Drum sticks are far from simple, wooden clubs you use to bash around snares, toms and cymbals like Animal from The Muppets (or Keith Moon). As with many things regarding music, the mysteries of drum sticks are filled with subtleties, and those nuances can affect how you sound, the way you play and, ultimately, how comfortable you are when sitting behind your kit.
Choosing drum sticks is a purely individual journey—which means the search for the perfect pair requires focusing on you. There are no “standard” rock, jazz, pop, funk or country sticks. Players of all styles use what works for them. As a result, researching which sticks your drum hero uses may be a good start, but the model they prefer may or may not be the perfect fit for your style or technique. The most productive course is auditioning a whole slew of sticks to consider which pair fits easily in your hands, which produces sounds that make you smile, and which helps you unleash every last ounce of your creativity while you play.
The following drum sticks are excellent options for starting your quest. Now, get out there and bang on some drums.
Table of Contents
Quick Chart of Basic Drum Stick Features
6 Sensational Signature Drum Sticks
8 Spectacular Sticks and Rods
Exploring the Parts of a Drum Stick
Get Groovin'
Quick Chart of Basic Drum Stick Features
|
Model |
Wood |
Tip |
Available Sizes |
|
Hickory |
Acorn, wood |
7A (slightly thicker) |
|
|
Hickory |
Custom, wood |
Custom 5A/5B |
|
|
Hickory |
Ball, wood |
7A |
|
|
Hickory |
Barrel, wood |
Custom 5A/5B |
|
|
Hickory |
Half barrel, wood |
Custom 5A/5B |
|
|
Hickory |
Teardrop, wood |
5A extended |
|
|
Flame-tempered hickory |
Acorn, wood |
2B, 5A, 5B, 7A |
|
|
Birch dowels |
Bundled birch |
16" length, .550" diameter |
|
|
Hickory |
Barrel, nylon or wood |
2B, 5A, 5B, 7A |
|
|
Hickory |
Oval, nylon or wood |
5A |
|
|
Hickory |
Teardrop, wood |
5A extended |
|
|
Hickory |
Teardrop, nylon or wood (depending on size) |
1A, 2B, 3A, 5A, 5B, 55A, 7A, 8D, 85A |
|
|
Birch dowels |
Bundled birch |
16.25" length, .580" diameter |
|
|
Hickory or maple |
Ball or oval and nylon or wood (depending on size) |
5A, 5B, 7A |
6 Sensational Signature Drum Sticks
Here are five incredible drummers who harnessed their experience to create sticks that fortify their artistry. Fortunately for you, all the mojo they put into their own sticks may also benefit your style and approach.
Promark Anika Nilles Signature Hickory
Germany’s Anika Nilles will be channeling the late Neil Peart to take his place behind the drums for Rush’s Fifty Something Tour in 2026. The Promark Anika Nilles Signature Hickory sticks are modeled after the company’s Rebound 7A, but due to her swift, propulsive and polyrhythmic onslaughts, she wanted a bit more control and finesse. The 16" length, severe taper and smaller tip of her signature sticks generate a faster response and a livelier rebound off the drum.
“The smaller tip makes such a big difference,” says Nilles. “It sharpens my sound and makes it so much easier to control cleanliness in speed.”
Shop Now: Promark Anika Nilles Signature Hickory Drum Sticks
Promark Carter McLean Signature Hickory
Self-taught, San Francisco-born Carter McLean owned the drum chair for the Broadway smash, The Lion King, and he has also worked with Charlie Hunter, Leni Stern, Victor Wooten and Bernie Worrell. His Promark Carter McLean Signature Hickory stick has a slightly longer length (16-1/8") to accommodate an extended reach, but without overshooting the sweet spots of your cymbals and toms. The stick’s rear-weighted balance helps with quickness, articulation and expression, and it also sports a unique, completely custom tip.
“You can play it parallel to the cymbal and get a big, open and bright sound,” explains McLean. “Play it at a steeper angle, and you’ll get a darker, more articulate sound.”
Shop Now: Promark Carter McLean Signature Hickory Drum Sticks
Vater Elise Trouw Signature
Drummer, multi-instrumentalist and looping sensation Elise Trouw has clocked multi-millions of views on YouTube channel. Her Elise Trouw Signature 7A sticks are a tad slimmer than some 7As (with a diameter of .540"), and are capped with a round tip for consistent sound production, lightness and control. Made from USA hickory, the sticks strut a whimsical and eye-catching pink finish.
“I designed a pair of sticks that are fun because drumming is fun,” she says.
Shop Now: Vater Elise Trouw Signature Drum Sticks
Vater Jay Weinberg 908 Signature
Jay Weinberg is the son of celebrated Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg, but it was his tenure in Slipknot that won him “Best Rock Drummer” in Modern Drummer’s 2020 Reader’s Poll. The size of his Jay Weinberg 908 Signature sticks sit between a 5A and a 5B at a .585" diameter, and also offer increased reach with a 16.25" length and a barrel tip that really lowers the boom.
“The 908 is the result of total collaboration and discovery with Vater,” says Weinberg. “We’ve created a drum stick that’s truly unique and that has its own character but feels familiar and versatile to suit any drummer’s style.”
Shop Now: Vater Jay Weinberg 908 Signature Drum Sticks
Vic Firth American Classic NE1 by Mike Johnston
Michael Johnston hosted Modern Drummer’s Mike and Mike Podcast (with fellow drummer Mike Dawson) and launched mikeslessons.com, where his drum education content has racked up views in the millions. The NE1 designation of his American Classic NE1 stands for “No Excuses.” Johnston set his size between a 5A and 5B (5As felt too thin and 5Bs too heavy), and adjusted the taper for super fast rebound and responsiveness. He also modified the tip to a half barrel shape that lets you play expressively on the cymbals but also have a fat sound on toms and snares.
“When your drum stick isn’t fighting against you, there are no excuses,” says Johnston.
Shop Now: Vic Firth American Classic NE1 by Mike Johnston
Zildjian Josh Dun Signature
Former Guitar Center employee, Twenty One Pilots drummer and Grammy winner Josh Dun choose stunning red and yellow finishes for his signature Zildjian sticks. You can get both in his Zildjian Josh Dun Artist Series Variety 4-Pack. The sticks feature an oval tip and robust 5A shaft with some extra length (16.5") for reach and velocity to suit Dun’s athletic playing style.
“It has a great weight to it and just feels really good to swing around,” he says. “It’s not too heavy, and it really produces a great sound when it hits the drum.”
Shop Now: Zildjian Josh Dun Clancy Signature Drum Sticks
8 Spectacular Sticks and Rods
If a signature stick doesn’t do it for you, there are still numerous options that can help bring your playing to the next level. Here is a roster of eight conventional and non-conventional choices that can elevate almost any technique or musical style.
Promark FireGrain
These gorgeous, handmade-in-the-USA drum sticks are put through heat tempering to increase the durability and toughness of the hickory construction. Heat tempering also diminishes excess vibration, which translates into longer sessions and increased power without fatigue. Promark FireGrain sticks come with an oval tip, which lets you switch tones on the fly by simply adjusting the angle at which you strike the cymbal.
Shop Now: Promark FireGrain Drum Sticks 5A
Promark Hot Rod
Handmade in the USA, Promark Hot Rods are for situations when a drummer wants a lighter and quieter brush-like sound but with more percussive attack. Nineteen birch dowels are bundled together in a 5B-type diameter (.550") with a 16" length. If you’re tired of the same old stick sounds, a Hot Rod is a great way to explore new percussive vistas.
Shop Now: Promark Hot Rod Sticks
Sound Percussion Labs Hickory
Sound Percussion Labs 5A sticks deliver all the benefits of a light, tight hickory material with a teardrop tip, but at very affordable pricing. They produce a concise and present tone, and can handle night after night of pounding tom patterns and aggro cymbal washes.
Shop Now: Sound Percussion Labs Hickory Drum Sticks 5A
Vater American Hickory Los Angeles
The Vater American Hickory Los Angeles 5A is on the slightly thicker side of the 5A equation, so if you dig the feel of a 5A stick, but want a little more power, this could be the model for you. Made from USA hickory, the Los Angeles also delivers a clear and incisive attack, thanks to a medium taper that’s heavier toward its nylon, oval tip.
Shop Now: Vater American Hickory Los Angeles Drum Sticks 5A
Vic Firth American Classic Extreme
The Vic Firth American Classic Extreme X5A extends the length of a conventional 5A stick 1/2" to 16.5" for expanded reach and more power. The X5A can also come in handy when you’re using a back-lined drum kit at a gig and the cymbals and toms are positioned just a teensy bit beyond your comfort zone. You’ll definitely appreciate that increased reach.
Shop Now: Vic Firth American Classic Extreme Drum Sticks 5A
Vic Firth American Classic Hickory
The Vic Firth American Classic Hickory 5A is reportedly the best-selling stick on the planet, so that’s a lot of drummers voting for the sound and playability of this model. Made with USA hickory, the .565" diameter and 16" long Classic 5A adds a teardrop tip that achieves maximum contact with drums and cymbals for a full, resonant tone.
Shop Now: Vic Firth American Classic Hickory Drum Sticks 5A
Vic Firth RUTE-X
The Vic Firth RUTE-X is a savvy hybrid stick that delivers the feel of sticks, but with the unique sound of rods. For example, you can get that wonderfully odd sizzle-swack on your snare with the rods, but when you need a stick-like rimshot or want to do some cross-sticking, the extended wood handle does the job. You can also change the response and sound of the rods by moving an adjustable band. The RUTE-X is 16.25" long with a .580" diameter.
Shop Now: Vic Firth RUTE-X Medium Gauge
Zildjian DIP
My personal choice, Zildjian DIP sticks are gig savers for drummers—like me—who are tormented with the dropsies or have sweaty hands. The coating provides a secure grip that feels so natural you forget it’s there, and it comes in black, purple and green finishes. I use the 7A, because it’s light, easy to maneuver and perfect for gigs at wineries and restaurants where too much volume can get your band fired. Zildjian DIP sticks are available with a wood or nylon tip, and depending on the size and material (wood or maple), can be a ball or oval shape.
Shop Now: Zildjian DIP Drum Sticks 5B
Exploring the Parts of a Drum Stick
Drum stick evolutions have been forged and inspired by drummers of all styles throughout the years. Simultaneously, manufacturers have developed innovations to enhance durability, consistency, comfort, grip and rebound, as well as how a stick influences a drum’s sound. This indispensable partnership of engineering and real-world performance feedback has ensured today’s drum sticks have the right parts to deliver optimum results. Let’s look at some of those ingredients.
What Are the Different Drum Stick Tips?
Some drummers may launch into a healthy debate on this subject, but it’s hard to argue that the tip is the component of the stick that interacts with the drum the most, and, as a result, its shape and composition have a significant and direct effect on your sound. Tips shaped to have less contact with a drum head or cymbal often produce bright, articulate and shimmering overtones that cut nicely through a dense music mix. Larger and/or wider tips that contact more of the drum’s surface tend to produce a warm, full sound with accentuated low overtones. There are myriad tips available—including custom designs developed by some manufacturers—but here are the five most common tip shapes.
Acorn: With a large surface area available to hit the drum, the acorn tip is known for its full, fat and round tone. As it produces a bell-like sound on cymbals and a nice, resonant attack on toms and snares, the acorn tip works marvelously for most styles of music.
Ball: Ball tips deliver a consistent, balanced and focused sound because the surface area that impacts the drum is always the same. However, as it’s one of the smaller tip shapes, the tonal signature of the ball design is bright and articulate. If you hit the drums lightly, a ball tip can provide enough attack to carve out your space in an ensemble without overwhelming the other instruments. For a frustrated basher who can’t seem to get adequately heard in a band filled with horn sections, keyboards and background vocalists, a ball tip might just bust through the cacophony.
Barrel: A barrel tip delivers a loud, coherent and punchy sound—which is the reason many drummers consider these tips a great choice for recording-studio sessions. In fact, studio legend Steve Gadd is such a fan, his signature sticks have barrel tips. Microphones tend to love how barrel tips interact with drums, as the tone is usually broad and balanced without any mushiness or distracting high-frequency sizzle.
Oval: While an oval tip serves up a balanced distribution of low, midrange and high frequencies, it’s also a tip that can produce the most varied sounds. Shrewd drummers can hold their sticks so that the oval tip hits a drum at different impact angles to elicit a vast range of lovely overtones. These stick-shift techniques unlock a high level of expressiveness, meaning sonic explorers can quickly and easily change up sounds, moods and vibes—even within the space of a single song.
Teardrop: The teardrop drops a big chunk of real estate on the drum to produce taut, warm lows. Like the acorn shape, the teardrop is another popular tip with manufacturers and players. The teardrop tends to sound darker than an acorn tip, so drummers looking for a tad less high-end luster should grab a pair.
Nylon vs. Wood: For the most part, the basic characteristics of a tip shape remain in play whether the material is wood or nylon. That said, nylon tips are brighter and more articulate than wood tips, and wood is warmer and darker than nylon. While producing increased articulation and overall clarity, nylon tips also tend to be more robust than wood tips, which can wear down during aggressive play. There’s no wrong answer here, as both tip materials are excellent, and many drummers have a collection of nylon and wood tips in their stick bags.
How Does Wood Affect a Drum Stick’s Sound?
The wood used to create a stick influences its sound. However, the composition of a stick often has more to do with how it feels in your hands, as well as how durable it is as it’s smacked around your kit over and over again. Different woods possess distinct density and weight characteristics, so try a bunch and see if a specific wood speaks to you (or not).
Birch: While a birch drum stick is heavy, dense and durable enough to take on Thor’s hammer in a boulder-shattering contest, it isn’t one of the more popular woods for making sticks. However, if you like a weighty stick and want to emulate the God of Thunder on your kit, go for birch.
Oak: Oak is not as dense as birch, but oak sticks can still uncork a loud and aggressive tone.
Hickory: Hickory is like a beloved international celebrity—it appears almost everywhere. Scores of drum sticks are made from hickory because it’s Hulk tough, but it doesn’t weigh a lot. Hickory offers a reasonably flat and transparent sonic signature.
Maple: Maple is the soft, cuddly puppy of drum stick woods. It’s still a tough customer that doesn’t break easily, but the lighter weight and mass can make it easier for some drummers to negotiate fast or complex drum parts or play more delicately and expressively.
What Is Drum Stick Taper?
The taper is where the diameter of the stick starts to thin out toward the tip—a location called the “shoulder”—and it affects a stick’s feel and balance. Sticks with a longer taper will feel lighter at the front and sound softer, as well. You also get more rebound with a long taper. Sticks with a shorter taper feel heavier up front, sound more muscular and offer less rebound. As a very basic rule, a short taper provides power, a long taper offers responsiveness and a medium taper delivers a balance of speed and power.
Can the Body of a Drum Stick Influence How You Play?
The body—or shaft—is where most of the weight of the stick resides, and it will exert a fair amount of influence on your comfort level while playing and practicing. A chunky body will provide increased volume and resonance, but unless you’re an Olympic power lifter, a thick and heavy stick can be a chore to handle during rolls and complex fills. On the other hand, a lighter, slimmer body makes it easier to negotiate fast and elaborate parts, but that benefit is often at the expense of power and brute force.
The grip area right above the end of the stick is known as the “butt.” Some drummers will flip their sticks around and play with the butt end forward to produce more volume, propulsive energy and savage tones. Also, manufacturers may offer sticks with a textured grip area a little downstream from the body to minimize hand slippage.
How to Decode Drum Stick Sizes
When you spin by the drum stick display at your local Guitar Center or read through the models offered online, it might be confusing to see designations such as 7A, 2B and 5A. What do these number/letter combos mean? Let’s decode the letter designation first.
- A = Orchestra. It’s the lightest and slimmest stick.
- B = Marching Band. These sticks are heavier and thicker.
- D = Dance Band. The designation is rarely used today, and its profile sits somewhere between an A and a B.
- S = Street Band. This is the largest and heaviest stick size.
Now, let’s define the numbers. Drum stick numbers can range from 2 to 9, but the most common numbers you’ll see are 2, 5 and 7. The low numbers signify the heftiest options, so a 2 is the heaviest of the heavy and the thickest of the thick, while a 7 is light and slim.
When you put the letters and numbers together, you can determine how a particular stick will feel in your hand. For example, the 5A is often considered a classic style as it’s not very thick or thin, nor is it overly heavy or light. Many drummers start there and then decide if they’d prefer a thicker and heavier stick, such as a 2B, or would rather play with something light and slim, such as a 7A. Some manufacturers have added a “Super” or “X” to certain designations to alert drummers that the stick has a longer than standard length.
Get Groovin'
A drum stick is created from a diverse selection of sizes, weighs and materials—all of which collaborate to produce distinctive sounds and playing feels. Every time you pick up a new or different stick, you learn valuable insights into crafting your sound, upgrading your technique and launching fresh musical adventures. In fact, changing the sound of your drums can be as simple and as inexpensive as hitting it with a new pair of sticks.
But sticks are not the only relatively low-cost influencers of drum tone. Drum heads also play a significant role in shaping your sound, so check out our Drum Head Buying Guide to further explore new ways to punch up your grooves.
If you’re overwhelmed by the options, our Gear Advisers can help you narrow things down and find the right fit for you. A visit to your local Guitar Center is another great way to try sticks and heads as well as get expert counsel from our knowledgeable store associates.