Snare Sticks

[sarnia sam]

Here is some old SCV history. Back in the day when I played snare in SCV we used sticks designed and named after our instructor, Rob Carson DC 10's. A tapered stick with no bead and kind of light and very easy to play fast with.

One day mid summer while the corps was practicing out on Moffit Field, Fred Sanford comes back from a Canadian trip with a box full of custom batch of Rob Carson DC 10's made from rosewood.

This sticks were beautiful and had an unbelievable pitch that made our new snares sound very sweet. Unfortunately the sticks were very fragile and we shattered the entire lot within a couple of hours.

Mom

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I had a pair of each. Actually come to think of it one pair was cherry wood not the rosewood. I had a pair of rock knockers by promark in cherry wood too (you can hear them in 78 Oaklands Black Magic Woman on the solo tenor - me).

I found a store in Detroit that had the Promark 3s in cherry wood. All the guys in the line liked them so much I went back and cleaned out the store of 20 pairs or so. I'm pretty sure most of the line was using those in 77, though it could have been 78 - bad sector on the drive, if you know what I mean.

Regards,

John

[sarnia sam]

my favourite sticks are ones that aren't broke, cracked, or warped.

Regards,

John

[DRCman]

I like the Vic Firth Thom Hannum sticks.  They have great applications both indoors and out.  Great articulation, work well with all dynamics, and require a little more work on the individual's end. 

I liked the Silver Fox James Campbell from back in the day...well besides the tips popping off and the occasional stick not being completely round (you should see me roll one of them, haha).  They felt pretty good, though.

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I agree. The Hannums are great for playing the lower stuff with great sound quality. Playing with them makes me salivate for a copy of Stars 93' charts.

[mwpercussion14]

I prefer Hardimons and Johnsons.

[NickM]

I use Jeff Moore DC-1's for outdoor and Hannums for indoor. The Scott Johnson ones are good to.

[mobrien]

I bought a pair of the IP Jim Campbell's last year, but they're much too light, even when taped. I went back to a pair of the Rob Carson DC10's I've owned for literally 25 years. I used these guys teaching for 3 seasons in the mid-80s, whacking them for time, whacking rim shots (to get someone's attention...;-), and they still look nearly new.

But my faves were the prototype Calato nylon bead sticks we had in Cavaliers in '81. Perfect length, great balance, and a perfectly round bead that had plenty of meat for ride cymbal parts. Don't suppose any marching snare line needs THAT quality anymore.... :P

[InspaDave]

I remember using Pro Mark DC-3S back when I marched. I have a pair, but they are not pitch-paired :(

[Rratex]

I like the Promark DC-3S too. I just wish they had a rounded bead like the Jeff Moore's.

[dmfootworks]

But my faves were the prototype Calato nylon bead sticks we had in Cavaliers in '81. Perfect length, great balance, and a perfectly round bead that had plenty of meat for ride cymbal parts. Don't suppose any marching snare line needs THAT quality anymore.... :P

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Calato (Regal Tip) made a relatively short stick that had the qualities you describe. It had a very dense wood and mahogany-like finish. They felt great. I lost the pair I had and have been mourning it because they don't make anything like that anymore.

[jonnyboy]

I used DC 10s in high school and showed up to my drumcorps tryout with them....lol. Crossmen used to use Regal Corps 3S nylon, cool stick back then but short.

I like my Hardimons. If you have a contact at Vic Firth, try and get some heavy ones as they sort them out by weight then pitch. Just bought Scott Johnsons to play with, but my store only had wood tip light ones. They aren't bad but to light. I liked the feel of the Hannums, but the last pair wasn't pitched matched....a must for pad playing IMO.

Just getting back into drumming and looking forward to trying some new sticks. Any one else tired of trying to pitch match sticks in the store? That is the only reason I won't buy from the net, and my store has a crappy selection.