"fluffy" beater question

I got the Vater Bomber at Xmas. Nice and its fun to play with a different 'fluffy' beater, just for a new sound. It is very light. I also play an unported empty bass drum so don't need to hammer down with my foot all the time.
One thing I've learned is not to 'cheap out' on items that can 'wear out' .
Think about it, items like sticks, tips and beaters can get used at 100's of bpm for hours.....you don't want cheap there.
I'll cheap out on a drum key ....
 
I use the Vic Firth one when I do acoustic gigs or when I use my cajon as a kick. A nice, gentle thump.
 
I have the vic beater and I love the thing. Not to heavy, still has some decent rebound, and if I lay into it I get nice boom.
 
I've never gotten too worked up over bass-beater options. I've always used whatever my Pearl pedals have been equipped with at the factory. Beaters have become more compact over the years, but I do sometimes miss the classic ones with felt all around. I don't recall thinking one model was better than the other. Just select the one that appeals to you most and see how you end up liking it. I doubt you'll be irreconcilably disappointed.

I have a Pearl 4 way beater which is a studio hack if ever I've seen one, every drummer should have one! I use the Danmar Standard felt beater and have done for about 20 years, no fuss great hard wearing beater.

For an old school fluffy beater sound try ye olde moleskin patches and a felt beater
 
Interesting that this came up.

I am currently playing a *fluffy* beater. :) Never have before. Had one in stock at home, and never got around to trying it. Always just used what came with the pedal. Well, my beater broke recently - as well as, went through the BD head - so I changed out the head, and put on the fluffy.

I'm actually enjoying it very much. Sounds good and feels good. Not sure if it is the right choice for the Loud music my band players, but, maybe I don't care. :)
 
Vater bomber arrived today. I've got to change heads and re tune my bass drum so my update may be delayed. It's a cool beater though! Very light weight and a few quick taps on my bass drum gives a noticably different but pleasing soft 'boom' sound.


If you're still using your Pearl Midtown, I've found that soft fleece beaters sound especially good on small bass drums. It gives them a rounder and warmer attack. I use a traditional, hard felt beater, but I found it's too percussive and "heavy" on 16" bass drums. I also have some generic soft felt beaters that come on generic or beginner pedals (like the Mapex Rebel pedal for example) Those work very good as well. I think you'll really appreciate how well it works on a 16" bass drum.
 
The church I volunteer at switched their music service over late last year from the previous 12 piece choir to a 3 piece band. Knowing that a regular beater would probably be too harsh for the music we're playing, they ordered a Vic Firth soft fleece beater - we immediately noticed the difference in sound. Now, not only is the bass drum sound much "warmer" and "rounder" (it's a much more pleasing "boom" of a sound rather than a "thud"), but I can play it with similar intensity as before and not at all be too loud or overpowering. I highly recommend one if the sound or type of situation you're playing calls for it.
 
I always have really wanted to try using an old school "fluffy" bass drum beater. I've read every thread about them, I know generally what I'm getting into, I'm prepared for a slight volume reduction as well as the inevitable 'wear spot' that I'll have to keep rotating. My question is this...

The general concensus is that the vater vintage bomber is the way to go with the vic firth option being a close second (with slight varying opinions about which is 'better'). I was about to pull the trigger on the vater model ($19 at the time of me typing this) but then I found this one: https://www.amazon.com/Lovermusic-1...&sr=8-4#aw-udpv3-customer-reviews_feature_div

So, is there really that much of a difference? Putting aside the core (probably) being either cork or felt, which could slightly change weight and feel... Is it really worth getting the vater at $19 or the vic firth at $26 OR is this just another case of 'paying for the name'? Could this off brand option for $14 be worth it?

On that note, does anyone have anything to add? Maybe there is a better option I'm not familiar with.

Thanks!
I have the Vic Firth and I liked it very much with my Remo Powerstroke 3 coated head. I replaced the Powerstroke 3 with a Evans UV1 (with no inlay muffling ring or any muffling) honnestly the result with the fluffy is real shit on the UV1. (18" bass drum)

I love the UV1 with a standard hard felt beater, I get more control and a sound closer to perhaps any of my jazz albums.

Fluffy beater is soft and fluffy but it's a massive beater and the UV1 is not responding well to such a mass, like throwing a big rock in the water, it's causing too much waves and I only get a distorted sound, some kind of ugly thunder.

My point is, the result might be different depending of the head installed on the bass drum. With the PS3, the fluffy generates a beautiful soft and wide sound.

***
I rarely hear the vintage sound of the "fluff ball" beater in any jazz albums, I really wonder why it's called vintage sound.
 
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I'm actually enjoying it very much. Sounds good and feels good. Not sure if it is the right choice for the Loud music my band plays, but, maybe I don't care. :)
If you kit is mic'd up, the beater is really irrelevant. If it's not, then you'll need the kick to shout over the guitars & vocals.
The guys may not care now if a mic is the case. If it's not (and you stick to your guns about it), you'll just not be asked to do the next thing.

Not a good trade for a fuzzy beater if you ask me.
 
I recently just ordered a 3 pack of very unique beaters from Dragon Fly Percussion.

They have a hard beater made of hard leather, a medium made of canvas and then a soft flannel for that fluffy feel.

These just look really cool and seem like they’d have a unique sound. I’ve seen Carter McLean playing them.


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I will guess that if you buy the Amazon version, you will be SORELY disappointed. I recently tried the same thing through Ebay. It was just a crap felt beater. LOOKED NOTHING like the pic. It was literally stacked felt discs. Go with the Vater.
I was looking at some of the cheap looking aluminum beaters on Amazon this past winter. One thought came to mind: all the former street vendors who used to peddle knock-off products on the corners of big cities, are now selling on Amazon. Just a thought.
 
I have the Vater Bomber Beater. It's nice, and it does what it's supposed to.

As for the Amazon one, I say try it out, it's only $14. If you don't like it try one of the other options next.
I bought one off Amazon last year and have been hooked every since. However, it was $19 last April and checking now it's still $19, but it is great quality, feels very good. Best of all, I use it for quiet practice and it has been invaluable in keeping the volume down so neighbors don't complain.
 
Just a little update: the vater bomber beater has been great! I don't notice a reduction in volume as much as a reduction in the attack, which I can see being perceived as less volume. It has an awesome boom to it that I've never found with any other beater. I haven't gigged or played heavily with it but it's got a few solid hours of play time and the fluff hasn't worn through yet. The band I was playing with all last year is about to start up again in May so I'll have a better opportunity to put it through it's paces in my 'normal' routine.
 
 
Is this a phrasing issue again?
 
Just a little update: the vater bomber beater has been great! I don't notice a reduction in volume as much as a reduction in the attack, which I can see being perceived as less volume. It has an awesome boom to it that I've never found with any other beater. I haven't gigged or played heavily with it but it's got a few solid hours of play time and the fluff hasn't worn through yet. The band I was playing with all last year is about to start up again in May so I'll have a better opportunity to put it through it's paces in my 'normal' routine.

I have been using bombers since i started playing (bout 6 years) and my first one lasted 2-3 years.. the fuzz never wore off, just got flattened out a bit.. I have tried other beaters but i always end up putting a bomber back one.. I like that they don't sound like plastic hitting plastic. just a good solid THUD...

As far as lasting, don't even worry bout it.. i play 2-4 hours EVERY night and mine lasted years.. they are made well :)
 
I have been using bombers since i started playing (bout 6 years) and my first one lasted 2-3 years.. the fuzz never wore off, just got flattened out a bit.. I have tried other beaters but i always end up putting a bomber back one.. I like that they don't sound like plastic hitting plastic. just a good solid THUD...

As far as lasting, don't even worry bout it.. i play 2-4 hours EVERY night and mine lasted years.. they are made well :)

Awesome, thanks for the report! I've used felt for twenty years, I never liked the sound or feel of wood or rubber, so I can relate. Unless I have extremely premature wear, which I don't forsee, then I think the vater bomber is a winner for me.
 
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