Which One is Better, and Why?
So which stick is better, wood tip or nylon tip? I recently realized that I had never honestly asked myself this question. I used to be an avid, and devout wood tip user. I had simply never wandered into the nylon tip realm, and was fine with that. My Vater 5B Wood Tips have always worked for me, and given me a great sound, so I never considered that nylon tip could be any better. Of course, as with any other product, it comes down to personal preference. People are going to play what they are comfortable playing, but this is not to say that one can’t explore the benefits of both, and make them interchangeable.
I recently booked a session, and in the conversation I was having with the producer, he requested that I bring a few pairs of nylon tip sticks. when I asked why, he said he likes the way they record better than wood tips for certain things. I went out, and purchased a few pairs of Vater 5B Nylon tips, not thinking it would make a big difference in the sound or feel of the recording. I was shocked at the difference I noticed. The stick definition was outstanding, and consistency between strokes was very easily achievable. Below I have listed a few differences between the two stick types, and a few application recommendations I have come up with over the course of using both of them for various situations.
Wood Tip
Wood tips tend to be more delicate than nylon. They give you a much warmer, and more earthy tone making them great for jazz, singer songwriter stuff, or anything else you don’t need the punch of a loud backbeat and cutting ride for. They can definitely darken up your sound for anything you want to add a more dirty, gritty vibe to. Some complaints of wood tips is that they are much more fragile than nylon. It can be annoying when tiny pieces of the tip break off, completely deadening that part of the stick. This can definitely effect your sound, and create inconsistencies between strokes. This is not to say they aren’t great for loud, heavy playing, but you will go through them much faster than nylon. If you play wood tips, try exploring the different types of wood available out there. Most sticks are available in either Hickory, and Maple woods, but other woods such as Japanese Oak, and Rosewood are used as well. Each one of these woods has a different weight, and balance structure, and will give you an entirely different sound, so explore them and see what works for you.
Nylon Tip
Nylon tips, above all, are durable. They last extremely long, which makes them great for touring, especially if your not endorsed. The tips have been known to break off, but they will not gradually chip away like a wood tip. They give you a much brighter, more tinny sound making them great for any type of rock, pop, or metal drumming. Some complaints of nylons is that they leave marks on your cymbals, and even break cymbals faster than wood tips. Some also say that they dent, and wear out heads faster (I tend to believe that this is more a result of how you hit the drum) ultimately costing you more money. Also now in the nylon tip family is the entirely synthetic drumstick. Drum stick company Ahead, has released a synthetic drumstick with a plastic tip. They are geared toward metal drumming, but having never played them, I can’t comment on them.
