Swexx
Senior Member
Revisiting this thread, it could be you are putting the stick through more than it was designed to handle. You don't see people slamming down HD4's.
I think a VF 5A hickory stick is "designed" to handle at least a few hours of poprock practicing. I usually play 8D's which are as thin as a 7A and they usually last me at least two or three months of everyday playing. The problem is with the very pairs of sticks that break prematurely. A year ago I had no issues with VF whatsoever. It seems that VF have gotten a bad bunch of wood, or something like that.
EDIT: I sounded pretty harsch. That's not my intention, I apologize.