Royal Percussion Drum Sticks

mmulcahy1

Platinum Member
I've never heard of these sticks (or the company). Does anybody have some info on this brand of sticks?

They seem really inexpensive - does this mean they're cheap, as in not worth my time?
 
I know this response is late, but my local music shop sells Royal Percussion sticks, and as a new drum student, I bought a pair. First, these are not hickory sticks. I believe they're made of maple, which is lighter than hickory, and they are not paired by weight before packaging for retail sale. The pair of 5A nylon tipped sticks I have weighed in with one at 42g and the other at 48g.

When I got my first set of Vic Firth sticks, I immediately felt the difference. The VF American Classic 5As are uniformly weighted hickory (the ones I have are both 54.5g). I'm not sure if VF sticks are ALL 54.5g or if they match the sticks by weight before packaging with a specific weight range for quality control.

Next, the Royal Percussion sticks are unfinished. No lacquer of any kind. In the three weeks I played with them, they got really grimy and yet, simultaneously prone to slipping right out of my hands. I keep a loose grip, and maybe the porosity of the stick drew my natural oils into the sticks instead of creating any kind of tack, unlike the lacquered VFs.

My recommendation: Skip the junk sticks and get a basic pair of sticks from a reputable manufacturer. Vic Firth American Classics are not so much more expensive than Royal Percussion that they are cost prohibitive - if you look around.

If you're looking for budget sticks to keep in a classroom or to toss for souvenirs, sure, give them a try. If you've got good sticks already and feel strongly about trying Royal Percussion, I recommend buying a single pair to try, but I wouldn't buy a pack until you know they'll suit your needs.

I have no intention of playing with Royal Percussion sticks again, if I can help it. I hope (despite my amateur status) that this helps.
 
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