My Sticks Smell Bad

Status
Not open for further replies.

Elijah116

Junior Member
So, I don't know if this is strange or not but I started playing the drums like 5 months ago. I've played with the same sticks the whole time (vic firth 5A classic) and recently I noticed that my hands always smell bad after I play because of the sticks. Did anyone else have this problem? Should I just buy new sticks?
 
Are you sure they're not those cloned Vic Filth sticks?


(I'll get my coat...)
 
My feeling is that if you play with perfectly clean hands, you are setting yourself up for a dropped stick.
In the 1960's before I played a live show I would always put soda pop or beer on my hands. It helped me a great deal with gripping onto the drum stick.
I played hard rock in those days.

Even today I still make sure to NOT wash my hands before I play. Last week I happen to wash some nasty stuff off of my hands just before I played a gig.
So again I put some Dr Pepper on my hands just before playing. But I rarely do that anymore.


.
 
I use stick wrap at church these days. I used to drop sticks all of the time before this because the soap used in the bathrooms was more lotion-based as opposed to soap-based (I hope that makes sense).

I suggest stick wrap and washing your hands.
 
My feeling is that if you play with perfectly clean hands, you are setting yourself up for a dropped stick.
In the 1960's before I played a live show I would always put soda pop or beer on my hands. It helped me a great deal with gripping onto the drum stick.
I played hard rock in those days.

Even today I still make sure to NOT wash my hands before I play. Last week I happen to wash some nasty stuff off of my hands just before I played a gig.
So again I put some Dr Pepper on my hands just before playing. But I rarely do that anymore.


.

Either that, or switch to Regal Tip sticks with that tacky lacquer coating they put on their sticks.
 
I take the opposite approach. Immediately before a set I wash my hands under cold water and don't dry them off. Whether or not this is actually helping I don't know but it's become a bit of a ritual so I won't stop now.
 
Hands sweat, and produce oils. In my 69 years on this planet, I can't remember smelling one body fluid that had a pleasing odor. Wash your hands, wash or wipe off your sticks, and then keep your hands away from your nose until such time that you get to wash them again. It's like the old joke, Doctor every time I do this it hurts. and the doctor says stop doing that.
 
5 months on one pair of sticks? Of course they stink!

Buy new sticks. Simple!
 
My feeling is that if you play with perfectly clean hands, you are setting yourself up for a dropped stick.
In the 1960's before I played a live show I would always put soda pop or beer on my hands. It helped me a great deal with gripping onto the drum stick.
I played hard rock in those days.

Even today I still make sure to NOT wash my hands before I play. Last week I happen to wash some nasty stuff off of my hands just before I played a gig.
So again I put some Dr Pepper on my hands just before playing. But I rarely do that anymore.


.

Different strokes. I like washing my hands before playing drums and guitar. I get a better grip, no oils. You poured soda on your hands. I never heard of anyone doing that until now. It seems like it would make sense.

Maybe try contact cement :p
 
First thing I do before playing both drums as well as guitar and bass is wash my hands. I hate any kind of tacky feeling. Makes sticks move unevenly and hands get stuck to the neck.
 
First thing I do before playing both drums as well as guitar and bass is wash my hands. I hate any kind of tacky feeling. Makes sticks move unevenly and hands get stuck to the neck.

Different perceptions...when my hands are dirty, they feel more oily. When I wash my hands it feels "tackier" to me. You humans are a curious race.
 
So let me get this straight.
People walk by their drum set and say 'hey I'm gonna tap on it for awhile' and then think "oops wait...better wash my hands" ?
 
Just so you don't get the wrong idea, I only put a tiny amount of soda pop on my hands. If it's too sticky that's not good. As Odd-Arne says you don't want to create a situation where the drum stick can't move freely in your hand. I don't like the stick wrap or the wax. It's too tacky. The sticks are constantly moving around in my hand as I play.


.
 
So let me get this straight.
People walk by their drum set and say 'hey I'm gonna tap on it for awhile' and then think "oops wait...better wash my hands" ?

I always wash my hands before playing guitar. Drums...I wash my hands on my gigs, not usually at home.

Everytime I read this thread title, I'm slightly skeeved out.
 
So many threads make me re-evaluate myself. Like I'm not a dirty guy but:
- would never think to wash my hands before playing my drums
- would never smell my hands after drumming
- have had sticks lasting more than 5 months

Motown drummers ate greasy chicken during sessions. Benny even wiped his fingers on drum heads, said it gave them 'funk'...according to the lore.
 
I'm paranoid a little about getting sick so I wash my hands too much these days. I used to be the opposite, but man, I hate getting sick.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top