Choosing Sticks

Skeeter · Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 12:10 pm Post subject: Choosing Sticks

What are certain basic stick types used for(musical situations)?

like.... 5A, 5B, 7A, 2A, etc.
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phantompong · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 3:13 am Post subject:

A quick search should have pulled up the answers, but anyway

5A is a pretty standard size, with 5A you'll probably be able to play almost anything (save the extremes, I suppose). 5As will suit most people for most types of music, and I make it a point to keep a 5A-ish pair of sticks in the bag.

5B is heavier and beefier than 5A, so it tends to be used in heavier applications, like in most rock situations. 2B is even heavier and beefier, so you'll see that in hard rock and metal.

7A is lighter than 5A, and most find it suitable for jazz, perhaps funk, and other light applications.

Of course, a lot of it comes down to personal preferences - you'll find Buddy Rich's signature sticks are closer to a 5B than a 7A, and there are very heavy drummers out there that do fine with a 5A or 5B.
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Rasta · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:55 pm Post subject:

Yeah a lot of it comes down to personal preffrence. Try many sticks, you can't have too much experience.

punkrocker7341 · Lion Joined: 23 May 2004 Posts: 926 Location: AZ

Size isn't the only thing to take into account either. The way the shoulder (taper) of the stick is shaped can have a great impact on the feel of the stick. If you have a 5A with a really short or quick taper next to a 5B that has a long taper, the 5A will probably feel a little heavier.
Then consider tip shapes and how the change the sound of your cymbals and drums. the Vater website has a good breakdown of stick tips and how they affect the sound. It should be noted that two different sizes of the same tip (say a small ball tip and a large ball tip) can have drastically different sounds.
I think messing around with a lot of vic firths signature sticks is a great way to experience the feel of different stick tapers and the sounds that different tips create.
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TheLegace · Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 1:01 pm Post subject:

It's all about 2Bs, size, power, don't kids in drumline use 2Bs to.

Sure in teh beggining your hands will be numb, but after a while using 5As/5Bs are like toothpicks.
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cardboardsamurai182 · Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 8:43 am Post subject:

yeah, i use pro-mark B's. they work for like any style of playing.
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sbowman128675 · Big Lion Joined: 16 Dec 2006 Posts: 967

I use Vic Firth 2BN for everything except than jazz.
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MY CURRENT SET UP, SONOR FORCE 3007 IN BLACK MIDNIGHT FADE LIMITED EDITION
SABIAn Cymbals- 17,19" aaxplosion crashes
16" AAX stage crash
16" AA medium crash
14" AAX stage hats
22" AAX metal ride

metal head · Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:44 pm Post subject:

TommyBoyWonder · Not So Newbie Joined: 24 Jan 2008 Posts: 6

it really doesn't make a difference. music store salespeople tell you to use different types of sticks for different situations. ever notice how SKINNY those sticks are! of course they are! thats because you'll buy more after you break them!

I personally use my marching sticks for everything. drum set, quads (i got a top score at state this year), everything.

metal head · Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 12:51 pm Post subject:

i make sure i get durable sticks. when i was takings drum lessons, i started using my teavher's 5a sticks, but i noticed during the first lesson that i needed my own sticks there instead. his sticks were very thin right behind the taper. i knew it wouldn't take me long to break them if i kept using them.
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alekssandro_thegreat · Ferret Joined: 13 Jul 2007 Posts: 117

vic firth 5an i think is the best drum sticks...

drummerb0y25 · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 9:54 am Post subject:

tylerdrummer · Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:41 am Post subject:

well actually alot of people that are professional and have good technique still break sticks,
virgil donati at a clinic brought out a box full of broken sticks that he had broken during recording for his planet X band, so its natural to break sticks, now breaking a stick every few weeks(i had that for a while, using thin sticks for metal...not a good idea) is a little much but i break a stick or two every few months, i think on my zildjians t-barker sticks lasted me 3 1/2 months,
personally i use
vater recording sticks, very good pretty durable, and thin
vater virgil donatis, thick the shoulder of the stick stays pretty wide which means you have more wood on it then most sticks, so the shoulder doesnt break(i only cracked my stick) and the head is a cool sphere shape
Danny Carey vic firth are jsut my well rounded stick, not heavy but not light and takes a good few months for a good break

personally id stay in the two V's of drumsticks, as i have seen they last the longest, at least for myself( and the vic firth salt shaker is pretty durable too, just a side note)

sbowman128675 · Big Lion Joined: 16 Dec 2006 Posts: 967

2b can be used for rock drumming
8a is best for jazz

thats my two cents Smile

_________________

MY CURRENT SET UP, SONOR FORCE 3007 IN BLACK MIDNIGHT FADE LIMITED EDITION
SABIAn Cymbals- 17,19" aaxplosion crashes
16" AAX stage crash
16" AA medium crash
14" AAX stage hats
22" AAX metal ride

drummerb0y25 · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 12:48 am Post subject: