Vic Firth American Classic Wood Tip

How To Select Drumsticks

Stick Size

Drumsticks usually have a size code on them, ie 7A,5A,5B.

• 7A... This is lighter and narrower than most sticks. recommended for young drummers, say the under 10's.
  
• 5A... The average size and weight. Suitable for most players most of the time.
  
• 5B / 2B...Heavier and fatter than average. Too heavy for children, or people with "average to small" sized hands.
  
• It's a "heavy rock music" type stick, preferably for drummers with larger hands and good wrist strength.

For a heavy metal band or a marching band:

• Thicker drumsticks are required to withstand the heavy abuse they will take. Larger drumsticks are normally a 5B or 2B size (2B is larger) and will usually last much longer than thinner sticks.

For jazz band or light volumed pop band:

• A smaller stick is better. Either a 7A (very thin) or a 5A (standard) will suffice. For multiple styles, a 5B drumstick is very versatile.

Wood Type

Wood type and moisture content are key elements in a drumstick's response and durability. Too much moisture produces a stick that feels weak and warps quickly. Too little moisture will produce a stick that is very brittle and breaks easily. Achieving the proper balance of moisture produces a stick that is very durable and stays straight.
Wood with a low moisture content is often used to make inexpensive sticks but while this will increase the number of straight sticks in a production run, it also significantly decreases stick quality and durability.

Hickory: is the most popular wood used for making drumsticks. Hickory is denser, heavier and more rigid than maple. Hickory can also absorb a great amount of shock, which reduces hand and wrist fatigue. Dark, or “brown hickory”, is found closer to the trees centre and is slightly denser and heavier than “white hickory”. About 85% of all wooden drumsticks are made of hickory.

Maple: is a much lighter and less dense wood than hickory. Maple can provide the feel of a big stick without the extra weight of a hickory stick. Maple sticks are primarily used for light, fast playing in low volume situations. About 14% of all wooden drumsticks are made of maple.

Oak: is the biggest, heaviest wood. It sounds very bright on the cymbals, and is very heavy and very un-flexible. It is a very durable stick. Just a few wooden drumsticks are made of oak.