Drumsticks Breaking

[thefarkus]

So i recently got new drumsticks, these ====> Zildjian 5A Nylon Dip Drumsticks

and i one of them is breaking after only a week. A WEEK. Is this normal??

[areFish]

Welcome to DC. All depends on how you play and what you hit. I recently had an almost new Pro Mark 5A wood tip crack right down the center starting at the tip. I sent off an email since it seemed out of the ordinary. New pair being sent out.

[Northern Redneck]

Drumsticks and heads break, wear out,they are consumables.

[Digital]

The type of stick you use will get varying mileage depending what they're made of, and who makes them. I got some very generic maple stick with my Ddrum deccabons and they literally snapped after 2 songs...all of them. The Vic Firth hickory 5B and 5A last me about 20-50 songs (give or take). I recently switched to Pro Mark 5B oak sticks. They're made of harder wood and for me, that's perfect. They don't shred open like hickory does. I'm still using my first pair from over 2 months ago.

[atomcorr2]

i kill a pair of sticks per gig,,, every gig... they are not made to last forever... if sticks lasted too long , the drumstick companies would be bankrupt in no time at all....

[ntn2it]

Get used to it. Sticks break. I have had them break the first time I slid them out of the sleeve they came in. Broke two sticks just last night, and they were brand new. Hit 'em on the bell of the ride during a gig and they shattered. It happens every weekend. Throw 'em in the crowd and grab another one.



(More threads about Drumsticks)

[wolvie56]

New sticks should last longer than that unless you hit real hard. Send off an e-mail to the manufacturer. Let them know of potential problems with that line. Chances are they will send out a replacement pair. I use ProMark 747's Japanese Oak nylon tipped. Usually they last a long time, especially the tips, but for a while there the tips were suddenly breaking apart. I wrote them to let them know about the problem I was having. They acknowledged that they were aware of the situation then they sent out a full brick of the sticks I use. I thought that was pretty cool.

[groovearteest]

Zildjians seem cheaply made and break easy. I know quite a few people who have used them and think the same as I do about these sticks.

[Nechre]

sticks break. If it's after a week, you are hitting too many rimshots and/or hitting the cymbals at an extreme angle.

[NPYYZ]

I rarely break sticks now because I only play in my basement. (other then an occasional benefit or tribute show every now and then) When I was playing out full time I would break them quite often because in a live situation I play a lot harder then I do in my basement. I had sticks last for several gigs , and I've had sticks break during the very first song they were used. It's wood, it breaks. I was buying 12 to 24 pair at a time so it wasn't a big deal for me.

[Ricardo]

Zildjian makes great cymbals and weak sticks.

[Pearl MCX Man]

Vic Firth and Zildjian stick are made by the same guys now. I use 5a Los Cabos maple with both wood and nylon tips and no issues with breakage. Never had any problems with breaking sticks unless I hit real hard.

[almostmatt1]

In response to the question... No, it's not normal. Having said that, I've broken sticks within days of purchase before, it can happen. It's probably a faulty stick, but do make sure your technique is solid.

[SpatzST]

How do you guys break sticks so quickly? I can use the same pair for months.

[SpecialAnthony]

We must rock harder than you

There was a recent thread about this as well, echoing most comments above - it depends on the wood, grips, playing style/technique, force, and of course the quality of the stick/manufacturing process. I blew through 3 pairs of Neil Peart sig sticks in a month - all broken in the same fashion and they were hardly dented/no frays. Contacted ProMark and they shipped replacements after I sent a picture. They chalked it up to a bad batch of wood. It happens.

FWIW in my quest to find the best longevity, Vaters seems to hold up better than the rest.

[SparrowBeat]

I'll play on the rims rather than on a cymbal sometimes and that destroys sticks.

[Merlin Coryell]

I'll add in another vote for ProMark's White Oak. With a nylon tip, these sticks can last you several months of playing/gigging depending on your style.

I have used 5a, 727, and 747B in these, and even the thin 727s hold up much longer than a Hickory 5B or 2B due to the fact that they will not shred and flex so much in the middle. For extreme playing, where you might be doing more heavy hitting or just want more stick bounce, the 747Bs are the king. They are great to practice with and go back to normal sticks cause the extra weight will get your fingers and wrists in shape.

I havent used hickory since switching in 2006, and Ive likely only been through about 15 pairs of the 727s, and about 10 or so pairs of the 747B. Playing/gigging all styles from classic rock, to blues, to metal. Again, nylon tips add a lot of life to your sticks too so keep with them.

[groovearteest]

You can get any pair of stick to last several months. But sometimes you may play and you'll break one in two days or a week or so, it happens. You shouldn't flip out or make a big deal about breaking sticks unless you break a pair every day or something. Sometimes you break a pair sooner than others. Remember there supposed to break after a while, if they didn't drumstick companies would go broke.

[Shawn76]

I used to use Vater sticks and they lasted a few weeks per pair.Now I am using Regal Tip Death EX sticks and get maybe a week of use out of them.They are hickory but seem to be a softer hickory then the vater sticks are.I like the feel of the Regal Tip sticks and know I will go through them fast,so I order 6 pairs and when I get to the last pair,I put my order in for more. It would be nice if someone stocked them around here,but no luck there,so I have to pay a little extra for shipping. Worth it to me since they have the right feel for my hands.

[Olimpass]

Welcome to theforum thefarkus. Yes, it's normal. What everyone said above^^^.
I had a pair of sticks that lasted me over 2 years. I think they were made of fiberglass or something. I paid, I remember around $23.00 for them in the 80's. They were red and hollowed out somewhat at the bottom end of the stick. Forgot the brand and couldn't find them anymore.

[Shawn76]

Welcome to theforum thefarkus. Yes, it's normal. What everyone said above^^^.
I had a pair of sticks that lasted me over 2 years. I think they were made of fiberglass or something. I paid, I remember around $23.00 for them in the 80's. They were red and hollowed out somewhat at the bottom end of the stick. Forgot the brand and couldn't find them anymore.

A friend had some and I gave him some wood sticks and he said there was a big difference between the 2.He said he wouldn't be using anything but wood sticks from now on. Not sure I'd want to use fiberglass sticks on my cymbals.

[SpatzST]

We must rock harder than you

There was a recent thread about this as well, echoing most comments above - it depends on the wood, grips, playing style/technique, force, and of course the quality of the stick/manufacturing process. I blew through 3 pairs of Neil Peart sig sticks in a month - all broken in the same fashion and they were hardly dented/no frays. Contacted ProMark and they shipped replacements after I sent a picture. They chalked it up to a bad batch of wood. It happens.

FWIW in my quest to find the best longevity, Vaters seems to hold up better than the rest.

Lol its funny you say Vater's because I find those to last the shortest time before splintering down the shaft from rimshots.

[Shawn76]

Lol its funny you say Vater's because I find those to last the shortest time before splintering down the shaft from rimshots.

Rimshots are hell on sticks.A lot of my sticks have the middle splintered because of them,but they sound good on my snare.

[xweasel]

I used to use Vater sticks and they lasted a few weeks per pair.

I can get a pair of Vater 5Bs to last me a year. But then again, I don't practice nearly as often as I should. I think I actually break cymbals faster than I break sticks...

[Shawn76]

I can get a pair of Vater 5Bs to last me a year. But then again, I don't practice nearly as often as I should. I think I actually break cymbals faster than I break sticks...

I was using Vater 5As before I went to the Regal Tip sticks. I still have a pair of unused Vater sticks that will become antiques before I use them.