vic firths

MediocrityMaster

Senior Member
i use vic firth 5A's, and previously i had vic firth 5AN's

i've only had two pairs of sticks, my first lasted quite a while but due to an overpowered rimshot the tip broke off and stabbed my wall.

my second are wood tipped and they're "squaring"/flattening out.

how do i avoid this on my next pair of sticks? nylon tips are too pingy on cymbals for my taste.

thanks,
 
There is really not alot you can do about it except buy a new pair. I know that's not much help but seriousely IMO that's about all you can do.
 
i my second are wood tipped and they're "squaring"/flattening out.

how do i avoid this on my next pair of sticks?

How long have you had them? They shouldn't break/crack/chip after a few minutes of playing time.....but nor will they last forever.

IMHO, you can't. Quite simply, some things aren't meant to last forever......sticks are one of them....heads are another. They should give you a reasonable amount of playing time, no doubt. But it seems to me that too many people have unrealistic expectations.....they will not last for months on end. Never have, never will. If I get a few gigs out of a pair of sticks, I'm happy.

Forever buying heads and sticks........the price you pay for your chosen instrument. :)
 
For years I've been just going into Guitar Center or something and asking 'em where they keep the dozen-pair bricks. I pick up the 5A brick and take it home. Sticks are like guitar strings. If they go dead, I just grab another pair. Yes, it is the cost of doing business.
 
well yeah i dont really expect them to last that long, but 2 weeks doesnt seen like an a reasonable play time for sticks. I dont hit hard, i'd say on a scale of 1-10. 1 being very light jazzy stuff. and 10 being full out whaling on everything. i'd say i'm about a 4.

i've noticed that it only chips off when i'm on the ride. maybe its the way i'm hitting the ride.

but i might have to start wearing safety goggles because a chip about the size of a rice grain flew off and hit me dead in the nose. haha

i guess i'll have to ask my mom to pick up a pair of sticks since she works right next to guitar center.
 
well yeah i dont really expect them to last that long, but 2 weeks doesnt seen like an a reasonable play time for sticks. I dont hit hard, i'd say on a scale of 1-10. 1 being very light jazzy stuff. and 10 being full out whaling on everything. i'd say i'm about a 4.

i've noticed that it only chips off when i'm on the ride. maybe its the way i'm hitting the ride.

but i might have to start wearing safety goggles because a chip about the size of a rice grain flew off and hit me dead in the nose. haha

i guess i'll have to ask my mom to pick up a pair of sticks since she works right next to guitar center.

I have the same issues with Vic Firth sticks...try some Vaters, I do not have the same nor similar problem with them. Much better stick overall in my opinion. I just started playing their Sugar Maple sticks and am very impressed so far.

No stick will last long. 2-4 weeks is about it with a moderate amount of play. Some cats can get their sticks to last longer, but I really cannot. I'm not a basher and don't believe I have bad technique. Some sticks I throw out after 2-4 weeks because they've lost some shape and feel. Not everyone can afford that, but the comparison to guitar strings was great. Once they go dead, I have to swap them out. I'm getting older and part of what sticks do is absorb vibration instead of sending it up through my hands and arms. When that capability is gone, so are the sticks.
 
im speaking from my own personal experiances, but i've found that vic firth last the least amount of time. in a studio i usually go through vic firths in about 1hr. and also with vic firths their drum sticks are very inconsistant. i recently bought 12 pairs of vic firths and i am regretting it.

what i have found is that pro mark last the longest, VERY closely followed by vater.

by the way, im 100% satisfied if a stick lasts 2hours.
 
I'm going to have to agree. I absolutely love Extreme 5A's but I just couldn't get my moneys worth out of them. Chipping, breaking, splintering, all of the above. So I made the move to Vater as well and found their quality to far surpass VF, IMO.

I agree with Bob in that sticks do break and that it comes with the territory, but as a college student I simply can't afford it.

On another note, if anyone knows what Vaters counterpart to the Extreme 5A's is, It would be greatly appreciated.
 
Par for the course my friend, sticks not lasting that is. More to the point, the problem is with Vic Firth sticks NOT YOUR PLAYING. . I used to play Pro-Mark but quit due to bad quality control, too many warped sticks, so I switched to Vic Firth, I played the SD2 Bolero, Extreme 5A and regular 5A, and then finally the 5B. Tips would chip off within 20-30 minutes of practicing. Not the whole tip, but half of it, leaving a well bodied stick useless. It has to do with Vic Firth removing as much moisture content from the stick, leaving it a bit more brittle than other makers. The more water extracted from the dowels, the weaker the wood. I do love the feel of the stick, but 'we drummers should not have to play hoping a tip doesn't chip or come off altogether.

I highly suggest trying Vater. They are heavier in comparison, but I have never had a tip chip off with them, they are more affordable and last longer than any other brand I've used.
 
I think it has more to do with tip shape. When I marched we used Firths because they were the straightest and had the most consistent tone. We were playing on kevlar heads & even then a pair of sticks would usually last me two weeks. We used Hardimans, which have a modified ball tip pofile. Now I use Gadd sigs, they have a similar profile and work well for me. The std teardrop shape tip is just a poor/weak design.
 
well i'm gonna give Vic Firth another shot, and if these break really quick then i'll buy both Vater and Pro-Mark sticks and see what suits me best.

half of the tip just shot off only after i hit my ride. so i'm guessing my lame Zildjian Scimitar ride is having a battle with the stick tip.

The ride is actually really heavy so thats probably one of the big factors added with the weaker tip shape.
 
I use Pro-Mark, and they last me a long time. They get worn out on the hat before they ever have a chance to break. Maybe you should try some oak ones. They have a different sound, and are very hard.
 
I wonder how hard these people hit that break a stick every time they play.

Every stick will break eventually.

I've broken maybe 4 or 5 pairs of sticks the past 5 years. I don't play harder music anymore and I can get at least a month out of a pair before the tip starts chipping
 
I wonder how hard these people hit that break a stick every time they play.

Me too. I play energetically, but my sticks don't break until they're worn down to a toothpick...
 
well, i guess my mom got the wrong sticks. BUT! she did get Pro Mark PW5AW sticks.. they're oak. and they have a larger acorn style tips i guess you'd call them.

http://www.promark.com/products/view/pw5aw/

they seem promising having not played them yet. but i hope i dont chop them up the first day on my hats.
 
I've moved from the VF's to Vater, they are more durable. If I can get 2 gigs and a practice out of a pair of sticks, I'm happy. I've been using 5a's now for years and years. I really wish the power 5a's came in packs of 4, I like those sticks a lot.
 
I never really had problems with any manufacturers sticks breaking prematurely.Most of my sticks wear mostly on the shoulders due to rim shots. I buy my sticks with playability in mind and not durability. I'm from the old regime of drummers who buy their sticks one pair at a time and roll them across the floor or counter top to make sure they are true and not warped from the factory.

Dennis
 
well, i guess my mom got the wrong sticks. BUT! she did get Pro Mark PW5AW sticks.. they're oak. and they have a larger acorn style tips i guess you'd call them.

http://www.promark.com/products/view/pw5aw/

they seem promising having not played them yet. but i hope i dont chop them up the first day on my hats.
There you go. I must be a profit. They are a bit heavier than the maple, but they last longer. My buddy Neil Peart uses Pro-Mark Oak. You are in good company. :)
 
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