[pantera]

I've only used 2 pairs of sticks since I started recently;

Pro-Mark 5A Millenium II hickory, nylon tip
Vic Firth Extreme 5A (X5A) hickory, wood tip

The Pro-Marks feel denser and harder, the VF lighter and more nimble and are slightly longer and a smidge thicker. When I hit the skins with the VF they 'boom' with sound, and the cymbals sound nicer. I really like the VF sticks...but....

I hooked up with a friend this weekend to jam. He plays guitar but has a full drum kit. We played all hard rock and within one hour the tips of the VF sticks were shredded. I ended up playing the next two hours with the Pro-Marks and they look exactly like they did when I started.

I plan on trying Vater and Regal Tip next. I'm almost curious enough to try Ahead, but I hefted a pair at the store and they just didn't feel right to me.

Has anyone ever heard of (or seen/used) B-Stick of Denmark (http://www.b-stick.dk/cms/)? They have a website and you can order, but it would cost me around $30 to get just one pair. They claim to be super durable over most sticks.

[juan (the ping-pong ref.)]

I use Vic Firth 5A Hickory. There is nothing better than the feel ofclasic American lumber in your hands.

	Vic Firth Drumsticks Shop for Vic Firth Drumsticks at Musician's Friend

[taye drummer]

yes ive got a pair of Vick Firths 5a, nylon tips, i think for me these work better although vader
makes a good stick also,but for now Vick's are the sticks i will be using.with the new Taye pro
Tour kit at our church.

	Taye Drums Shop for Taye Drums at Musician's Friend

[guss]

Originally Posted by juan (the ping-pong ref.)

I use Vic Firth 5A Hickory. There is nothing better than the feel ofclasic American lumber in your hands.

Try trueline, I know where they are made, and they are American too, also hand made

	Vic Firth Drumsticks Shop for Vic Firth Drumsticks at Musician's Friend

[drumbumm164]

WEll I like the nylon tips so I use the vic firth 7AN they are light and are easy to handle!

	Vic Firth Drumsticks Shop for Vic Firth Drumsticks at Musician's Friend

[taye drummer]

Guys how do you keep someone from breaking your sticks when he plays, by beating the sticks when he plays on the rims? Ive try-ed to talk to the young fellow but he's doesn't hear
me i tell him to play with the tip thats what it was made for, now i got to get a new pair fro Sunday because last Sunday he broke the new pair i just bought(not with my money,the churches) But now i will have to come out of my pocket and get more sticks.I still love the Vick
firth but i experiencing with different sizes.Then i might get a pair of both vader and vick's

[pantera]

To follow up on more sticks I've used:

Tried the Vater Los Angles 5A, I'd rate them a very close 2nd to the Vic Firths but my son liked the Vater's so much he took them....

I bought a pair of X5B Regal Tips, I do not like these sticks at all. The coating on them is slippery. During my last jam session the right stick flew out of my hand many times. I took sandpaper to the lower part (right after the REGAL logo) and it helps a bit. But the wood just doesn't feel right to me, and they're quite hard so I feel more vibration in my hands which I also don't like.

I did buy a pair of Pro-Mark wood tip 747 Japan White Oak sticks. I learned that White Oak is a tougher wood and they held up very well at the last jam session.

But for practice at home I bought another pair of the Vic Firth X5A. Of all these sticks they feel the best and have the least vibration during playing but I won't use them for jam sessions, they just don't last under heavy use.

	Regal Tip Drumsticks Shop for Regal Tip Drumsticks at Musician's Friend

	Vater Drumsticks Shop for Vater Drumsticks at Musician's Friend

	Vic Firth Drumsticks Shop for Vic Firth Drumsticks at Musician's Friend

[guss]

Originally Posted by taye drummer

Guys how do you keep someone from breaking your sticks when he plays, by beating the sticks when he plays on the rims? Ive try-ed to talk to the young fellow but he's doesn't hear
me i tell him to play with the tip thats what it was made for, now i got to get a new pair fro Sunday because last Sunday he broke the new pair i just bought(not with my money,the churches) But now i will have to come out of my pocket and get more sticks.I still love the Vick
firth but i experiencing with different sizes.Then i might get a pair of both vader and vick's

Try adjustment of drums and cymbals (snare facing towards you, and cymbal at a slant i cant think of at the moment in degrees), when i have a stick I deliberately break I make sure i hit the cymbals wrong, maybe if you say Travis barker does it he will!

	Taye Drums Shop for Taye Drums at Musician's Friend

[EphICanIMite]

Depending on the music being played, I currently use either Vic Firth Steve Jordan signatures or Steve Gadd signatures, both with wood tips. I do have some Steve Gadd's with nylon tips but nylon tips just make the cymbals sound a bit harsh to my ears. My stick bag also carries Vic Firth 7a's, Hot Rods, Cool Rods, brushes and Promark soft mallets.
I'm considering a trip to the local Guitar Center though to try some different sticks just to experiment. Always looking to see if I can make improvements.

EPH

	Pro-Mark Drumsticks Shop for Pro-Mark Drumsticks at Musician's Friend

	Vic Firth Drumsticks Shop for Vic Firth Drumsticks at Musician's Friend

[Darkside]

I normaly use the Vic firth 5A sticks but have no problem in using 5B also. Don't know prices out there but here in Spain I think they are quite expensive.

	Vic Firth Drumsticks Shop for Vic Firth Drumsticks at Musician's Friend