...that just seems unnessesary...although i'm bias and i hate anything that is a swizzle
i just dont see the point unless you need to do stick changes in like one beat...which, for my line atleast, doesnt happen

Well come November, it can happen. Also for lines that want to use a mallet and a stick, they can do so without: 1) ordering two sets of implements, and 2) using stick bags to do a change.

Just from a quick skim I don't think this was mentioned. After asking Scott Johnson, he said that the blue devs switched to help raise money. Basically promark will give the BD organization a cut of all the income from System Blue. This is huge because they are looking for ways to pay for gas. SCOTT however is still with Vic. But the entire line and battery has changed to Pro Mark. Also a quick note, the tenors are using a promark vega tenor stick or something like that.

you should be a sales rep for vic
the way you talk abou these you'd sell 'em like hot cakes

haha! I'd gladly take a cut of the profits. I'm just saying it opens up some possibilities and may not be as "unnecessary" as you think.

Profit-sharing is definitly the next level of corps/manufacturer relationships.

Do you mean the ts7 or w/e that pro mark stick is that is pretty much a carbon copy of the vic firth vegas? And on another note, i wonder if other corps are doing something like this to raise money, I certainly hope so.

For me since swizzles i don't see the point in hard felt mallets. Price wise swizzles are about the same price, actually even cheaper then hard felts. Its way more cost effective to have one implement do two things. It also cuts down on how many implements you have in a stick bag. Playing wise, even if you don't do two beat stick changes. It is nice to have that option to do so.



Vega's and TS7 are not even close IMO. TS7 is closer to the VF hybrid stick. which is still a stretch. tip and thickness make it its own monster, really hard to compare to anything else.


Back on topic: I wish Promark would put something out on the new line of System Blue. I know traditionally stick companies won't put too much out right now because of prototyping. but still least show us something. At least I can't find anything anywhere on System Blue

On paper they even look similar, but...

Pro-Mark TS7 Mike Stevens tenor stick.
16" Length x .700" Diameter

Vic Firth "Vega" Tenor stick:
L = 16 1/4", Dia. = .680"

...IMO the TS7 and Vegas look and sound completely different. Actually, I think it sounds more like the new Aungst Hybrid. "Fatter" sound because they were designed to still sound/feel like a quad mallet and the heads are a little more "cookie"ish... but for more on that see the topic in the "Tenor Equipment" forum.

Actually, when I first heard they made the switch I figured that they'd do something like the TS3. They remind me more of the Vegas than the TS7. But Pro-Mark probably designed something specifically for BD.

does anyone have any clue when the system blue items will be announced?