New sticks, desperately

shazaam · #1 (**permalink**) 04-02-2007, 11:44 PM

First off, hey guys, read through a few threads here and seems like a decent forum. Got a couple metal heads here it seems too, =D I like that cause, well, I like metal too. Along with nearly any other type of music that I just like. Anyways, back on topic. Alright, I'm needing some recommendations(yes I looked at the other thread which seemed like it started not to long ago, but I figured why not start off new with a new thread instead of posting in there). But yea, I play, well anything but meatlesque type stuff is what I'm liking right now, along with funky type of stuff. Just got a new, old, drumset(a sonor force 3003 with sabian xs20's) which I'm loving

. I first had some joey jordison Ahead sticks, yea the "indestructible" ones. Well the metal shaft inside cracked just a couple weeks before I got my new set(I was playing on the floor in band class and they just randomly went limp lol) and yea, they're done. And after I got my new set about 2weeks ago, I got some Vics size=rock and within 1week they were done. After a couple days the tips began to splinter off, then one of the sticks split(and it wasn't with the grain so they were a decent pair) but they cracked. IT came to the weekend so I grabbed my marching sticks I use in drumline at school, umm yea, the tips started to splinter on one, and did on the other =S I was down to 4 mismatched sticls basically(the Vic, Vic marching, a Ludwig from a while ago and another Vic I think, teh ludwig and last Vic I've been using in band). Ok, so yea, to sum up, I need some new sticks on the cheap cause I don't have a lot of $$ at the moment. I was looking at some pulse sticks on musiciansfriend(a 6 pair pack for $13, I know they're cheap, but still) and thinkin about em' over teh 12 pack of umm, the others for $30. I'm also thinking of buying the joey jordison sticks again when I get the money cause they lasted me a really long time and were well worth the $$. Now, I also was told that vinyl tips dent your heads so iono, but wood tips have been cracking on me lately so iono what to do.
Sorry about that long of a post, but I think/hope my whole point got across and I introduced myself decently

Pyrochazm · #2 (**permalink**) 04-03-2007, 05:39 AM

Wow, you must abuse sticks badly. I use rock N's and those last me a good month or so of constant hammering before they're worn thin. I HIGHLY reccomend you check your cymbal tecnique. If you play your cymbals flat with the felts cranked down, and smash straight into them, you'll go through a pair in no time, and risk busting an expensive piece of bronze in the process. Try tilting your plates at an angle, loosen em up a bit and do more of a downward swipe when you ride on your crashes, and you might get a couple more weeks out of your sticks, and a few more years out of your cymbals.

mouse · #3 (**permalink**) 04-03-2007, 05:57 AM

You get what you pay for, cheaper sticks are just that and won't last if you are a heavey hitter. Marching sticks although large in size ,are made of softer woods and won't last very long, as well as be hard to play with.
The Vic Firth Rock Hickory should be o.k but get the plastic tip model instead if you are breaking tips, or try a harder wood type like oak. If you can handle big sticks try the Mike Manginin laminated model. If you are hitting so hard to break sticks there is usually a reason. Do you need to mike up the drums for more volume ? Do a a self review of your playing technique, where are you hitting the drums and cymbals, and are you using arm movements and not allowing the stick to bounce, rigidity creates shock and wear out sticks quicker.
Straight on blows to cymbals will do it too, and possibly damage the cymbals as well.
Try glancing blows. If you continually use rim shots, let's face it, the metal hoop is going to win in the end over the wood stick.
Plastic tip sticks are likely to dent heads only if the drums are on too much of an angle and tensions too loose.

Handy hint
When i was playing rock and using many rim shots i would often get a double life out of the sticks. When the tips fell off a drum stick, it was these sticks i saved and used the butt end to play the snare hand with as it was generally the middle of the stick that wore out, so the tip not needed.

shazaam · #4 (**permalink**) 04-03-2007, 05:49 PM

Tanks guys for your replies. First Pyrochazm, I'm perty sure/positive I'm hitting my cymbals right. My crash is tilted a tad and is decently loose so it doesn't go dead right away/torque it. The ride, well it's a lil' tighter than the crash so it doesn't knock on my low tom(it's a fusion set so it's a 14in. tom on the ride stand), but I'd have to say it's loose enough. And well, my hats, the top one is decently tight, still rocks a bit, but is tight cause I usually play closed and not too lose if at all. Then there's my china which I'm saying is what's chewing the sticks up. It's a 12in. Wuhan that I got with the set also, sounds good but it curves up so you hit your stick on the outer area which in turn chews it up. I was thinking of flipping it so that wouldn't happen but I'm afraid of denting it.
Now to mouse, yea I am a hard hitter. And no, micing wouldn't help cause well, no shows, just practice. I'm gonna hopefully get a group together. Well, I'm not always a heavy hitter, just depends what style of music I guess and my mood :P . And about the marching sticks, well, I figured they're thicker and last me actually quite a while on snare, but I never thought about the tip(s) chipping, but they did. And as you said they're hard to play with, eh, if you don't use em' and just switched to em' OMG they're the hardest thing, but yea, they aren't heavy anymore to me so they really feel fine. Now, if I play with 5A's or something, WOW, it feels like there's nothing in my hands.
I've never thought of getting a harder wood either I guess, maybe try it. And I do let my sticks bounce/I let them do the work or however you wanna say it. And yes, I do love rimshots cause I I love Chris Adlers snare, crap part is though, he doesn't need to do rimshots for that sound

I do and I know that's part of the reason cause rimshots do do alot of damage to sticks, but still.
To the vinyl tips/plastic, I'll get a pic uploaded, wait I can put it in the post

...

Hope that one works if not, well you guys can tell me and I'll get a pic that shows more of teh toms angle, they aren't to much and are comfy for me to play so iono.
And lastly, I tried playing with the butt end and I cracked my snare head last time I did

duuno if it was the head or what but I didn't like it :P
Crap, another real long post, eh.

Pyrochazm · #5 (**permalink**) 04-04-2007, 02:39 AM

Yeah man, those china's will eat through sticks fast. I've got my sabian 12" mini china upside down, and I've never had problems with it. I hit it pretty hard too, and constantly.

mouse · #6 (**permalink**) 04-04-2007, 03:00 AM

There is no right or wrong way to mount the china and as Pyro stated with the edge up it will chew sticks fast. It also increases the risk of cymbal damage. With the flare down it will sound a bit different but should last forever, your call. The 12 Wuhans are popular accent cymbals for rock, good choice.
I use an Alpha 16" and is great for general purpose playing not overpowering and tasteful. I once owned a 20" 2002 Paiste China, now that could scare the troops.
Maybe you could play a little lighter at your practice time and save your sticks some (and ears). It is good to learn to play at all volume levels (even in rock).
My 5 piece band practice in a small room and the vocalist is just miked up and find it the most productive way to learn our repotoire. Hard to pick mistakes at full noise.
We rock out at gigs but are able to use volume control to suit the audience/ venue and it also creates effective dynamics. Also it helps us to listen to each other and play better. Often i will play a bit louder in a chorus and drop back for the vocalist in the verse, then slowly bring it up again, it's very effective making the vocals stand out. So many rock bands out there seem centered on breaking decibel limits with no light and shade in their playing, just one big noise to me and not musical.

shazaam · #7 (**permalink**) 04-04-2007, 11:25 PM

yea, thanks for the compliment and recommendations guys. With it flipped I think I'll see if it'll fit on the Rides stand cause the one it's on now, well it like to wobble( a cheap, maybe $10 stand :P ). And for how I play, I do use dynamics, a lot. But when I hit the "breakdown" sections, then yea, that's when stuff happens

And as an update, I did get some new sticks. I think they're Yamaha 5b... perty sure... vynil/plastic tips, and I got a pro mark one too. They're really short and light

just don't feel right, I like just the opposite of what I got, but they felt OK at the store. O well, they were maybe $3 a piece cause of inventory reasons I guess. They seem like they'll hold up, and for $2-3 a piece I couldn't pass it up so I got 6 pair

. Then after that I think I may get the Joey Jordison Aheads again... maybe.
BTW, what do you guys think of my set? lol. A sonor force 3003, with saian xs20 rock, 12in. wuhan china... for $650. The guy I got it from like I think I stated earlier has a b8pro splash that he was gonna throw in too, but didn't. So do you gusy think I got off with a perty good deal? And do you guys think I should try get the splash from him too? I'd be paying some, iono how much, but $50 at the most I think.

mouse · #8 (**permalink**) 04-05-2007, 05:43 AM

Don't know if it's worth that much, it is a budget cymbal, check out E Bay music shops first to compare, you may get a better deal. Then again is it the one that you want? If not stash, the 50 and when you find a better voiced splash that you fall in love with and can't leave the shop without, you will have the cash.
Not sure if the kit is a good deal as i live in a different exchange rate, but it looks tidy and i guess the Sonors are good quality drums.
Meantime the 50 might be better spent on a new or good secondhand cymbal stand for the china if you use it a lot, or you could post it to me for the advice

. I mount chinas with a felt washer underneath and two on the top for stability.

shazaam · #9 (**permalink**) 04-05-2007, 05:19 PM

TY, yea I think I may wait it out. Personally almost all splashes IMO are sexy and have a great sound, I just love em' all :P . But I think I'm gonna try mounting the china on my ride stand today being you was sayin it'd be decent to flip it so I'll try that. And yea, I'm using 3 felt washers for the china, it's just the stand itself. The legs are spread as far as they can be stabley, yet it still likes to wobble being it's a fairly light/weak stand. But thanks guys fo rthe advice, and when I get some $$ I think I may order the Mike Mangini sticks, they look decent so why not.

EDIT: For an update, the sticks I got haven't cracked yet, and the tips haven't dented the heads atleast afaik

. I flipped the china, it seems like it decays faster but sounds decent still and I figured out something else now that I did that cause I get a cool effect , IMO, by hitting the china and glancing off and hitting the low tom with the same hand/stick. Just some cool thang I can do now that sounds cool and seems or sounds like it'd be "technical" lol.

**skinslapper** · #10 (**permalink**) 04-06-2007, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mouse

I once owned a 20" 2002 Paiste China, now that could scare the troops.

I've got a 22" 2002 china. I can summon rain with that thing.