Drumsticks

What material should I choose for my drumsticks?

Drumsticks are most often made from hardwoods like hickory, maple, or oak, but they are also available in metal and carbon fiber. We have gathered some information about the different types of materials here:

• Hickory is a large and strong hardwood found in North America and East Asia. It is a hard, durable, and resilient material that has great elasticity, making it particularly suitable for drumsticks. Hickory drumsticks are good at absorbing shock, which helps protect the drummer's wrists.
  

• Oak is a harder material than hickory. It has a longer lifespan, and you can play harder with oak drumsticks. However, oak drumsticks are about 10% heavier than those made of hickory.
  

• Maple, on the other hand, is a slightly lighter material than hickory. Therefore, thicker drumsticks are often made of maple, allowing for increased thickness without the weight becoming too heavy to play with. Maple is not as strong as the other two hardwoods, and thus maple drumsticks do not last as long. They are often used in musical genres where drumming is very fast.
  

• Aluminum is the type of metal most commonly used for drumsticks. It is a more durable material than wood, and they rarely break. A downside may be that aluminum drumsticks are heavier than those made of wood.
  

• Carbon fiber is a synthetic material that is very stiff relative to its low weight. Carbon fiber drumsticks feel almost like playing with sticks made of hickory, but the durability of carbon fiber is slightly better.
  

The material determines the sound, durability, and feel of the drumsticks in your hands. There is no one type that is better than the others, so the choice of material is largely a matter of personal preference.

Please feel free to ask us if you need help choosing the right drumsticks for your needs.

What size drumsticks should I choose?

Drumsticks come in various lengths, weights, and thicknesses, all of which affect their balance and durability. They are categorized in a system with numbers and letters, such as 7A, 5A, and 5B.

The number indicates the weight and thickness of the drumstick, while the letter indicates the length of the drumstick.

The lower the number, the thicker and thus heavier the drumstick. The letter defines how long it is. Drumsticks are typically 38-43 cm long, where A is a longer type and B is shorter. The shorter drumsticks can be easier to play at a fast tempo.

Your choice of drumsticks depends on the genre you will use them for. For instance, 7A is a small drumstick often used in quiet jazz music, while at the other end of the scale, we have a 2B stick, which is the heaviest type of drumsticks and is therefore often used in heavier music genres.

What types of drumsticks are there?

In addition to the classic drumsticks we described above, you can also find brushes, rods, and mallets at SoundStoreXL.

• Mallets are drumsticks with a large head (a beater) made of materials such as felt, rubber, or plastic. The beater resembles the one found on the pedal for a bass drum. It is often chosen to play with mallets when a very full drum sound is desired.
  

• Brushes (or whiskers) are a type of drumstick that consists of a fan of wires made of nylon or metal. Some models have adjustable wires so that you can change the sound of the sticks. Brushes produce a soft sound and are therefore well-suited for music played at low volume. They are most often used in jazz music. Brushes are also frequently used to play the cajon (a percussion instrument made of a wooden box, often featured in flamenco music) - see our selection of cajons here.
  

• Rods are a type of drumstick that consists of a cluster of thin wooden dowels bound together. They can be considered a cross between classic drumsticks and brushes. Their strike is softer than that of solid sticks, making them suitable for situations where you want a lower and lighter sound – for example, at acoustic concerts.

At SoundstoreXL you will find a wide selection of drumsticks – we also have drumsticks for children. We also offer a broad range of drums, drum sets, drumheads, and other drum accessories.

Also read about drumsticks on Wikipedia