Start at 5A in hickory with a wooden tip — the general-purpose reference every teacher assumes. Then vary one thing at a time: thicker for volume, thinner for control, nylon tips for cymbal durability.
Start at the reference
Five-A hickory. Every chart, teacher and comparison starts there, which makes it the only sensible baseline.
Buy pairs together
Wood varies between batches. Two sticks bought together are matched; two bought months apart are not, and the difference in weight is felt by the player.
Why the Vic Firth four-pack exists
Because sticks break, and a broken stick replaced by a matched one changes nothing about how the kit feels.
The questions players ask
What do the numbers mean?
Historically, the number describes the circumference class and the letter the intended application. In practice, 7A is thinner than 5A, and 5B is heavier.
Wood or nylon tip?
Wood sounds warmer on cymbals and chips eventually; nylon lasts longer and is brighter. On mesh pads neither wears quickly.
Last reviewed 2026-08-19