The 9A measures comfortably in between a 5A and 5B in the grip and features a smaller sized barrel tip for great cymbal clarity and focused drum tones. The short taper gives it a quick feel and rebound. The 9A is available in both Hickory and Sugar Maple. The Hickory version is the right choice for harder hitting and live performance settings. The 9A sticks are the big brother to the hugely popular Vater 8A.