Drumstick Question

[Chunkaway]

Hey all-

I am having some difficulty finding what I want in a drum stick. I would like something about the same size as a 5a-I'd be willing to get something smaller in diameter. The problem is I want the tip to be round or roundish.

 

I have tried Vic Firth 5A sticks and I don't like the acorn tip. I have also tried Dave Weckel's sticks but I don't like the really slick finish on them. I currently am using Vater Stewwart Copeland model sticks, but they are a bit thicker than I would like. I used the Vic Firth SD4 model sticks, but I was snapping those in two all of the time.

 

Any ideas?

[tangman]

http://www.promark-stix.com/products/view.cfm?product_id=4f8e98fe-ba52-4356-a78a-4e3d1b1afde5

 

I wish I lived in the States....

[JSimms]

 

Originally posted by tangman I wish I lived in the States....

 

 

It's not all it's cracked up to be...

[ArtVandelay]

I used to use Vater's "Recording" model. Very similar to Regal Tip's 8A (the Jeff Porcaro model) but without that Regal Tip finish (whic some people love but I don't). It's more of a small oval tip than a round one but it gets a real nice cymbal sound.

 

Vater Recording

[Puck]

I had a similar problem... Liked VF 5a's but wanted a round tip. the weckels are waaay to slick and sd4 is nice but a little small and short. Check out the Vic Firth American Sound 5a . same demntions as the classic but has the round tip. Really love the stick.

[Puck]

Link ^^^^^^^

 

http://www.vicfirth.com/products/americansound.html

[headmasterchaos]

 

Originally posted by JSimms It's not all it's cracked up to be...

 

+1. I wish I lived in the U.K.

[Chunkaway]

 

Originally posted by Puck I had a similar problem... Liked VF 5a's but wanted a round tip. the weckels are waaay to slick and sd4 is nice but a little small and short. Check out the Vic Firth American Sound 5a . same demntions as the classic but has the round tip. Really love the stick.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the head's up! What is the finish like? How about the durability?

[Old Steve]

 

Originally posted by headmasterchaos +1. I wish I lived in the U.K.

 

 

Yeah....nothing like government run healthcare systems....."Mr. Smith, you need cardiac surgery right away. We'll schedule you for 8 months from now....just try not to die before then."

 

Not to knock the UK, but there's a big difference between visiting someplace and actually living there full time. The grass isn't always greener, IMHO.

[Living Dead Drummer]

Regal Tip has a new model called the "Ride" I use it with a bluse band... Probably exactly what your looking for!

 

 

It's around that 5A size your into, maybe a little less..

[tangman]

 

Originally posted by Old Steve Yeah....nothing like government run healthcare systems....."Mr. Smith, you need cardiac surgery right away. We'll schedule you for 8 months from now....just try not to die before then." Not to knock the UK, but there's a big difference between visiting someplace and actually living there full time. The grass isn't always greener, IMHO.

 

 

 

dont forget the tax on everything too haha you pay $7 for a pair of drum sticks we pay

[Chunkaway]

 

Originally posted by Old Steve Yeah....nothing like government run healthcare systems....."Mr. Smith, you need cardiac surgery right away. We'll schedule you for 8 months from now....just try not to die before then." Not to knock the UK, but there's a big difference between visiting someplace and actually living there full time. The grass isn't always greener, IMHO.

 

 

 

What happens if you are one of the 40 million people in the states without healthcare?

[Old Steve]

 

Originally posted by Chunkaway What happens if you are one of the 40 million people in the states without healthcare?

 

 

You roll into an emergency room and they're obligated by law to treat you immediately at taxpayer expense.

[Chunkaway]

 

Originally posted by Old Steve You roll into an emergency room and they're obligated by law to treat you immediately at taxpayer expense.

 

 

 

So, just to make sure I understand what you are saying, if this happens

 

 

"Mr. Smith, you need cardiac surgery right away. We'll schedule you for 8 months from now....just try not to die before then."

 

In the UK, they will just let die, but in the states they would be obligated to treat you.

 

Is that what you are saying? If so, you are mistaken.

[Old Steve]

I'm going to bail on this because I see where it's going, but before I do, here's some stuff to look into:

 

40 million people supposedly without health insurance. Take out the number of people that are "temporarily without" (you change jobs and are without for a week or two) and that number is cut roughly in half. Then you factor in people who choose not to be covered (employer offers it, but they choose "no coverage") and the number drops even further.

 

Bottom line, I'm not saying that health care or the insurance industry in this country are great, but the fact of the matter remains that the reason people come from around the world to be treated and/or trained here in the US is because it's one of the top places to go. The reason this is the case is because a.) if you need something done, you can get it done pretty much immediately (not the case in government run/socialist medical systems), and b.) the incentive to the doctor to become the best doctor they can be is economic...again, turn everything into a flat-fee system and the incentive to develop new technology/treament goes with it.

 

It ain't perfect here, but medically speaking it's a whole lot better than anywhere else. Throw in Tangman's reference to taxes there, and there's even more reason not to wish too fondly over what you think you might get elsewhere.

 

Bottom line, there are a whole lot worse places to live than the UK, and they're great freinds/allies of us folks over in the US, and any American should appreciate them. Still, I find it hard to believe that there's soooo much horribly wrong here that you'd really want to go somewhere else on the basis that it's "better". Still, if you love the culture, the food, or whatever, and can deal with some of the shortcomings, go for it. Day-to-day, however, living in a country where the #1 health issue facing our poor is obesity for chrissakes, and you've got to admit that things can't be all THAT bad.

[Old Steve]

 

Originally posted by Chunkaway So, just to make sure I understand what you are saying, if this happens "Mr. Smith, you need cardiac surgery right away. We'll schedule you for 8 months from now....just try not to die before then." In the UK, they will just let die, but in the states they would be obligated to treat you. Is that what you are saying? If so, you are mistaken.

 

 

Didn't want to appear cowardly and not respond, but then I'm out.

 

In the UK, due to socialized medicine, there are long waiting lists for certain procedures. In many instances, yes, patients are told that things like heart surgery might take a while to schedule, and that they should avoid certain activities while they wait to be treated (i.e. "go home and wait for a few months and try not to die.").

 

In the US, where most people have either private or government-funded insurance, you'd get the same procedures done quickly...sometimes within a matter of hours or days vs. weeks/months in the UK.

 

My point about the uninsured is twofold:

1.) the health insurance crisis, while significant, is completely overstated by those who claim the 40 million number, and

2.) at the end of the day, ANYONE (insurance or not) will recieve care if they go to the emergency room..by law they can't deny treatment.

 

The problem is that many of our poor (especially among the illegal immigrant popluation) have been using emergency rooms as their doctor's office. So not only are the taxpayers eating the cost of their "medical coverage", but they're being charged an enormous premium because of the huge uptick in much more expensive ER visits.

[Chunkaway]

 

Originally posted by Old Steve Didn't want to appear cowardly and not respond, but then I'm out. In the UK, due to socialized medicine, there are long waiting lists for certain procedures. In many instances, yes, patients are told that things like heart surgery might take a while to schedule, and that they should avoid certain activities while they wait to be treated (i.e. "go home and wait for a few months and try not to die."). In the US, where most people have either private or government-funded insurance, you'd get the same procedures done quickly...sometimes within a matter of hours or days vs. weeks/months in the UK. My point about the uninsured is twofold: 1.) the health insurance crisis, while significant, is completely overstated by those who claim the 40 million number, and 2.) at the end of the day, ANYONE (insurance or not) will recieve care if they go to the emergency room..by law they can't deny treatment. The problem is that many of our poor (especially among the illegal immigrant popluation) have been using emergency rooms as their doctor's office. So not only are the taxpayers eating the cost of their "medical coverage", but they're being charged an enormous premium because of the huge uptick in much more expensive ER visits.

 

 

 

 

You must not have Kaiser for your insurance. Kaiser is about one step away from socialized medical care. Long wait times for surgeries, cheapest solution is typically the direction they push regardless of medical need. If you make a ton of money and can afford high quality medical care, then heck yeah, you are better off.

 

By the way, the single largest expense in medical care as determined by a massive study done by several medical agencies in conjunction with the federal government is....not illegals, believe it or not....but.....wait for it.....pharmaceuticals. If the U.S. goes to socialized medicine it will be, in my opinion, because of these companies.

[headmasterchaos]

Sorry all. Didn't mean to stir up a political debate.

 

I love the U.S., but a lot of {censored} is {censored}ed up. I'm sure {censored} is {censored}ed up in other places too, but I want some new {censored}ed up {censored} rather than some old {censored}ed up {censored}. Man, that's a lot of cursing.

[Chunkaway]

Originally posted by masonni Regal Tip has a new model called the "Ride" I use it with a bluse band... Probably exactly what your looking for! It's around that 5A size your into, maybe a little less..

 

 

Back on topic- Do you have any problems breaking Regal Tip sticks on the shoulder of the stick? I don't have this problem on any brand of stick but Regal Tip. I love the feel, balance and weight of Regal Tips, but I tend to snap them at the shoulder after a very short time playing. (I'm not a real heavy hitter either.)

[Puck]

 

Originally posted by Chunkaway Thanks for the head's up! What is the finish like? How about the durability?

 

 

back to the topic. Yes they have good durability. If you are a slammer then maybe go up a size. The round tips them selves actualy last longer that the acorn shaped tips. they are alot tougher than the sd4's and a little more than the weckels( they have that long taper). the finish is great. not slick, but smoothe enough to feel good. No problems for slipping for me.

[Old Steve]

Stewart Copeland was a die-hard regal tip guy back when he slammed rimshot backbeats with the Police, so I can't imagine that they're any "weaker" than anybody else's sticks (probably the opposite).

 

Trivia fact: Regal tip invented the nylon tip.

 

Good sticks. They just don't spend a fortune in advertising like some others do.

[ArtVandelay]

2 brands that have always been durable for me:

 

Regal Tip

Vater

 

I always break little pieces off the tips of Vic Firths just a little faster than I do with other brands - it's not extreme, mind you, but enough that I notice. With Pro-Mark, I just don't like how they feel. Zildjian stick always feel too light to me. So I tend to stick with Vater and Regal Tip.