Vic Firth Rute 606 with Fixed Position Band

I am a fan of thicker and heavier sticks, and as they're very lightweight I had to wrap some tape around it. The sound is great but I prefer the weight and feel of the tala wands.

I've played this rute for several years. They're nice and long and I prefer the fixed band, as there is no risk of slippage during playing or some ring moving around. These rods have superior gluing. The bottom cap and the top band NEVER come loose (unlike another copy cat brand). They have a nice versatile sound that just works - not remarkable or distracting, but still pleasing. Like any dowel rute, they can be quickly beat up on the snare rim if played like a stick; however, I've learned to shorten up the stroke and often I will hit the top band on the snare rim for more of a "rim shot" or accented sound. With the strong gluing, this rute holds together. Rated four instead of five only due to overall durability, but one doesn't buy a dowel rute and expect it to take the same beating as a wooden stick!