5 Best Drumsticks For Electronic Drums (All Types Of Heads)

• What are the best drumsticks for electronic drums?
• Do you need special drumsticks for electronic drums?
• Are nylon tips better for electronic drums?

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So, now that you have your new electronic drum set, the neighbor’s complaints are a thing of the past.

But if you don’t want your new kit to be a thing of the past, keep your cut-up and beat-up acoustic sticks far away from your new mesh or rubber heads.

Now is the time to consider what sticks you will use on these e-drum surfaces that are so different from your acoustic drum heads.

Many mistakenly believe that the drummer’s instrument is the drum set, when it is in fact — the sticks in your hands.

My first drum teacher said, “A professional drummer should be able to play on a concrete block or a basketball and make it sound good”.

For this reason, the choice of drumsticks is a very personal decision for each person, and it takes a bit of trial and error to lock into a favorite size, style, and brand of stick.

What Are the Best Drumsticks for Electronic Drums?

The Vic Firth American Classic Estick is my top pick for the modern electronic drum kit musician. This hickory stick, with its long taper and barrel-shaped tip, is designed specifically for playing e-drums.

In this article, I will give you five options to explore for sticks to use on your electronic drum set. I will not be examining hand shape and stick size selection as that is an entire field of study. The specs listed are for a standard 5A size or its equivalent.

So without any further fanfare, here are my choices for the five best drumsticks for electronic drumset playing:

1. Vic Firth American Classic eStick (Our Pick)
2. Zildjian Anti-Vibe Stick 5A (Best for Rubber Heads)
3. Promark Rebound 5A (Best for Mesh Heads)
4. Vic Firth American Classic Extreme 5A
5. Vater 55AA Hickory Drum Stick

1. Vic Firth American Classic eStick (Top Pick)

The Vic Firth American Classic eStick is made with the electronic drummer in mind. The mesh heads of electronic drums have a very different feel than acoustic drum heads, and drum stick companies are taking notice of the need for a specially designed stick.

I feel that Vic Firth has hit a home run with this one. Careful consideration has been taken in every aspect of this stick, from the added length to the barrel-shaped tip. The added length comes from a long taper from the shoulder to the bottom of the tip.

Specs

• Material: Hickory
• Diameter: 0.563”/1.13cm
• Length: 16.5”/41.9cm
• Taper: Long
• Tip: Barrell

Feature

• Made specifically for electronic drums.

Review

These sticks do have a different feel on electronic drums. Whether you have mesh heads or rubber heads, you will notice the difference. Once you are done with your e-drum practice, ensure you warm up on your practice pad with the sticks you will use on your acoustic set before you jump on your throne at the gig. Moving back and forth from these sticks to regular sticks takes a few minutes of transition time.

2. Zildjian Anti-Vibe Stick 5A (Best for Rubber Heads)

The folks at Zildjian have shown their ability to innovate with the Anti-Vibe Stick.

They have drilled a hole through the stick’s center at the butt end and filled it with an anti-vibration rubber that absorbs a large amount of the impact vibration when striking a hard surface. This results in less impact on your wrists and hands.

Specs

• Material: Hickory
• Diameter: 0.560”/1.32cm
• Length: 16”/40.64cm
• Taper: Medium
• Tip: Oval

Feature

• Anti-vibration rubber core.

Review

I have used these sticks on both my electronic kit and my acoustic set. After long drumming sessions, they do seem to reduce the amount of fatigue on the wrists and hands. They are also very well constructed and have lasted a very long time.

3. Promark Rebound 5A (Best for Mesh Heads)

Promark has introduced a stick with two options: Forward or Rebound. The difference is in the taper of the stick. The Forward model is designed with more weight at the tip end of the taper, causing the stick to achieve more forward momentum. The Rebound option offers more weight at the shoulder end of the taper for more rebound.

Specs

• Material: Hickory
• Diameter: 0.565”/1.44cm
• Length: 16”/40.64cm
• Taper: Long
• Tip: Acorn

Feature

• A unique taper design that enhances rebound.

Review

I have used both versions of this stick: the Forward version and the Rebound version. The Rebound version is a great choice for playing on mesh and rubber heads. The unique taper compensates for the difference in the feel of playing on electronic drums.

4. Vic Firth American Classic Extreme 5A

The Vic Firth American Classic Drum Stick is a favorite of drummers of every style and genre. Whether using them on an e-kit or acoustic kit, these sticks are always a winner.

Their Extreme model, however, is a great choice for e-drums because of the added length of the stick. A full half inch has been added to the length making this stick, well, how can I say it, extreme.

Specs

• Material: Hickory
• Diameter: 0.565”/1.44cm
• Length: 16.5”/41.91cm
• Taper: Medium
• Tip: Tear Drop

Feature

• A classic stick with an extra half inch of length.

Review

In full disclosure, this is my go-to stick. It fits my hand better than any other stick, and I have used it on electronic drums and acoustic drums alike. I love the extra length, no matter what kind of surface I am playing on.

So while you are trying out different sticks for your electronic drum set, you might want to give this popular stick a try.

5. Vater 55AA Hickory Drum Stick

Vater lovers have been requesting a stick with a bit more length. The folks at Vater have answered with the Vater 55AA drumstick. Their mission was to give their fans an additional half inch without a big difference in overall weight.

Specs

• Material: Hickory
• Diameter: 0.570”/177.8cm
• Length: 16.5”/41.91cm
• Taper: Short
• Tip: Acorn

Feature

• An extra half inch without extra weight.

Review

I couldn’t complete this article without including a stick from Vader. The 55AA is a great choice to audition on your e-kit. A classic size with an added half-inch makes it a great electronic drum kit stick.

Looking for a great electronic drum kit? Check out our review of the Alesis Nitro Mesh Kit!

Additional Information

Before we conclude, There are a few things to clear up.

It makes no difference whether you play with a wood-tipped stick or a nylon-tipped stick on an electronic drum set. The purpose of selecting tip materials is to produce a different sound when playing cymbals.

If you are sensitive enough to notice a difference in how a nylon-tipped stick feels, you are in the minority.

The main consideration regarding wood-tipped sticks is to check them for splinters or chips that could damage your e-kit heads.

Also, plastic tips are two pieces glued together and can sometimes leave a small ridge that can damage your e-kit heads. Be sure to feel the tip before you buy it and if you feel a sharp ridge, select another pair.

If you do wind up with a plastic-tipped stick that has a ridge, smooth it out with fine sandpaper before using it on your mesh or rubber heads.

The most important advice I can give you regarding your electronic drum kit sticks is never to use the same sticks on your e-kit that you use on your acoustic set.

A few minutes of playing on an acoustic kit will chip and splinter the sticks enough to damage your e-kit heads. The hi-hat alone will render the sticks useless for your e-drums.

And one more pro tip before we conclude. Never use a felt kick drum beater on a mesh bass drum head. The felt will destroy the mesh head, so always use a plastic or synthetic beater.

Wrapping Up

I hope my suggestions in this article will give you a great place to start in your electronic drum set journey.

Try out new sticks. Stick to the four major brands (Vic Firth, Vater, Zildjian, and Promark). And practice, practice, practice.

Up next, check out:

• Counting Down The 12 Best Drum Solos
• Why Your Snare Drum Rings (+How To Reduce It & Embrace It)
• Ride Vs Crash Cymbal (4 Key Differences)