If you’ve shopped for drumsticks lately, you’re probably well aware of just how many options there are. There’s been an explosion of products in the category over the past couple of decades. Drummers used to chose between a few stick sizes, but now there are many varieties of almost every size. Sticks are made with more materials, dimensions, tip shapes, and finishes than ever before.
We’re going to dig into all of these differences below. We’ll talk about the various stick parts and how they affect a drummer’s sound and feel. Hopefully, the information will give you a better overall understanding of stick design, and maybe even save you time and money when you’re looking for your next pair.
So without further ado, here’s all about drumsticks!
Shaft Materials
Sticks could be made of just about anything. Theoretically, you could have sticks made of pine, steel, mahogany, gold, or anything else that can be formed into the shape of a drumstick. Of course, practical concerns like playability, durability, and affordability determine which materials manufacturers actually use to make sticks. These are the most common materials:
Hickory:
Hickory is the most common material used to make drumsticks, and there isn’t even a close second. The reason hickory is so popular in the industry is the wood’s versatility. These sticks have a medium weight and good durability. They provide medium cross-stick and rimshot sounds, with a balanced mix of tone and attack. Hickory is also abundantly available, which keeps manufacturing costs reasonable.
Maple:
Maple is a wood commonly used to make drum shells, but it’s also found in many drumstick models. This wood is significantly lighter than hickory. Players who want to play at lower volumes often have an easier time with maple, since each stroke has less force behind it. Cross-sticks and rimshots have a slightly rounder tone than with any other type of wood. The feel of maple is also soft, since maple absorbs more vibration.
Oak:
Oak is the heaviest wood commonly used in drumsticks. These sticks are very dense compared to hickory and maple, providing a lot of power and volume. Cross-sticks and rimshots have extra projection. The feel of oak is also harsher than hickory or maple. Rimshots, for instance, can send more vibration to your hand. Oak sticks tend to be more expensive than hickory or maple, but often last longer for many drummers.
Synthetic:
There aren’t many synthetic versions of sticks currently available. Some are toys, like light-up drumsticks. Others are professional-grade. Ahead, for example, makes professional sticks comprised of a metal handle and a nylon shaft. They’re made with durability in mind. Synthetic sticks don’t have the natural feel of wood that many drummers prefer, but the extra durability of well-made synthetic sticks can save some drummers money in the long run.
Common Applications:
In general, the harder a drummer hits, the more stick density they’ll prefer. Maple is most often used by lower-volume players or players looking for more speed. Oak and synthetic sticks are typically preferred by drummers looking for higher volume and extra durability. Hickory lays in the middle, making it the most versatile stick material.
Tip Materials
Drumstick tips can be broken down into two major categories – wood and nylon. Nylon tips have a consistent sound, but different wood types have their own unique tonal characteristics, particularly on cymbals. Some wood tips sound brighter and have a louder attack, while others are softer and warmer. Tip materials have different amounts of durability to consider, as well.
Hickory:
Hickory tips have a balanced sound. On cymbals, this wood type provides a medium amount of attack and volume. Hickory also has a standard amount of durability. Drummers who play at low to medium volumes will often see hickory tips slowly degrade, with small amounts of wood chipping away. More aggressive players usually chew through the stick shafts before the tips erode much.
Maple:
Maple tips have a very woody tone on cymbals, which is something many players like. Drummers who play in lower-volume acoustic environments, for example, often find maple to be a great choice. Maple’s more-subtle cymbal attack makes volume control easier. This wood type has a bit less cymbal articulation than any other tip material. They’re also not as durable when played at higher volumes.
Oak:
The high density of oak creates a more aggressive cymbal sound than other wood types. Oak tips bring out higher cymbal frequencies, creating a clean and articulate tone. They’re usually not the best choice for playing at low to medium volumes, but drummers who need their cymbals to cut through a mix can get good results from oak. These tips tend to be more durable, as well.
Nylon:
Nylon is commonly used for stick tips, usually glued to a wood shaft. That combination gives drummers the natural feel of wood, with the extra durability and volume of a synthetic tip. Nylon has a bright sound, heard most clearly on ride cymbals. These tips also won’t chip away like wood. That makes nylon a good choice for hard hitters. Drummers who play at lower volumes, or who want a more natural cymbal sound, are usually better off with wood tips.
Common Applications:
Wood tips are more popular than nylon, with a more natural cymbal sound. The most common tip type is hickory, simply because the most common shaft type is hickory. It’s also the most versatile tip material. That doesn’t mean hickory tips are the best choice for every drummer, however. If you need a boost in cymbal volume or extra tip durability, a harder wood or nylon material could be a good choice.
Tip Shapes
The shape of a drumstick’s tip plays a big role in the stick’s sound, especially on cymbals. Some shapes have a broader sound, due to an increased contact surface area. Other shapes are more pointed, with a smaller surface. When combined with the various tip material options, drummers have many choices when it comes to stick tip design.
Teardrop:
Teardrop tip shapes are among the most popular in the industry. This design has a very versatile sound, with a balanced mix of attack and tone. Durability also tends to be fairly high. The most popular stick model in the world, the Vic Firth 5A Wood Tip, is a hickory stick with a teardrop tip. Most manufacturers make many stick models with this tip style.
Oval:
Oval tips are another common shape. These tips perform similarly to teardrops, but with a bit more surface contact. That leads to slightly more wood slap sound on ride cymbals. Promark’s standard tips are oval-shaped, so you’ll find them on many of the company’s classic models. Many nylon tips are also oval.
Acorn:
Acorn tips are shaped, well… a bit like an acorn. These tips usually have a wider and shorter profile than teardrop tips, and have a more angular cut on the bottom side. Acorns sound similar to teardrops, but with slightly less surface contact. That produces less stick slap on cymbals, with a slightly more focused, darker cymbal tone. Like all tips, the size of the acorn shape affects overall volume.
Round:
Round tips are the most straightforward tip shape. They create a smaller amount of surface contact, which can lead to a more articulate sound. Round tips come in a wide variety of diameters, from very small to very large, greatly affecting the amount of volume they produce. Small wood tips are sometimes seen on lightweight sticks to provide super-articulate, subtle sound. Larger round tips can be very aggressive, creating a lot of volume.
Barrel:
Barrel tips have a squared-off spherical shape, striking a sonic balance between round and oval tips. Most barrel tips provide a good amount of stick articulation, but with a bit more stick slap than round tips. That makes barrel tips a bit more versatile than most round tips. Drummers who tend to chew up standard wood tips often find barrel tips hold up longer, as well.
Common Applications:
Most drummers use sticks with either a teardrop or oval tip. They’re the most versatile tip styles. However, acorn and barrel tips are also very useful for many players. Some players find those more-angular designs more durable, although it depends on playing style. The sound of round tips is particularly dependent on size. Small round tips are popular among very low-volume players, while large or nylon round tips tend to be popular among heavy hitters.
Stick Dimensions
Stick dimensions come in many varieties. There are different lengths, diameters, and tapers. Each are important in their own ways, affecting the way sticks feel, how much volume they produce, and how durable they are. Even subtle variations can make a big difference, so it’s important to understand how dimensions impact a stick’s design.
The most common way to categorize sticks is with broad dimension labels. 2B, 5A, 7A, etc. are shorthand labels for stick sizes. Smaller sticks generally have larger numbers, and vise versa. 2B sticks are large, 7As are small, and 5A sticks are medium. The letters A and B usually refer to variations. 5B sticks are a bit larger than 5As, for example.
Diameter:
A stick’s diameter refers to the handle portion of the stick. Since this determines how open or closed your hand will be, diameter will be important to your overall playing comfort. It also factors into the stick’s durability and speed.
Larger diameters are usually best for aggressive drummers who need a lot of volume and durability. Smaller diameters are great for soft playing and nuanced stick patterns. 5A sticks provide the most versatile diameter for most drummers.
Length:
Sticks are typically between 15″ and 17″ long. That may not seem like a wide range, but small differences in length will change the overall feel. The most obvious effect stick length has is with reach. Some players find they can sit in a more relaxed playing position with longer sticks.
The bigger concern with stick length is feel. When weight is distributed further away from a fulcrum, it creates a heavier feel. Longer sticks are usually slower, but have more power. Short sticks are usually faster, but can hurt with a stick’s rebound. The keys is finding the balance for you. Not surprisingly, very versatile sticks, like the Vic Firth 5A, lay directly in the middle of the length range, at 16″ long. That gives 5As a good mix of power, speed, and rebound.
Taper:
Besides length, a stick’s taper will play a big part in determining its feel. Most sticks have a slight taper, putting the balance point in a neutral position. However, the taper can be cut in other ways. Some sticks have a dramatic taper, decreasing the weight towards the front of the stick. That makes the stick lighter and easier to play at low volumes. Other sticks have minimal tapering, putting more weight up front for more power.
Common Applications:
There are many combinations of stick diameters, lengths, and tapers. It can be difficult to narrow down your choices to the absolute best dimensions for you, but you can usually narrow down your choices by paying attention to measurements. Things that add power to sticks are longer lengths, wider diameters, and less taper. Things that add speed are shorter lengths, smaller diameters, and more taper. Of course, stick materials work together with dimensions to create a stick’s unique feel.
Stick Finishes
The final touch of drumsticks is the finish. As with every other aspect of sticks, available finish options have expanded in recent decades. Some finishes are applied mainly for looks, but most are designed to give drummers a variety of grip feels. Every drummer’s hands and technique are different, so these various grip types can often be the missing piece to making a drummer feel as comfortable as possible.
Lacquer:
Lacquer stick finishes are the most common types. If a name brand stick doesn’t specifically state a finish, it’s very likely standard lacquer. These sticks are simply coated in a thin clear lacquer, adding a very small amount of tackiness. Lacquered sticks are smooth overall, which allows the sticks to pivot at the fulcrum point without much friction. Most drummers can hold onto lacquered sticks fairly easily and can play for many hours without discomfort.
Raw:
Drumsticks without a finish are offered in popular sizes by most drumstick makers. Raw finishes aren’t as common as lacquered sticks, but they can be a benefit to certain drummers. Some players have trouble holding onto sticks when their hands get sweaty. Standard lacquer can get a little slick when wet, but raw drumsticks have a grittier texture to hold onto. Of course, raw finishes aren’t for everyone. Many drummers find raw sticks too abrasive, causing pain at the fulcrum point.
Painted:
Painted drumsticks are often made for looks, but they also provide an interesting feel. These sticks are smoother than any other type of finish, although they’re not necessarily slippery. Most players have no trouble holding onto them. It should be noted that painted drumsticks can leave paint on your drum kit as the stick surface degrades. The paint can usually be cleaned up easily, but it’s something to be aware of.
Rubber:
For the ultimate amount of grip, some drumsticks include a rubber handle. They’re dipped into a liquid rubber, dried, and stamped with a company logo. This type of finish is best for drummers who use a lot of shoulder and elbow muscles in their playing, rather than much finger technique. The rubber can be abrasive over time, so too much pivoting can be uncomfortable. It’s fairly common for drummers to use gloves with rubber stick handles.
Common Applications:
Standard lacquer finishes are the best choice for most drummers, but it’s great to have other options. If you find yourself dropping sticks due to sweat or muscle cramps, check into a different stick finish. Rubber finishes provide the most extra grip, followed by raw, then standard lacquer. Keep in mind that extra grip can come with extra skin irritation, depending on your technique. Another grip option is stick wax, which is a good way to add temporary tackiness to any drumstick.
Wrap-Up
There you have it! Learning all about drumsticks comes down to learning about each component that goes into a drumstick’s design. These specs work together to create unique models, with different feels, sounds, and levels of durability. If you’ve been having trouble finding a good stick for your situation, hopefully something we mentioned can lead you to a perfect pair!
By Peter Treuden – About the Author
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