One thing left out is sticks that offer a grip. As a player with really dry hands, sticks with a really glossy finish and no grip can become projectiles without warning. The grip also provides some shock absorption. For those who prefer to use tape to wrap a grip around a stick, you can save quite a bit of money with tennis (polyurethane) overgrips instead.
My dry hands love extra lacquer. I dip them in two more layers. Stick with no lacquer are so slick I can’t hold onto them. All the “dipped” sticks give me blisters. Stick wax works fine for a song or two but then wears off and I constantly have to reapply it.
I've used 5A for the last 10 years of my drum playing. The typical Hickory with the standard corn tip. I've been playing punk since I was 16 years old and, recently (at the age of 22) I just went and bought a load of 7A pairs with the smallest tip I could find. I feel so less fatigued with those sticks! I know it ain't usual in punk/metal genres to play with this type of sticks but I'm not those drummers that make ears bleed because they play loudly.
ive just recently subbed to your channel and just wanted to say how grateful i am to have instruction from a talented knowledgeable teacher i can understand! im 53 and have been playing off on for years and it wasnt easy living in the city and playing drums at home but now thanks to technology im able to play on e drums with software that gives the kit a great acoustic sound and also having your lessons going on at same time has improved my drumming dramatically..again thank you,im going through all your videos and look forward to your new ones,truly a blessing that your still diing this after seven years or so !!
Mr. Brown, holiday greetings are zooming your way from South Bend, WA. Your wealth of knowledge about everything drum related is matched only by your super cool personality. In fact, I looked up the definition of cool in the dictionary, and your picture popped up. Thank you for the no nonsense tutorial on choosing drumsticks, as it is overwhelming when faced with the task of making a drumstick choice. I hope that your holiday season is filled with love and laughter. Take care, my friend.🙏❤️🎄🎅🙏❤️🎄🎅🙏❤️🎄
Just yesterday I was thinking about how I would buy sticks in the mid 60’s at Geer’s Drum Shop in Providence,RI. The sales counter was a display case with various snare drums in it and they would take out about a dozen sticks and roll them on the top of the case to find the best pair without a warp. Good memories and I still have the first snare drum I bought there,
One thing I learned recently is that sticks will weigh differently even within the same size. For example, I have 2b's in hickory that weigh less than my 5a hickory sticks. And I also have 2b's that weigh more. Due to variations in the wood you will find substantial variation in weight even within a particular size stick. So I don't assume that all 2b's will be heavier than 5a's etc.
I’ve been playing a Rebound 7A with active grip for a years. I’ve worked my way up to getting comfortable with the Rebound 5B with active grip. I love the larger than life tones I’m getting now. ProMark first offered a 55A rebound with active grip and they discontinued it. Promark needs to offer these in between sizes again. I can live with the 5B. Something right in the middle of the 5A and 5B in rebound with active grip would be heaven for me.
I found that the low volume cymbals (L80s, etc.) eat wood tips at an amazing rate (think cheese grater)... Switched to nylon tips for my practice kit and my sticks last waaaay longer!
In part 2 Rob will beat down Techra and Ahead drumsticks. Also touches on accessories such as Mr Zogs sex wax, gorilla snot, and various other stick gripping products. The bonus footage covers various gloves available including my personal favorite Triplet drum glove. Perfect for those who have arthritis and still like to rock out.
Very good advice also buy in bulk if your able to it will save some money vic firth usually has some unnamed sticks that has 10 pairs in a bag it's all about finding what you like but 5a and 5b is where I generally sit at I'm gonna try adventuring out to different sizes
Promark Shira Kashi Oak - if you're looking for durability, this is it. I have all sizes in oak. Rarely have to be replaced and I don't have a mound of sawdust under my snare stand. They are a bit heavier so they take some getting used to.
This some great advice. I been working using my lighter sticks 5a’s and 7a’s for church rehearsals. For events, my 5b drumsticks for my heavier feel. I have a few Promark drumsticks that I enjoy playing with.
Love the Benny greb sticks. Like a 5B but smaller tip and longer taper so it has more finesse than the average 5B. I truly use it for all styles of music comfortably.
This is the video I was looking for a few years ago !! I had watched some on other channels. Also ,a funny question I have is when to buy new sticks. How do we know ? I hate wasting things ,so I just keep using sticks .Lol. But ,noticed the changes & sound diffrences .💜🥁🐉🎤🎶💞
Hickory is a “long fibre” wood. Those long strands that comprise it, make these last longer and rebound differently (some say better) than maple. Maple is a “short fibre” wood, making it lighter but chip and snap more easily. With the cost of sticks toady, don’t buy ones because they look cool or your favourite artist created them…find what works FOR YOUR PLAYING. 🇨🇦👍🏼
Merry Christmas Rob! I'm 61 and I'm a Beat Down fan. I'm a 5a 2b pro mark fan as well. If you ever have the chance, check out some Peavey Radial Pro 1000's. Mine preceded those by a few years, RBS-1's. You can't go wrong with either one. I do love my Yamaha's too! Be safe Brother!
Because there are so many choices, I decided to not overthink it and just got a random pair of 5Bs (already have some 5As left over from Rock Band), and I went with the Zildjian 400th Anni sticks in lavender, because I like purple.
Great informative video I wished was around 33 years ago 😂. I remember going in Guitar Center the first time after drumming for a while looking for a new set of sticks and staring at the Great Wall of drum sticks. I used to break tips off my sticks when I first started playing, hard hitter I was, but now I use a Vic Firth Peter Erskine ride stick (tapered wood tipped) set and have ventured out and like the Vic Firth Freestyle, which is an inch longer and nice for reaching out easier. Thanks again, really enjoy the drumming community here. Merry Christmas to you and everyone here!
As a relative beginner I am fascinated by the variety of sticks and am enjoying trying various ones as I practice. I have been using the very heavy Vic Firth Corpsmaster Hammer on the practice pad along with the VF piccolo stcks. On the kit either the VF AN model or the Vater 2Bs. I am learning that you can NEVER have too many different types of sticks. It simply is not possible.
Another great video Rob. I have been using pro mark stephen perkins signature sticks since 2009. They are Japanese oak and last longer than any other stick I have ever used. I gigged with one pair so long the handle had my finger imprints in the wood. They seem to be between a 5A and 5B in size. Sad part is pro mark quit making them so I bought like 6 pair last year 😂
Two things you might also want to consider: 1. I use nylon tips, but not because of the sound. I found them to be more durable than wood tips, as those broke first compared to the rest of the stick. 2. Be aware that there are different lengths of sticks. Most models are marked, if they are longer than the average length.
I love 5A. I always take both sticks out and seperatly roll them on glass table top to be SURE they they are straight and true, you would be shocked how many sticks are NOT matched straight. One stick is the other could play around the corner of the building.
In many cases, I need to keep my overall volume down. So my fav is Vic Firth AJ5 stick. Thin & long, so good for quick reaches to Cymbals without carrying a lot of inertia. But I also like the slightly thicker AJ4's and the Steve Gadd signature wood tip.
If I can add Rob, different sticks make cymbals sound completely different as well..I'm a general 5B kinda guy but switch those to the Quest Love models which are always in my stick bag and all of my Sabians sound like different models to when I'm using the 5Bs. I'm with you brother, variety is the spice of it.👍✌
Very good advice Rob! Thank you. I tried the Teddy Campell sticks in hickory and maple. The maple ones were surprisingly very good. They are similar to the Todd Sucherman model, not too heavy, and good for must styles of music!
I’ve been trying out Scorpion Percussion sticks for most of this year. They last longer than any other sticks I’ve ever used by far. That matters when sticks are $17 a pair. I like 5B wood tips. Also like Pro Mark rebound.
Another great Beat Down! 😎👍🏻 Funny I’ve been using Vic Firth Dave Weckl signature sticks for decades. Recently bought newly released Promark Nick D’Virgilio signature sticks to try out. You can immediately tell the difference in feel, thickness and taper, plus the Vic Firths have round tips while the Promarks have acorn tips. Will be interesting to see if I like them better or not, or both. 😊
Has anyone on this thread ever heard of Silhouette drum sticks? I had a pair back in the 1970’s and I loved them because they were EXTREMELY thin! Good for low volumes and jazz. Please share where I can get a pair if they still exist. Thank you everyone. Good session Rob
Thanks for this Rob! & the for humor you always make me laugh in your videos 👍I am at that point in my drumming where I am trying to find the sticks that marry to my hands. I prefer thicker sticks but at my current skill level feel they are hindering my development so I have been trying to find a comfortable set of 5A sticks. So much appreciated.
My favorites are the Regal Tip 5A nylon tip. I’m addicted to the double glazed, and the .580 thickness is great. The company seems to be making a comeback, I’m just waiting for the 5A. I love that taper.
Yup Another Team Promark here , Seems does not matter what I play always do one big circle and come back to Pro Mark, Mainly been Using the MP 420 Since 2002 , Just recently started to use The Newer MP 420x Because of the Acti Grip also use the %b's sometimes Specially in Cold weather the ActiGRip is Perfect
I just wonder why they are all Round? Seems like octagonal or Hexagonal would give you more control. Also if the balance or weight is not to your liking you could wrap some Copper Wire around the shaft.
Thx Rob. I'm pretty cheap, so for any others wired like me... Maple, I tried for the light weight for small church drumming. They lack toughness. Not just breaking easier, the hats chip them away faster. So they got the boot. Hickory only. Wood tips have a tendency to chip, then they sound flat on cymbals if you happen to hit on the chipped spot. Perfectly good stick, but with a little chip... I find that annoying. Honestly, wood tips probably don't chip if you never contact the rim or hardware, but it happens with me. Nylon tips don't chip. I adjusted to the brighter sound on cymbals; drums sound the same and to me they feel the same, so that's all I use. I really like the value of the Nova brand by Vic, purchased in 12 pair bricks. They don't quite meet Vic QC, but I never notice a problem. They are getting harder to find for a good price. I played 7A for many years since I only played in small churches. I recently switched to 5A, and I'm liking them I think. I could see myself using both in different situations.
I've settled on 5b hickory for my main sticks, but honestly I think I prefer the sound of maple. I think that a maple 2b would probably work for me, as a 5b maple is too light. In any case, because I have large hands, anything smaller than 5b feels like a toothpick in my hands.
I use Vic Firth 85A or VF Steve Gaad signature. Being openminded I tried Pro Mark R5AFG Rebound 5A Fire Grain (Because they looked good) and they litteraly broke after first hit on a crash. Since then no Team Pro Mark for me...
You’re turning out like a version of Casey Cooper man You had a good channel and as soon as you get hooked up with a company all they do is want to sell you something in all their videos! Most of your content is like an infomercial for what you’re trying to sell that day. It’s too bad
One thing left out is sticks that offer a grip. As a player with really dry hands, sticks with a really glossy finish and no grip can become projectiles without warning. The grip also provides some shock absorption. For those who prefer to use tape to wrap a grip around a stick, you can save quite a bit of money with tennis (polyurethane) overgrips instead.
Never thought of using racket grips for my sticks. I'm gonna try that out.
Thanks, man, appreciate ya.
I use stick wax on my sticks never have had a stick go flying 👍
Thanks for the tip! My hands dry out a lot due to working with my hands. I always use grip on sticks
Sanding the lacquer off and using a little pine tar or gorilla snot helps.
My dry hands love extra lacquer. I dip them in two more layers. Stick with no lacquer are so slick I can’t hold onto them. All the “dipped” sticks give me blisters. Stick wax works fine for a song or two but then wears off and I constantly have to reapply it.
I've used 5A for the last 10 years of my drum playing. The typical Hickory with the standard corn tip. I've been playing punk since I was 16 years old and, recently (at the age of 22) I just went and bought a load of 7A pairs with the smallest tip I could find. I feel so less fatigued with those sticks! I know it ain't usual in punk/metal genres to play with this type of sticks but I'm not those drummers that make ears bleed because they play loudly.
Rob, thank you for taking the time in sharing.... blessings.I feel you could have added .....The length!
Excellent lesson.
Thank you.I didn't realize taper was a thing.Ill try more of a tapered stick next purchase.
Team Promark here too. Been using the 5a forward Natural/Raw with nylon tip for 15y or so. They just feel like home for Country and Classic rock gigs.
ive just recently subbed to your channel and just wanted to say how grateful i am to have instruction from a talented knowledgeable teacher i can understand! im 53 and have been playing off on for years and it wasnt easy living in the city and playing drums at home but now thanks to technology im able to play on e drums with software that gives the kit a great acoustic sound and also having your lessons going on at same time has improved my drumming dramatically..again thank you,im going through all your videos and look forward to your new ones,truly a blessing that your still diing this after seven years or so !!
For you Promark players you'll love their Bop Works sticks. Very cool retro sticks.
Mr. Brown, holiday greetings are zooming your way from South Bend, WA. Your wealth of knowledge about everything drum related is matched only by your super cool personality. In fact, I looked up the definition of cool in the dictionary, and your picture popped up.
Thank you for the no nonsense tutorial on choosing drumsticks, as it is overwhelming when faced with the task of making a drumstick choice.
I hope that your holiday season is filled with love and laughter. Take care, my friend.🙏❤️🎄🎅🙏❤️🎄🎅🙏❤️🎄
I started out with 7A's, then circa 2018 I started using 5A's. Now, I'm currently rocking the Carter McLean signature sticks by Promark!
Just yesterday I was thinking about how I would buy sticks in the mid 60’s at Geer’s Drum Shop in Providence,RI. The sales counter was a display case with various snare drums in it and they would take out about a dozen sticks and roll them on the top of the case to find the best pair without a warp. Good memories and I still have the first snare drum I bought there,
One thing I learned recently is that sticks will weigh differently even within the same size. For example, I have 2b's in hickory that weigh less than my 5a hickory sticks. And I also have 2b's that weigh more. Due to variations in the wood you will find substantial variation in weight even within a particular size stick. So I don't assume that all 2b's will be heavier than 5a's etc.
I’ve been playing a Rebound 7A with active grip for a years. I’ve worked my way up to getting comfortable with the Rebound 5B with active grip. I love the larger than life tones I’m getting now. ProMark first offered a 55A rebound with active grip and they discontinued it. Promark needs to offer these in between sizes again. I can live with the 5B. Something right in the middle of the 5A and 5B in rebound with active grip would be heaven for me.
I found that the low volume cymbals (L80s, etc.) eat wood tips at an amazing rate (think cheese grater)... Switched to nylon tips for my practice kit and my sticks last waaaay longer!
In part 2 Rob will beat down Techra and Ahead drumsticks. Also touches on accessories such as Mr Zogs sex wax, gorilla snot, and various other stick gripping products. The bonus footage covers various gloves available including my personal favorite Triplet drum glove. Perfect for those who have arthritis and still like to rock out.
I love the vater 7A with a super long taper for church playing.
Very good advice also buy in bulk if your able to it will save some money vic firth usually has some unnamed sticks that has 10 pairs in a bag it's all about finding what you like but 5a and 5b is where I generally sit at I'm gonna try adventuring out to different sizes
Promark Shira Kashi Oak - if you're looking for durability, this is it. I have all sizes in oak. Rarely have to be replaced and I don't have a mound of sawdust under my snare stand. They are a bit heavier so they take some getting used to.
Excellent Vid .Happy Holidays
This some great advice. I been working using my lighter sticks 5a’s and 7a’s for church rehearsals. For events, my 5b drumsticks for my heavier feel. I have a few Promark drumsticks that I enjoy playing with.
Love the Benny greb sticks. Like a 5B but smaller tip and longer taper so it has more finesse than the average 5B. I truly use it for all styles of music comfortably.
Recently bought some 5B Zildjian coated sticks and I really like them!
I like a round tip 7a or 5a, depending on whats available.
Zildjian Eric Singer signature are my favorite. Hard to find in most places. Been trying to find something similar for awhile now.
Gotta say, I love the Promark Forward 5B Firegrain sticks. They give me the attack I want and need while also being very durable!
Thanks so much !
This is the video I was looking for a few years ago !! I had watched some on other channels. Also ,a funny question I have is when to buy new sticks. How do we know ? I hate wasting things ,so I just keep using sticks .Lol. But ,noticed the changes & sound diffrences .💜🥁🐉🎤🎶💞
Hickory is a “long fibre” wood. Those long strands that comprise it, make these last longer and rebound differently (some say better) than maple. Maple is a “short fibre” wood, making it lighter but chip and snap more easily. With the cost of sticks toady, don’t buy ones because they look cool or your favourite artist created them…find what works FOR YOUR PLAYING. 🇨🇦👍🏼
Hey man, finally got a chance to check out those ZS10 Pro IEMs you were talking about. They sound FANTASTIC! Thanks for the recommend!
As always a great video to help us drummers at all levels
Merry Christmas Rob! I'm 61 and I'm a Beat Down fan. I'm a 5a 2b pro mark fan as well. If you ever have the chance, check out some Peavey Radial Pro 1000's. Mine preceded those by a few years, RBS-1's. You can't go wrong with either one. I do love my Yamaha's too! Be safe Brother!
thank you.
Great info!
Because there are so many choices, I decided to not overthink it and just got a random pair of 5Bs (already have some 5As left over from Rock Band), and I went with the Zildjian 400th Anni sticks in lavender, because I like purple.
Stick around for this video!
LOLLOL A very good one !! Lol.😂👍👍💜🥁🐉🎤🎶💞
Great informative video I wished was around 33 years ago 😂. I remember going in Guitar Center the first time after drumming for a while looking for a new set of sticks and staring at the Great Wall of drum sticks. I used to break tips off my sticks when I first started playing, hard hitter I was, but now I use a Vic Firth Peter Erskine ride stick (tapered wood tipped) set and have ventured out and like the Vic Firth Freestyle, which is an inch longer and nice for reaching out easier. Thanks again, really enjoy the drumming community here.
Merry Christmas to you and everyone here!
Promark TX747's are my sti k of choice, such a well weighted sticks
As a relative beginner I am fascinated by the variety of sticks and am enjoying trying various ones as I practice.
I have been using the very heavy Vic Firth Corpsmaster Hammer on the practice pad along with the VF piccolo stcks.
On the kit either the VF AN model or the Vater 2Bs.
I am learning that you can NEVER have too many different types of sticks. It simply is not possible.
Another great video Rob. I have been using pro mark stephen perkins signature sticks since 2009. They are Japanese oak and last longer than any other stick I have ever used. I gigged with one pair so long the handle had my finger imprints in the wood. They seem to be between a 5A and 5B in size. Sad part is pro mark quit making them so I bought like 6 pair last year 😂
Hey Jeff try the Vic Firth Shogun sticks. They are Japanese oak. They also last forever. 🤙🏼
@@stevegartman113 I appreciate the info. I will definitely look into those
Two things you might also want to consider:
1. I use nylon tips, but not because of the sound. I found them to be more durable than wood tips, as those broke first compared to the rest of the stick.
2. Be aware that there are different lengths of sticks. Most models are marked, if they are longer than the average length.
I love 5A. I always take both sticks out and seperatly roll them on glass table top to be SURE they they are straight and true, you would be shocked how many sticks are NOT matched straight. One stick is the other could play around the corner of the building.
100% team promark for decades!
In many cases, I need to keep my overall volume down. So my fav is Vic Firth AJ5 stick. Thin & long, so good for quick reaches to Cymbals without carrying a lot of inertia. But I also like the slightly thicker AJ4's and the Steve Gadd signature wood tip.
If I can add Rob, different sticks make cymbals sound completely different as well..I'm a general 5B kinda guy but switch those to the Quest Love models which are always in my stick bag and all of my Sabians sound like different models to when I'm using the 5Bs.
I'm with you brother, variety is the spice of it.👍✌
I have those same Questlove sticks. They are phenomenal and greatly enhance the sound of my cymbals
@@jmacpherson9292 Killer jazz sticks👍
Very good advice Rob! Thank you.
I tried the Teddy Campell sticks in hickory and maple. The maple ones were surprisingly very good. They are similar to the Todd Sucherman model, not too heavy, and good for must styles of music!
I’ve been trying out Scorpion Percussion sticks for most of this year. They last longer than any other sticks I’ve ever used by far. That matters when sticks are $17 a pair. I like 5B wood tips. Also like Pro Mark rebound.
I like the Sucherman sticks, but one broke fairly soon after getting them so they're not the most durable. And I don't hit overly hard.
Another great Beat Down! 😎👍🏻 Funny I’ve been using Vic Firth Dave Weckl signature sticks for decades. Recently bought newly released Promark Nick D’Virgilio signature sticks to try out. You can immediately tell the difference in feel, thickness and taper, plus the Vic Firths have round tips while the Promarks have acorn tips. Will be interesting to see if I like them better or not, or both. 😊
Has anyone on this thread ever heard of Silhouette drum sticks? I had a pair back in the 1970’s and I loved them because they were EXTREMELY thin! Good for low volumes and jazz. Please share where I can get a pair if they still exist. Thank you everyone.
Good session Rob
I play always with 2b.The thicker sticks are better of my hands because there are less vibrations when i play and great full sound from my drums.
I like doing pad work with 2b and play the set with 5b. The 2b give a bit of a workout.
@@ForeverDownByLaw On practice pad i use Vic Firth Metal drumsticks :)
When I play with 7a or 5a, I play with the butt end of the stick, 5B and 2B I play with the tip
Thanks for this Rob! & the for humor you always make me laugh in your videos 👍I am at that point in my drumming where I am trying to find the sticks that marry to my hands. I prefer thicker sticks but at my current skill level feel they are hindering my development so I have been trying to find a comfortable set of 5A sticks. So much appreciated.
Fantastic!
Get some Dope stickz, they got cool colors😊
My favorites are the Regal Tip 5A nylon tip. I’m addicted to the double glazed, and the .580 thickness is great. The company seems to be making a comeback, I’m just waiting for the 5A. I love that taper.
I’m with ya on those. For me they are just about the perfect match for me. 👍🏼
Yup Another Team Promark here , Seems does not matter what I play always do one big circle and come back to Pro Mark, Mainly been Using the MP 420 Since 2002 , Just recently started to use The Newer MP 420x Because of the Acti Grip also use the %b's sometimes Specially in Cold weather the ActiGRip is Perfect
I just wonder why they are all Round? Seems like octagonal or Hexagonal would give you more control. Also if the balance or weight is not to your liking you could wrap some Copper Wire around the shaft.
Love your videos..
A very very good video !! 👍👍💜🥁🐉🎤🎶💞
Thx Rob. I'm pretty cheap, so for any others wired like me...
Maple, I tried for the light weight for small church drumming. They lack toughness. Not just breaking easier, the hats chip them away faster. So they got the boot. Hickory only.
Wood tips have a tendency to chip, then they sound flat on cymbals if you happen to hit on the chipped spot. Perfectly good stick, but with a little chip... I find that annoying. Honestly, wood tips probably don't chip if you never contact the rim or hardware, but it happens with me. Nylon tips don't chip. I adjusted to the brighter sound on cymbals; drums sound the same and to me they feel the same, so that's all I use.
I really like the value of the Nova brand by Vic, purchased in 12 pair bricks. They don't quite meet Vic QC, but I never notice a problem. They are getting harder to find for a good price.
I played 7A for many years since I only played in small churches. I recently switched to 5A, and I'm liking them I think. I could see myself using both in different situations.
I've settled on 5b hickory for my main sticks, but honestly I think I prefer the sound of maple. I think that a maple 2b would probably work for me, as a 5b maple is too light. In any case, because I have large hands, anything smaller than 5b feels like a toothpick in my hands.
I use Vic Firth 85A or VF Steve Gaad signature. Being openminded I tried Pro Mark R5AFG Rebound 5A Fire Grain (Because they looked good) and they litteraly broke after first hit on a crash. Since then no Team Pro Mark for me...
the only reason i use nylon is for the ride pinginess. my ride is also so tight it doesnt move.
Gotta have the proper tools 🧰
I like the feel of the white sticks but I wish they weren't painted all the way to the tip.
How I shop for drumsticks: I don't, I bought composite sticks 10 years ago and they're still like new. Good and heavy, too.
My only question is why are there Dark Energys all over the floor around you and what’s hiding behind you on the kit in this vid??? 😮
Haha. Been pretty busy with shows recently so a lot of my cymbal stands are living in my hardware bag for now.
You’re turning out like a version of Casey Cooper man You had a good channel and as soon as you get hooked up with a company all they do is want to sell you something in all their videos! Most of your content is like an infomercial for what you’re trying to sell that day. It’s too bad