Vater Players Design Abe Cunningham Cool Breeze Drumsticks — Wood Tip, Hickory
Abe Cunningham's Cool Breeze is a 16.625 in hickory drumstick with a 0.600 in grip, a front-loaded taper and a medium acorn tip. The manufacturer places it exactly where the lineup is empty: when a 5B is too light and a 2B is too heavy.
What sets it apart
- 0.600 in (15.2 mm) grip: between the 5B and the 2B
- 16.625 in (42.2 cm), a generous length
- Front-loaded taper, weight carried toward the front
- Medium acorn tip, warm but articulate tone
- Designed with a hard rock drummer
- Hickory sapwood, the living part of the trunk
The dead zone between two sizes
Drumstick lineups have a well-known hole. Between the 5B, which suits most rock situations, and the 2B, cut for brute force, the jump in diameter is large and there is almost nothing in between.
This model sits right there. It adds enough wood for accents to come through without effort, and stops before the stick turns into a pure hitting tool. Dynamic playing is still possible, which is rare at this thickness.
Why only the outside of the trunk is used
Vater takes only the outer three to five inches of the hickory trunk, in other words the sapwood: the living part of the tree, the part that still carries sap.
This portion is the most flexible and the most resistant to impact. On a stick meant for heavy playing with regular rimshots, that is what lets the shaft flex under stress instead of snapping clean.
What the front-loaded taper does to your stroke
By keeping wood just behind the tip, the design moves the centre of gravity forward. The stick drops more willingly, which serves heavy strokes, and comes back a little more slowly, which calls for a confident hand. It is a deliberate choice for playing built on solid backbeats and ornamented fills.
Specifications
| Overall length | 42.2 cm (16.625 in) |
|---|---|
| Grip diameter | 15.2 mm (0.600 in) |
| Wood | Hickory sapwood |
| Tip | Medium acorn |
| Taper | Front-loaded |
What it is for
- Hard and alternative rock, heavy backbeats
- Drummers who find a 5B too light
- Regular rimshots on the snare
- Playing that mixes power and ornamentation
- Stages without heavy sound reinforcement
Compare with other manufacturers
Sticks that sit between the two classic rock sizes, elsewhere:
| Brand | Comparable model | Main difference |
|---|---|---|
| Vic Firth | Rock | Similar diameter, the maker's own length and tip design |
| Promark | Hickory 747 | Different weight distribution and taper |
| Zildjian | Rock Hickory | The maker's own tip and neck profile |
| Regal Tip | Rock in hickory | A different tradition of neck and tip design |
Frequently asked questions
- Are signature sticks only for professionals?
- No. They answer a specific need, and that need is rarely unique to one drummer. This one is for anyone looking for a size between a 5B and a 2B.
- Can I use it for dynamic, quieter playing?
- Yes, more so than a 2B. The medium acorn tip and the length let you bring the volume down, as long as you accept a stick that is a little lazy on the rebound.
- Why is this stick so long?
- The 42.2 cm offsets the mass: the extra leverage does part of the work, so you hit less hard for the same result.
Avis clients
Does a 5B feel light and a 2B slow you down?
Aucun avis pour le moment. Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience après votre achat.