Let's talk sticks!

  • Thread starter smittyboy63
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smittyboy63 said:
Getting back into drumming here.

Even though I was a hard rock drummer, I always preferred 5A's. I never liked thick/heavy sticks.
I currently only have 2 pairs of sticks. They are Regal's! I have a pair of wooden tip and nylon tip.
I like the nylon tip sound on my ride, but the tips always inevitably cracked...broke off.

I think I tried Pro-Marks way back when, but didn't like them because the wooden sticks would often snap while playing (I was all hard rock back then).

So, I'm looking for 5A's again, as I like the feel and have been using them lately on my pad. What's a good reputable brand? I don't have any local music stores, so I need to order online, which is worrying because I always liked to take my sticks and roll them on a flat surface before I bought them, because often drumsticks are warped.
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Playing a regular acoustic jazz gig in a small reflective space, the VF Keith Carlock signature sticks - which are basically 5A's with a longer taper and very small tip, are great for keeping the cymbal volume down. And, they have the VF Doubleglaze finish which is a must for me.
 
I use a bolero in my left hand and an Erskine ride in my right :headbang:
 
I discovered ProMark Hickory Micheal Carvin 733 model a few years back and while they are no longer made I got enough of them to last till the end of my drumming days. I like the small ball tips which sweeten up ride cymbal sounds nicely. Unvarnished so they don't slip at all. None of which will help you but just wanted to participate :)
 
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Promark: 5B Nylon Rebound in the right hand, and Rock Knocker in the left, both with stick wrap.
 
I used Vic Firth American Classic 5A wood tip for years but started to find that the tips would chip much quicker than before.
I'm now trying LA Specials,5A but with nylon tips and they are holding up quite well. The bonus is they're also quite a bit cheaper than the VF's.
 
I love changing up my sticks quite a bit to get different sounds/volume and feels. When I was playing regularly at church, I eventually primarily used Vater 5A Sugar Maples. They just sounded beautiful on the cymbals.
 
I guess this is as good a place for this comment as any.

I played Firth for a long time. Regal too before they stopped production. And recently an Innovation 9A

But I wanted to say that in the past two weeks I've sat in on a few gigs, and the drummers ( friends of mine ) were using Pro Marks. And man, those sticks feel really really weird to me.

I don't know what it is. The bead, the taper, the finish. All of it. But they're nothing like what I'm used to.
 
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I've been using Firth sticks of various sizes for over 20 years, and one thing I appreciate is that ALL their sticks come to me straight, so no need for rolling. I'm also a fan of their maple sticks because of their lower density. The larger diameter suits my larger hands at lower weight than hickory. I would also note that the maple sticks may vary considerably from pair to pair, which may be a consideration.
 
When I was giging it was 5a or b to generate volume for typical backbeat style playing No more giging at the moment - just practicing alot - jazz. Brazilian, etc. My friend gave me a 4 pack of Promark 7a forwards ( mostly play Vic)and I really like them - I feel faster and more agile. Tuned the drums higher and playing bigger thinner cymbals and it seems to make sense for me at the. moment.
 
Malc said:
Me either.
Not had any come off of the several pairs of LA specials I've worn out this year.
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Me either. #1 stick for me is ProMark Carter McLean, followed by Vic Firth SD11 Slammer or 5A Nylon Tip, depending on the song/style. Have some 7A that are rarely used and in the other direction some Regal Tip Brian Tichy sticks for when a hammer is needed.
 
Los Cabos Red Hickory 5A

A little on the heavy side as far as 5As go, but they keep me from needing 5Bs wich I find have a slightly different balance point as well as being heavier.

They're also a tad cheaper and virtually inderstructible if I compare to any other sticks I've tried prior, wich adds to the overall value.
 
Learned about a different brand just yesterday: B-sticks from Denmark. High quality, I got a "jazz" pair, similar to the VF MJC3.
 
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