I recently had the chance to check out the new (made in Illinois, made in USA!) product Cooper Grooves Drumsticks. Carlo Cooper has put together a really cool product, and he has done a great job of gaining market exposure in the very competitive drumstick and mallet category.
I’ve spoken to Carlo a few times about how he came up with the stick and why, his explanations are interesting! I won’t bother paraphrasing when you can see his website here: http://www.coopergroove.com/
He sent me a pair of 7A’s and 5B’s to try out, and here are my thoughts.
The packaging is very nice, it will look great on the shelf at Guitar Center next to IP or Firth products. My first reaction to holding the 7A’s was that they were a little light compared to my VF 7A’s and 7AN’s. I used them for about a week, playing salsa, rock, funk, and country. They held up great to rim shots and cowbell use. The grooves in the lower portion of the stick (a milled-in V-notch in a diamond plate pattern) provided interesting feedback regarding hand position and how the stick travelled up and down. I’m not sure of the “relieves pressure points” sales pitch, but they are a grippy stick that definitely keeps hand sweating to a minimum.
I don’t generally prefer the diameter of a 5B, however I did like the added wieght for these sticks. I submitted the Bs to the same abuse at the 7A and they held up great!
Congrats Carlo on developing a great product! If you have any interest in them, I do suggest trying them out.
I still prefer my Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, and that’s not just because of my contract!
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