Product review: Regaltip Blasticks Vs Pro Mark's Stealth Rods.

[twosticks]

Howdy: I mostly just play at home in a double wide on my muffled Yamaha Stage Custom's with a some wall treatment and a sleeping bag wrapped around the set to help with sound projection. Since I got a pair of RegalTip Blasticks a few years back, I've not gotten any complaints playing up until around midnight or so. I live on a half acre of land and my neighbors live on a half acre or more as well. Recently, I was at the local music store and they had a pair of Pro Mark "Stealth Rods" and have been playing with them as well for the past week or so. So I thought I would give a review of both items for those that were curious.

 

Blasticks: These are the sticks with a nylon bundle of rods from about half way up the sticks with a wood (which I have) or rubber handles. These are the perfect thing for those that want something softer than sticks but stronger than brushes. I have played these so long that I have learned to make these work even on the harder stuff. Biggest drawback on these is that it's hard to get full volume on the cymbals. They work really well when they are new but the ends tend to get frayed over time (6 months to a year depending on how hard you play.) If you are a church player, play soft rock or any place where you want drums but want them subdued, then Blasticks fit right in! They even work great on harder stuff when you want quieter drums or playing in close quarters or small clubs where booming drums may be too much.

 

Pros: nice feel, softer than sticks, heavier than brushes, great for country, soft rock and light hard rock. Can hear what your playing and fits in with the other members.

 

Cons: Hard to get volume on the cymbals or do rim shots. (I use my low pitch LP block in place of a rim shot with these sticks) Are lightweight and that can make it hard for the rebound or if you like a heavier stick feel. As the rods get more wear, they get more flexible and you have to hit harder to get as loud as when they are new.

Overall: Are GREAT for at home practice where sound is an issue or where you want to hear drums but not where they're overpowering or where you want quieter drums like you hear on some music but you don't like brushes or like to hit soft.

 

Pro-Mark Stealth Sticks: These are pretty much sticks with a rubber casing along the handle part with wood in the middle and rubber casing again around the shoulder area before they taper into approx. 2" nylon rods at end. First of all, since these are more stick than rods, they allow for more dynamic volume while playing and allow for more stick bounce, easier ghost note playing, etc. They also allow for louder cymbal crashes and more volume playing the hats. I usually play 5A sticks and have been playing the Blasticks for so long that the Stealth Sticks were like playing Husky pencils with only hitting on the erasers at first and made my wrists hurt after the first time playing for two hours. The Stealths are much more geared to playing harder stuff or areas where you want the drums only slightly subdued. Like softer hard rock stuff or where you want more dynamic volume from your drums.

 

Pros: Louder and easier to get more volume from the cymbals and hats without being a full volume like from sticks. Can also be used to play much softer stuff with minimal effort.

 

Cons: Takes a little bit to get used to playing to what feels like a "Husky" pencil and also have to watch it at times when crashing to keep the shoulder of the stick from "overcrashing" and being too loud when you hit the cymbals compared to everything else you're playing. Both sticks work GREAT when you want softer then a stick and harder than brushes, the Blasticks are better on softer stuff and the Stealths are better on the harder stuff. Hope this helps!!

 

RegalTip Blasticks: http://static.musiciansfriend.com/derivates/6/001/231/969/DV019_Jpg_Regular_448804.jpg

 

Pro Mark Stealth Sticks: http://s1.lonestarpercussion.com/resize/images/Promark/Promark-S-RODS-full.jpg.120x120

[FitchFY]

Cool - what are the dowels on the sticks made of? Last time I had a pair of Pro-Mark rods, they were hickory and broke fairly quick.

 

The SilveFox Clawstix I use have 13 birch and 6 Delrin (made by SF) rods to make up a 16" stick, and I'm very happy with both the sound and durability of those.

[twosticks]

The Stealth Sticks that I have, have the dowels made out of nylon? Like the plastic pieces you find on a nylon hairbrush but the diameters are thicker. The ends of my RegalTip Blasticks still work but only the ends are frayed a little. But this is after a year or so of constant playing! They also have models with the wooden dowels but I like the nylon dowels just for the durability! Please see the link in my original post to see pictures of each model that I'm speaking about.

[FitchFY]

The Stealth Sticks that I have, have the dowels made out of nylon? Like the plastic pieces you find on a nylon hairbrush but the diameters are thicker. The ends of my RegalTip Blasticks still work but only the ends are frayed a little. But this is after a year or so of constant playing! They also have models with the wooden dowels but I like the nylon dowels just for the durability! Please see the link in my original post to see pictures of each model that I'm speaking about.

 

We used the Regal Tip Blasticks back in my HS drumline in `98 for part of the field show, and those are cool for a reduced-volume type of playing, but they don't function in the traditional brushes way. I always found using them in an acoustic combo worked really well with a muffled bass drum.