Drumsticks - The Aftermath

The Ultimate Drumsticks

By GLENN DAVIS DOCTOR G

Back in the 1980’s, my now ex-wife gifted me a pair of Graphite Drumsticks on my birthday. They had cross-hatched non-slip grips and were solid one-piece construction. They played superbly and worked for all genres (except those requiring mallets or brushes) including those that employ side-sticking. They had perfect balance and weighting. Eventually, after years of abuse, they simply (tips) wore down.

Recently, I have tried many types of sticks including several prototypes ranging from all wood, to wood with nylon tips, to aluminum and fiberglass. One pair even had cool PVC grips which made them useless for reggae, country and other side stick intensive applications. Then I was offered an opportunity to try what could have been the ultimate pair of sticks.

The Ultimate “indestructible” Drumsticks had decent balance and weighting and “stops” to aid in not having the sticks become a projectile. Hollow and of 3-piece construction, they worked great for just about everything, and offered the brightness of nylon tips. After 2 hours use, one of the “stops” cracked and broke off (Heart 1). After 4 hours, the war wounds (body nicks) became apparent. The demise of these “Ultimate Drumsticks” occurred last night (after a total lifespan of only 6 hours of use) when one broke 3 inches below the tip (Heart 2).

Thankfully, no one sustained any injury, and my quest for the Ultimate Drumstick continues. I’m going back to the caveman days for the time being with Hickory 7A Ny-tips.