Vic Firth Vinnie Colaiuta signature drumstick review: LA session canon's signature stick

What it is, in one paragraph

The Vic Firth Vinnie Colaiuta Signature (model SVC) is a hickory drumstick designed with the post-Gadd LA session canon's defining drummer. 16 inch length, 0.595 inch diameter, a full Vic Firth 5B body, long taper, blunt tear-drop wood tip, lacquer finish. Built around Colaiuta's high-velocity linear hand-foot vocabulary; the 5B-weight shaft + long taper rewards fast picking + technical precision.

Spec sheet

Vic Firth Vinnie Colaiuta SVC spec

Wood: American hickory.
Length: 16 inches.
Diameter: 0.595 inches (Vic Firth 5B body).
Taper: Long. Mass-forward for cymbal articulation.
Tip shape: Blunt tear-drop wood tip.
Finish: Lacquer.

Verdict and the affiliate hook

If you want the stick Vinnie Colaiuta plays across his session catalog and Sting touring work, the Vic Firth Vinnie Colaiuta Signature (SVC) is it. The 5B-diameter shaft + long taper + blunt tear-drop tip is built for fast linear-hand-foot vocabulary at a standard 16 inch length; for pure-jazz contexts the lighter 5A is the common alternative.

Vic Firth

Vinnie Colaiuta Signature (SVC)

Vic Firth

Vinnie Colaiuta Signature (SVC)

Price tier: $

Why this one: The post-Gadd LA session benchmark. The 0.595 inch, full 5B shaft matches Colaiuta's high-velocity linear vocabulary across jazz, fusion, and pop dates.

JazzFusionSession

View on Amazon Full review →

**The drummer:**Vinnie Colaiuta, LA session canon **A fellow technical drummer's signature stick:**Vater Mike Mangini's Wicked Piston **Sister session signature:**Vic Firth Steve Gadd Signature **Another sister session signature:**Vic Firth Buddy Rich Signature **Drummer hub:**Drummers index

Frequently asked questions

What is the Vic Firth Vinnie Colaiuta Signature?

A hickory stick designed with Vinnie Colaiuta. Vic Firth model SVC. 16 inch length, 0.595 inch diameter, a full Vic Firth 5B body, long taper, blunt tear-drop wood tip. The 5B-weight shaft plus long taper is built for the velocity and cymbal presence Colaiuta's session-drumming style needs.

How does the Colaiuta stick compare to the Steve Gadd Signature?

Not the same length: the Gadd Signature runs 15.75 inches, a quarter-inch shorter than the Colaiuta's 16 inches. The shaft difference is bigger too: Gadd sits at 0.55 inch (5A territory), Colaiuta at a full 0.595 inch (5B). Different tip: Gadd is barrel; Colaiuta is blunt tear-drop. Both are session-canon signature sticks, but the Colaiuta is the heavier, higher-mass pick of the two. Pick the Gadd for service-of-the-song session work; pick the Colaiuta for fast linear-hand-foot patterns where the extra shaft mass survives the velocity stress.

Are these the actual sticks Vinnie Colaiuta plays?

Yes. Per Vic Firth's artist page and Vic Firth-distributed press materials, the SVC is the stick Colaiuta uses across his session catalog and live work. The relationship has been continuous for decades.

What kind of drummer should use the Colaiuta Signature?

Fusion drummers, LA session drummers, prog-rock drummers, and players whose technique sits in the high-velocity linear hand-foot tradition. The 5B-diameter shaft holds up to fast picking patterns at a standard 16 inch length. For pure-jazz contexts the lighter 5A is the common alternative; for harder-hitting rock contexts, players often move to something heavier than this 5B baseline.

Vinnie Colaiuta Signature

What it is, in one paragraph

Spec sheet

Verdict and the affiliate hook

Vinnie Colaiuta Signature (SVC)

Related

Drummers documented using this drumstick