Choosing the best drum sticks is incredibly important because they can affect the sound that you’re going for.
In this guide, we’ll tell you what you should look for when purchasing sticks and then we’ll review three sets of drum sticks you may want to consider and then we’ll give you our recommendation.
How To Choose The Best Drum Sticks
Finding the right drumstick is going to depend on several things. First, you’re going to want to look at the numbers and letters to make sure they match your playing style:
- S – Street applications like drum corps and marching bands
- B – Band aplications like brass bands and symphonic orchestras
- A – Orchestra applications like big band and dance orchestras
- Numbers – The numbers indicate the circumference of the stick. The lower the number, the thicker the stick.
Next, consider the material. Most sticks are going to be made of a wood like:
- Hickory – Ideal for absorbing shock, dense, heavy, and rigid.
- Maple – faster playing, low volume situations, and lower density.
- Oak – very dense, heavy, and durable.
- Synthetics are durable and can allow you to change the tips.
Finally, look at the tip as each one will give you a unique tone.
- Round tips will give you a focused sound that’s good for cymbals
- Barrel tips diffuse the tone because the contact area is broader
- Pointed or triangular tips create a focused medium tone
- Tear drop or olive shaped tips give you a variety of sounds depending on how you hold them
- Nylon tips are popular if you want a brilliantly, distinct sound.
What Are The Best Drumsticks
Now, let’s take a look at some of the best drum sticks you can get.
Comparison Chart
Vic Firth American Classic 5A Drum Sticks
The Vic Firth American Classic 5A Drum Sticks is one of the top selling “Model T” drums sticks and considered to be one of the best drumsticks that any serious drummer should have in their gear.
These medium weight sticks are perfect for beginners to discover which type of drum sticks work for them.
With these sticks, you can play a variety of music styles, from jazz, concert, rock and any other type of music that moves you! If you’re looking for a drum stick that can do it all, this is going to be the perfect option.
Features
Notable features of the Vic Firth American Classic 5A Drum Sticks include:
- American Classic 5A
- Classic Vic Firth Design
- Wood Tip
- Length – 16”
- Diameter – .565”
When looking at the reviews for the product, almost all of the customers left 4 or 5-star reviews. Of these reviews, customers said the sticks feel good in their hands and they can tell a difference between this brand and any others.
Customers have said that each stick was equally balanced and they are strong enough to hold up to regular use.
However, there were some customers who were not satisied. The common complaint was that one of their sticks broke almost immediately upon using them.
Other customers have said that they were 3 ounces less than other sticks, which is a huge difference. Read Our In-Depth Review.
Zildjian 5B Nylon Black Drumsticks
As a regular favorite medium sized drum stick with a teardrop bead, this is a drumstick that drummers love to use.
The DIP material on the stick is a special coating that is applied to give you a comfortable, but slightly tacking surface for optimal gripping.
This coating allows drummers to loosen their grip and relax their hand, which will make playing in sweaty situations a little more comfortable.
Features
Notable features of the Zildjian 5B Nylon Black Drumsticks include:
- A consistent favorite for its medium sized dimensions and nylon tip teardrop bead
- Length = 16”
- Diameter = .6”
When looking at the reviews for the product, a majority of customers left 4 or 5-star reviews. Of these reviews, customers said these were good quality sticks.
Customers do want you to recognize that these sticks are not nylon infused, but just nylon tipped. They say despite the confusion, these sticks still hold up pretty well and there wasn’t any breakages.
The remaining customers left 3-star reviews or lower. The common complaint was the paint job of the sticks.
Customers have said the paint chipped when they used the sticks and they also left black marks on one customer’s cymbals.
Musician ‘s Gear Hickory 20-Pack, Assorted Colors and Styles
For those drummers who go through sticks pretty regularly, or you’re preparing to teach drumming lessons to a group, you’re going to love having 10 sets of these well-balanced hickory drumsticks on hand at all times.
These sticks are packed in a mix and match set, so the sizes, style, and tips cannot be guaranteed.
Features
Notable features of the Musician ‘s Gear Hickory 20-Pack, Assorted Colors and Styles include:
- Well-balanced Musician’s Gear hickory drumsticks
- Handle well and can hold up for a long time even with hard-hitting drummers
- 10 pair, 20 total sticks
- Packed in a mix and match set – size, style, color, and tip varies
When looking at the reviews for the product, most of customers left 4 or 5-star reviews. Of these reviews, customers said they loved having numerous sticks on hand—especially in households where they tend to get lost.
Customers have said the sticks felt good in the hand, they were straight and smooth, and they sounded fine.
Of the remaining customers who left 3-star reviews or lower, the common complaint was they didn’t like that there is no consistency with the sticks.
Several people have said that all of their sticks broke, which was a huge disappointment.
Our Recommendation
If you want drum sticks that are going to stand up to a beating, you’re going to want to choose the Vic Firth American Classic 5A Drum Sticks. With that said, do keep in mind that the choice of stick is going to be dependent on your playing style!
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