Vater Percussion Manufacturing

Step #1

Each Vater stick starts from a raw dowel. Vater accepts only the highest quality Hickory and Maple dowels with a particular moisture content reading from wood suppliers.

Step #2

Vater's sticks are cut on back-knife lathes. Each stick model is turned from its own steel knife designed to the specifications and measurements of that model.

Step #3

Each stick is then put through a delicate sanding process. With machines custom-designed by Vater, each stick is evenly sanded with impeccable consistency and feel.

Step #4

The wood tips are shaped using an extremely accurate automated process. Each stick is inserted into a cylinder, where a size- and shape-specific knife shapes the tip. The stick is then released, leaving a perfectly shaped tip every time.

Step #5

Nylon tips are applied using a custom-designed automated machine built exclusively for Vater. Each stick spins while the glue is applied evenly around the wood-to-nylon tip contact surface area. The tip is then forced onto the stick with a great amount of air compression, leaving it permanently "locked" on the stick.

Step #6

Sticks are then put in a revolving tumbler that evenly applies the sealer and finish coats. This process leaves every stick with that famous Vater finish and feel.

Step #7

Each stick is then rolled down a set of steel pipes by a quality control expert. Sticks that are warped or have a mineral streak / visual blemish are then taken out and become 2nd quality sticks. The sticks that make it through are considered 1st quality... for now.

Step #8

Alan Vater then personally re-rolls every stick that made it through the first rolling process on a pure black surface. Alan removes every stick that he comes across that isn't 100% straight

Step #9

Now worthy of the Vater name, the sticks are then labelled on a pad-printing machine. Silicone pads apply pressure to a self-inking metal plate etched with the Vater logo and model name, leaving the image on the pads. The pads then come down and apply the image to the stick.

Step #10

Each stick is then put through Vater's computer pitch and weight-matching system. The pitch and weight of each stick are recorded, and the stick is placed into a designated bin. Each stick within a specific bin will have the same pitch and weight as the others in the same bin.

Step #11

The sticks from each individual bin are then colour-matched in bar-coded sleeves, leaving a perfectly pitch- and weight-matched pair.

Step #12

"Bricks" of 12 pairs are then shrink-wrapped in plastic. This dramatically decreases the potential loss of moisture content in the sticks, keeping them straight. The sticks are now ready to be put in stock and shipped to drummers all over the world.