Vic FirthRute 505

I use these almost exclusively with my acoustic folk band. We are all amplified so I don't need to play overly quiet but I do need to play a bit softer. These are perfect for The band. They are not as loud as sticks but louder than wire brushes. I can do almost anything with these that I can do with sticks and they sound great!The rubber ring will come off and I loose them. I use a rubber band or just play without it. They still play okay without the ring.I also perform with my electric blues band. We play alot of "heavy" blues like Stevie Ray Vaughn and Hendrix. So I play much harder with this band and usually use sticks but I have used these at practice to see if they would work for a smaller indoor venue. They sound good.I do generally still prefer sticks. You can't get a good buzz role or drag with these. There is very little rebound. But if you have good technique, especially the Moeller technique, you can still get some decent doubles, accents, ghost notes, etc...You are not going to get a perfect substitute for drum sticks but, for me, these are close. They are durable and feel good in my hands.

I bought these as an alternative to hot rods wooden dowel rutes. The Vic Firth 505's are much more than a volume reducer-- they provide artistic musical options as well. But if you are also looking for an alternative to easily broken wooden dowels, here's what I have found:-Noise reduction is not quite as significant as the wood dowels are, but does provide adequate performance in this regard. You can play them as as soft, but you can also pull more volume from these sticks then you will get from wooden rutes.-Stick definition (particularly on cymbals) is much better in comparison to the wooden dowels.-Durability. This is the reason to buy these if you're solely looking for volume reduction. I've played pretty hard with these, and while the plastic does show some wear, they don't snap in half like the wooden counterparts do. For roughly the same price, you'll get a much longer life.-Playability is pretty nice, the grip is solid and robust. But do be aware that there is a certain amount of "give" in the bending of the plastic rods that is a noticeable attribute of the 505's.To a musician, the volume reduction and durability is the side story of the 505's. In fact the versatility and unique sounds that can be produced are truly the real strengths of their design. The durability and volume control are simply added positives.

If you play a little hard the bundles will slide out of the handle

Not my favorite for a brush, but you can slap the snot out of them for a wet "whack!" as they are a whole lot of fun to use.Another payoff is doing rudiments on a pad to build up the retraction stroke...then pick up your sticks and send you hands through the ceiling.This is my second pair. I also have also used birch dowel rutes and brushes. This is a low volume product and Vic builds it well. I wrapped some elec tape once the o rings fell apart and added a brass compression ring 30% from the tip for some heft (but I'm always doing that kind of stuff anyhow. That's how Vic Firth got started... never was satisfied.)Get a pair and enjoy. Many guys use them for soft songs, but you will need lighter gauge heads.I have no idea why this is listed under electronics.

They sound fine. I'm sure they'll hold up. But they sure are floppy feeling. They just don't feel good to play with, like your sticks are made of rubber. I think they just need to be a bit stiffer and they would be good.

Excellent to use for either practice or if your hands are arthritic.

Love these. I wrap duck tape around the top to stiffen them up and these are my main stick now. Still stiff enough to cut through on recordings like wood. And if you didn't tell someone you had recorded with these instead of wood they wouldn't know the difference. They're quieter than wooden sticks, and easier on the hands. I also feel like its easier to play with these cause they're very forgiving. They're not going to be for everyone but fir me they're perfect.

Im not prone to write reviews..but this purchase really pissed me off...I waited anxiously, for a set of sticks,that I paid more for because of the Brand name...so many reviews, like''great sticks..feels great..etc'' I was hopeful that I had found a solution for a quieter way to practice...Heres all I have to say..the were ridiculously light,it felt like ''trying to play'' with a hand full of soda straws...and heres a fact NOBODY mentioned.....They have ABSOLUTELY NO REBOUND...impossible to do a double stroke..and a roll,forget it!...absolutely flat..no response whatsoever. Save yourself the wondering...There IS NO QUIET STICK..play loud play proud or go home.