Wincent Tomas Haake Signature drumstick review: the current djent-metal signature stick

The Wincent Tomas Haake Signature, model W-THS, is a hickory drumstick Wincent built with Tomas Haake, the drummer behind Meshuggah's polyrhythmic extreme-metal catalog. It runs 16.38 inches (416mm) long and .638 inches (16.2mm) in diameter, with an oval wood tip. Wincent stone-grinds the sticks from hickory and seals them with UWP (Unique Wax Protection), a water-based wax coating built for grip and durability under heavy playing.

This is Haake's current signature stick, and it's worth being direct about that: Haake previously had a namesake model with Vic Firth (SHAA), which is no longer listed on Vic Firth's own site. Long & McQuade's own listing for that Vic Firth model now reads "This product is no longer available." Wincent's own artist page confirms the current relationship, and Thomann's listing dates the Wincent model to June 2014, so the switch predates most of Meshuggah's recent touring cycle.

At .638 inches, this is a thick stick, close to Power 5B territory and a shade thicker than Vic Firth's Danny Carey Signature (SDC, .630 inches), the other prog/extreme-metal drummer's model on CYS. The thick shaft and oval wood tip are built for two things at once: enough mass to survive Haake's hard-hitting, polyrhythmic kick-and-snare patterns, and enough tip definition to keep cymbal articulation clean when the playing gets busy.

Thomann's own customer reviews back up the durability pitch. Across 39 ratings averaging 4.6 out of 5, multiple reviewers single out how long the sticks last under heavy use, with one long-term reviewer writing "I don't think I've actually snapped a pair of these" after years of playing them. The same review thread also flags a real tradeoff: a couple of reviewers noted the two sticks in a pair, or two different pairs bought over time, can vary slightly in weight, a common issue with stone-ground hickory sticks generally and not unique to this model.

Metal and djent drummers who hit hard and want a stick built to take it. The UWP wax coating is designed to resist splitting and fraying at the grip point, useful for drummers who play long sets or heavy touring schedules. It's also a reasonable fit for anyone studying Haake's specific polyrhythmic vocabulary who wants the same tool he plays.

Lighter-touch styles. Jazz, pop, and most session work call for a thinner, lighter stick with more finesse and less mass; at .638 inches and roughly 68.5 grams, the Tomas Haake Signature is built for volume and durability first. Drummers who want a similar length but a slightly thinner diameter should compare against Vic Firth's Danny Carey Signature (SDC, 16-1/2 inch by .630 inch) before buying.

If you play hard-hitting metal or djent and want the stick Meshuggah's drummer actually plays today, the Wincent Tomas Haake Signature is a straightforward pick: thick, durable, oval-tipped, and proven across years of Thomann customer reviews. It replaced Haake's earlier Vic Firth signature model, so it's the current, correct answer if you're shopping specifically to match his rig.

Wincent

Tomas Haake Signature (W-THS)

Price tier: $

Why this one: Tomas Haake's current signature stick: thick .638-inch hickory, oval wood tip, UWP wax coating built for heavy metal and djent drumming.

DjentExtreme metalProgressive metal

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