So, you've got your drum kit and hardware sorted and topped it with your ideal cymbals. Now you need the final link in the percussive chain: drumsticks. They're one of the most important tools in a drummer’s arsenal - the main point of contact between your hands and your gear - and they directly impact the way you play. Choosing sticks might seem arbitrary, but there is a science to it, and finding the best drumsticks for you isn’t as simple as picking up the first pair you find. That’s why I’ve created this guide.
The right drumsticks should feel like an extension of your arms, so choosing carefully is vital. If you're unsure where to start, fear not: I’ve highlighted options for every style and budget, alongside handy buying advice further down the page.
While finding your ideal pair is subjective and comes down to personal feel, several key factors dictate what works best - including your musical style, playing intensity, and budget.
Nearly all major brands - including the ‘big four’ of Vic Firth, Vater, Zildjian, and Promark - offer standard sizing that serves as a great starting point. Most drummers agree, for example, that a well-made 5A model is an ideal jumping off point for anyone starting out.
The good news? Drumsticks are relatively inexpensive - unless you opt for exotic synthetic models (which I’ve also covered here) - so you can affordably experiment with a few pairs until you find your perfect match.
I’ve not covered mallets or brushes in this guide as that’s a whole other topic of conversation, but if you’re on the hunt for a low-volume alternative to full drumsticks, this is where you need to look.
Best for rock
Playing rock music requires drummers to deliver plenty of power and attack. To achieve this, a solid starting point for any rock drummer is a 5A model stick, and in my opinion there’s no better example than Vic Firth’s American Classic 5A. These sticks are universally acknowledged as the best for rock, offering decent length, a medium taper for added strength and substantial diameter for the average drummer’s hands.
The tear drop tip delivers a potent combination of attack and warmth, helping everyone from softer players to hard hitters coax bombastic tones from their drums. Each stick is coated with a smooth lacquer too, which improves comfort and aids grip when your hands get sweaty during long periods of playing.
Best for kids
When younger players start learning to play the drums it’s important that they use a drumstick that feels comfortable and manageable in their smaller hands. Full-size sticks can be too long and heavy, making them difficult to control. This can impact technique and, at worst, put off aspiring young drummers before they’ve had a chance to develop fundamental skills and start enjoying the drums.
At a pint-sized 13”, Promark’s Hickory Junior Wood Tip sticks are the best drumsticks for kids. They’re shorter than standard models, promoting a more comfortable, natural feel, while a medium taper helps deliver an even balance and rebound, meaning key techniques are picked up quickly. The oval tip is ideal for extracting a well-rounded, warm tone from the drums, no matter what style is being played.
Best budget
Drumsticks might be one of the cheaper purchases a drummer will make, but if you play regularly and find you break a lot, the cost of replacements soon mounts up over time. Vic Firth’s Nova Series sticks are made from B-grade hickory, which helps reduce the cost to you, but that doesn't mean they're any less playable than premium sticks.
As with all Vic Firth models, Novas are weight and pitch-matched before they leave the factory, so each pair is guaranteed to feel balanced in your hands. At a fraction of the price, it’s even worth keeping a few pairs in your stick bag as back ups in case you run out of your first-choice sticks. In addition to the 5A model, Vic Firth also offer 5B and 7A Novas in a number of different colours.
Best beginner
If you’re a full-size human coming to the drums for the first time, it’s vital that you choose a beginner stick that gives you the best in feel, length, balance and power as a solid starting point. Then, as you develop, you can start exploring different models that suit your particular playing needs.
The 7A size doesn’t feel too big in the hands and is light enough to help you master key techniques. Vater’s Manhattan 7A model is the perfect example of this. It’s a premium quality stick that feels comfortable to play, with a small round tip for neat and defined cymbal playing. In fact, it’s such a versatile drumstick that you may never need to play another model. Vater offers this stick with wood or nylon tips.
Best modern
Modern drummers don’t really subscribe to one particular style anymore, playing everything from rock and pop to hip-hop and dance music, often within the same track. As such, those players need a drumstick that can handle the demands of diverse and dynamic drumming. Meinl’s Stick and Brush has become renowned for its forward-thinking approach to percussion products.
Their Hybrid model sticks – which includes 5A, 5B and 7A models – feature a unique Hybrid tip which starts life as an acorn shape, before being trimmed down to a barrel, enabling dark and smooth cymbal articulation, while the extended length and taper make these drumsticks ideal for playing fast fills and intricate grooves.
Best for jazz
Hickory is a common drumstick material, but there are plenty of alternatives worth considering. Shira Kashi Oak is dense and heavy – both great attributes for cymbal articulation – making it a great choice for jazzers. Japanese oak is also known for its durability, so these Promark sticks will last longer than hickory alternatives if treated with respect – we’re big fans of this considering the higher price for these sticks.
The shorter length and reduced diameter enables the player to inject greater nuance and dynamic into their drumming, whilst retaining a feeling of balance and control in the hands. The oval tip helps extract a darker, warmer tone from your drums.
Best for heavy hitters
If you’re a metal drummer who is constantly breaking sticks, you may need to explore alternative materials to ensure there’s nothing in the way of you and your blastbeats. Ahead makes extremely durable drumsticks, built around an anodised aerospace-grade aluminium core, finished with durable polyurethane covers and ‘unbreakable’ nylon tips. Inside each stick you’ll find a vibration reduction system to help absorb the shock of heavier playing.
The 2B model feels substantial in the hands and is perfectly balanced to promote powerful playing, whilst being light enough to pull off faster beats. Ahead claims their sticks last up to 10 times longer than wooden drumsticks, which takes the sting out of the price tag.
Best artist models
Cymbal giant Zildjian has a huge artist roster, which includes everyone from Dave Grohl and Ringo Starr, to Dennis Chambers, Travis Barker, Tre Cool and Josh Dun. Many of their artists also play Zildjian-branded sticks, which says a lot about the quality and diversity of the drumsticks they offer.
Delve deep into the Zildjian artist line-up and you’ll find multiple gauges, tip-types and colours to suit your individual tastes, visual style and spec needs. It’s worth trying out the stick of your favourite drummer first, but who knows, maybe you’ll discover the perfect stick bearing the name of a drummer you’d never even considered before? It's always worth trying multiple pairs.
Best for durability
Stick durability is an issue that has been addressed by almost every drumstick manufacturer on the planet, all to varying degrees of success. If breaking sticks is a regular occurrence behind your drum kit, but the idea of going down the fully synthetic route is a complete turn off, Promark’s Firegrain sticks could be the most convincing solution yet.
These unique-looking drumsticks have been treated to a special heat-tempering process that hardens the hickory, in turn boosting strength and durability. But this is the key point - this is all achieved without impacting the feel and tone of the stick. It’s a solution that we've found just works, and while the price tag is slightly higher than standard pair of hickory sticks, it's justified.
How to choose the best drumsticks for you
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When it comes to finding the right model for you, here’s a few things to consider.
1. Stick material
Most often, wooden drumsticks are made from hickory. This medium-weight hardwood is hard-wearing, while alternative woods such as oak and maple offer different weight and density options. For even more durability it would be worth exploring sticks made from still-tougher materials such as aluminium or graphite. This added strength reduces the need to regularly replace drumsticks, but inevitably costs more on a one-off basis.
Cheaper budget drumsticks, commonly made from B-grade hickory, come in at a fraction of the price of premium sticks, and are well worth considering. Even if these aren’t your go-to A-grade stage models, I would consider grabbing a few pairs of budget sticks as insurance if you suffer mid-gig or session breakages. These are often more than good enough for home practice or giving the kids a go on your kit, too.
2. Stick taper
Taper length (the part of the stick that narrows from the shoulder to the tip) has a real impact on stick behavior. A long taper means faster rebound and a lighter response at the tip, which is great for jazz and funk. On the flipside, a shorter taper places the weight nearer the front of the stick, which is great if you’re a rock or metal player looking to enhance power and punch.
3. Shoulder thickness
If you’re planning on peppering your beats with ear-shattering rimshots, the shoulder of your chosen stick matters. A thick shoulder will stand up much harder and longer to repeated strikes of your snare drum’s rim.
4. Stick tip
Stick tip shape and material has a significant impact on the tone and playing characteristics of your chosen stick. A nylon tip will typically give you a punchy and bright attack, while a wood tip is warmer with a more natural rebound.
Believe it or not, the shape of your stick tip has a significant impact on your sound, too.
- Acorn: Delivers a rich, dark, and full tone with maximum surface contact on your drums and cymbals
- Barrel: Delivers a broad, loud, punchy attack with medium surface contact
- Round/ball: This tip shape is crisp, articulate and pingy
- Oval/teardrop: Delivers a warm, versatile tone that varies based on the angle of impact
5. Finish
You have two main choices here: lacquered or natural. Lacquered sticks offer more grip, with some lacquers becoming tacky-er the warmer they get in the hand. Other lacquers, however, can become slick with too much sweat, so choose wisely. Natural finish sticks can be grippy too, particularly if they’re lightly sanded, but they will absorb moisture from your hands over time and that will degrade the wood quicker than a lacquered stick.
6. Are you playing an e-kit?
Really, you can use any stick on an electronic drum set, but there are a couple of caveats to consider: 1) Nylon tips are less prone to splintering which may damage heads; 2) colour-coated sticks may stain or discolour mesh pads.
FAQs
What does drumstick thickness and length relate to?
Thickness has an impact on the overall weight of the stick, and how it feels in your hand. This translates to playing comfort and the amount of power you can unleash on your drums and cymbals. Generally, thicker sticks are more durable, too. Length dictates the potential reach you have between your hands and your drums and cymbals and is measured from the butt of the stick to the tip.
What is drumstick taper?
The taper is the part of the stick that gets thinner as it heads towards the tip. Taper length impacts how the stick feels to play. Longer, thinner tapers promote faster, lighter playing, but these sticks tend to be more fragile.
What drumstick tip shapes are there?
Stick tips come in all shapes and sizes, in nylon and wooden guises. Each style extracts a different sound from your drums and cymbals. Ball tips tend to elicit more precise, articulate sounds, especially when it comes to cymbals. Acorn tips are fuller and warmer. For the best of both worlds, we’d recommend an oval tip. Nylon tips produce more attack than wood tips.
Should I try signature drumsticks?
Many stick companies use famous drummers to promote their products, often in the guise of signature drumsticks - that is, sticks designed to the exact specifications of the drummer in question, and usually with their name or band logo adorned on the stick. Many regular drummers swear by the signature model of their favourite drummer.
But are signature sticks always the way to go? Yes and no…
You may well find that your favourite drummer’s signature stick is the perfect fit for you and your playing style, and they tick all the boxes for taper, thickness, length and tip. However, your favourite drummer may prefer to play an ultra thick, extra long model that is far too unwieldy for you. So, you need to be honest with yourself if you discover your hero’s stick isn’t for you.
How often should I replace my drumsticks?
Pretty much every pair of sticks will break eventually, but how soon comes down to you as a player. Signs of potentially imminent breakage include chipped tips (which can also damage your drumheads), softened shoulders as a result of heavy rim-shotting or heavy cymbal use, or micro-cracks that deaden the natural stick vibration/tone. These are sure signs that a stick is on its way out. Keep an eye on these and always keep spares in your stick bag, particularly if you’re playing live.
Why are my drumsticks splitting or chipping at the tip?
I hate to break it to you, but this could well be a you problem and you might need to make some changes to your playing or setup. A common culprit is striking cymbals flat rather than at a glancing angle which puts maximum pressure on the stick. It could also be that the wood has dried out, or you’re simply a heavier player and you might need to try nylon tips.
Does stick weight or pitch matching really matter?
The answer is yes. You might not even notice that a pair of sticks is perfectly matched, but if they’re not there could be a knock-on effect to the symmetry and balance of your hands.
What’s the difference between hickory, maple and oak?
Maple is lightweight and fast, meaning you can use a thicker stick that doesn’t that much heavier. Hickory is the industry standard thanks to a great balance of shock absorption and durability. Oak is the heaviest, most dense wood, meaning it’s the most durable, but also the least shock absorbing.
How we choose the best drumsticks for this guide
Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.
When choosing what we believe to be the best drumsticks available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.
First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best drumsticks on the market right now.
Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar.
Why trust us?
☑️ MusicRadar established 2007
☑️ Covering drums for almost 20 years
☑️ Over 5,000 reviews on-site
MusicRadar first launched in 2007 and has been an authority on drums ever since, rigorously testing the majority of key gear launches since day one. The site is run by a diverse team of passionate musicians who live to gig, record and jam, alongside a core group of trusted specialist freelance writers. We understands what players need, because we’re players ourselves, and we test from this perspective.
Our team have been testing music gear for 18+ years, constantly refining our methodology, delving deeper into products and drawing on our experience of what has come before to understand today’s products better than anyone.
Our testing team includes:
- Expert reviewers with decades of combined hands-on experience testing, playing and owning a wide range of drum gear.
- Industry professionals who have worked in the drum/music industry for decades, including Editor positions at leading drumming magazines and websites.
- Our team also includes drum teachers, function drummers, band drummers and players who have worked in drum shops.
25/08/26: This guide has been a complete refresh from a design and layout perspective. We've added an all-new how to choose section and added new information to the FAQs section.
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MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test.
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