Vater Players Design Morgan Rose Alien Freak Hickory Drumsticks — Double Butt End, No Tip
The Alien Freak is a pair of drumsticks cut from dark hickory: a constant 0.610 in diameter, no taper, no tip and no finish, with butt ends on both sides. Nothing has been thinned: all of the wood is there to strike with.
What sets it apart
- Constant 0.610 in (15.5 mm) diameter, from end to end
- No taper, no tip: two identical butt ends
- Dark hickory, left without lacquer or finish
- Sanded surface that grips the palm
- 16 in (40.6 cm) long
- All of the mass is useful, nothing removed to make a tip
A cylinder, and what that means
An ordinary stick loses wood along its front half: that is what creates rebound and articulation. The Alien Freak does away with that. The diameter does not change, so neither does the mass, and the energy delivered with each stroke is the maximum for this size.
What you gain in volume, you lose in finesse. There is no natural rebound to work with, no delicate attack to draw from a cymbal. It is a stick built for power, and describing it any other way would be dishonest.
Bare wood, to hold on to something heavy
A lacquered shaft gets slippery as soon as your hand sweats. With a stick this heavy, the risk is not theoretical: when it goes, it goes far. Wood left raw, simply sanded, grips the skin of the palm and reduces the need to squeeze.
The dark colour of the hickory chosen for this model has no effect on the sound; it is the look that sets it apart from the lighter shafts in the rest of the range.
Two butt ends, so two lives
Since the ends are identical, you flip the pair as soon as one side gets worn down on the rims. For a drummer who plays hard every night, that reversibility matters as much as the sound when choosing a pair.
Specifications
| Wood species | Dark-coloured American hickory |
|---|---|
| Length | 16 in (40.6 cm) |
| Constant diameter | 0.610 in (15.5 mm) |
| Ends | Two butt ends, no tip |
| Profile | Cylinder with no taper |
| Surface treatment | No finish, sanded wood |
What it is for
- Metal and heavy rock played at full power
- Drummers after maximum acoustic volume
- Playing where cymbal definition is not the point
- Stages without monitors, where you have to cover the amps
- Drummers whose sticks slip by the end of a gig
Compare with other manufacturers
Thick shafts without a glossy finish elsewhere:
| Manufacturer | Comparable model | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Vic Firth | American Classic 2B | Taper and tip present, lacquered shaft |
| Promark | Classic Attack 2B | Short shoulder but tip retained |
| Zildjian | Hickory Heavy | Classic thickened profile, with a tip |
| Los Cabos | Red Hickory Intruder | Thick tapered shaft with a tip |
Frequently asked questions
- Why is the shaft darker?
- It is the colour of the hickory chosen for this model. It changes neither the density nor the sound, only the look.
- Does unfinished wood wear faster?
- Patina shows up more on the surface, but real wear comes from hitting rims, not from the lack of lacquer.
- Is the cymbal sound usable?
- It is broad and not very defined: a butt end strikes flat. For an articulate ride pattern, you need a stick with a tip.
- Can I flip them over in the middle of a gig?
- Yes, both ends are identical. That is the main point of the double butt end.
Avis clients
How loud do you play to need a pair like this?
Aucun avis pour le moment. Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience après votre achat.