Vater Sizzle Fusion — Drumstick with Hard Felt Mallet Head, Round Tip
The Sizzle Fusion is a dual-purpose stick: a 16.25 in drumstick with a 0.580 in grip and a round tip on one end, and a hard felt mallet head mounted on the other. One tool where you used to need two: the stick for the groove, the mallet for a cymbal swell or timpani.
What sets it apart
- Fusion body: 16.25 in, 0.580 in at the grip
- Hard felt head on the butt end, for cymbal swells and timpani
- Small-diameter head that gets in the way of neither your hand nor regular playing
- Round tip on the other end, for clear cymbals
- One stick where you used to need two
The problem of switching tools mid-song
A cymbal swell calls for a mallet; the rest of the song calls for a stick. In between, you have four beats and two hands already busy. Most drummers lay a mallet on the floor tom and hope not to knock it off.
Putting the felt head on the butt end removes the whole operation: flip the stick in your hand, swell the cymbal, flip it back. The move takes one rehearsal to learn and then becomes invisible.
A small head, and that is what makes it playable
A timpani mallet carries a bulky head, perfect for its job but impossible to hold for regular playing: it bumps against the palm and throws the stick off balance as soon as you want to hit a drumhead.
Vater therefore reduced the head to the useful minimum. It stays dense enough to make a cymbal sing through a long swell, yet discreet enough for the butt end to keep behaving like a drumstick. That compromise, not the felt itself, is what makes this model worthwhile.
Specifications
| Length | 16.25 in (41.3 cm) |
|---|---|
| Grip | 0.580 in |
| Tip shape | Round |
| Mallet head | Hard felt |
| Head size | Compact, your hand closes in front of it |
What it is for
- Cymbal swells at the end of a verse
- Occasional timpani parts in a stage ensemble
- Musical theatre drummers who switch between colours
- Recording a soft build without changing tools
- Small groups where nobody can hand you a mallet
Compare with other manufacturers
Other ways to keep a felt head within reach:
| Manufacturer | Comparable model | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Vic Firth | Drumstick with a felt butt end | Different felt density and head diameter |
| Innovative Percussion | Timpani mallet with a thin handle | Pure mallet: no playable tip on the other end |
| Mike Balter | Hard felt mallet | Designed for keyboard percussion and timpani, not for drum kit |
| Promark | Dual-purpose stick | Different combination, often softer felt |
| Regal Tip | Cymbal mallet | Dedicated tool, to put down as soon as the song kicks back in |
Frequently asked questions
- Can you really play a whole song with it?
- Yes. The body is a Fusion, and the felt head is small enough not to bother your hand. You notice the difference in the balance, slightly heavier at the butt end than a plain drumstick.
- Does hard felt damage cymbals?
- No, felt is still softer than metal. What marks a cymbal is a sharp hit on the edge, not the material of the head.
- What is the difference from the acorn-tip version?
- The tip, on the other end. The round tip gives a brighter, more defined cymbal sound; the acorn widens the contact and warms up the tone.
- Can I use it on orchestral timpani?
- Vater also presents it for timpani. An orchestra section will nonetheless work with dedicated mallets, whose heads cover a range of hardnesses this stick does not offer.
Avis clients
How do you handle cymbal swells at gigs?
Aucun avis pour le moment. Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience après votre achat.