Drumsticks patterns and colors
Drumsticks patterns and colors
Hot Sticks Manufacturing Company
As simple and basic as drumsticks may seem, like everything else in modern drumming, there’s 1) more to them than meets the eye the art and 2) the science of creating them continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of modern drummers. Today’s sticks, for example, are light-years ahead of anything that was available 50, 25 or even 10 years ago. Today the wood is more consistent, more durable and more versatile while the sticks themselves are designed to be more efficient, more consistent and more powerful.
At the forefront of this developing drumstick technology is Hot Sticks. The first Hot Sticks were created in 1979 and combined many of the features that would establish Hot Sticks’ reputation as leaders in drumsticks innovation. Not only were the original Hot Sticks the first to offer a variety of brightly colored models, they were the only major drumsticks that incorporated a proprietary dry grinding process to protect the integrity of the wood during production.
Hot Sticks initial popularity and success gave the young company the confidence to pursue other equally revolutionary innovations, including the foil-wrapped Macrolus and full-color graphics ArtiSticks series, not to mention drummer-friendly, stick-saving “Strike Zone” area. The result was a line of drumsticks that are among the smoothest, straightest, most consistent and most comfortable as well as the most visually unique and attractive in the industry. With Hot Sticks it became easy for any drummer to play their best while bringing a new level of showmanship to their performance. But even as the options increased and the quality improved, Hot Sticks’ mission remained the same.
“Hot Sticks are the result of years of research and development and our uncompromising commitment to excellence,” Hot Sticks founder, Kevin Pokallus, explains. “Hot Sticks are made from top-quality, USA hickory that is carefully selected for weight, density and strength before being put through an intense production process using state-of-the-art woodworking equipment and patented grinding and finishing steps followed by a thorough set of inspections. Underneath their beautiful exterior lies a stick that’s as good if not better than any plain stick on the market. No matter how much our sticks evolve, that’s one thing that will never change.”
Common Myths about Drumsticks
Myth #1 – You need a wide variety of drumstick models to meet the needs of drummers.
Guess which drumstick models are the most popular. 5A and 5B. It’s the truth. Year in and year out regardless of the brand. Special models and artist signature series come and go. Hot Sticks makes six models based on the time-tested stick designs that have remained in style since the golden age of modern drumming: 7A, 5A, 5B, 2B, Rock and 3S. 99% of the drummers in the world have no problem finding something they like from that assortment. So should you.
Myth #2 – Every pair of drumsticks must be perfectly matched by a computer.
This make a lot of sense… if you don’t play a drumset or plan on never breaking a pair of sticks. First of all, if you’re playing contemporary music one of your sticks is playing a ride, crash or hi-hats while the others playing a snare drum most of the time. So the sticks are never going to sound the same or wear out the same. Then what happens if one of the sticks wears out or breaks? You’re not going to toss the remaining stick and open a new pair; you’re gonna pick up another sticks and keep playing. But, guess what? You’re now playing with an unmatched pair of drumsticks. After the band stops laughing you’ll be fired, for sure. Beyond checking to make sure that the sticks are straight, the fact is that it’s virtually impossible to find two sticks that are a perfect match, let alone 2 pair.
Myth #3 – All drumstick production processes are essentially the same.
Every major stick company has developed their own method of making sticks. That doesn’t mean that every method is the same or that every method is good. Some companies use lathes, some use wet grinding; some use a combination of the two. Only Hot Sticks uses a proprietary dry grinding process that maintains the integrity and moisture content of the wood while creating an incredibly smooth, incredibly consistent drumstick. Take the virtual tour of the Hot Sticks factory, try a pair at your favorite dealer and make up your own mind.
