Drumsticks
Dante Vater grew up in the family’s drumstick factory just south of Boston. Dante’s great-grandfather started making drumsticks for his music shop (Jack’s Drum Shop) just one year before Dante’s father, Ron, was born. Ron and his brother, Alan, expanded the business to manufacture sticks and...
Bill Clark began working for Vater Percussion right when the company was officially established. Alan and Ron Vater’s grandfather, Jack, started making drumsticks for his retail store in 1956 and in 1975 Jack’s son Clarence formed the official company. That is when Alan and Ron, along with their ...
Alan Vater’s grandfather, Jack, established a music store in New England and found a need to produce his own brand of drumsticks. Young Alan recalls watching his grandfather hand dip his drumsticks in lacquer, which inspired his father, Clarence, to work on developing a faster process. In 1975 the...
Chad Brandolini began working for Vater Percussion when he was just 17 years old. Back then he pitched in to help in all areas of the factory and production. Soon his skills for marketing developed and Chad played a vital role in Artist Relations for Vater. As new ways to promote and market their...
Neil Larrivee was just four years old when he began playing drums. His father was a manager for rock bands and music was all around Neil as he grew up. He served in the Drum and Bugle Corps when he was 11 and soon embraced orchestral music and the timpani. He landed a job with Vic Firth, just as...
Matthias Hellinger and his brother, Andreas, own Rohema which was founded in 1888 by Eduard Robert Hellinger and produced batons, drumsticks, and percussion instruments. The company was small enough during socialist times in East Germany to remain private, but production was challenging. The...
Tom Gauger was a regular member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for over 40 years and taught percussion at Boston University for over 30 years. Over those decades, he developed several methods as well as designs for improving bass drum mallets. His friend in the symphony, Vic Firth, encouraged Tom...
Jim Hennessey was working for Kaman Aerospace when he was transferred to the Ovation Guitar division. Jim worked closely with Charlie Kaman on several projects and later worked in the advertising department for Ovation. Jim expanded his duties to run the endorsement program and helped sign over 300...
George Jacob greatly enjoys creating musical products for musicians –of all levels and ages. When a customer needed a softer sound with his drum sticks, George came to the rescue and developed a full line of drum sticks and mallets. Among his innovations was the use of materials not yet used in...
Maury Brochstein recalls growing up in the drum business. His father, Herb, established Pro-Mark drumsticks in 1957 and involved Maury at a young age. Maury saw the need to expand the product line and was instrumental in the company’s involvement with international markets. As president of the...