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Drumsticks are a drummer’s most important tool. Whether you play acoustic or electronic drums, it’s essential that you have a good pair of sticks to feel comfortable when playing.
While there isn’t much of a difference between the stick requirements for acoustic and electric drums, there are a few alternative things to keep in mind.
I’ve listed five of the best drumstick options for electronic drum kit owners. I’ve compared them according to durability, value, performance, and build quality.
What are the Best Drum Sticks for Electronic Drums?
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Best overall
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Best durability
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Best nylon tip sticks
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Best Maple Sticks
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Best for Kids
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Drum Sticks for Electronic Drums Reviews
Vic Firth American Classic 5A Wood Tip
Vic Firth American Classic 5A Wood Tip Review
The Vic Firth American Classic 5As are arguably the most popular drumsticks in the world. A 5A size is typically the starting point for drummers, and Vic Firth is always the first brand to come up when looking for sticks.
These sticks are made from hickory wood that makes them feel very balanced in your hands. There’s a good amount of weight at the base, and the taper thins out enough for the sticks to feel nimble as you play.
With that said, they’re relatively heavy compared to lighter sticks that are commonly used for electronic drums. If you’re a heavier hitter, these sticks will be perfect for you, as they’ll last longer.
If you play quite lightly on your electronic kit, you’d benefit more from using lighter sticks, as they’ll allow you to have more fluid movements.
Something good to mention about Vic Firth sticks is that they’re very reliable. You’ll get evenly matched sticks most of the time, so you’ll always be in good hands when getting a new pair to live at your e-drums.
This particular pair has a teardrop tip shape, but Vic Firth sells 5A sticks with various tip shapes to choose from. The tips don’t affect any sounds on electronic drums, so you only really need to worry about those if you plan to use the sticks on acoustic drums as well.
Features:
- 16” length
- 0.565” diameter
- Hickory wood
Pros
- Universally loved by most drummers
- Feel great in your hands, no matter how hard or softly you play the drums
- Very durable
- Widely available, whereas there are often shortages of other stick types
Cons
- Can feel a bit heavy for drummers that prefer lighter drumsticks
Promark FireGrain Rebound 5A Drumsticks
Promark FireGrain Rebound 5A Drumsticks Review
The Promark FireGrain Rebound sticks are another 5A option. However, these sticks have a 3” taper that shifts more weight to the back of the sticks. While they’re the same length and weight as the previous Vic Firth 5As that we looked at, they feel slightly heavier because of this.
The big benefit of these sticks is the heat tempering process that they go through in the production process. It does two things.
Firstly, it adds an insane amount of durability to the drumsticks. Since electronic drum kits don’t have any metal parts to hit, a single pair of these will likely last more than a year of frequent playing on electronic drums.
The second result of the heat tempering process is that the sticks look like they’ve been burnt. This is a purely aesthetic design choice, but it’s one that sets these sticks apart from many others. For some drummers, it’s enough to pick these.
If you love how 5A drumsticks feel and you don’t want to buy sticks often, these are a solid choice to consider.
They’re just not a great option for drummers that like lighter sticks. If standard 5As are already too heavy for you, these will feel even worse to play with.
Features:
- 16” length
- 0.565” diameter
- Heat tempered design
Pros
- So durable that they likely won’t break when used on electronic drums
- Burnt wood aesthetic looks enticing
- Fantastic rebound from the weight getting shifted to the back
Cons
- Slightly heavier than standard 5A sticks from other brands
Vater American Hickory 7A Nylon Tip
Vater American Hickory 7A Nylon Tip Review
Vater is another excellent drumstick brand to consider, and these Vater 7A drumsticks are excellent for drummers wanting something lighter to play electronic drums with.
When comparing 7A to 5A drumsticks, you’ll discover that 7a are lighter and thinner, which makes them better for softer styles of music such as jazz, folk, pop, and blues.
With lighter sticks, it’s easier to play quick patterns with less effort. Electronic drums have a lot more rebound than acoustic drums, so you’ll find it even easier to play those patterns when moving from acoustic to electronic drums with these.
These sticks are also slightly longer than all the sticks we’ve looked at so far. This gives you extra reach around the drum kit. However, electronic drum sets are quite compact, stopping you from needing the extra reach.
The boosted length is mostly good for drummers that prefer to hold the sticks higher up to get more leverage when playing.
The final thing to mention is that one of the biggest differences between Vater sticks and sticks from other brands is that the butt ends have a flat shape. Some drummers prefer this while others prefer the standard rounded shape.
If you’ve never used Vater sticks, it’s worth trying them out to see what your preferences are.
I’d just recommend that you don’t get these sticks if you know that you’re a hard hitter. While it’s less likely to break sticks on electronic drums, you can still snap these easily if you hit hard.
Features:
- 16.5” length
- 0.540” diameter
- Hickory wood
Pros
- Lighter weight makes it easier to play quick patterns, especially on electronic drums
- Nylon tips never get worn out like wooden tips
- Slightly longer length than most sticks, which some drummers prefer
Cons
- More likely to break if you play the drums hard
Meinl Stick & Brush Hybrid 5A Drumsticks
Meinl Stick & Brush Hybrid 5A Drumsticks Review
Meinl Stick & Brush is one of the newer drumstick brands, but the company offers some amazing stick options.
These Hybrid 5A sticks are fantastic for electronic drums, as the maple wood makes them feel a bit lighter than standard hickory 5A drumsticks.
They feel the same when you’re holding them, as they have the same diameter. However, the lighter weight makes it easier to play patterns around the drums.
It often feels better to use light sticks for electronic drums, so these are excellent for drummers that still want to have the feel of 5A sticks.
Another thing to mention is that they have slightly longer tapers, and that makes them a bit bouncier. With more rebound from the electronic drums, it feels like a breeze when playing around a kit.
Just note that maple drumsticks aren’t as durable as hickory ones, so these sticks may not last as long as the typical hickory 5As that you’re used to using.
Features:
- 16.25” length
- 0.565” diameter
- Maple wood
Pros
- Lighter weight makes it easier to play quick patterns compared to standard 5A sticks
- Surprisingly durable, even though they weigh less
- Longer tapers give the sticks more rebound
Cons
- Not great for drummers that like to use heavier sticks
Vic Firth American Classic Kidsticks
Vic Firth American Classic Kidsticks Review
The Vic Firth American Classic Kidsticks are a unique option to consider. These are sticks designed for children, and they work wonderfully for kids that play on small beginner electronic drum sets.
Every electronic drum kit brand has entry-level options that are compact with small pads. When a small kid plays on those with regular sticks, they often feel too long and difficult to use.
So, these provide an excellent starting platform for kids to learn with, and then they can transition to regular sticks when they get a bit older.
They’re about 4” shorter than most sticks, and they mostly work for children under eight years old. Depending on the size of a child, they may only work for kids even younger than that.
One of the cool things about the Kidsticks is that you can get them in a blue or pink color. When it comes to toddlers and kids a bit older, a colorful pair of drumsticks is often enough to get them interested in using them.
So, they’re great for encouraging children to practice!
You’ll find quite a few other small pairs of drumsticks for kids that are made by lesser-known brands. It’s just that none of those are as durable. So, these are undoubtedly the best kids’ drumsticks on the market.
Features:
- 13” length
- 0.520” diameter
- Specifically designed for children
Pros
- Great option for kids that don’t feel comfortable using standard large drumsticks
- One of the only high-quality pairs of sticks designed for kids
- Blue and pink color options make them appealing to children
Drumsticks for an Electronic Drum Set Buying Guide
A key thing to remember about choosing sticks is that the sticks you like to use for an acoustic kit will be the same ones that will work well on electronic drums.
If you’re an experienced drummer that has developed preferences over time, stick to those and get a dedicated pair of your favorite sticks to use on your electronic set.
If you’re seeking drumsticks as a beginner drummer and you haven’t tried out different stick options yet, you mainly need to look at the size, material, and tip type when choosing a pair of drumsticks.
Features to Look Out for in Drumsticks for Electronic Drum Kits
Size
The size of a drumstick is the main determining factor of how it will feel when you use it. The two key aspects are length and weight.
Drumsticks range from 15” to 18”, with most of them having a length of 16”. If a stick has a bit of extra length, it means that it gives you more reach around the drum kit. However, it also means that the balance point will shift a bit, and that takes some time to get used to.
The diameter of a drumstick will affect how heavy it is and how it feels to hold in your hands. Thinner sticks are lighter, and thicker sticks are heavier.
The length also plays a role here, as a longer stick will have slightly more weight. However, length doesn’t affect weight as much as width does.
The easiest way to understand diameter is to compare sticks to all the standard sizes:
5A – 0.565” diameter
5B – 0.595” diameter
7A – 0.540” diameter
If you see drumsticks with different names from the standard ones, you’ll most likely find them being compared to those. When a stick is mentioned to be slightly thicker than a 5A, it means that it’s probably thicker than 0.565”.
Material
Like drum sets, drumsticks are made from different materials that affect how they sound and feel when playing. However, the scope of materials isn’t as broad when it comes to drumsticks.
Most drumsticks are made from hickory. It’s a balanced wood that makes them feel solid and durable.
Some sticks are made from maple. Maple is a much lighter wood, leading a pair of maple 5As to feel lighter than a pair of hickory 5As. The sticks can have the same length and diameter, but the hickory sticks will feel heavier.
This is ideal for drummers that want to use light sticks but love the thickness of 5As.
The final material that is commonly used is oak. These are the heaviest wooden drumsticks. A pair of oak 5As will feel a lot denser than maple and hickory 5As.
So, oak drumsticks are great for drummers that play really hard. However, I wouldn’t suggest using them for electronic drums, as hickory and maple sticks are much better options.
Tips
The final thing to consider when buying drumsticks is the kind of tips they have. However, the tips really don’t make all that much of a difference when you’re playing electronic drums.
The way that the sticks feel is more based on the types of pads, whether they’re nylon, mesh, or silicone.
So, your drumsticks will feel the same when you’re playing electronic drums, whether they have acorn or barrel tips.
You’ll hear a lot of people say that nylon tips are better for electronic drum pads. While nylon tips are great, it doesn’t mean that wooden tips don’t work.
The only problem with wooden tips is that they’re more likely to wear out and damage your pads. But that’s only if they get chipped from constantly hitting metal. Since you don’t hit metal when playing electronic drums, this never happens.
So, both nylon and wooden tips are great options.
Drumsticks for Electronic Drums FAQs
What are the Best Drumsticks for Beginners?
Everyone develops different preferences over time when it comes to drumsticks. Some drummers like heavy sticks, while others prefer lighter ones.
If you’re a beginner, you should start by using a pair of 5A sticks. These sticks are the standard middle-ground option, so you can get used to using them and then decide what your preferences are from there.
Will Heavy Drumsticks Break Electronic Drums?
No, heavy drumsticks will not break electronic drums. Mesh and rubber heads are incredibly durable, so it’s quite rare for drummers to damage them. Most drummers will own an electronic drum kit for years without the heads needing to be replaced.
However, it depends on how hard you hit them. If you hit electronic drum pads very hard with heavy sticks, there’s a higher chance of them getting damaged.
Are Nylon or Wood Tips Better for Electronic Drums?
Both types of tips are perfect if they’re in good condition. Since the sounds are electronically triggered, they don’t affect the sounds you get as they do with acoustic drums.
You just need to make sure that you’re not using the same sticks for your electronic drums that you’re using for your acoustic ones. Wooden tips are more likely to get chipped, and a chipped tip is more likely to damage mesh heads.
