Vater adds Dom Famularo’s Pad Stick to global lineup

Vater Percussion added Dom Famularo’s Pad Stick to its official product line on April 30, and the move pushed a long-respected practice-room tool into worldwide distribution. What had lived for years as a teacher’s favorite now sits inside a major stick catalog, giving drummers a standardized option built specifically for pad work.

The design carries a clear lineage. Vater said the stick is based on a vintage model Famularo used while studying with Joe Morello decades ago, which gives it more than a nostalgic backstory. It ties the product directly to one of drum education’s most recognizable names and places the Pad Stick in the same conversation as the technique-first methods that shaped generations of players.

The published specifications show why this stick is aimed at the practice pad rather than general gig duty. It is made from sugar maple and measures 16 3/8 inches long with a 0.675-inch grip. Vater also built in a drastic taper and a large ball-shaped tip, details meant to create a highly articulate response on practice surfaces. For drummers, that matters because a pad stick is not just a lighter or louder stick. It changes rebound, articulation and hand feel so technical exercises reveal inconsistencies instead of hiding them.

That makes the release especially relevant for beginners working on rebound, instructors who need a dependable teaching tool and pad-heavy players who spend serious time on fundamentals away from the kit. By putting Famularo’s preferred pad stick into global circulation, Vater acknowledged how central structured practice remains in modern drumming. It also gave teachers and students a consistent tool that connects directly to one of the field’s best-known educators, turning a specialized piece of gear into something far easier to find and build into daily technique work.