Drum Stick Buyer’s Guide
Choosing the right drum sticks can be a daunting task, but the following buyer’s guide is structured to help you choose the most appropriate sticks to fit your needs. It’s best to start by choosing a stick size that feels good to you and then look for a specific model with a taper and tip that sounds the best. Here, we've broken down type, size, and tip specifications to help you out.
Drum Stick Type
Wooden Sticks
Hickory is the most common wood used to make drum sticks because it’s strong and has a nice feel. Maple, oak, and persimmon drum sticks are also available but should be tested in person to judge their feel and sound.
Synthetic Sticks
These types of drumsticks are made from metal and plastic materials. Their sound and feel are drastically different compared to wooden drum sticks and are often more expensive.
Drum Stick Size
Drum stick sizes vary from company to company, but they’re generally similar to one another in weight and length. The taper, which is the degree of thinning from the tip to the handle, can vary greatly from stick to stick.
Most companies offer their own additional sizes and signature models which are specialized variations on universal core sizes.
7A:
These drum sticks are generally the smallest sticks available in length and diameter.
8D:
These drum sticks usually have the same thickness as 7A sticks but are a bit longer. Not all companies make 8D size sticks.
5A:
These sticks are thicker in diameter than 7A sticks and are a bit longer.
5B:
These sticks are thicker than 5A sticks and typically similar in length to 5A sticks. They’re usually heavier and bulkier than 5A sticks.
2B:
These sticks are thicker than 5B sticks and slightly longer.
Rock/Metal:
These are the thickest and longest drum sticks available. Rather than a numeric value, the actual size is literally expressed as either “Rock” or “Metal."
Drum Stick Tip
Wooden Round Tip
These oval-shaped tips are made from the same wood as the rest of the stick.
Wooden Barrel Tip
These tips are made from the same wood as the rest of the stick with a longer, fairly flat striking surface.
Wooden Teardrop Tip
Shaped like a teardrop, these tips are also made from the same wood as the rest of the stick.
Nylon Tip
These are plastic, generally round tips with a sound and feel which is drastically different than wooden tips.
Performance
Sound, feel, and durability are three crucial elements for determining the best drum stick for your needs.
The sound of a stick is best determined by playing the ride cymbal with the stick's tip and observing its sound. While you’re playing the ride cymbal, note the feel and bounce of the stick in your hand.
Next, play the high-hat with both the tip and shaft of the stick and then hit the crash cymbal with the shaft of the stick. One of the most important factors in choosing drum sticks will be the colors they create on the cymbals.
Follow up with a series of rolls and rudiments on the snare to test technical feel, then move around the toms to test speed and sound across the entire kit. Finally, play a few rim shots on the snare to see how much “bite” the sticks have.
At the end of playing, look over the stick shafts and tips for any chips or dents. If these marks are prominent, you might want to switch to a different stick.
Durability
Generally, the best quality drum sticks are made by a handful of companies including Vic Firth, Zildjian, Pro-mark, and Vater. These four companies make the most reliable drum sticks in terms of quality and durability.
All of these companies work with professional drummers to create drum sticks that sound and feel great. A few of these drummers even create custom sizes to match their specific drumming preferences.
Price/Value
You always want to choose a superior quality drum stick, especially since the price difference between good and bad sticks is often only a few dollars. It’s best to purchase drumsticks from quality manufacturers such as Vic-Firth, Pro-mark, Zildjian, and Vater.
Alternately, many off-brand companies offer cheap sticks in bulk quantities for several dollars cheaper per pair. However tempting, it’s best to buy a quality, well-balanced pair of drumsticks because they’ll sound and feel better than these inferior bargain sticks.