Vic Firth Matt Cameron Signature drumstick review: the long-taper 5B behind Soundgarden and Pearl Jam's pocket
Review of the Vic Firth Signature Series Matt Cameron drumstick (SKU SMC): hickory, 16 3/16 inch length, .585 inch diameter, long taper, barrel wood tip. Cameron's real namesake Vic Firth signature stick, built for reach and cymbal articulation.
Reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team ·
The Vic Firth Signature Series Matt Cameron (SKU SMC) is a hickory drumstick built with the Soundgarden and Pearl Jam drummer: 16 3/16 inches long, .585 inch diameter, a long taper, and a barrel wood tip for a full, cutting cymbal sound. It's a 5B-style shaft with added length and reach. It's Cameron's real namesake signature stick, matching the reach and articulation his grunge-to-arena pocket across two catalogs demands.
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What it is, in one paragraph
The Vic Firth Signature Series Matt Cameron (SKU: SMC) is a hickory drumstick built for reach: 16 3/16 inches long, .585 inch diameter, a long taper, and a barrel wood tip Vic Firth's own copy says "produces a full and satisfying cymbal sound." It's a genuine namesake signature stick, sold under Cameron's own name in Vic Firth's current Signature Series lineup. Matt Cameron has drummed in Soundgarden since 1986 and in Pearl Jam since 1998, one of the few drummers to anchor two simultaneously active major bands.
Who Matt Cameron is, briefly
Matthew David Cameron, born November 28, 1962, in San Diego, California, drummed in Soundgarden from 1986 through Chris Cornell's May 2017 death and has been Pearl Jam's drummer since 1998, recording across both bands' catalogs at once for over a decade. He's also drummed in Temple of the Dog (1990-91, 2016 reunion) and his own Wellwater Conspiracy side project. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Pearl Jam (2017). Full profile at /drummers/matt-cameron.
Spec sheet
Vic Firth SMC spec
- Wood
- Hickory.
- Length
- 16 3/16 inches (16.1875 inches).
- Diameter
- .585 inches, standard 5B diameter.
- Taper
- Long, for added reach with a lighter, faster-rebounding feel than a short-taper 5B.
- Tip
- Wood, barrel shape, for a full cymbal sound per Vic Firth's own copy.
- Family
- Signature Series, officially named "Matt Cameron."
Where it sits next to Vic Firth's Steve Gadd signature stick
| Vic Firth Matt Cameron Signature (SMC) | Vic Firth Steve Gadd Signature (SSG) | |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | Hickory | Hickory |
| Length | 16 3/16" | 16-1/4" |
| Diameter | .585" | .565" |
| Taper | Long | Medium |
| Tip | Wood, barrel shape | Wood, barrel shape |
| Best for | A heavier 5B-family rock pocket with extra reach | Session-drumming precision and focused cymbal articulation |
Both sticks share a barrel wood tip, Vic Firth's choice for a focused, cutting cymbal voice, but the diameter and taper split them into different jobs. The Cameron SMC's .585 inch 5B diameter and long taper favor reach and power across a hard-rock and grunge pocket. The Gadd SSG's thinner .565 inch, medium-taper build favors session-drumming speed and articulation. Pick the Cameron stick for a bigger rock sound; pick the Gadd stick for session versatility.
The Vic Firth partnership
Vic Firth Signature Series · Current
Cameron's Vic Firth relationship
Vic Firth's own product page lists this stick under Cameron's own name in its Signature Series lineup, designed with him directly rather than a shared catalog model he happens to endorse.
Source: Vic Firth, Signature Series -- Matt Cameron Drumsticks.
SKU SMC · Signature Series
The stick itself
16 3/16 inches, .585 inch diameter, hickory, long taper, barrel wood tip. Officially named "Matt Cameron" in Vic Firth's current Signature Series catalog.
Source: Vic Firth product page; Drum Supply.
Vic Firth's own copy
Built for reach and cymbal cut
Vic Firth's product description in full: "A 5B style shaft with an elongated taper. Barrel tip produces a full and satisfying cymbal sound." The long taper and standard 5B diameter back up that description with an added-reach, cymbal-forward spec.
Source: Vic Firth product page.
What the stick is built for
- Reach and power in a 5B-family stick. The elongated, long-taper shaft adds length over a standard 5B, useful for Cameron's hard-hitting Soundgarden and Pearl Jam pocket.
- A full, cutting cymbal sound. The barrel wood tip is built, per Vic Firth's own copy, to produce "a full and satisfying cymbal sound," useful across grunge and arena-rock mixes.
- A lighter, faster-rebounding feel than a short-taper 5B. The long taper shifts weight toward the back hand, trading some front-end mass for quicker recovery between hits.
- Not for players chasing a thin, quick jazz stick. At .585 inches, it's a full 5B diameter; players who want a lighter feel should look toward a 5A or 7A-family stick instead, such as the thinner Vic Firth Steve Gadd Signature (.565 inches).
Verdict and the affiliate hook
If you want the real, current Vic Firth stick built under Matt Cameron's own name, the SMC is it: a full 5B diameter with a long taper and barrel tip, built for reach and cymbal cut rather than a fabricated model number. For a thinner, session-focused alternative with the same barrel tip, see the Vic Firth Steve Gadd Signature.
Signature Series - Matt Cameron (SMC)
Why this one: Matt Cameron's real namesake Vic Firth signature stick: full 5B-diameter hickory, long taper, barrel wood tip built for reach and a cutting cymbal sound.
Drummers documented using this drumstick
Each drummer profile cites this product in their stick / head / cymbal / kit frontmatter. Click through for the full editorial profile + sourcing.