L-J thanks for that Vic Firth video. Had no idea they went to such extremes sorting sticks. It funny no matter how well balanced-matched sticks are there's still one stick I mark and prefer in my right hand. I've always done this it's a weird thing. But 9 times out of 10 I'll grab the sticks and start to play. Something will feel funny and I look at the butt ends for my "R" swap sticks and all is good. I'm not too fussy about sticks. I always try new ones but prefer the Pro-Mark 747's for rock n blues. And the Vic Firth SZ Zoro model for jazz rock-jazz-quieter stuff. I like the Vic Firth Steve Gadd sig sticks too. If I had to pick just one the 747 would be it though. All wood tips for me too.

5a band-practice and gig. Any brand, not picky.

2b home practice (building strenght and speed)

Something I find funny and kind of illustrative of what I would call industry making advantage of "musicians-fetishism" or "musicians magical thinking" is the stress on the matched pairs as a selling strategy. A lot of attention payed to getting a pair of sticks matched. And then you use them, hit the crash a couple of times, loose some chips of wood and the're not matching anymore!!!!

Haha alls I do is roll em on the counter to make sure they aren't warped. Definitely usually have a left/right preference/bias in every pair...heavier stick for left hand...

Mitch

I've just seen this thread. I can't possibly get away with using heavier sticks, 7a type for me- something light. Maybe just maybe very slightly heavier if it loud rock but still light to me. I'm very particular about the 'feel'.

Strangely there are some moments when swinging away at big band when my right hand on ride ' gets away with itself' - sort of like in a moment I could use a bit more control of a 5a or something, then just as fast I then reason - yea but it just wouldn't feel right, it would feel clumsy. There, ah, Its nice to get that of my chest.:)

5A nylon tip Vic Firth here. Nice balance, but prefer heaviest of the two in my left hand. I used to use wood tips, but they always seem to chip and acquire a "dead zone" that makes them worthless IMO.

A lot of the time I have to use a wood stick in the left hand and have to find a suitably weighted ( always light ) nylon tip for the right hand , because The vintage 22" 40s trans stamp just needs the nylon to cut through a bit better. And no one would dream of polishing one of those cymbals would they!? I did to one once and it did lose something sound wise. It's very frustrating though cos sometimes these fantastic old cymbals sometimes just don't seem to cut through when the band is louder. But would it lose something if cleaned?. Probably.

Actually I have a pair of those 5a vice firths and they are pretty good. I do use them when practicing on an electronic Roland kit. ( I have neighbours etc)

I'm not exactly a seasoned gig player, but I currently play classic country and I usually prefer a heavier stick. To me, it gives me better control. I don't use them necessarily to provide greater volume. I have played lighter sizes, and most definitely prefer 5B nylon tip as my daily driver sticks. I often go for Vic Firth but lately I have liked the ProMark brand. I love the brightness that the nylon tips give the cymbals, although it marks the cymbals up quite a bit more than wood tips. Especially on the high gloss finishes. I don't usually choose specific right and left sticks, but 90% of the time, I play the left stick with the butt end so I guess I do have a left and right.

All things considered, stick preferences are as unique as a drummers' choice in drum kit and the subsequent customizations that us drummers make.