Honestly not a fan of this slapstick. It sounds very thin and it actually cracked in only 3 runs of sleigh ride. If you need cheap and don't really care about how it sounds, then by all means you can get this. It's just not the right fit for me.
This product is a wonderful value for the low cost and amount of money spent. A very heavy processed wood is used to avoid the traditional stress cracks that occur with several slap sticks on the market. The sound is a superior match to any high end slap stick and I highly recommend it for moderate to heavy orchestral, concert band, or percussion ensemble applications.
Easy to use, and hits at exactly the right time. The ones based on springs are much harder to get to "speak" on time. Used it for a joke at rehearsal for Peter and the Wolf. First - duck call. Then "snap". Then, narrator "tastes like chicken!" Whole story in three quick sounds. Also worked well in Chin's Senza con Forza. Precise timing is everything, and this one can do loud and proud exactly at the right time. Did I mention "right time?"
Thank you for a wonderful instrument my son used in his high school performances of Sleigh Ride. He said it was a little loud at first when using it, but when it came time for the concert, it was perfect. His band director was thrilled to have a new one to replace their splintered and split one. Thank you!
Sounds great and very sturdy!
Very well constructed and provides a very prominent and satisfying sound.
The conductor who always calls for louder percussion indicated that the whip was too loud.
Quality construction (it's a bit more than two 2X4s and a hinge), on time delivery, and we used it for..."Sleigh Ride". I would (will) purchase from the store again.
When you're looking for a good slapstick that you're really only going to use 7 times a year (the number of cracks in Sleigh Ride), you want quality and volume at a reasonable price. We are thrilled with this slapstick, and it's great watching half the orchestra hold their ears when they know Indiana Jones is coming.
Deafening, will cut through anything. Easy to use with the large handles. Would highly recommend.
The "Sleigh Ride Special" did not disappoint! It was easy for my percussionist to stay in time and the slapstick had a nice loud dynamic. It was exactly what I wanted, the price was very low and I recommend it to everyone!
This is a great product. It is larger than you think and really loud, which is what you want in a product like this. My daughter was ecstatic with it as were her percussion and band directors. The slapstick that the band had was broken and not very loud. When my daughter played this in rehearsal for the first time, the band stopped playing to see what was going on in the percussion section. It made her proud. This slapstick is very well built and will last for years to come.
Yep, great two handed whip. Be prepared to enjoy hours of "cracking" enjoyment.
I purchased one for use when I was a middle school band director and one for my own playing endeavors. It produces the desired sound at a reasonable price.
Great sound. It really cuts through.
Nice sound, but a bit long which can make it a unwieldy since handles are so far back. After Year 2 (minimum use during year - mostly the Sleigh Ride workout for 2 bands) the material started cracking and a chunk actually flew off during rehearsal. I continued to use it another year, cautiously, as it still makes a good whip crack sound, but the material has continued to crack and I feel I must now replace it as it's not going to be long before another chunk falls off. Would like to say I've been 100% happy with all other Steve Weiss brand products and am certain they will correct the problem the current materials have caused.
Let me first say that I have NEVER had a problem with a Weiss product EVER! With that being said, this slapstick could not hold up for more than 2 rehearsals without cracking and splitting at the glue seams. It worked great and sounded awesome, but this slapstick is made mostly out of the composite press wood type material you find in cheap furniture and it could not withstand repeated use, which I considered to be normal. The great news is in typical awesome Weiss fashion, the item was replaced with another without any issue. I was told this had never happened as far as the sales rep new. When the second item then suffered the same fate, Weiss replaced it with the Yamaha version, make of real wood, at no extra charge. So, while I would not recommend the Weiss slapstick (although it could have just been a bad batch of material), I would recommend the Yamaha and Weiss overall for their continued amazing service, products, and prices.
Though it fits the bill for Sleigh Ride, I was hoping for a bigger, fuller-bodied sound. The length is misleading: it has a bright, thin slap sound instead of a fuller crack that I expected. I guess it's a whip! I'll make my own outta 2x4 in the meantime.
I originally bought this slapstick for my classroom. I was so impressed with the craftsmanship and the powerful sound that I soon ordered another one for myself. It's the best slapstick I've ever used and I definitely get a lot of use out of it... especially during the holidays!
