Why do drumstick companies paint sticks?

[RyanLovesDrums]

I started using the Vic Firth JoJo Mayer stick last year and I really like it but I don’t like that the stick is painted white. I like the feel of natural wood in my hands. It also sounds and feels weird playing the rim of the snare too. The only reason why I can see that the paint is a good thing is that maybe you have a better grip if you’re spinning the stick a lot. I emailed Vic Firth a while back asking if maybe they could make me that stick with a natural finish and I never heard back. They probably don’t do that kind of thing, huh?

 

[JDA]

why? probably on the request of the signatorey

 

[RyanLovesDrums]

why? probably on the request of the signatorey

Yeah probably. And JoJo Mayer spins the heck out of his sticks, constantly going from traditional to matched grip. Maybe that’s it. Who knows

 

[Dumpy]

This has been a bane of mine for a long time. If I could turn my own sticks, I would oil finish mine. I am not a fan of heavy lacquer, bare does nothing for me, and paint will mark up my cymbals.

JoJo needs to be the one hating the paint, sad but true.

 

[RyanLovesDrums]

This has been a bane of mine for a long time. If I could turn my own sticks, I would oil finish mine. I am not a fan of heavy lacquer, bare does nothing for me, and paint will mark up my cymbals.

JoJo needs to be the one hating the paint, sad but true.

Everything is painted but the tip though so it doesn’t mark up the cymbals

 

[JDA]

Great stick there --->

Zildjian Roy Haynes Artist Series Signature Drum Sticks | Drums Etc | Reverb

Perfect for Jazz like its namesake, this stick has an exaggerated taper that makes this stick dance. The over-sized elongated bead brings out strong cymbal tones. U.S. Select Hickory with a beautiful Walnut finish. Diameter: 0.550" Length: 15 7/8" Walnut Stain Finish Wood tip

reverb.com

never thought of it (used for 20+ year) as "painted" more a 'stain' never comes off etc)

 

[RyanLovesDrums]

I just bought these. Harvey Mason really likes them. Haven’t tried them yet but they do feel nice in the hands. https://www.musiciansfriend.com/acc...npwAiVbkBzMXvJnLFsuSjKO2X4mxRV5AaAgIUEALw_wcB

 

[Tilter]

I believe, though I'm not 100% certain, that Steve Gadd's signature model was one of the first color treated offerings, and more followed from there. The reason could be feel, artistry, or both.

I actually rather like white sticks, though I find most to be too slippery. However, I recently bought a pair of Wincent 'Tomoya' signatures to try and they are hands down the best feeling sticks I've ever played. I don't know if it's a combination of the paint and their proprietary wax treatment, but for me the grip texture is just perfect.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/WTYSWII--wincent-hickory-artist-drumsticks-tomoya-white

 

[Dumpy]

Everything is painted but the tip though so it doesn’t mark up the cymbals

That’s a relief!

Buddy Rich sticks put me off from the painted sticks.

 

[Tilter]

That’s a relief!

Buddy Rich sticks put me off from the painted sticks.

If you like that stick otherwise, try a pair of Vater's West Side. Almost identical but an ever so slightly thicker neck.

Vater Percussion

www.vater.com

 

[RyanLovesDrums]

That’s a relief!

Buddy Rich sticks put me off from the painted sticks.

Yeah it seems that all the painted sticks now don’t have painted tips anymore. They probably got complaints that they were marking up people’s cymbals.

 

[RyanLovesDrums]

If you like that stick otherwise, try a pair of Vater's West Side. Almost identical but an ever so slightly thicker neck.

Vater Percussion

www.vater.com

Thanks but that stick is quite a bit longer than the JoJos. That JoJo Mayer stick is very unique. It’s the shortest and thickest stick I’ve ever seen. It’s way under 16 inches long. Sometimes it feels too small but I have small hands and it works really well for me and it’s easy to toss around and maneuver and change between traditional and matched grip.

 

[Tilter]

Thanks but that stick is quite a bit longer than the JoJos. That JoJo Mayer stick is very unique. It’s the shortest and thickest stick I’ve ever seen. It’s way under 16 inches long. Sometimes it feels too small but I have small hands and it works really well for me and it’s easy to toss around and maneuver and change between traditional and matched grip.

That was directed at Dumpy, but you're welcome.

 

[RyanLovesDrums]

That was directed at Dumpy, but you're welcome.

Oh haha

 

[kdgrissom]

I was in school in Boston back in the early 80's and Vic Firth taught across the hall from my teacher. He had just started or was getting ready to introduce his American Classic line of sticks. As students, we got to be guinea pigs as far as test driving the sticks. Someone mentioned the growing popularity of the black Steve Gadd model and Vic said:

"Ya know why I paint 'em Black?............Cause kids buy 'em!"
(insert heavy Maine accent for full effect)

 

[RyanLovesDrums]

I was in school in Boston back in the early 80's and Vic Firth taught across the hall from my teacher. He had just started or was getting ready to introduce his American Classic line of sticks. As students, we got to be guinea pigs as far as test driving the sticks. Someone mentioned the growing popularity of the black Steve Gadd model and Vic said:

"Ya know why I paint 'em Black?............Cause kids buy 'em!"
(insert heavy Maine accent for full effect)

Cool. I was just watching an interview of Harvey Mason and I guess Vic was his teacher and Harvey was one of his first endorsers. Here it is

 

[JimmySticks]

I was in school in Boston back in the early 80's and Vic Firth taught across the hall from my teacher. He had just started or was getting ready to introduce his American Classic line of sticks. As students, we got to be guinea pigs as far as test driving the sticks. Someone mentioned the growing popularity of the black Steve Gadd model and Vic said:

"Ya know why I paint 'em Black?............Cause kids buy 'em!"
(insert heavy Maine accent for full effect)

I think it's simply a marketing thing myself.

When you think of it, sticks are the most boring looking part of a drum kit. We spend a lot of time and money buying a kit with just the right finish so we look good, but we don't think about how boring our sticks look. I know not everyone cares, but there are probably enough drummers out there that would like their sticks to stand out or maybe match their kit to make it worthwhile to sell painted sticks.

 

[Deafmoon]

I was in school in Boston back in the early 80's and Vic Firth taught across the hall from my teacher. He had just started or was getting ready to introduce his American Classic line of sticks. As students, we got to be guinea pigs as far as test driving the sticks. Someone mentioned the growing popularity of the black Steve Gadd model and Vic said:

"Ya know why I paint 'em Black?............Cause kids buy 'em!"
(insert heavy Maine accent for full effect)

BINGO!

 

[John DeChristopher]

I was in school in Boston back in the early 80's and Vic Firth taught across the hall from my teacher. He had just started or was getting ready to introduce his American Classic line of sticks. As students, we got to be guinea pigs as far as test driving the sticks. Someone mentioned the growing popularity of the black Steve Gadd model and Vic said:

"Ya know why I paint 'em Black?............Cause kids buy 'em!"
(insert heavy Maine accent for full effect)

That sounds like something Vic would say, heavy Maine accent and all...

But in the case of Steve Gadd, he wanted sticks modeled after his original Yamaha sticks, which were black. Producing black sticks was new technology 40 years ago. I remember when they came out and how they were significantly more expensive than any other sticks. Steve was Vic’s first signature artist.

By and large painted or colored signature sticks are the artists’ design.

 

[Ray Dee Oh King]

If you like everything about the stick but the paint L.A.R sticks can turn em identical for you without the paint, and finish in whatever youd like.