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

An editorial review of the Vic Firth Vinnie Colaiuta Signature drumstick (model SVC). Hickory wood, slightly heavier-than-5A profile, designed with Vinnie Colaiuta for the post-Gadd LA session lane.

Reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team · 2026-04-27

The Vic Firth Vinnie Colaiuta Signature drumstick (model SVC) is a hickory stick designed with the post-Gadd LA session canon's defining drummer. 16-1/4 inch length, 0.580 inch diameter (between 5A and 5B), long taper, tear-drop wood tip, lacquer finish. The slightly heavier-than-5A shaft + extended length is built around Colaiuta's high-velocity linear hand-foot vocabulary; the stick rewards fast picking + technical precision. The post-Gadd session-stick benchmark for fusion + LA session contexts.

Catalog audit pending. Amazon listing not yet wired; Trace verifies the canonical ASIN at the next quarterly catalog audit. Editorial review below.

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. 16-1/4 inch length, 0.580 inch diameter (between 5A and 5B), long taper, tear-drop wood tip, lacquer finish. Built around Colaiuta's high-velocity linear hand-foot vocabulary; the slightly heavier-than-5A shaft + extended length rewards fast picking + technical precision.

Spec sheet

Vic Firth Vinnie Colaiuta SVC spec

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 between-5A-and-5B shaft + extended length + tear-drop tip is built for fast linear-hand-foot vocabulary; for pure-jazz contexts the standard 5A is lighter, for hard-rock contexts the 5B is heavier.

Affiliate link coming. The exact Amazon ASIN for SVC is being verified before we wire the affiliate link; the SKU above is the canonical model number to search in the meantime.

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.

Vinnie Colaiuta
Session canon
Vinnie Colaiuta is one of the most-recorded session drummers of the post-Gadd generation. Gretsch kit, Zildjian cymbals, Vic Firth Vinnie Colaiuta signature stick. Sting's touring drummer 1991-2003 and the LA session canon since the 1980s.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Vic Firth Vinnie Colaiuta Signature?

A hickory stick designed with Vinnie Colaiuta. Vic Firth model SVC. 16-1/4 inch length, 0.580 inch diameter (between Vic Firth 5A at 0.565 and 5B at 0.595), long taper, tear-drop wood tip. The dimensional spec sits in between standard jazz and rock specs; Colaiuta's session-drumming style needed both worlds.

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

Same length (16-1/4 inches). Slightly different shaft: Gadd 0.565 inch (5A territory), Colaiuta 0.580 inch (between 5A and 5B). Different tip: Gadd is barrel; Colaiuta is tear-drop. Both are session-canon signature sticks; the Colaiuta is slightly heavier with a slightly more directional cymbal voice. Pick the Gadd for service-of-the-song session work; pick the Colaiuta for fast linear-hand-foot patterns where the slightly heavier shaft 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 slightly heavier shaft holds up to fast picking patterns; the extended length gives reach across wider session kits. For pure-jazz contexts the standard 5A is lighter; for hard-rock contexts the standard 5B is heavier.

What it is, in one paragraph

Spec sheet

Verdict and the affiliate hook

Related

Drummers documented using this drumstick