Nylon vs. Wood tip

MaryO

Platinum Member
As a new drummer I've used exclusively wood tip sticks up until now. I usually go with the Vic Firth 5A's. (Started with a 5 B and found they were a little bigger and heavier than I felt comfortable with.)

I went to my local music store the other day to buy a new set and looked at the nylon tip but just wasn't sure what the difference was. Is it just a sound preference or is there an advantage to one over the other?

Just curious. Thanks!
 
Nylon tips are much brighter. Personally, it's not a sound I care for. I find them excessively harsh, but thousands disagree with me. Many also state that they provide more tip durability. Again, it's not been my experience. The things always seemed to split and fly off long before a wooden tip has the time to wear down. One flew off and hit me in the eye many years ago and I parted company with nylon tips straight after that.

Grab a pair, see if you like them.
 
Nylon lasts a lot longer (at least in my experience) since wood has a tendency to chip away at the tip. But nylon also sounds really bright on the ride cymbal which a lot of drummers aren't too keen on, including me. I'd rather buy new sticks when the tips wear down than to hear that high, harsh DING! DING! DING! when I'm trying to get in touch with my inner smooth guy.
 
I used nylon or plastic tipped sticks back in the sixties and only for durability. However, at the time the technology was lacking. I have been playing Regal Tip brand for the last 5 years and have had not one malfunction. If you like the sound, try some Regal Tips and see what you think. Remember that if your hihat is at a severe height, you will saw sticks off long before your tips start to wear. Try to lower your hats some to prevent this.
 
Well, we all have out stories and reasons.

I like nylon better but I almost wish there was an inbetween.

Nylon is a bit bright and pingy, which I like, but it can be a bit much when youre trying to play something with a little more warmth.

I cant do wood most of the time (I will use them on some mellower tunes though) because to me they sound like peck peck peck on my ride when I want a ping ping ping.

I can count on one hand how many times a tip has came off of my sticks. Its just a non issue for me.
 
In my experience nylon sticks are at least 5 fold more durable than wood. I dig the sound of wood more, but I can't afford to go through that many vic firths. Though it's probably because I'm a fairly hard hitter and my ride is at an almost vertical angle. But then again i play with the shoulder on the ride a whole lot. I just haven't had good experience with wood tips. The longest I have had a wood tip is 4 weeks tops. The most durable nylon tips I have found are on the Vic Firth hickory sticks that I currently use. They rock!
 
I like them both (wood & nylon) tips. But I mainly play the 24" Giant Beat Ride with wood tips!
 
Nylon is a superior tip for durability. And like Homey says, tips coming off is a non issue. I think I had 1 nylon tip come off on me in the 70's. Sound is a personal preference. I don't think the audience would notice much between wood and nylon.

Funny you should mention this thread Mary...I've been playing wood tips for 8 years now but I might switch to nylon for a spell to see how I like them lately.
I recently got my first Agop (ride)Turkish cymbal, and that cymbal needs a nylon tip to be able to hear any iota of a ping. So I tried them on my others, and just might gig a set next time. Wood tips do chip fast. They make a nylon tip that has ribs to mellow the sound. They might be worth checking out.
 
Regal Tips have a ribbed tip which does mellow it out some and why I use them. I have a bunch of new solid nylon tipped sticks here waiting for my grandsons.
 
I wasn´t that lucky Pocket! ;-) but I went through the Giant Beat background carefully!

...and it states - Nylon tips: Forbidden!

It would be a sacrilege to ruin the sonic qualities of that beautiful cymbal by laying a nylon tip on it, Ian.

In fact, mine came with a "wooden tips only" instruction....didn't yours? :)
 
Someone, I forget, sorry, makes aluminum tips and felt covered tips.
 
Thanks everyone. Sounds as if wood tips are going to be the way to go for me for the most part. But will definitely have to give nylons a try just to hear the difference.
 
Yes! try both and get the - feeling - on drums & cymbals.

Some cymbals are more "woody stick sound" as the Giant Beat - if you are arranging to get a 24" lovely ride!!!
 
Nylon tips...
ewww
aggghhh

Nylon tips on heads..
aaaaaaggghhhhhh
*shrugs*

Nylon tips on ride cymbals..
ohhhhh please stop!! :(

Been playing for almost ten years, had only one or two pairs of nylon tip sticks when I was starting.. never liked them.

But.. as everything in drumming, it's a personal choice. Buy a pair and see for yourself. :)

Cheers.
 
It's good to have both, especially if you're switching up your ride cymbal every once in a while. I like a wood tip on my A Ping ride and nylons on my drier darker K Custom.
 
I was never keen on the harshness of the nylon sound. Still, as Larry said, I doubt it's obvious to listeners.

I used nylon tips for a while in the 80s for durability. Since I was playing in a loud band and hitting very hard it was not much of an issue. When the band was extra loud and the foldback weak I'd play with the butt end of both sticks - and no one noticed the racket I made when playing the ride, so tip choice was hardly going to matter.

Unless it's a stylistic choice like DMC's I think wood is a far better option if you do a lot of low volume playing. Much more mellow and tasty IMO
 
I started out years ago using what my dad used, wooden tips. Then sometime in the seventies I started using nylon because I thought they sounded better, especially on cymbals. Well now I'm back using wooden tips 100% of the time. I like the slightly mellower tones that you get with wooden, although depending on the type of wood and tip of the stick, this sound can vary a bit. When I'm purchasing cymbals, I make sure to use the same sticks I play with to audition the cymbals.

Dennis
 
I used to mess about with both but only play wood tip these days. I sometimes get chips on the tips of my Vic Firths (5A and 5B) after a while but the Pro-Mark 5B sticks I've tried recently seem to hold up very well (I prefer the less laquered feel of these sticks at the moment for some reason, especially for live playing when hands can get a little bit sweaty and stick too much to the laquer).
 
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