Ahead Drumsticks

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For the sake of information, I'm at 2+ years and counting with the same pair of Ahead sticks. The nylon sleeves have worn a bit, but nowhere near needing to be replaced.
 
SO.. . .I just bought a pair of the Ahead 2b's from DrummingDeal.com At first, I was a bit disappointed. They're not as substantial in weight or size.
But, when I went to the drum pad, they felt really balanced, really good! Haven't sat behind the kit with them yet.

I don't know what they are normal, but even at $19.99 I almost said, Too much. Considering they're made to last, etc. . . .I'll post back in 5 years.
 
you definitely have to wrap them, they are slippery when dry. Also they are very tip heavy so they take a little getting used to the balance. Durable as heck though.
 
I tried the MAXX ones and they're just too long & weird feeling. Maybe if I mess with them a bit longer, I'll get used to them. But for now, I'm just not feeling it.
 
I used them for many years on the road while I was recovering from mild tendinitis. Took me a while to find the right model, I settled on the 5AB Concert, as it was the closest to my wood model, the Regal Tip 5BX.
I've switched back to wood full time, as it's my preference, however I still keep a pair of AHEAD sticks in my bag for those nights when I'm going extra hard and end up getting fatigued. I also use them on gigs I do with Street Drum Corps, as we endorse AHEAD and have a signature model out with them.

As long as you check the tips every now and then between songs, and change the covers once they get chewed up like a wood stick then you're fine.
 
If you put super glue on the tips, how do you take the sleeves off? Don’t you normally take the tips off first to replace the sleeves? I’m genuinely curious because I’m considering using these for gigs.
 
Jml said:
If you put super glue on the tips, how do you take the sleeves off? Don’t you normally take the tips off first to replace the sleeves? I’m genuinely curious because I’m considering using these for gigs.
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I use some pliers with a small piece of cardboard so I don’t chew up the tips. Give ‘em a good twist and it’ll break the crazy glue bond.
 
Cmdr. Ross said:
I tried the MAXX ones and they're just too long & weird feeling. Maybe if I mess with them a bit longer, I'll get used to them. But for now, I'm just not feeling it.
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Update:
The Maxx ones didn't gel, but the 5A's do very well.
I got a pair from a buddy who's endorsed by them & the anti-vibration tech is something I really like.
I don't see myself going back to wood anytime soon.
 
Jml said:
If you put super glue on the tips, how do you take the sleeves off? Don’t you normally take the tips off first to replace the sleeves? I’m genuinely curious because I’m considering using these for gigs.
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try loctite instead of superglue, normal strength will hold the tips on but will give under pressure from some pliers/mole-grips :)
 
Due to the lack of supply with my main sticks, I’ve spent the last month and a half on the road using Ahead 5AB every night. 21 shows, haven’t broken one yet. All I’ve done it change the covers a couple times and replace the grip tape as it wears down.
 
Living Dead Drummer said:
Due to the lack of supply with my main sticks, I’ve spent the last month and a half on the road using Ahead 5AB every night. 21 shows, haven’t broken one yet. All I’ve done it change the covers a couple times and replace the grip tape as it wears down.
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Perfect!
I ditched the tape for clear PlastiDip (that stuff used to add rubber handles to tools). 2 dips lasts a good, long time & gives me all the hand comfort I need.
The grip tape would lose the rubbery feeling pretty fast for me for some reason.
 
I’m gonna use these for a full rehearsal before I use them on a gig but I’m excited to try them out. Tired of buying so many pairs of drumsticks.
 
I use the 7a model for rehearsals with my Big Band . I use the Ahead grip tape on this model and I like the feel and shock absorption . I like their tips as they do not sound as thin and harsh as normal nylon tip sticks . They do as advertised they last well and due to the fact I am not a stick breaker I will have these a long time .
 
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I’m fully back to using Ahead sticks. I experimented for a few years with all kinds of brands, but my Ahead sticks just feel right. I gave other sticks an honest shot, but I was never 100% happy. Let me vacuum that saw dust one last time.
 
I’ve bought a few different wood sticks and they all seem nice, but I keep coming back to the Ahead sticks. When I play 10-15 minutes with them and then go back to wood, the wood sticks feel very harsh and stiff. I think I’m gonna buy another pair as a backup and use them at a gig.
 
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RickP said:
I use the 7a model for rehearsals with my Big Band . I use the Ahead grip tape on this model and I like the feel and shock absorption . I like their tips as they do not sound as thin and harsh as normal nylon tip sticks . They do as advertised they last well and due to the fact I am not a stick breaker I will have these a long time .
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Same here.
I broke the maple sticks plenty, but that's expected from a soft wood like that.
Not sure what it is, but the 7a's give me 5a volume. And I'm not hitting harder or anything. A head scratcher for sure, but one I don't really question.
Jml said:
I’ve bought a few different wood sticks and they all seem nice, but I keep coming back to the Ahead sticks. When I play 10-15 minutes with them and then go back to wood, the wood sticks feel very harsh and stiff. I think I’m gonna buy another pair as a backup and use them at a gig.
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The shock absorption was a game changer for me. I did a similar experiment & had the same results. I can just play longer with them with no issues. Worth every dime.
 
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When you guys do rimclicks on these things can you still use the butt end or nah?
 
I haven't used Ahead sticks for nigh on 20 years, but I'm considering it again. I guess I'll run this up the flag pole to see if it's worth another go.

The reason I went back to wood is because I would sometimes chew through a sleeve and get metal contact on a cymbal, which sounds awful and isn't good for the stick or the cymbal. Not great on rims either, but not so heartbreaking as the above.

I use the shoulder of the stick a lot. I'm often playing rim shots on back beats, using the shoulder to smack crashes, hats, and get good crash out of the ride. I didn't feel like the covers really held up well to that kind of playing.

Has that changed? Was I just too conservative on when to change the covers? Or is my approach just completely at odds with this design?

Mind that I was an idiot teenager when I tried these last. It's possible (likely) that I just wasn't doing many things correctly.
 
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