These were recommended to me by legendary drummer Adam Nussbaum. They are not your traditional brush for stirring the soup or ballad playing. But they are great for rock playing when you need a little extra volume but don't want a stick sound either. Excellent for experimentation and a different tonal option.
The little metal bead on the end of each wire is a great idea. It does exactly what it's supposed to do for offering a bit more power and articulation, especially on cymbals. The only drawback is that after a few gigs, many of the little beads come off. If Vic Firth could fix this one flaw, I would give it a 5.
ok so the sound is totally different from other brushes. It's more to get a metallic ping sound than to brush. Interesting. I haven't had time to try all the possibilities yet. The down part (which I hope will go away) is that they were very dirty when I opened them. Not the handles but the wires. They got everything black, including my hands and pants. I might have to dishwash them :-)
I am using these brushes in an upcoming performance of Warren Benson's "Three Dances for Solo Snare Drum" and the articulation is superior compared to traditional wire brushes. I am also a member of Concord University's (Athens, WV) jazz ensemble and these brushes are a great tool to bring out the drum set on softer tunes.
So i mentioned a high pitched noise that i noticed with this product when i was sweeping... Just brought a new coated head for my snare drum and that noise is GONE. So when the coating wears off, the brushes make an annoying sound, but your head should probably be replaced at that point anyways...
First of all, these brushes are LOUD. If you're planning on playing dinner music with these, there's probably a better choice. The ping off of your cymbals will be noticeably different as well. A little bit brighter. The main complaint I have with this model is that as you sweep, you'll kind of get this high pitched shriek out of them. Not very loud at all, but it is there and I'm not sure how far it carries. Also the wires are very thick, so if you're used to playing with thinner brushes, you'll feel like your technique has to change just a little with these.
