Drum sticks on electronic mesh head drums

gilgameshers

New Member
Hello, I just upgraded from a dtx450k to td-17kvx and I’ve been using it for a week. I’ve been using a pretty rough wooden drumstick I used heavily on acoustic sets and a lot of marks on the roland hi-hats/cymbals started to appear.

Will this damage the mesh heads and the roland hi-hats/cymbals?
Should I get new drumsticks cause all my pairs have been used on acoustic sets.
 
It doesn't matter if your sticks have been used on acoustic sets; the marks are just the rubber getting bruised.

However, if you're using heavy sticks you might want to switch to something lighter for your e-kit, just to keep the electronics in working order for as long as possible.
 
Drumsticks are consumables.

With *any* drum and *any* head - always keep an eye on the state - esp, the tips. Check the tips before and during play. Bin any that get chipped.

Oh, and you can use any tips you prefer - wood, nylon etc.

Sticks don't need to be expensive. I buy bricks of 12 pairs for about £20 delivered here in the UK, if I break one/wear one down it's a huge loss of 83 pence ;) (don't worry about snake-oil sticks "designed" for edrumming!)

I use the same sticks on my acoustics and my electronics.
 
Hello, I just upgraded from a dtx450k to td-17kvx and I’ve been using it for a week. I’ve been using a pretty rough wooden drumstick I used heavily on acoustic sets and a lot of marks on the roland hi-hats/cymbals started to appear.

Will this damage the mesh heads and the roland hi-hats/cymbals?
Should I get new drumsticks cause all my pairs have been used on acoustic sets.
I'd be worried about the mesh heads using anything not perfectly smooth. It doesn't have to be new, just non-scratchy. A nylon-tip one can last forever. Mine is like new after 3 years, which is a pity, since I love buying sticks. :)
The cymbal marks come off with a damp cloth and you can also use 303 Aerospace Protectant to completely renew them from time to time.
 
Hello, I just upgraded from a dtx450k to td-17kvx and I’ve been using it for a week. I’ve been using a pretty rough wooden drumstick I used heavily on acoustic sets and a lot of marks on the roland hi-hats/cymbals started to appear.

Will this damage the mesh heads and the roland hi-hats/cymbals?
Should I get new drumsticks cause all my pairs have been used on acoustic sets.
The short answer is yes. I wouldn't worry about the cymbals, but the mesh heads are another story. I also own a TD-17KVX. I use only nylon tipped sticks on it. I use wood tips on the acoustic kit, but I won't even use a new set of woods on the KVX. There is too much chance of damaging the mesh head with just a small snag.

Before someone talks about the small chance of damge, with the money I paid any chance is too much. Nylon only for me and never use them on anything else. Small investment (new nylon tipped sticks) to have peace of mind. Also use a kick drum patch on the kick if you are using a felt beater. The felt will wear on the mesh pretty quick.
 
Good insights so far here. I will add a slightly different anecdotal perspective. When I got my second-hand Roland TD-11 KV, I didn't think about getting different sticks for the mesh heads. I had heard that felt bass beaters might cause friction or damage to the mesh bass pads, but I just started using whatever wood tipped stick I was using for my acoustic kit.

Interestingly when you play on a V-kit for long hours it tends to greatly smooth out and polish down wooden drumsticks. It makes wooden tips shrink and attain a more diminutive version of it's original shape. Awhile back I posted a thread in the Sticks forum with photos showing what 5A wood tipped sticks look like after a couple years of shedding on rubber and mesh pads. I said that after awhile your V-kit will turn all your sticks into jazz sticks, lol.

But I no longer share sticks between the acoustic kit and the V-kit. I buy the same wood-tipped stick sizes for both, but the V-kit sticks stay in the V-kit room. In this way all of my V-kit drumsticks get polished smooth pretty quickly, so I haven't had the inclination to get nylon tipped stick just for my electronic drums. And I would agree with the person who said you can get away with using lighter sticks on a V-kit than you might for your acoustic kit. For example if I am using 5B sticks to play heavy music on my acoustic kit, I will select a slightly lighter 55A stick to play the same style on my little V-kit.

I've been smashing on my (already used) TD-11 KV with wood-tipped sticks every day since November of 2019, and I haven't had any damage to my mesh heads. My cymbal pads look fine, if a little faded in color. In any case the mesh drum heads are tough and eventually eat up all the drumsticks, not the other way around.
Of course the goal is to preserve your nice gear, but it is also a little reassuring knowing that you can replace the individual parts of a V-kit. If something crazy does happen to one of your mesh heads you can replace it. Same with sensors and cables, even the module can be swapped out for a better one sometimes.

And +1 I've also heard that the aerospace protectant is the really good stuff for restoring rubber cymbal pads.
 
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I used to share my drumsticks between acoustic / Electro. I don't anymore. I noticed important wearing on the hihat, the rubber wore more with chipped drumstick shoulders.
I tend to strike much harder on the electro kit, because of the lack of higher dynamics, it's a bad tendency I know, and therefore I may wear the mesh heads faster with a bit worn drumsticks.
Mesh heads don't get much friction but clean wooden tips maybe better. On the mesh bass drum, I use a plastic beater.
 
Tbh I don"t really understand someone who buys a $2000 kit and then gets hung up on adding a $10 pair of sticks...
 
My suggestion is use nylon tips and nothing bigger than a 7A.
 
.... nothing bigger than a 7A.
Depends on the size of your hands, fingers and what's comfortable to you.
7A is a size.
That's like saying you can only wear size 8 shoes ;)
What's just as/more important is the wood choice to get the weight you like (and flex) for your chosen size. maple<hickory<oak. (a 2B maple can weigh the same as a 7A oak). And additionally, flex: maple>hickory>oak, more flex, less vibes.
 
I’ve been using a pretty rough wooden drumstick I used heavily on acoustic sets and a lot of marks on the roland hi-hats/cymbals started to appear.

Will this damage the mesh heads and the roland hi-hats/cymbals?
Yes, do not use drum sticks with rough edges on the tip. My TD-27KV2 manual says that somewhere.

Heavier sticks than 5B is probably also not recommended. Vic Firth makes also special "eSticks" these days, but hard to get.
 
Yes, do not use drum sticks with rough edges on the tip. My TD-27KV2 manual says that somewhere.

Heavier sticks than 5B is probably also not recommended. Vic Firth makes also special "eSticks" these days, but hard to get.
5B is a size - not a weight :) (e.g. a fat 2B maple can weigh the same as skinny 7A oak... wood density...)

And [scary opinion... only the brave read on...] "edrum" sticks are snake-oil. (like edrum amps, etc), but great if they work for you :) x
 
Havent tried these, probably a marketing thing yes. I use ordinary VF 7A and 5A.
I use the size that fits my hands (we don't all have size 8 shoes). Then pick the wood type I want for weight at that size. (also don't use "big branded" sticks, but that's just me...! Typically £20 UK delivered for 12 pairs.... ;) )
 
Depends on the size of your hands, fingers and what's comfortable to you.
7A is a size.
That's like saying you can only wear size 8 shoes ;)
What's just as/more important is the wood choice to get the weight you like (and flex) for your chosen size. maple<hickory<oak. (a 2B maple can weigh the same as a 7A oak). And additionally, flex: maple>hickory>oak, more flex, less vibes.

I think I would just be paranoid about breaking the electronics inside of edrums with larger sticks.
 
I think I would just be paranoid about breaking the electronics inside of edrums with larger sticks.
Just 49 cent piezos.... (and again, it's not the "size", it's the wood / material density).
 
Thomas Lang uses his signature sticks on his Roland V-drums and those things are almost like marching sticks!

To the OP - I would recommend getting 1-2 pairs of new sticks, preferably a nylon-tipped version, for exclusive use on your Roland kit. They will last a very long time as long you don't have some absurd, stick-breaking technique! Wood-tipped sticks are completely acceptable but I find in due time the tips will start to ever so slightly get sanded down from the mesh heads.

I personally use Vic Firth 3AN sticks and every few months just Swiffer/dust the shells and clean off the electronic cymbals and rubber rims with Aerospace 303 Protectant. Kit looks new as the day it came in the box.
 
Drumsticks are consumables.

With *any* drum and *any* head - always keep an eye on the state - esp, the tips. Check the tips before and during play. Bin any that get chipped.

Oh, and you can use any tips you prefer - wood, nylon etc.

Sticks don't need to be expensive. I buy bricks of 12 pairs for about £20 delivered here in the UK, if I break one/wear one down it's a huge loss of 83 pence ;) (don't worry about snake-oil sticks "designed" for edrumming!)

I use the same sticks on my acoustics and my electronics.
Ahead sticks last me forever using them for acoustic drums and FOREVER (bigger forever) using them for electronic drums. https://www.aheaddrumsticks.com/ I use a 5b for acoustic and I think it is a 5 a for electronic drums.
 
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