Anyone use 2bs or other big sticks for jazz or otherwise quiet music?

Joffry

Active Member
I recently heard that Tony Williams used 2Bs so I’m thinking of getting me some just for fun. If you use big sticks, how do you find your ability to control dynamics compared to lighter sticks?
 
I recently heard that Tony Williams used 2Bs so I’m thinking of getting me some just for fun. If you use big sticks, how do you find your ability to control dynamics compared to lighter sticks?

I use Vic Firth 3A's for everything: punk, metal, rock, jazz, country, rockabilly...
 
I am not a reference here but I thought about something similar just this morning, about big heavy sticks.

And I said to myself literally **** the big sticks, I love my 7Aa so much to practice my riduments, I might be wrong but I think they are heavy enough to build muscles at least to achieve my modest goals.

Somewhat like on a forum the other day, the influencer talked about taking a cold showers in the morning instead of a very hot one.. and that would.. help a men being a man, something like that about reclaiming masculinity.

I perceived it as a useless pain in life.... and I said to myself the same words as with the stick story.

But again what do I really know?
 
I don't play jazz (at least not with any regularity), but I do play a lot of mellow country, as well as some pretty high-energy country and moderate rock. I use AHEAD 5B Light Rock sticks for everything. While 5Bs are smaller than 2Bs, they're still pretty weighty. I've never liked super-light sticks. A little extra mass has always felt more comfortable to me.
 
I don't play jazz (at least not with any regularity), but I do play a lot of mellow country, as well as some pretty high-energy country and moderate rock. I use AHEAD 5B Light Rock sticks for everything. While 5Bs are smaller than 2Bs, they're still pretty weighty. I've never liked super-light sticks. A little extra mass has always felt more comfortable to me.

yep...i grew up with marching sticks in my hand, so I had to do a lot of searching to find set sticks that I could feel in my hands. And I am pretty picky about how the bead makes the ride cymbal sound. I could find good weighted sticks with bad beads, or vice versa, until the VF 3A's...
 
I recently heard that Tony Williams used 2Bs so I’m thinking of getting me some just for fun. If you use big sticks, how do you find your ability to control dynamics compared to lighter sticks?
i play mostly everything, and my Vater 5Bs work for everything! I used to use 2Bs but now I don’t really like using them. Vaters are the best!
 
yep...i grew up with marching sticks in my hand, so I had to do a lot of searching to find set sticks that I could feel in my hands. And I am pretty picky about how the bead makes the ride cymbal sound. I could find good weighted sticks with bad beads, or vice versa, until the VF 3A's...

When I started taking lessons back in the early '80s, my teacher had me doing rudiments with a pair of Promark 2S sticks. They felt like baseball bats. The 5Bs I later switched to were straws by comparison.
 
I like Jojo Mayer's Signature 5As for contemporary styles. Peter Erskine's Signature Ride 5As work great for jazz because of the smaller tip - the meatier butt end makes a great cross-stick sound.
 
Although I'd never use heavy sticks for lighter playing, they do serve another purpose. They make your hands work a little harder, so when you switch back to lighter sticks it feels effortless. :)
 
Although I'd never use heavy sticks for lighter playing, they do serve another purpose. They make your hands work a little harder, so when you switch back to lighter sticks it feels effortless. :)

I’ve found the opposite - lighter sticks make me work harder as there is less inherent rebound. Thinner sticks are also harder to grip and I find they slide all over the place, like a pair of slick chop sticks.
 
I've been using the Vater Sugar Maple Piccolos, and like them a lot. Big but light, and with a small tip.
 
I’ve found the opposite - lighter sticks make me work harder as there is less inherent rebound. Thinner sticks are also harder to grip and I find they slide all over the place, like a pair of slick chop sticks.
I used Vic Firth Ralph Hardimon marching sticks for years. Switching back to 5a/5b sticks was almost comical.
 
Although I've settled on the 5A/55A for years now, every now and then I'll grab a pair of 5B's or 2B's, and quiet playing can be done. To me it's like having a big pencil when you were learning to write in kindergarten or 1st grade. It allowed me a bit more control without having to utilize more muscles to control a smaller width stick. I'm experimenting with the Abe Laboriel Jr. stick, which is kinda' like a 2B, and that's a fun stick, although I think its' taper is too long.
 
As a big guy with big hands my go to sticks have a bit of weight on them but I use them for their extra length so the weight is spread out. Far easier to use the rebound on a heavier stick, far less less work. I use Pellwood, my custom model is the Rock Classic Extra Long but I have them made with a wooden ball tip rather than the teardrop.

I'll happily use light, heavy or anything in between if the gig calls for it.

I have some very heavy sticks for practice (based on the old regal tip quantum 9000) They're great for getting your hands warmed up.
 
The Hardimon Hammers are "chop builders>"

ugh...you gotta be careful with those...I have seen many people hurt themselves with those, mostly from gripping too tight and ramming

better to use your regular sticks and chop out correctly: lots of reps, and tempos slowly increasing
 
I used 7As a long time and I think it exacerebated some hand issues I was having at time. I moved to a 2B and started working on my hand strength and then to a 5A. However since I've tried Buddy Rich's sticks which feels more like a long fatter towards tip 5A and I really like it, then the Steve Gadd sticks which feel like a 7A but I really like the rounded tip, and finally the Mike Mangini big long fat mothers which must be a 2B on steroids. Each has a different feel especially on toms and cymbals but I switch sticks around. The only sticks I've tried I don't like are the Fire-burned 5As which I was so disappointed. I like the Buddy Rich stick because it's so fat near tip you can cross-stick without having to flip your stick. It's a long stick to be flipping actually.-you could put out an eye LOL.
 
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I'm like the odd man out here. I have long skinny fingers, can palm a basketball, but prefer short skinny sticks to long fat ones. I can control the smaller sticks much easier with less effort.

As for the less rebound thing, I'm not seeing it.
 
Mr. Polack have you tried the Steve Gadd sticks-they are short skinny sticks for sure but I really like them for fast finesse stuff-they also aren't as loud it seems? I think you'd like them-given your description. I put some new Steve Gadd sticks on my Xmas list.
 
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