Vater Players Design Lil' John Roberts Philly Style Hickory Drumsticks — Acorn Wood Tip
The Philly Style is an American hickory drumstick that combines two choices you rarely see together: a thin 0.555 in shaft and an acorn tip, over 16 1/8 in. The result is a stick that feels fast in the hand yet still draws a full sound from the drums.
What sets it apart
- 0.555 in (14.1 mm) diameter, between the 7A and 5A benchmarks
- 16 1/8 in (41 cm) long, an eighth of an inch to spare
- Acorn tip despite the thin shaft
- Gradual taper, with no abrupt shoulder
- A light feel with a full drumhead tone
- American hickory
Thin in the hand, round to the ear
The usual rule is that a thin stick sounds thin. It holds true when the tip shrinks along with the shaft. Here, the tip keeps a full acorn shape while the body stays at 0.555 in.
Contact with the head happens over a wide surface, and the tom answers with fundamental. The hand, meanwhile, holds only a light stick. That mismatch is what makes the model interesting.
An eighth of an inch: not half, not nothing
16 1/8 in is three millimetres more than a standard stick. Too little to change the balance, enough for the hand to find a slightly further-back fulcrum and gain leverage.
On fast fills around a compact kit, those three millimetres save you from stretching your arm.
What kind of playing it answers
Styles where the hand has to be quick, like syncopated grooves, gospel, funk and R&B, need a stick that does not hold you back. But those same styles rely on a snare and tom sound that carries.
A thin stick with a full tip meets both demands. It is a rare enough compromise to be worth pointing out, and it explains where this model fits.
Specifications
| Wood species | American hickory |
|---|---|
| Length | 16 1/8 in (41 cm) |
| Grip diameter | 0.555 in (14.1 mm) |
| Tip | Wood acorn |
| Taper | Gradual, with no pronounced shoulder |
| Feel | Lively, immediate response |
What it is for
- Gospel, funk and R&B played with fast hands
- Tight fills around a compact kit
- Drummers who find a 5A too heavy and a 7A too thin
- Snare playing that mixes accents and ghost notes
- Grooves where the toms need to stay warm
Compare with other manufacturers
Thin sticks with a generous tip from other manufacturers:
| Manufacturer | Comparable model | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Vic Firth | American Classic 8D | Longer thin shaft, teardrop tip |
| Promark | Rebound 5A | Thicker stick, clearly rear-weighted balance |
| Zildjian | Hickory 7A | Comparable diameter, much smaller tip |
| Regal Tip | Hickory 8A | Traditionally designed thin shaft, narrower tip |
Frequently asked questions
- Does a thin stick always sound thin?
- No. The tip decides how the drumhead sounds. An acorn tip on a thin shaft gives a full sound with a light stick.
- Is it strong enough to play loud?
- At 0.555 in, the shaft is thin: repeated rimshots will wear it faster than a 5B. This model puts speed ahead of raw power.
- How is it different from a 7A?
- A typical 7A goes below 0.540 in and often has a small tip. Here, the diameter is larger and the tip much wider.
- What is the extra eighth of an inch for?
- To move the fulcrum back slightly and gain leverage, without changing the overall balance.
Avis clients
Did this stick keep up with your right hand on fast grooves?
Aucun avis pour le moment. Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience après votre achat.