VF Buddy Rich Sticks

[Johnny K]

Did they change the tip design or did I really wear them out so badly that it's too hard to tell?

 

[Joe A]

I see the wear, but I want to say that the model circa the mid-1990s was a bit more graceful around the neck. Also, as with all the colored sticks back then, the finish was somewhat translucent, allowing the grain of the wood to show through, and giving a beautiful effect all around. I've got an old pair of Ralph Hardimons that shows a thickly-applied version of said finish; it was usually about 5/8 to 3/4 as thick:

 

[Seb77]

I used to wonder the same about another model. This happens when you play a lot but at a softer volume; the coating on the heads as well as some cymbal finishes tend to sand off wood over time. Any stick tip will get pointier that way.
Some models offer this shape from the start, but I think the Buddy model always had the tip shown to the left, with not much of a narrowing toward the neck.

 

[Johnny K]

I used to wonder the same about another model. This happens when you play a lot but at a softer volume; the coating on the heads as well as some cymbal finishes tend to sand off wood over time. Any stick tip will get pointier that way.
Some models offer this shape from the start, but I think the Buddy model always had the tip shown to the left, with not much of a narrowing toward the neck.

Cool. I have a 3rd pair that has dissappeared to check against. The new ones are about 2 weeks old. The ones on the right have gotten alot of use and abuse. I use Jack DeJohnette sticks too and those tips dont really sharpen, but they do get cracked and chuncks of the tips go missing. I really wish VF would do both Buddy and Jack sticks in a natural finish. I am slowly painting my hi-hats white.

 

[jaymandude]

Cool. I have a 3rd pair that has dissappeared to check against. The new ones are about 2 weeks old. The ones on the right have gotten alot of use and abuse. I use Jack DeJohnette sticks too and those tips dont really sharpen, but they do get cracked and chuncks of the tips go missing. I really wish VF would do both Buddy and Jack sticks in a natural finish. I am slowly painting my hi-hats white.

I've used white Firths often and never had that problem. As an aside, that Buddy stick is a lot of weight and I only use them for pad work. Are you hitting hard ?

 

[Johnny K]

I've used white Firths often and never had that problem. As an aside, that Buddy stick is a lot of weight and I only use them for pad work. Are you hitting hard ?

Not terribly hard. In the beginning I was having a hard time finding a stick i could feel comfortable with and my instructor handed me a pair of Buddys and it was instant love. Then I found the Jack D's and loved them too, because of they are the same length and diameter (probably 5b-ish) and weight as the Buddys, but with a more tradional acorn tip. Good stick for hitting hard on the blues like Tony Coleman. Both sticks sound good on the coated Remo coated pinstripe heads and Zildjian K's. I also have pretty large hands and long fingers so it's just a comfort thing with those 2 sticks. If I want to play lightly I have a set of Bopworks Art Blakey 8d sticks. I like to play 2b sticks on my pad. I even have a set of FS1 sticks that are like baseball bats compared the the 8d sticks.

 

[jaymandude]

Yup, the Buddy sticks feel great for sure. I like sticks to be light on top.

 

[CSR]

Of course, these are nothing like the sticks Buddy actually used.

 

[Johnny K]

Of course, these are nothing like the sticks Buddy actually used.

I know right? The Bopworks 40's Swing Classic model stick looks closer to what he probably used. Dont really care though, they could say anything on them and I would still play them.

 

[JazzDrumGuy]

I've only seen them new and they've always looked like the first picture (left). Those tips look awful to me and I don't know how they would play but I guess they worked for BR.

 

[CSR]

I've only seen them new and they've always looked like the first picture (left). Those tips look awful to me and I don't know how they would play but I guess they worked for BR.

Never. The sticks he played were much closer to a thin 5a or even a 7a.

 

[drummaman1]

There is a version of the VF BR stick that Buddy played, but it was made by Ludwig and looked much thinner than the VF BR sig stick.

The stick was released posthumously, and I speculate that he may have used that stick if he didn't pass when he did. Meaning, he was talking to VF about a sig stick. Again, speculation, VF might have gone to the estate and asked to release "the BR stick".

I picked up a pair on a whim and I'm finding it fits with the group I'm currently playing with. Interesting how that works...

 

[jaymandude]

The Bopworks Memphis R&B is an exact copy or the original Buddy stick. For lighter work it feels pretty good. Nice cymbal sound too. I like them a lot

Memphis R&B Model

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