Why different thickness between 2 sticks?

Hi, guys:
I'm still new in playing drum,
but I've got more than a decade of pairs of drumsticks in my bag.

I found there's always a difference in thickness between 2 sticks of a pair.

Is it normal to drumsticks?
Or the drumstick companies do this on purpose
, like the thick one for weaker hand, the thin one for strong hand ...etc.?


Thank you

Vic Firth sticks were the first to be pitch-matched and weight-paired, guaranteeing straightness, and identical weight, density, and thickness. Of course, they still are made in that standard of excellence. I'll attest to the fact that if you've noticed an "off" feel when playing Vic Firths, it's most likely you and not the sticks.

It's entirely possible that the specs on a stick changed over time. However, if they're part of a pair, they should match.

Promark pitch matches, weight pairs, and guarantees straightness, all to the tightest tolerances in the world of drumsticks. This was not always the case with Promark, but it is now.

ALL companies match sticks in a pair with high standards.

BUT, keep this in mind... It's wood!
A natural material that was at one time a living, growing, organic material. No two chunks of wood will EVER be exactly the same.

Most companies match by weight. So both sticks in a pair may weigh exactly the same, or could be off by a gram or two...

Also, keep in mind that the machines used to cut the sticks can sometimes be a little off. Depending on the density of the wood, it will be easy, or difficult to cut. This can cause a machine to slip a little, so maybe one stick comes out .001"-.005" thinner or thicker.

Finally, because no two chunks of wood are the same, remember that thickens or size of sticks doesn't effect the weight. You can by 2 pairs of 5A and end up with one pair that weighs more than the other.
Companies produce 100's of sticks at a time for each model. Each model has a weight class saying "nothing lighter or heavier than "xxx" can be a 5A. However you might have up to 10 grams in between what is considered to be too light or too heavy. Thus ending up with pair of 5A's that wights .60g and another pair that is .50g.

Hope this helps.

masonni said:

ALL companies match sticks in a pair with high standards.

Click to expand...

Maybe all reputable name-brand companies; clearly not all of the OP's sticks are high-quality.

I use cheap SP sticks, so it's not uncommon for one stick to have a little more heft than the other. Also, if I break a stick, and I have an orphan left from the last pair I broke, then I'll combine the two and end up with noticeably different weights and diameters most of the time.

I keep the heavier stick in my left hand. Maybe since the right is usually moving faster, or the left is weaker so the bigger stick evens things out a little. It feels right to me.

Hi, guys:
My friend asked me to relax my hands whenever I play drums.
And it really works and make me feel "right" on my hand.

Thank you for all of your information.

I'm still new in playing drum,
but I've got more than a decade of pairs of drumsticks in my bag.

I found there's always a difference in thickness between 2 sticks of a pair.

Is it normal to drumsticks?
Or the drumstick companies do this on purpose
, like the thick one for weaker hand, the thin one for strong hand ...etc.?


Thank you

Click to expand...

Your problem is simply those sticks are made of wood. Once the sticks coating is broken (from paying) moisture enters the wood, it swells.

Next time you buy a new pair of sticks weigh them immediately if you can, 6 months to a year later weigh them again.

You live on a subtropical island with no dry season, sticks are going to swell. I've seen 5A Vic Firths the same diameter as 5B's in tropical regions, yes they can swell that much, along with the expanded size weight is another byproduct from moisture uptake.