Zildjian and Vic Firth Merge to form Zilvicfirthdjian

Zildjian merges with Vic Firth!

My take is this:
1) Sabian cymbal artists who are with Vic Firth have a nice excuse to leave and bounce to Zildjian.
2) Zildjian's drumsticks will finally get really good, (see below) and...
3) what happens to the HSS deal? I mean wasn't Kaman, Sabian, Vic, and all under the Kaman blanket (Ovation, Gretsch, all the HSS stuff) I mean isn't all of that with the same distributer in the US? So is VF is just out of there?

Any ways... I think some of Zildjian's drumstick artists will probably redesign or reintroduce their sticks... That could be really great. I mean...
We could soon have Vinnie, Dennis Chambers, Bill Stewart, John Blackwell,
John Riley, Akiro, Manu, Tony, Travis Barker,Trilok Gurtu, and many others... STICKS MADE BY FIRTH, in thier factory! That's awesome to me!

You guys all know how I feel about Vater, I think they are the best drumsticks made. They last longer, are weighted better, and WAAAAAAAAAAAY more consistent than any other manufacture can even get close to. But there is quality and good everywhere, you just have to be able to see it. Some of the above mentioned sticks (currently made by Zildjian) are masterpieces developed by the drummer... Like for example Bill Stewart and John Riley's sticks... Great designs... Now imagine (and we'll get to hold them soon!!!!) them produced by VF in the VF factory, with the hickory that VF gets, and their quality control. To me, they just make a far better drumstick than anyone other than Vater. I mean really, if you can't feel the difference between a Vic or Vater stick and a Pro Mark or Zildjian stick, I think it's because you never gave yourself the chance to get to know them. Maybe because Neil Peart played a Pro Mark 747 wood tip OAK drunkstick, but lets face it... That's a terrible stick... You aren't Neil, and it doesn't work for you. Just the pure shock that his stick (or any oak stick) sends up your fingers, hands, and arms should be enough to tell you that something is wrong, but even if it isn't, you owe yourself at least the decency of taking $100 and buying 8-10 pairs (or more, I've heard guys say it took them 20 years to find their stick...I got lucky and found mine early) of sticks. Do a blindfold test on a pad, tape up the ends and play. See what feels best... and do Billy Wards "mental picture" trick. Hide the makers marks and take the new sticks to a gig. When you are rocking out, owning that gig, and just bitch-slapping with your fat nasty pocket, take a picture mentally of what is going right. There have to be a few things that look cool as you look yourself over, maybe your traditional grip is perfect, maybe changing your throne height last week gave you super dooper single pedal powers, or maybe it's those new sticks! When the song is over, set them aside, or at least unwrap them and take special note of what they are... then buy a few more pair and see how it goes. Maybe you found your secret weapon and you can now play like JoJo. Probably not, but worth a try.

All I'm really trying to say here is that I personally never thought Zildjian had the best drumstick on the market. I never thought that even Zildjian thought they had the best stick on the market. But I do love both Vic Firth, and Zildjian.
As companies they have so much in common, and I'm sure that this is a great marriage for all of us. They will flourish, and we as consumers and players will reap the rewards. However, seeing as how this subject is being discussed, I think too many players overlook their specific needs in drumsticks. I think it's easy to choose a hero drum god, and adapt yourself to their stick. My guess is that sticks are the item that sells the most due to signature status... But in honesty, you should be finding a stick that adapts to you.

In close, try them all...! See what works and what doesn't, don't be afraid to not play Travis Barkers stick if it doesn't feel good to you. Move on find a stick that works, and when audition time comes to get your spot in the band, those kids might look cool in their checkered wristbands and bright red sticks with polka dots and giant nylon tips (sorry Adrian) but you will be playing with a stick that makes you feel so comfortable that it's just an extension of your arm, and you can just OWN that last page of Mr. Reed's Syncopation!