Best Quality Brushes

D

double bass man

Junior Member
Not been playing to long and advice regarding brushes. I have bought cheap no-name brushes and find that they do not last long--the wires bend / go out of shape. I cut the bent wires off. What brand quality brushes do you use that last awhile?
 
I don't do brush work on a frequent basis, but when I do, AHEAD's switch brushes are my go-to tools. Their functionality and durability is excellent. I also use AHEAD sticks, rods, and drum cases. The universal quality of AHEAD products is first rate.

See the link below:

AHEAD | Big Bang Distribution

Since 1992, our mission at AHEAD has been to listen to drummers and percussionists first and foremost and to develop and bring to market new and innovative products for all drummers, beginners to touring professionals. From drumsticks and hardware, to cases and hearing protection, our focus is...
aheaddrumsticks.com aheaddrumsticks.com
 
I Just got started as well. Coming from the cheap brushes, I don’t think you can go wrong with any major company’s offerings. Promark, Vater, Vic Firth, RegalTip, etc.

I’ve had the Vic Firth legacy brushes for a little while now. They have a wood handle and are retractable, but for build quality, I wouldn’t jump for these.

The Ed Thigpen signature model from RegalTip are nice. Wood handle and haven’t fallen apart yet.

most of Vic firths are plastic handled should stay together for a while.



newb side note: I like to extend my brushes and leave them open, because, unless I’m dumb (which is totally possible), the mechanism for retracting and extending brushes doesn’t seem very sustainable.
 
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I used nylon brushes for a while and then, after I was more familiar with brushes, I went back to wire brushes and found I wasn't wrecking them as quickly. The nylon brushes stand up to more abuse and the plastic strands don't snag on the rim or kink as easily as steel wires.
 
I play a lot of brushes with the bands I play with . I have a few favourites that I will list below with comments .

Regal Tip Ed Thigpen model - great playing brush. - nice flexible bristles and the hybrid wood rubber handle comes in handy and is comfortable - retractable - my favourite brushes currently

Regal Tip Clayton Cameron - the extra length is really nice - non- retractable which may be an issue for some people . The spread can be adjusted with a rubber band - I like the spread of the wires and the length is nice for people that don’t play a lot of brushes as it helps with the adjustment .

Vic Firth Heritage Brush ( purple handle ) - have lovely lighter weight wires that make brush playing very easy . The handle is comfortable and they are retractable - these are quickly becoming a personal favourite .

Headhunters Dreamcatchers - non retractable model with a thick nylon loop which helps with cymbal playing and adding volume . These are well made and feel good to play .

If you prefer brushes with thicker wire strands two models I like are the Vic Firth Russ Miller and the Regal Tip Jeff Hamilton model . These are more durable than some of the more flexible wire strand models listed above .
 
RickP said:
Vic Firth Heritage Brush ( purple handle ) - have lovely lighter weight wires that make brush playing very easy . The handle is comfortable and they are retractable - these are quickly becoming a personal favourite .
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These are the only brushes from your list that I know. I also like them a lot. A nice feature is that you can choose between two settings: brushes fully extended or only half spread. If you're new to playing brushes, you might bend the wires by occasionally getting stuck between the hoop and the collar of the head - only extending the wires half-way helps to prevent that.
Transportation, pushing too hard on the wires or playing too heavy strokes can also cause bending. So you might want to watch out for those things. A few lessons with a good brush player would also be great. Brush playing is really hard to learn all by yourself or by watching youtube videos.
If you cut bent wires, leave the remaining part in the handle. If you remove too many of them, all the other wires might come loose and fall out of the handle.
 
Another Vic Firth purple handle brush user here. I've had my pair for...15 years or so? They don't get a whole lot of use, but I've never had any issues with them at all.
 
I replaced my older brushes with the Regal Tip Clayton Cameron Brush and the Ed Thigpen Brush models. So far they've been great.
 
I use brushes a lot, and my favourites are Wincent 33M medium steel. They are a bit longer and stiffer than the common brands. They are stronger, louder and last longer.
 
Another vote for Regal Tip. For me they have the best sound, feel and durability.
The Classic model is my favourite, "The Sutter" is great (a bit stiffer), and I really like the "Whiskers" nylon brushes.
The Vic Firth Heritage are nice as well.
 
Jeff Hamilton Regal Tip (retractable), had them for a while and like them, nice balance. I chewed up wires that were non-retractable all the time, bending the wires. Plus I like being able to change the shape of the retraction which gives a big fan or narrow brush, different textures and feel.
 
Lots and lots of brush playing here. The old standard Regal Tip brushes are, I think, the industry standard for a reason-- if you're using brushes in a traditional way, that's where to start. There are a million other options-- I carry 3-5 pairs in my bag, depending on the gig-- but if I had to pick one it'd be the Regal Tip brushes with the metal loop.

 
Regal Tip/Calato for me. I use the rubber retractable ones. Come to think of it, ive been using the same pair now for 15 years. I’ve never experienced bending wires or any kind of abuse. One thing I do though, is bend metal circle ring at the back of the handle. That way I can use the bent metal ring for cymbal effects.
 
C.M. Jones said:
I don't do brush work on a frequent basis, but when I do, AHEAD's switch brushes are my go-to tools. Their functionality and durability is excellent. I also use AHEAD sticks, rods, and drum cases. The universal quality of AHEAD products is first rate.

See the link below:

AHEAD | Big Bang Distribution

Since 1992, our mission at AHEAD has been to listen to drummers and percussionists first and foremost and to develop and bring to market new and innovative products for all drummers, beginners to touring professionals. From drumsticks and hardware, to cases and hearing protection, our focus is...
aheaddrumsticks.com aheaddrumsticks.com
Click to expand...
Who else read this and instantly heard and saw the Dos Equis guy?
 
C.M. Jones said:
"The Most Interesting Drummer in the World." There's a title I'd readily accept.
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Well, I'm personally going for the title of "The Least Interesting Drummer In The World".


"I don't drum much, but when I do, nobody seems to care one way or another."


I know it's not much, but I figure it's good to have obtainable goals. :LOL:
 
Blk Diamond said:
Well, I'm personally going for the title of "The Least Interesting Drummer In The World".


"I don't drum much, but when I do, nobody seems to care one way or another."


I know it's not much, but I figure it's good to have obtainable goals. :LOL:
Click to expand...

Not a bad idea. Dos Equis dropped "The Most Interesting Man in the World" a few years back. Maybe they should transition to "The Least Interesting Man in the World." Self-deprecating humor has mass appeal.
 
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