Vater Classics 5A Drumsticks — Nylon Tip, Hickory

• Classics 5A dimensions: 16 in (40.6 cm) and 0.565 in (14.35 mm)
• Nylon tip, which the manufacturer says gives a full, bright sound
• Tighter cymbal attack, more present highs
• The tip material does not lose its shape with use
• Hickory, so the same feel in the hand as the wood tip version
• Profile taken from the company's historical dimensions

A hard tip usually gives a clear sound at the expense of body: the attack stands out, the texture thins, and the cymbal ends up sounding lean. It is the most common criticism of nylon, and it is not unfounded.

Yet the manufacturer claims both at once for this particular model, full and bright. In practice, that means a ride that gains a clean point of attack without losing the body that held it in the mix.

The misconception is persistent. Many drummers credit the tip of their stick with a rebound feel that actually comes from elsewhere: the mass of the shaft, the tension of the head and the looseness of the wrist.

The tip weighs next to nothing relative to the whole stick. Changing its material changes the colour of the metal, not the way the stick comes back into your hand. Worth knowing before you buy: this model does not play any differently from the wood tip one.

Everything that happens in the hand stays identical to the wood version: the same 16 in, the same diameter, the same wood, so the same rebound and the same weight distribution. There is nothing to relearn.

That is useful for a drummer who wants two cymbal sounds without changing the feel: one pair of each in the stick bag, and the choice depends on the room.

• Cymbal playing that has to stay articulate
• Recording where the hi-hat carries the groove
• Alternating with the wood version depending on the repertoire
• Popular music and amplified playing
• Drummers who wear through wood tips quickly

Elsewhere, the same idea (a 5A with a hard tip) takes different forms:

What is the difference between a wood tip and a nylon tip?

On cymbals, the hard material tightens the attack and brings up the highs; wood gives a rounder texture. On drumheads, the difference is barely audible.

Is the shaft the same?

Yes, down to the millimetre: 16 in long with a 0.565 in diameter, in hickory. The feel in the hand is the same.

Do nylon tips mark cymbals?

No more than wood in normal use. It is the angle and force of the stroke that wear the metal.

Can I use these sticks on an electronic drum kit?

Yes. Pads do not wear the tip the way bronze does, and the extra definition makes triggering easier to feel.