Slapstik - Stick with a flexible tip

TheSlapstik

Junior Member
Hello drummers,

The Slapstik has received mixed reactions from drummers. Some say it's cheating, gimmick, only for lazy drummers... Others, including Dennis Chambers, Paul Wertico, Kenwood Dennard, dig the Slapstik and find cool things to play with it. Check out the videos on our website and share your opinion about it.
http://www.theslapstik.com
 
Generally it's frowned upon to blatantly advertise your product -- drumming related or otherwise -- if you aren't an established member of the forum. I hope that your company's representative(s) will take part in the forum community's other discussions as well. It's always interesting to parley first hand with equipment manufacturers.

Now that the mandatory finger waggling has been dealt with, I must say that I'd love to try the Slapstik out. In another thread our very own Matt Smith demos the striking implement in some very creative ways, and the stick apparently has quite a few practical applications.
 
Really? With a flexible tip...now I'm not going to say that it's a boneheaded idea. No, I won't say that. I'm not going to say that it's a cheap gimmick either. Not at all.
The only thing that occurs to me is to ask, "Why?"
 
Really? With a flexible tip...now I'm not going to say that it's a boneheaded idea. No, I won't say that. I'm not going to say that it's a cheap gimmick either. Not at all.
The only thing that occurs to me is to ask, "Why?"

I guess you could ask the same question about a brush, mallet, twig...
The answer is simple, all these different tools allow drummers to produce different sounds, textures and patterns.
 
I guess you could ask the same question about a brush, mallet, twig...
The answer is simple, all these different tools allow drummers to produce different sounds, textures and patterns.

Alright, but the difference is that with, say, brushes, it's still the drummer who is producing those sounds. In the case of the "Slapstik," it is the device itself which is producing the sounds, from what I can see on the video.
It's a nylon tip attached to a spring which is attached to the stick, isn't that right? Nowhere on the site does it actually say anything about how it's made or how it came to be.
Please, correct me if I'm wrong.
 
I think its function really isnt necassary. Its a cool invention, but i just wouldnt find much practical use for it. And it doenst seem like it could pass a certain dynamic level very easily.
 
I like to try a pair out. If you would promo a few pairs to our forum members you might get some decent reviews and further your product.
 
I endorse them now after a lot of examination before doing so. So I'll say that upfront before thinking there's no connection at all. But it's your regular common endorsement. I don't work for them or anything, but I do feel that those guys are honest and reputable, meaning that they would replace one if it was defective etc. In other words the company is run by good people who stand behind the product.

I've been given some other stuff that turned out to be gimmicks or mostly useless. I endorse power wrist builders too, and they seemed goofy until I used them in warm ups and found out otherwise, so I don't try to judge a book by its cover anymore. But after some experimentation I found the hi-hat usage with Slapstik especially interesting, and that seems to be the favorite thing people use it for. I also recently did a video where you were able to get almost that old Isaac Hayes sound on the hats and the other hand could be free to do other stuff. A regular stick couldn't have done that, while one brush wouldn't have been flexible enough. Besides, the thing isn't more than 10 or 12 bucks on their site, not exactly breaking the bank to take too much of a chance.

I don't think there's much risk involved to give it a try. Again, my sort of connected to them without being owned opinion.
 
I endorse them now after a lot of examination before doing so. So I'll say that upfront before thinking there's no connection at all. But it's your regular common endorsement. I don't work for them or anything, but I do feel that those guys are honest and reputable, meaning that they would replace one if it was defective etc. In other words the company is run by good people who stand behind the product.

Okay, but please explain what the thing does. I know what it is, but I still get the impression that it's no more then a novelty item, and certainly not to be compared with brushes or mallets.
Look, it's just groovy that you get to endorse stuff, Matt, but that alone doesn't mean anything. Surely you can see that. So why not tell us what it is that these Slapstiks do and why you endorse them? And the Isaac Hayes thing, well...really now. "The other hand could be free to do other stuff."
I expect this product to start showing up on late night TV. "Introducing the AMAZING SLAPSTIK! Call now and we'll DOUBLE YOUR ORDER! Have your credit card ready!"
I'm sorry, does it sound like I'm scoffing? I guess I am scoffing a little. All these new inventions to play drums with, man they come and they go.
 
Okay, but please explain what the thing does. I know what it is, but I still get the impression that it's no more then a novelty item, and certainly not to be compared with brushes or mallets.
Look, it's just groovy that you get to endorse stuff, Matt, but that alone doesn't mean anything. Surely you can see that. So why not tell us what it is that these Slapstiks do and why you endorse them? And the Isaac Hayes thing, well...really now. "The other hand could be free to do other stuff."
I expect this product to start showing up on late night TV. "Introducing the AMAZING SLAPSTIK! Call now and we'll DOUBLE YOUR ORDER! Have your credit card ready!"
I'm sorry, does it sound like I'm scoffing? I guess I am scoffing a little. All these new inventions to play drums with, man they come and they go.


The Slapstik only allows you to hit both the down and the up storkes. It doesn't do the work for you. In fact, it takes some skill to master it. I think many drummers judge this product by its name and appearance. But the drummers who actually care and dare to invest some time into it find out that it is a neat invention. We are not trying to claim that the Slapstik is going to replace a regular stick. It is just another tool, that's all.
Don't take my word for it, check out what Dennis Chambers had to say about the Slapstik after he ordered one:
“I found out about the Slapstik in the Modern Drummer Magazine. I was very curious to see how the Slapstik works and how I can use it. I ordered few sticks through the Slapstik website. I tried it out and really enjoyed it. The Slapstik is a unique product that drummers can really enjoy!"
 
Okay, but please explain what the thing does. I know what it is, but I still get the impression that it's no more then a novelty item, and certainly not to be compared with brushes or mallets.
Look, it's just groovy that you get to endorse stuff, Matt, but that alone doesn't mean anything. Surely you can see that. So why not tell us what it is that these Slapstiks do and why you endorse them? And the Isaac Hayes thing, well...really now. "The other hand could be free to do other stuff."
I expect this product to start showing up on late night TV. "Introducing the AMAZING SLAPSTIK! Call now and we'll DOUBLE YOUR ORDER! Have your credit card ready!"
I'm sorry, does it sound like I'm scoffing? I guess I am scoffing a little. All these new inventions to play drums with, man they come and they go.
Jay I thought I explained it very well, and went to great effort to explain that. Are you saying you could play the Shaft intro on a hi-hat with one hand? With just a little polite sarcasm injected, yes Jay it does sound like you're scoffing ;)

I'm not hawking, just sharing. I don't get paid to say this/// Sheeesh. I also don't get the ad scoffing. How else does a small company sell the product? I'm just wondering if you're kinda joking around here. Hmmmm.

Besides if I'm not explaining it well enough why not just look at some videos. There are plenty out there. If you don't like them, cool. If you do, then those guys will probably like that.

Here's one of mine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgLEGjhXrew

Here's Paul Wertico.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grs4H04s43s&feature=related

Jay, it's just another color in your bag. Have a good one.
 
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