Zildjian Sticks

ok, I know a lot a people dont like Zildjian Drum Sticks...I myself used to use them, but went back to RegalTip because I have never broken one of there Nylon tips....But Zildjian is the only company (next to Ahead) that makes a stick the the spects I like....so I am just wondering what your view on Zildjian sticks are and your experiance with them is....

I'm using a few diff models of ziljian sticks right now, the travis barker model, tre cool model, and the super 5b. I like them, especially the barker model. It's a versatile stick.

what stick from Zildjian do you like, and can you describe it?

maybe we can find you an alternative.

i personally arent a fan of Zildjian or even Vic Firth. but i do love Vaters.

very very consistent from stick to stick, and none of the splinters that i find so often in Vic'y sticks.

Vaters are great. That's what I use. I used to use Vic Firth, but I prefer the Vaters.

I was in the music store yesterday looking at some zildjians, not one of the packs were sonicaly matched. Ended up matching my own by trying each one. It even says hand matched on the box.

I usually break the end off, they seem to be made from a less dense wood which I presume leads to the inconsistency.

I like the dip though.

I use Zildjian 5a's and 5bs. I'm not super picky about sticks...they're disposable as far as I'm concerned. I got a box each of 5as and 5bs about a year ago, and they threw in Zildjian t-shirts with the sticks...hey, free t-shirt, I'll take the sticks.

Anyway, as I started going through them and buying more sticks, I kept buying Zildjians as replacements so I wouldn't have to pay any attention to what I was grabbing out of the stickbag if I dropped one (I'd still have a matched set, same specs, no matter what I grabbed).

All of this 'sonically matched' stuff is kind of irrelevant to me anyway. Sure it's nice, but I've never had two of the same sticks that sounded THAT different (plus I figure one hand is usually on the ride or hi-hat, while the other is hitting backbeats...so they're playing different instuments anyway..who cares if they're matched?!?).

The only thing I try to avoid are complete "no name" sticks because I figure there's less quality control with those. Promark, Vater, Vic Firth, Zildjian, Regal Tip...they're all solid brands as far as I'm concerned, and all of them want to keep their good reputations, so I figure they all do a decent job of quality control, and/or will give you a replacement if you actually do get a dud pair. I'm sure everybody's got a horror story here and there, but dammit, sticks are cheap...use 'em and lose 'em IMHO.

I also make my own "dip sticks" and keep a 50/50 mix (dipped and non-dipped) in my stick bag, just in case I'm in a real 'sweaty' situation. Go the the hardware store and look for "Plasti-Kote" or "Plasti-Dip". Essentially it's liquid latex in a can. Dip your sticks in it ($1.99 a can last time I bought it) and it will leave an extremely thin layer of rubber on the grips. The cool thing is, I dip my 5b's in blue latex and my 5a's in yellow latex, so I can easily identify who's who in my stickbag.

It was sad to see Johnny Rabb go out of business. I thought those things were top notch.

well,

i dont think Burns necessarily means "sonically" alike, but the weights and feel of a few Zildjian pairs can be mighty off. really annoying.

and yea, i was pissed that i couldnt get my 7A Straightnecks or my Jim Keltner Slims anymore.

Originally posted by jokerjkny well, i dont think Burns necessarily means "sonically" alike, but the weights and feel of a few Zildjian pairs can be mighty off. really annoying. and yea, i was pissed that i couldnt get my 7A Straightnecks or my Jim Keltner Slims anymore.

I haven't noticed. Either it hasn't happened to me, or I'm just not sensitive to it.

Maybe ignorance is bliss in my case.

i have never tried Zildjian sticks, but i thought about trying them out. I use Vic Firth sticks now and i really like them.

I like Vic Firths a lot. I'm just currently up to my gills in Zildjians. I also like vaters. Like I said before, I'll miss Johnny Rabb's sticks.

The main reason I use Zildjians is that they generally go on sale, and I can get them cheap.

well I was using the Super 5B and I loved it, but when I switched to nylon tip the Zidjian tips shattared in seconds....so I moved back to my good old RegalTips. I can get a simalar stick from Regal, but its only in wood tip (7B). on my gig kit I only use Ahead, but in teaching, and practice, and lessons I use the Regal 5B, but the thin tapper on the neck causes them to brake to easily, this is why I thought of moving back to Z's, maybe I just got a few faulty pairs of nylon tips last time?

I like Ahead sticks; they're awesome. Unfortunately, I can't afford too many pairs of them (in a couple months I will buy a second pair), but my one pair has lasted me almost a year and a half, and going.

Other than that I prefer Vic Firth nylon tip. In all cases I prefer 5A to anything else.

I can't say I ever had them last me that long...I think I have gone though about 5 pair in the past year....still thats pritty damn good....pluse I get most of there stuff for free...they have an awsome relations guy down there!

has anyone played with the all plastic sticks. i stole a pair from my school (7A) and have had them for 2 years they havent EVER broken. you can bend them. they sound terrible on drums IMO but on cymballs they sound really tah-y for jazz type stuff. they glo in the dark...holy crap.

I got a few pair from Caloto's once...I think they just accidentaly put them in the box...I chucked those {censored}ers right in the trash, they bend sooo much, and you can bounce them like 5 feet in the air! lol!