Vater 1/2 Timbale Sticks Hickory

A good pair of sticks for el timbal.

The wood is of high quality... They last an awfully long time. However, I have had many instances where I unpack a new pair and one stick is a lot lighter/heavier than the other. This is very bad as it means I can't do my rolls/double strokes as effectively as I could. Likewise, often one stick is slightly longer than the other. They are also not perfectly straight... Vater really needs to sort out their quality control system.
The end of the sticks is not as rounded as Vic Firth, for example, meaning they will produce a louder, shaper sound on the contracampana.

When using these sticks people have commented that I have been playing the instrument too loudly. The sticks have weight and as I mentioned the ends are quite sharp... not rounded.

To address this I am buying Vic Firth Alex Acuna series (the red colour) Which is lighter, thinner, and more defined and rounded at the tips which will hopefully help me play with less volume.

Hope this helps!