Vater Chad Smith's Funk Blaster drumstick review: RHCP's real signature stick

What it is, in one paragraph

The Vater Chad Smith's Funk Blaster (model VHCHADW) is a hickory drumstick designed with Red Hot Chili Peppers' drummer. 16 inch length, .605 inch diameter, acorn wood tip, short taper with extra weight toward the top of the shaft. The acorn tip warms up cymbal tone; the beefed-up taper adds durability and punch for hard-hitting funk-rock backbeats.

Spec sheet

Vater Chad Smith's Funk Blaster VHCHADW spec

Wood: American hickory.
Length: 16 inches.
Diameter: .605 inches. Slightly above a standard 5B (.595).
Taper: Short and beefy. Extra weight toward the top of the shaft.
Tip shape: Acorn wood tip. Warms up cymbal tone.

Verdict and the affiliate hook

If you hit hard on the backbeat and play funk-rock or hard-rock, the Vater Chad Smith's Funk Blaster is Smith's real signature spec, not the Vic Firth product this page used to list. The acorn tip keeps cymbals warm rather than pingy, and the beefed-up taper survives a hard-hitting playing style.

Vater

Chad Smith's Funk Blaster (VHCHADW)

Price tier: $

Why this one: Vater markets this directly as Chad Smith's signature model, a 30-plus-year artist relationship. .605 inch diameter and acorn tip built for hard funk-rock backbeats.

Funk rockRockAlternative rock

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**The drummer:**Chad Smith, Red Hot Chili Peppers **Another hard-hitting rock signature stick:**Zildjian Tré Cool **Metal/hard-rock signature stick, aluminum core instead of wood:**Ahead Tommy Lee Signature **Drummer hub:**Drummers index

Frequently asked questions

What is the Vater Chad Smith's Funk Blaster?

A hickory drumstick designed with Red Hot Chili Peppers' drummer Chad Smith. Vater model VHCHADW. 16 inch length, .605 inch diameter, acorn wood tip, short taper with extra weight toward the top of the shaft.

Is Chad Smith's signature stick made by Vic Firth or Vater?

Vater. An earlier version of this page listed a Vic Firth Chad Smith signature; checking Vic Firth's current Signature Series lineup live turns up no Chad Smith model. Vater markets the Funk Blaster directly as Smith's signature stick, and he has been a Vater signature artist for more than 30 years as of 2022.

Why the acorn tip and heavier taper?

Tone and durability for hard backbeats. The acorn-shaped wood tip is rounder and fuller than a standard tip, which warms up cymbal tone, and the short, beefy taper adds mass toward the top of the stick for a heavier, more durable feel under hard-hitting funk-rock playing.

How does the Funk Blaster compare to a standard 5B?

It's heavier. A standard 5B runs about .595 inch diameter; the Funk Blaster's .605 inch diameter and beefed-up taper make it a slightly heavier, more durable stick built for players who hit hard on the backbeat.

Are these the actual sticks Chad Smith plays?

Per Vater's own artist relationship, yes, Vater markets the Funk Blaster directly as Chad Smith's signature model, and the two have had a signature-artist relationship for over three decades.

Chad Smith's Funk Blaster

What it is, in one paragraph

Spec sheet

Verdict and the affiliate hook

Chad Smith's Funk Blaster (VHCHADW)

Related

Drummers documented using this drumstick