Pro-Mark change?

We have changed our method of manufacturing the nylon tips. Instead of having a press on tip that gets glued on, we now injection mold our tips. The nylon tips that were originally used were hard brittle plastic that would fail quite often. With the injection molding process we now mold liquid nylon around the end of the stick for maximum strength. This process has also allowed us to match the profile of our wood tip and nylon tip models. In order for the old press on tip to fit on the stick we would have to increase the diameter of the neck on the stick to have a semi secure fit. This would change the shape and feel of the stick completey. Now with the injection molding process the wood tip and nylon tip models are now identical. The sticks will no doubt be different then the older versions but they will last longer and function better in the line. If you have other questions please feel free to email me direct [email protected]

I mean no disrespect, but in my experience, this new manufacturing technique has not proven to make the sticks stronger, or the tips last longer. Quite the contrary.

If anything, I have had tips on the newer replacement 6 pairs that were sent out to me shatter into two pieces and fly off more often than with the old nylon material. When they didn't do that, the whole tip would break off (wood nub included) at the new indentation. All the sticks broke in some manner having to do with the tips and being weakened by the new design.

I'm not trying to dog on Promark. I love Promark, and I love the 747s. I just want to see this manufacturing/design error rectified in some manner, so I can go back to buying more of what version of the stick I used to prefer.
 

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I too noticed a big change in my promark 5B's. So they have changed them or we are all experiencing a large shipment of less dense wood I guess. I actually like the lighter feel, actually felt like it was a better balance.
 
Can we speak about this issue? I have a bunch of questions about your playing situation how long these are lasting. [email protected]
Thanks
I mean no disrespect, but in my experience, this new manufacturing technique has not proven to make the sticks stronger, or the tips last longer. Quite the contrary.

If anything, I have had tips on the newer replacement 6 pairs that were sent out to me shatter into two pieces and fly off more often than with the old nylon material. When they didn't do that, the whole tip would break off (wood nub included) at the new indentation. All the sticks broke in some manner having to do with the tips and being weakened by the new design.

I'm not trying to dog on Promark. I love Promark, and I love the 747s. I just want to see this manufacturing/design error rectified in some manner, so I can go back to buying more of what version of the stick I used to prefer.
 
Can we speak about this issue? I have a bunch of questions about your playing situation how long these are lasting. [email protected]
Thanks

Absolutely. Emailed you a few days ago. I hope I can help somehow? In the meantime, I'll keep rocking the wood tip 747s. I'm pretty gun-shy now after burning through about 18 pair of the nylon tip model, when I hadn't made any changes to my playing or my gigging/recording schedule.
 
91g for a 7a is ridiculously dense. I play Pro Mark 2B and mine weigh in between 65- 75g.

have you noticed the increase in weight in those newer pro mark 2b's? I sure have, and the stick's neck is noticeably thicker, and the taper is shorter compared to the old version. If you're endorsed there may not be as much of a change in that version, but these have been getting progressively heavier over the past year, and with the new logos it's at it's heaviest.
 
Honestly, my desire to continue playing Pro Mark is wearing thin. Even the the QC has slightly improved, I do not like the new logo and the corporate mindset of D'addario. Stick selection seems to be very limited in stores as well.

Out of curiosity, what sort of corporate mindset are you referring to? "Corporate" is probably the last thing I would think of when describing D'Addario, a company made up of musicians designing accessories to make things easier for other musicians.
 
I was mainly referring to the decision to change the logo and discontinue several stick models based on sales demand. Seems as if keeping stick models in production would benefit drummers with more options to choose from. The quality control issues have improved, but the brand image just doesn't sit well with me.

The old Beatles "Yellow Submarine"-styled logo was a bit out of date and we wanted to illustrate a new chapter for Promark; higher quality standards, better manufacturing processes, greater consistency. With regards to the discontinuation, this is a necessary part of assessing a business. We can better serve our customers and consumers if we're focused on products that are regularly made (as opposed to being made only once or twice per year). More options can sound like a great thing, but most stores don't have much room for more options and all of those options can present a daunting experience to someone trying to search for their desired drumstick. In a perfect world, we'd love to be able to offer everything in every variety, but that's not necessarily feasible. Still, we aim to provide the best options based on the feedback we receive. I do appreciate you taking the time to voice your feelings, as that is quite important to us as well. Change can be tough to adapt to, but in a few years, I'm confident that the new logo will seem right at home and the recognition of Promark as the leading drumstick brand will be far more prominent.
 
For over 20 years, I've been using ProMark Hickory 747 Nylon and Hickory 5B Nylon sticks. A couple of months ago, I bought a new pair of 747's, and noticed the taper was significantly shorter (making the stick thicker near the tip), the tips were flatter and less rounded, and the sticks were considerably heavier. After using the 747's for so many years, the differences were obvious, and I did not like them. After trying out the new sticks for a few days, I actually went back to using an older pair of nylon 5B's, because they felt lighter and more comfortable than the 747's. I also much preferred the sound of the rounder tips on my ride cymbal.

Fast forward to today. I decided to go buy a new pair of 5B's at the local music store since I've just about worn the older pair out. Much to my dismay, it appeared that the same changes have been made to the 5B: shorter thicker taper, flatter tip, and heavier weight. Thankfully, the store had some older stock of the Natural 5B Nylon tips, so I bought a pair of those (in light of what I know now, I'm considering going back and buying their remaining stock).

I am very disappointed in these changes. These aren't just quality control changes--except for the length being the same, these are totally different sticks than what I've been using for the last 20 years. The weight is different, taper is different, and tips are different. If ProMark isn't going to change the designs back to the original specs, would you consider adding some sort of "retro" or "classic" models to your product lines so I can get my old sticks back?

With respect,

Jon
 
I am very disappointed in these changes. These aren't just quality control changes--except for the length being the same, these are totally different sticks than what I've been using for the last 20 years. The weight is different, taper is different, and tips are different. If ProMark isn't going to change the designs back to the original specs, would you consider adding some sort of "retro" or "classic" models to your product lines so I can get my old sticks back?

With respect,

Jon

Hi Jon,

These changes in design were a result of drift in the process over decades of drumstick manufacturing. When D'Addario purchased Promark in 2011, these discrepancies in design started to come to light. Since then, we've completely overhauled our manufacturing processes and maintenance routines so that such drift doesn't occur again in the future.

Because many people had grown used to the new design of the sticks, we decided to maintain the most recent specs. Additionally, we introduced Forward and Rebound models featuring different length tapers in order to provide drummers with a choice when it comes to stick balance, as this can be quite subjective.

With regards to weight, this will always vary to a degree from one pair of sticks to the next due to the natural resource being used. If you were to pick up another pair of 5B's, you may notice that they're lighter than the other pairs. This is completely normal, though we've tightened our tolerances over the last few years and are confidently making the most consistent drumsticks on the market.

Drop me a message and I'd be happy to send you samples of the Forward and Rebound 5B to try.
 
As long as Promark keeps making the Neil Peart Signature sticks, I'll be buying Promark. If their good enough for one of the greatest drummers of our time, then their good enough for me.

Plus, when I started playing acoustic drums again about 2 years ago, I tried the other brand, but after some deliberation I decided the tips were simply to damn small for my liking and the shafts on them were way to damn thin..

The Promark stick feels better and plays better in my opinion.. And that's why sticks are just like opinions.. everyone seems to have a different taste.. to each their own!!

Peace, Defender
 
Ah thanks man, that's nice of you to say. They're pretty nice sticks I must say there.

Hahahaha! I see what you did there!

Personally, I don't know if I'd ever tell a difference. I usually buy a brick of 12 pairs (usually Vic 5A) so I never get to test them out before buying. I just bring 'em home, throw 'em in a bag, and use 'em!
 
Hi Jon,

Drop me a message and I'd be happy to send you samples of the Forward and Rebound 5B to try.

Thanks for reaching out to me--I had also sent an e-mail through the Promark website, and one of your reps has already been in contact with me. He is supposed to send me some updated literature so I can hopefully find some new sticks that will fit the bill.
 
As I said in an earlier post, George from Promark reached out to me via e-mail and provided an updated product catalog so I could see the most current line of sticks with all of their specs (length, diameter, taper, etc.). He allowed me to choose a couple of models and sent out some samples for me to test. I think I've settled on the Jason Bittner 5BX as a replacement for the original 5B nylons. It has a longer taper than the newer version of the 5B's, and the weight and throw feel like the original 5B nylons in my hands. The only significant difference is that the Bittner is 1/8" longer (16 and 1/8" instead of 16"), and I actually like the slight increase in length. Anyhow, I just wanted to issue a big public thank-you to George and Promark for their commitment to this level of customer service.

Sincerely,

Jon
 
As I said in an earlier post, George from Promark reached out to me via e-mail and provided an updated product catalog so I could see the most current line of sticks with all of their specs (length, diameter, taper, etc.). He allowed me to choose a couple of models and sent out some samples for me to test. I think I've settled on the Jason Bittner 5BX as a replacement for the original 5B nylons. It has a longer taper than the newer version of the 5B's, and the weight and throw feel like the original 5B nylons in my hands. The only significant difference is that the Bittner is 1/8" longer (16 and 1/8" instead of 16"), and I actually like the slight increase in length. Anyhow, I just wanted to issue a big public thank-you to George and Promark for their commitment to this level of customer service.

Sincerely,

Jon
Glad to hear it! I'll be sure to pass the thanks along to George.

Cheers!
 
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