Tips On Buying DrumSticks That Every Drummer Needs To Know

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superjet335

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Tips On Buying DrumSticks!

What brand of drumsticks do you guys use? How does it feels to you? Comfortable? Rough? Getting blisters easily? While for this post, I’m going to talk more about drumsticks for you drummers and those who are really interested in drumming.

As you know, the pair of sticks are the most important component for a drummer, the most basic pair of thing that is needed for you to start drumming. There are so many brands of sticks in the world. E.g. Vic Firth, Zildjian, Promark, Vater etc. From my own personal experience, I have actually tried all these different brands of sticks, including some other brands which I have forgotten. They have differences in durability and a little of grip I must say. After all, it still comes down to the size and measurements you are looking for. I have adopted the hobby of buying drumsticks when I just started playing drums, while now I know which would be the right one for me.

You see, the first drumsticks I had was a Zildjian one, the Tim Alexander if I’m not wrong. It was a good pair but I’m keen on experimenting other kinds. Then I went on to get the Travis Barker signature sticks and Tre Cool ones which are also manufactured by Zildjian. But I found out, they actually are too big for an asian hand like mine, it restricts my speed on the drums. So I experimented and found out that the Vic Firth 85A sticks are the most durable and suitable for me. I like them very much and have been using them ever since. And remember, get something which fits you properly and not buy those sticks cause you idolise the drummers. They are probably more suitable for collection and stuffs like that. Cheers!

Wanna learn more tips? Want to experience a break-through in drums, then you can check out http://dabunny-electricguitarfreaks.blogspot.com/ for tips and tricks, not only for guitar, but also for drums!
 
agreed...i'm a beauford fan but i bought his sticks for collection only. i use zildjian's 7A round wood tip and my all-time favorite is Will Kennedy's 5AS signature sticks..light, thin and the grip is perfect. i have 2 pairs and thinking of getting my third pair cuz my 2nd one is wearing out..i've never broken any sticks before, just chipped some before..
 
i like my sticks long , hard , and and well lubricated so i dont get blisters .
they should be able to absorb whatever mostuire that comes from my palms so as not to remain wet for too long .
i like them to have a quick thumping action and good attack on the skins of the toms .
in addition , my perfect sticks are those that give me great satisfaction and pleasure from playing around .

i like keeping them close to my body at all times when the time arises to use them in the appropriate situation(s) .

yeehaw
 
1) Give the sticks a quick play on practice pads provided at stores to see if it feels comfy

2) Look for stick tip that you think suits your style of music. Round tip tends to provide a brighter tone on cymbals and more define on all surfaces and this is less so with oval tip or tip that has a larger contact area etc. Nylon tip is generally louder and brighter than wood tip too.

3) Stick weight/density provides a different tone and feel too, so got to take that into consideration. And note, even for the same given model, density differs from pair or pair, so I will usually pick the right ones according to my personal preference.

4) Stick length gives the stick a different feel too. Longer sticks gives u better reach but lesser rebound etc

5) Stick taper at the shoulder provides difference in stick throw and rebound too....the lesser the taper, the more "throw" the stick has but rebound is comprised etc

6) Stick finish is important to some too....especially those with sweaty hands...the early pro-marks for example has extremely thick lacquer making them undesirable for people with sweaty hands. Dipped sticks on the other hand provides good grip but not too gentle on the skin if your grip is not relaxed enough.

7) Straightness of the stick can be determined by rolling the sticks on a flat surface. If they wobble, they are crooked.

8) Wood type plays a part in feel, tone and durability. Hard wood like oak has great durability but shock absorption is compromised. Maple is not as densed so they feel lighter for the same given size but durability is compromised. Hickory is kind of in between making them more adaptable.

Hope I didn't miss out anything.......
 
Great list alvin!

I usually tap the sticks individually as well to check that they are relatively the same pitch.
I don't think it's absolutely necessary.... but it generally helps me get more pairs that i'm happy with.
 
Yo Aaron! Yups...tapping the sticks helps! Some sticks in stores are usually mixed up due to some irresponsible shoppers who can't be bothered to put them back in their original pairs...real pain sometimes.
 
Hi Guys... New in here... I've been drumming for awhile now and sticks as we all drummers knw is actually very personal coz thatz what we use to generate our drum sound. I think after using so many types of drumsticks ranging from Promark, Vic Firth, Zildjian, Ayyotte, Tama, Vater etc... i have grew to love the Vater Sugar Maple Recording drumsticks... bullet wooden tip (Not to bright when riding on ride cymbal) weight is light n i simply love the feel of maple... it gives me maximum responds and feel when playing. The down side like Alvin says, its not as lasting as hickory but i can live with it. I couldn't find it anywhere in Spore n Ranking do not have stock for it... But i requested the Auntie to bring it in... hopefully next time will see it there. I bought 1 dozen of it when i saw it in HK Tom Lee music couple of months ago. Now i am down to my last 6pairs... Will be there in 8days time hopefully can get some again.
 
singaporean said:
i like my sticks long , hard , and and well lubricated so i dont get blisters .
they should be able to absorb whatever mostuire that comes from my palms so as not to remain wet for too long .
i like them to have a quick thumping action and good attack on the skins of the toms .
in addition , my perfect sticks are those that give me great satisfaction and pleasure from playing around .

i like keeping them close to my body at all times when the time arises to use them in the appropriate situation(s) .

yeehaw
Click to expand...

Love your description longtime.
 
hahaha... i also say... when i first read it i thought it was rather explicit... Long, Hard and lubricated... damn funny lar...
 
Last edited:
Actually, the thread title needs some adjustment....it says"Tips On Buying DrumSticks That Every Drummer Needs To Know"....but most entries here are more like "What are your favourite/Preferred drum sticks".....

Could possibly alter the title to cover both topics perhaps?
 
evident said:
agreed...i'm a beauford fan but i bought his sticks for collection only. i use zildjian's 7A round wood tip and my all-time favorite is Will Kennedy's 5AS signature sticks..light, thin and the grip is perfect. i have 2 pairs and thinking of getting my third pair cuz my 2nd one is wearing out..i've never broken any sticks before, just chipped some before..
Click to expand...

YEAH DUDE!! i'm using Will Kennedy's 5AS signature sticks too!!
 
does anyone know where can i get carter beauford promark signature, 5ab sticks, i fell in love with them, and now when its at its finest hour, yamaha(the place where i bought it from does not stock it anymore). i shouldn't have gotten comfortable with a pair of signature sticks, dang!
 
Anyone know where and how much I can get
1. Pro Mark Millenium II 7A's
2. Michael Carvin Pro Mark Millenium II 733's?

Yamaha perpetually won't bring em in, hassle. I'm on Vater 7A's now cause they're the most similar to the second I mentioned, just slightly longer and with a bigger tip. Got em' from the mackie store down at penin.


On another note, anyone knows roughly the cost to bring in a few bricks of sticks?
 
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