About Vic Firth Drumsticks

For over 40 years, Vic Firth has produced the finest drumsticks and mallets available. Innovative design combined with uncompromising quality control provides their customers with the "Perfect Pair". It is this commitment that makes Vic Firth the world's largest manufacturer of drumsticks and mallets.

Experts at Vic Firth travel weekly to the southern regions of the United States, procuring the very best American Hickory available. Once the wood squares arrive in Maine, they spend two weeks in the Vic Firth kilns to extract the moisture to levels that comply with the strict standards of the furniture industry. Because of its stability to the environment surrounding it, this standard is also the optimum moisture content level to create high quality drumsticks.

After the sticks reach the proper moisture level, pallets of wooden squares are brought into the Vic Firth manufacturing facility. Each wooden square is then processed individually into a round dowel. After the wood squares are doweled, they are inspected and graded into different categories based on color, grain straightness, mineral streaks, blemishes and structural defects.

The dowels are sorted and oriented to be sure that the very best grain pattern of each dowel becomes the tip of the stick – making sure that the strength of the stick is where you need it most. The stick is checked one more time for straightness by rotating it under an infrared fiber optic sensor. As the stick is rotated, a computer detects any variation in the straightness of the stick. The sticks are then loaded on a conveyor and are placed one at a time on a computer scale. The computer records the weight of each stick and places it into a bin containing sticks of a specific weight.

A stick or mallet that goes through this much or more detail is one serious product. To help express your talent, check out our selection of Vic Firth sticks.

The world's top drummers and percussionists choose Vic Firth, the world's best drumsticks and mallets: Carmine Appice, Kenny Aronoff, Omar Hakim, Gregg Bissonet, Terry Bozzio, Dave Weckl, Matt Cameron, Anton Fig, Peter Erskine, Suzie Ibarra, Kalani, and many others.

Choosing the "Best" Drum Stick is an Art in Itself
Choosing the best drum stick is a very personal decision. Many drummers have not yet discovered how much better they could play using the correct stick. It's not unusual for professionals to use 2 or 3 different models or more.
Factors to consider when choosing a drum stick include density, straightness of grain, type of wood, weight, length, diameter, wood or nylon tip, plus the intangibles of balance and "feel".

When selecting a stick, look for a good quality hardwood with the grain running uniformly from butt to bead. The kind of wood selected will have a great deal to do with the feel, the balance, the sound and the longevity of the stick.

Some drummers prefer the natural sound of wood tips. Others prefer nylon tips for a bright cymbal sound and longer tip life. Be sure to select a high quality nylon tip for the best sound and service. Determine the size drumstick that best fits your hand.

Drumsticks vary in both in diameter and length. Remember, you're looking for comfort and a stick you can control that also gives you the sound you want. Try several different sizes for comparison before you decide to buy. After you become more experienced, you will probably find a specific brand and a particular model which best suits you for most playing situations. Your drum teacher can help guide you on this.

What are your volume requirements? A jazz trio or 18-piece band? A rock group or a marching band? Perhaps a symphony orchestra? The proper stick for each situation will differ.

Feel the sticks. Hold them in your hands. Tap each on a solid surface like glass or wood to hear the pitch and "feel" the wood. Avoid sticks that feel or sound hollow. Evenness of weight is usually preferred ... both sticks the same. Sticks that sound the same when tapped generally weigh the same.

Test the sticks for straightness. Roll them on a flat, smooth surface. Too many drummers buy sticks by feel or by rolling them only. Use both methods, feel and roll, before making a final decision. A good solid-feeling drumstick, even though not perfectly straight, is much better than a straight stick that feels hollow or weak. Excessively warped sticks should be avoided.

Natural wood varies in color. Once you learn what feels right for you, the color of the wood won't matter. From time to time you may try new models and different brands. There are now so many choices you should find it easy to obtain the proper sticks to meet your needs. Select a quality brand and a model you can be reasonably certain will be available in the future, like Vic Firth American Classic Hickory drumsticks.

Whether your sound is modern rock, funk, jazz, or any other style, Vic Firth has the drumstick that's just right for you.

Find drumsticks made by Vic Firth.