Ahead Drumsticks - Any Positive Feedback?

[beyondbetrayal]

As a heavy hitter myself I have broken a few Ahead sticks. Believe me.. you will be 4 times as pissed off breaking a stick worth 4 times as much..

Then you have to go out and get another $40 set or whatever they cost..

The main thing is don't let your covers get worn out. If you go all the way threw its aluminium hitting the cymbals and your done for.. Id also really watch cymbal angles with these things.... you have to hit as flat as possible or they don't last.

after breaking 3 or 4 of these I jumped off that band wagon.. but, I used to hit much harder with worse technique. I bet a pair would last me a long time now.

You should also get the grips as the aluminium is slippery

and last but not least.. watch the tips.. make sure they are TIGHT. I had one come off during a fill and put a hole in two tom heads

 

[longgun]

12.) The grip can get slippery a bit easier than wood sticks. That will take a while to control. The first time I used them live, I was in for a big surprise. I dropped them 3 times in the same song. I haven't dropped them live for a while now though. Like I said, it just takes some getting used to. It kinda sucks though because I haven't been able to emulate the amount of sweat my hands buildup live in practice time.

+1............to me, they are pretty slippery.

I use the Ziljdian stick wax................works great

and last but not least.. watch the tips.. make sure they are TIGHT. I had one come off during a fill and put a hole in two tom heads

+1, I use loctite blue on the tips and check them periodically

 

[tommytom]

There are plenty of posts that give of a lot of cons about Ahead sticks, but i'm looking for some of the pros.I don't break sticks very often, they seem to just wear down and get "bendy" below the tip.

The carpet is starting to look like a saw mill, I'd rather play than vacuum.

At the moment i'm using Vic Firth CM's (17" .635") and hit heavy. I guess i have already made my decision to at least try them, but will i need to change my technique greatly to get the best out of them?

I am a senior 76 with over 60+ years of drumming experience. On a whim I bough a pair of Ahead 5B sticks. They are 16" .595 58 grams with LT long taper. I love them and play my set at home with a new excitement. With them I feel I'm able to employ my technique with effortless ease. They allow me to use good dynamics and can open up and be aggressive when I need to yet play at a whisper when called for. Don't go only by the comments you read here ... try them yourself and if you have some experience you will enjoy using them. Also at my age I appreciate the Vibration Reduction System built into each stick. Poor technique will damage your cymbals with any sticks including wood sticks. The Ahead sticks are well balance and should bring out your best if you use good technique.

 

[Drumolator]

A long time ago, when I used them, they made the toms sound great. However, I did not care for how they made the ride cymbal sound. Peace and goodwill.

 

[Cmdr. Ross]

I love them.

I played wood for a good 35 years & when I was given a pair of them by a buddy, the anti-vibration tech they use swung me over. I'm not a heavy hitter anyway, but being able to play long sets with no hand issues, was a game changer.

I dip the ends in PlastiDip and it's perfect. I have 3 pairs now & the first pair of the 3 have lasted me 3 years of regular use. That's the kind of cost effectiveness I need today.

I'll never go back to wood.

 

[beatdat]

I use them on my practice kit with mesh heads and low-volume cymbals, if only to prevent the pile up of sawdust that occurs when using regular sticks. I don't mind them, and I like that they're durable, too. Would I use them on gigs or in rehearsal? Not sure, but I'm necessarily opposed to the idea.