I love them. I used to have a pair so I know what you mean. The Vic Firth site describes them as "An 8D shaft that feels like it plays itself." Very true. The rebound was almost effortless; great balance. I eventually discovered the AJ6 stick in the same series. I loved the rebound of it even more and the sweet cymbal sounds too. Dang, I think I ripped off the Vic Firth site again... At any rate, they do sound excellent on the ride cymbal. If you have the opportunity, check them out. They may be a great complement to the AJ3s.