drumsticksignature artist (jazz / session)$

Vic Firth Steve Gadd signature drumstick review: the session-drumming canon's signature stick

An editorial review of the Vic Firth Steve Gadd Signature drumstick (model SSG). Hickory wood, 5A-adjacent profile, wood tip, designed with Steve Gadd for the session-drumming canon.

Reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team · 2026-07-15

The Vic Firth Steve Gadd Signature drumstick (model SSG) is a hickory stick designed with Steve Gadd, widely regarded as one of the most sought-after studio and session drummers in music. 15.75 inch length, 0.550 inch diameter (5A-family), long taper, barrel wood tip, paint finish. The barrel tip is the differentiator versus the 5A's tear-drop tip; barrel gives a more focused cymbal voice that suits Gadd's session-drumming context where the cymbals need to articulate against complex band mixes. The session-stick canon for jazz / pop / fusion contexts where service-of-the-song drumming is the priority.

Vic Firth

Steve Gadd Signature

Price tier: $

JazzSessionFusion

View on Amazon Full review →

Affiliate links: we earn commission on qualifying Amazon purchases. See our full disclosure.

What it is, in one paragraph

The Vic Firth Steve Gadd Signature (model SSG) is a hickory drumstick designed with Steve Gadd, widely regarded as one of the most sought-after studio and session drummers in music. 15.75 inch length, 0.550 inch diameter (5A-family), long taper, barrel wood tip, paint finish. The barrel tip is the differentiator versus a standard 5A's tear-drop; the symmetrical tip gives a focused cymbal voice that suits Gadd's session-drumming context where cymbals need to articulate against complex band mixes.

Spec sheet

Vic Firth Steve Gadd SSG spec

Wood: American hickory.
Length: 15.75 inches.
Diameter: 0.550 inches (5A-family).
Taper: Long. Built for added rebound, per Vic Firth's own spec.
Tip shape: Barrel wood tip. Symmetrical, focused cymbal voice.
Finish: Paint.

Verdict and the affiliate hook

If you want the stick Steve Gadd plays across his session catalog, the Vic Firth Steve Gadd Signature (SSG) is it. The 5A-family spec with barrel tip rewards session-drumming precision: cymbal articulation, pocket discipline, hand-speed without sacrificing rebound. For jazz / pop / fusion / session contexts, this is the canonical signature stick to study.

Vic Firth

Steve Gadd Signature (SSG)

Price tier: $

Why this one: The session-stick canon. The barrel tip gives a more focused cymbal voice than a standard 5A tear-drop, which is exactly what Gadd's service-of-the-song studio work demands.

JazzSessionFusion

View on Amazon Full review →

**The drummer:**Steve Gadd, session-drumming canon **Sister session signature stick:**Vic Firth Vinnie Colaiuta Signature **Another sister session signature stick:**Vic Firth Buddy Rich Signature **A lighter maple alternative for versatile playing:**Vic Firth Modern Jazz Collection -- 4 **A thicker, long-taper barrel-tip sibling built for rock:**Vic Firth Matt Cameron Signature **The flagship non-signature sibling:**Vic Firth American Classic 5A **Drummer hub:**Drummers index **Gear hub:**Gear index

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.

Steve Gadd
Session canon
Steve Gadd is one of the most-recorded session drummers of his generation. Yamaha Steve Gadd signature kit, Vic Firth Steve Gadd signature stick, the defining 70s session drum vocabulary that shaped Steely Dan, Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, Chick Corea, and countless others.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Vic Firth Steve Gadd Signature?

A hickory stick designed with Steve Gadd, widely regarded as one of the most sought-after studio and session drummers in music. Vic Firth model SSG. 15.75 inch length, 0.550 inch diameter, long taper, barrel wood tip. The dimensional spec is 5A-family with a barrel tip rather than tear-drop; the result is a session-friendly stick that articulates cymbals cleanly without the hard-hitting weight of a 5B.

Why a barrel tip?

Cymbal articulation. The barrel tip is symmetrical along its length, which gives a focused cymbal voice that doesn't shift as the wrist angle changes mid-fill. For session drumming where the cymbal patterns need to articulate cleanly against complex band mixes, the barrel tip's predictability is an advantage. The tear-drop tip on a standard 5A gives a slightly different cymbal voice; Gadd's session work benefits from the barrel's consistency.

How does the Gadd stick compare to a 5A or 5B?

5A-family in shaft diameter (0.550), slightly heavier feel than the 7A jazz-baseline weight, with the barrel tip differentiating it from the standard 5A's tear-drop. The 5B is heavier (0.595 diameter) and designed for hard-hitting rock; the SSG is the session-drumming compromise between hand-speed (5A territory) and hard-hitting power (5B territory). Pick the SSG for session work; pick the 5B for rock; pick the 7A for quieter jazz.

Are these the actual sticks Steve Gadd plays?

Yes. Per Vic Firth's artist page and Vic Firth-distributed press materials, the SSG is the stick Gadd uses across his session catalog and live work. Vic Firth designed the stick to his spec; the relationship has been continuous for decades.

What kind of drummer should use the Steve Gadd Signature?

Session drummers, jazz drummers, fusion drummers, and pop / R&B session drummers. The dimensional spec rewards service-of-the-song drumming where cymbal articulation and pocket discipline matter more than backbeat power. Gadd's playing on Aja (1977) and '50 Ways to Leave Your Lover' (1975) is the canonical session-drumming application; if you're chasing those records' drum tone, this is the stick to study.