In the hands of every great drummer, there’s a great pair of drumsticks. Choosing the right type of drumsticks will have a huge impact on your sound.
For inspiration and to sound as close to your drumming idols as possible, we go into more detail about what drumsticks the greats use below.
What drumsticks does Dave Grohl use?
From Nirvana drummer to Foo Fighters frontman, Dave Grohl has cemented his place in rock history.
His powerful, relentless sound helped propel Nirvana to mainstream success and he has had 25 years of incredible and consistent success since.
Like most revered drummers, Grohl has designed his own drumsticks. The Dave Grohl Artist Series drumsticks from Zildjian are large and powerful, with a length of 16 ¾” and .600” diameter.
Large drumsticks have long been a part of Grohl’s playing. His family could not afford a drum set or lessons for him, so he practiced by listening to Rush and ‘playing’ on pillows with large marching band sticks.
What’s more, the acorn-shaped tip of the Zildjian helps to produce a clear sound. They’re also made of US Select Hickory, known for its resilience, durability, and responsiveness.
Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins probably described Grohl’s style of playing best in an interview with Spin:
“You have to be an athlete to play these drum parts - I play really hard, and that’s the key to playing drums for Dave Grohl - you’ve got to beat the s*** out of the drums.”
In fact, while playing for Nirvana, Grohl used 5B and 2B sticks the wrong way around to create a more powerful stroke.
What drumsticks does Joey Jordison use?
While they have since been discontinued, Joey Jordison also designed drumsticks for the brand ProMark. Jordison designed a pair of 515 Hickory sticks.
The sticks had a classic 5A diameter and a slim neck for a precise rebound.
They also had a full round bead to help with projection and clarity, especially on cymbal bells. These sticks also had a very unique design.
The ‘blood-red ink’ contained Joey’s actual blood! The drumstick’s slim neck also made for a fast and responsive rebound.
What drumsticks does Neil Peart use?
Neil Peart’s first sticks were not drumsticks at all but a pair of chopsticks in 1963 - yes really!
He then graduated to a pair of Gene Krupa drumsticks and a practice pad, before moving on to Pro-Mark Rock 747 Series from 1974 onwards.
Finally, after over 17 years of using the Pro-Mark Rock-747 drumsticks, Peart agreed to an official endorsement arrangement with the brand. His relationship with Pro-Mark lasted right until he retired in 2015.
In honor of Peart’s long connection with the brand, ProMark released the Neil Peart Lacquered Shira Kashi Oak drumsticks.
The classic diameter of these drumsticks promises a more powerful performance. They also have an oval tip for a clearer, brighter cymbal tone, and are made of a dense oak for more durability and articulation.
What drumstick does Lars use?
Lars Ulrich favors Ahead drumsticks, and Ahead designed a special signature series for the Metallica drummer and co-founder - they have an aluminium core and replaceable polyurethane shaft which last longer than regular wooden sticks.
Founded by drummer and engineer Rick Grossman in the early 1990s, Ahead was born when Grossman recognized that traditional wood baseball bats and hockey sticks were now being made with lighter and more durable aluminium.
He wanted to know if he could apply the same technology to drumsticks. He developed a prototype that he then sold to Bob Kasha and the rest is history.
It’s not just Lars who is a fan of Ahead. You can see Ahead drumsticks in the hands of Tommy Lee and Mick Fleetwood, to name just a few.
Ahead drumsticks tend to last 6-10 times longer than traditional wood sticks, and their Vibration Reduction System (VRS) provides 50% less shock and 5% more rebound than wood.
They also boast harder strokes with less effort, and a powder-coated finish said to be more comfortable to hold than others.
They also have replaceable tips that could make for a more varied cymbal response. These sticks are also made with similar manufacturing magic to Vic Firth.
Ahead manufactures their drumsticks to exact tolerances (+/- 1g) for consistent pairs every time.
What drumsticks does Nate Smith use?
Wowing critics with his catchy groove, Nate Smith is quickly becoming a household name for drummers around the world.
Ever since his work with the great Betty Carter, Nate has worked with legends like Dave Holland and Chris Potter.
The former, Holland, is somewhat of a mentor. He can also be heard on Michael Jackson’s ‘Invisible’ record, on the song ‘Heaven Can Wait.’
Outside of his jazz drumming duties, he is also an R&B and soundtrack producer. He has also scored for documentaries on The Learning Channel and the Discovery Channel.
Nate believes stick control is a big part of his ability to play funk and fusion as well as jazz. He believes sticks help to control the dynamic, and help you shed rudiments.
Nate uses Vater drumsticks. These 5A, hickory drumsticks are budget-friendly, but still of great quality.
They are also well-balanced and heavier at the tip which, according to Vater, helps with ‘fast attack and response on drums.’
Vater is also very particular when it comes to what Hickory they use. It has to have the right amount of moisture, grain structure, and straightness.
Almost totally self-taught, Nate had an unconventional introduction to drums and didn’t have drum lessons early on.
Big influences for him were his director in the concert band and his brother who was in the marching band.
This exposed him to drumming as his family had plenty of drumming material in the house.
Nate learned from watching tapes of his brother and continued to learn as his career grew.
During a gig in New York, Ralph Peterson Jr. came up and corrected his left-arm position. Nate was playing with Betty Carter as part of the Jazz Ahead band at the time.
His left arm was pretty tight, and Ralph came up to him after the gig, placed the drumstick in his hand, and pulled his elbow out.
He told Nate to ‘just tap his knee’ and pushed his arm. Nate said he immediately noticed a difference!
What drumsticks does Vinnie Colaiuta use?
With an impressive understanding of sound and an adaptable approach to music, Vinnie Colaiuta is one of the most honored and celebrated drummers of all time.
He’s worked with Jeff Beck, Sting, Megadeath, Hancock, Faith Hill, Chick Corea, Joe Satriani, to name just a few.
After all these years he’s still the first drummer people call for live and session playing across a wide variety of genres.
It’s easy to see why he’s such a musical chameleon, as Colaiuta grew up loving music from all different genres; from Motown, soul music, and R&B, to British invasion bands, and even big-band drumming from the likes of Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson, Stan Kenton, and Thand Jones and Mel Lewis.
Vinnie uses Vic Firth drumsticks and has designed his own. Colaiuta has said while promoting his drumsticks that sticks are an integral part of the drum set:
“You can have the best gear, but if the sticks aren’t good, the chain is broken… When the sticks are balanced, I feel balanced. They should be transparent – an extension of me.”
Colaiuta’s signature sticks are merely an evolution of the popular VC Firth 5B model.
These thick sticks are made of Hickory but kept in proportion to the blunt, bold tear-drop-shaped tip that aims to provide an improved, full sound on drums and cymbals. It also has a long taper for a balanced touch and feel.
These solid sticks should also hold up well to aggressive playing.
Playing drums for so long means that Vinnie has tried out different manufacturers for different areas of his set.
In the last few years, he has begun to use cymbals more and more, specifically Paiste ones after happening upon some at his drum warehouse.
He has also started playing on Ludwigs.
This is rather poetic, as Colaiuta first fell in love with drums after watching Ringo Starr perform on Ludwigs while on The Ed Sullivan show!