Members braindonor35 Posted December 23, 2002 Members Share Posted December 23, 2002 My sticks get beat up real quick. I just got a new pair today, used them for an hour, and the stick I hit cymbals with is really beat up. Anyone else have this problem? How long do you usually keep a pr of sticks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members iplayloudly Posted December 23, 2002 Members Share Posted December 23, 2002 i go through wood tip sticks pretty quick, maybe a pair a week or so... i just got some nylon tip sticks that seem to hold up better. I expect them to last 2 or 3 weeks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave Schenck Posted December 23, 2002 Members Share Posted December 23, 2002 I use Promark 747 oak nylon tip and I play mostly rock. I go through about a pair every three to four weeks. Partly this is technique, ala a flick of the wrist and a glancing hit rather than driving the stick straight into the cymbals. Also angling the cymbals just a bit works for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nagi Posted December 23, 2002 Members Share Posted December 23, 2002 A pair of sticks will last me about 2 to 3 rehearsal's with the band(each session is about 3 hours) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members merc Posted December 23, 2002 Members Share Posted December 23, 2002 I don't think I have bought sticks in over a month. I use primarily vic firth 7A's but I have the firth Echo sticks as well. I only have 2 pairs right now and pretty much just use one of them. So I would say about 1 set every month to month and a half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MoosBros Posted December 23, 2002 Members Share Posted December 23, 2002 Originally posted by braindonor35 My sticks get beat up real quick. I just got a new pair today, used them for an hour, and the stick I hit cymbals with is really beat up. Anyone else have this problem? How long do you usually keep a pr of sticks? the tip or the shoulder of the stick is getting beat up? if it's the shoulder,, you may wanna check to see if maybe you could adjust the angle or hieght a bit of your cymbals,,, maybe you're chopping at the EDGE of the cymbals instead of the glancing across the FLATS.... I use Vic Firth SD5 Echo Maple sticks,, which are quite thin, and have tiny bead tips,, and one pair can last sometimes for months and months.... even though I pretty much use rimshots for the back beat in most of the stuff I play,,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members psycht Posted December 23, 2002 Members Share Posted December 23, 2002 A pair can last me for a while (few weeks), I play rock, but I don't play as hard as some drummers who will wear a pair out in a day. I went to GC and bought a 10-pack of 7A's and that will last me most of the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gretschzildjian Posted December 23, 2002 Members Share Posted December 23, 2002 Originally posted by braindonor35 My sticks get beat up real quick. I just got a new pair today, used them for an hour, and the stick I hit cymbals with is really beat up. Anyone else have this problem? How long do you usually keep a pr of sticks? What type of sticks do you use now? In case you use 7A, try Promark 7A's which I use. They're fast but massive. I guess I could play about 20 hours with them (I hit pretty hard) until the head loses wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members burque Posted December 23, 2002 Members Share Posted December 23, 2002 Originally posted by braindonor35 My sticks get beat up real quick. I just got a new pair today, used them for an hour, and the stick I hit cymbals with is really beat up. Anyone else have this problem? How long do you usually keep a pr of sticks? Not since I started using Mainline sticks exclusively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dash OH drummer Posted December 23, 2002 Members Share Posted December 23, 2002 I used to break sticks a lot, mainly hitting the hi-hats on their edge was doing it....lowered the hats, improved the technique and have used the same pair for 2 months now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members woody431 Posted December 23, 2002 Members Share Posted December 23, 2002 I use Vic Firth 8DN and they last anywhere from 4-6 weeks. When I use Pro mark 747 Rock Nylons they last around two months...they never really break, I just retire them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members braindonor35 Posted December 23, 2002 Author Members Share Posted December 23, 2002 Originally posted by gretschzildjian What type of sticks do you use now? In case you use 7A, try Promark 7A's which I use. They're fast but massive. I guess I could play about 20 hours with them (I hit pretty hard) until the head loses wood. I've been switching brands to see what I like best. My last two pairs were promark 5b and vater marvin smitty smith models. The shoulder get's major damage for highhats. I played drums for about an hour today and the shoulder was beat all to hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mopzilla Posted December 24, 2002 Members Share Posted December 24, 2002 I don't really go through sticks that much. I play really light. Mostly jazz but when i play rock I don't play very loud at all. And I've never cracked a cymbal. my general rule of thumb is this: for light to medium playing, play at the right volume, but for anything louder get a PA system with at least two mics (kick+overhead). Then I wouldn't be killing myself and i would still be loud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Living Dead Drummer Posted December 24, 2002 Members Share Posted December 24, 2002 I am using the Ahead Lars Ulrich sticks, I go though them maybe every few months or so....when im using my wood sticks, I use RegalTip 5B Nylons, I brake them in a week or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MoosBros Posted December 24, 2002 Members Share Posted December 24, 2002 Originally posted by Mopzilla I don't really go through sticks that much. I play really light. Mostly jazz but when i play rock I don't play very loud at all. And I've never cracked a cymbal. my general rule of thumb is this: for light to medium playing, play at the right volume, but for anything louder get a PA system with at least two mics (kick+overhead). Then I wouldn't be killing myself and i would still be loud. sounds like an exellent plan.... it works for me too... I always rehearse at the same level of volume that I would play live,, and part of the practice is the focus of keepping the volume DOWN.... our objective is to take exactly the same sound we rehearse to a live audience,,, so if you need more volume for the audience,, that is what the PA is for...... lots of the younger kids just can't seem to understand that at all..... so whjen they get to a gig,, their rehearsed mix goes all to {censored}... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members arguablybetter Posted December 24, 2002 Members Share Posted December 24, 2002 I am a hard hitting drummer and would go through a pair of sticks every two or three days. I soon discovered the problem was originating from my lack of technique...duh, right? But I didn't come to this conclusion without some help. When you're broke and breaking $5 sticks every other day, it can get frustrating. So I spent $30 for a pair of Ahead 5bs. The ahead sticks seem a little "clunkier" and its hard to be as articulate with ahead when compared to wooden sticks. But the plus side is their feel when hitting cymbals and driving your grooves. They cut through the cymbals and drums so smoothly, its like a knife cutting butter. I think its that anti-shock thing that ahead uses as a marketing tool, and its very true. Practicing with them makes me pay attention to how hard i'm hitting the drums, and when I hit a drum or cymbal "wrong", its very apparent to my hands. This taught me to play intense, high energy rock and roll, but with fluidity and control. Its amazing how much better you can play when you are hitting the drums with proper, relaxed technique. In fact, the music sounds TONS more intense and strong, because the intensity is coming from your emotion and state of mind, not from the how hard you are physically hitting your instrument.... so the point? I now use my ahead sticks at practice, they last for a while, and it helps me with my technique. That leaves me 3 pairs of wooden sticks for gigs, and with all this technical improvement, those wooden sticks should last me a long time as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dim_Sim Posted December 25, 2002 Members Share Posted December 25, 2002 provided that i get a good pair with good solid tips, i can have a hickory set of say vic firth 5As last me for a month or two. i rim shot a lot but i only have 1.6mm rims so it doesnt take its toll tooooo badly on the sticks. usually i have to replace the sticks because the tip has worn down or i'm just not getting enough response from the stick since the shoulder and shaft are all beat up and dented from the rimshots. on the other hand, sticks like vic firth SD2s only last me about 2 weeks... i keep using them after that coz i'm still gettin the feel i want and they are still very intact, but the tip wears down sooooo fast on these! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jaged05 Posted December 25, 2002 Members Share Posted December 25, 2002 I use Vater Fusions with a wood tip (sometimes nylon of the same model) and I usually never break them. I'll play them for 3-4 weeks or so, and by then the are pretty chewed up in the center from rimshots. I usually retire them at this point. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRUMZZ Posted December 25, 2002 Members Share Posted December 25, 2002 Anytime you break ANYTHING on a set including sticks it means there is a problem with your technique or the way you set up is wrong for optimum playing.I can have a pair of sticks for as long as I want without breaking them,& I play Fusion,Latin,Brasilian,Rock,Funk,& African rhythmns.I might also add that volume should be respected,loud,medium & soft playing is important.I use Vic Firth Weckl sticks & I play the rims & sides of my drumzz as well.Try playing at a lower volume or if you find you cannot because the band volume is to high,a good monitor system will let you hear at an acceptable level,remember,sticks,skins,cymbals etc are musiclal instruments & must be respected.I have a friend who is a fabulous drummer,he plays a lot of metal & heavy music,I jammed with him a couple of times & it was like jamming with a runaway train as far as power & rhythmn was concerned,but I saw he was going through sticks like they were tissues.After I spoke with him & made a couple of suggestions on how he could stop breaking his sticks,now whenever we jam or I go see him do a gig I notice he still has all the energy & power but I also noticed a tremendous improvement in technique & execution,plus the added benefit is he does'nt break sticks or skins any longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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