the most common size in drumming
- 16 in long, or 40.6 cm
- Weight carried toward the front, according to the manufacturer
- Wood tip, turned as one piece with the shaft
- American hickory, Shellbark or Shagbark
- Standard lacquer finish
What 0.570 in means in your hand
A 0.570 in grip closes easily in an average hand: thumb and index finger meet, and the grip stays relaxed. It is the point where a stick stops being something you squeeze and becomes something you let do the work.
Go thinner and you gain speed but lose mass to strike with. Go thicker and your hand closes more, and the rebound is harder to control finely. This size is popular because it asks nothing special of the drummer.
Front-weighted balance, and what it does to the attack
Two sticks of equal weight do not strike the same way depending on where that weight sits. Here, the manufacturer puts more wood toward the tip. For the same wrist motion, the end arrives with more momentum.
On the snare, the stroke speaks sooner and sounds more direct; on the toms, the impact cuts through a band more clearly. The trade-off is that soft dynamics call for a little more restraint: the stick wants to fall.
A wood tip, and what it does to cymbals
The tip is turned from the same piece of hickory as the shaft. Nothing is added, so nothing can loosen or give way at the wrong moment: from butt end to tip, it is a single piece of wood.
Wood softens the very first instant of the impact slightly. The ride keeps its body instead of turning into a clatter, which is what most acoustic drummers are after. As it wears, the tip rounds off and the tone slowly broadens, without ever changing all at once.
Specifications
| Size | 5A |
|---|---|
| Length | 16 in (40.6 cm) |
| Grip diameter | 0.570 in (14.5 mm) |
| Tip | Wood |
| Wood species | American hickory |
| Finish | Standard lacquer |
What it is for
- Bar and stage gigs, across all styles
- Recording acoustic drums
- Lessons and daily practice
- Band rehearsal at moderate volume
- A first pair for a drummer still finding their size
Compare with other manufacturers
Every drumstick maker offers a 5A. What changes from one design to the next:
| Manufacturer | Comparable model | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Vic Firth | American Classic 5A | The manufacturer's own taper and tip design |
| Promark | Classic Forward 5A | Short taper, with a balance described as even further forward |
| Zildjian | 5A hickory | Different tip design, range organized by finish family |
| Los Cabos | 5A Red Hickory | Heat-treated hickory, different density and colour |
Frequently asked questions
- 5A or 5B: which should I start with?
- The 5A if you are unsure. It is 0.035 in thinner, easier to manoeuvre and less tiring on the hand over a long night. You move up a size when you want more volume, not the other way around.
- Why does this stick feel heavier at the tip?
- That is by design. The manufacturer describes it as front-weighted, which gives an immediate attack on the drums. The total weight is not the issue, only how it is distributed.
- Does a wood tip last as long as a nylon tip?
- A wood tip wears and eventually rounds off, especially on cymbals. On the other hand, it cannot come loose, which can happen to an added tip after long use.
- Is it a good choice for practising with a metronome?
- Yes. The even rebound of this size helps you feel the pulse without forcing, which is exactly what you want from a practice stick.
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