Drum Sticks & Mallets

Drum Sticks & Mallets for Sale

Drum sticks and mallets utilize a wide range of materials, shapes and sizes, with each targeting specific instruments and techniques. At Music & Arts, we offer quality drum sticks for sale from across the spectrum — traditional drum sticks, brushes and specialty beaters, serving everyone from drum set players to ensemble percussionists. No matter what drum sticks or mallets you’re searching for, you’ll find a high-quality option here.

Drum Sticks

To find drum sticks of the perfect size and style, look closely at the number-letter combo for each model. You should also consider material: Drum sticks are made from a variety of woods, including durable hickory, lightweight maple and weighty oak. Meanwhile, synthetic options offer increased durability, often with replaceable tips.

Mallets

There’s a whole world beyond conventional drum sticks. For drums and percussion in a concert-band setting, you’ll often use mallets, and you’ll find them in a few main categories. Unwrapped mallets have harder, more durable heads made from materials like rubber and brass, making them ideal for articulate playing on tuned percussion instruments with bars, including xylophones and glockenspiels. Wrapped mallets, wound with materials like yarn or cord, produce a warmer sound on vibraphone and marimba. Felt mallets are suited for orchestral percussion like timpani. Mallet handles are also available in multiple materials, including birch and fiberglass.

Other Percussion Tools

Percussionists can also use a variety of other tools to achieve specific tones and dynamics.

• Brushes create softer, more sensitive articulation with metal or nylon bristles.
• Multi-rods are a unique in-between option, offering more attack than brushes but a softer touch than traditional sticks.
• Cowbell beaters, often resembling tiny, textured baseball bats, provide the necessary strength and attack for cowbell playing.
• Stick accessories — including bags, grip tape, replacement tips, wax and holders — help percussionists organize and maintain their gear.

What Do the Different Drum Stick Sizes Mean?

Sizing for drum sticks generally combines a number and a letter. The number indicates the stick’s diameter, or thickness. Lower numbers mean thicker sticks and higher numbers mean thinner ones, so a 7A is slimmer than a 5A, which is slimmer than a 2B. The letter has traditionally marked the intended ensemble use: A signifies orchestra, B stands for concert band, S for street or marching and D for dance band. As modern styles of music developed, this stick coding remained and adapted. For example, today, B sticks are often favored by rock drummers in higher-volume bands.

What Are the Most Popular Drum Stick Sizes?

The four most popular sizes of drum sticks include:

• 5A: A great all-around choice appropriate for a wide variety of styles.
• 5B: Thicker than 5A, great for more intense rock and metal styles.
• 7A: A lighter stick, excellent for highly technical playing, jazz and other lower-volume settings.
• 2B: A heavy stick that’s often recommended for practice as well as rock and metal.

What Are the Most Popular Drum Stick Materials and Tip Shapes?

Stick and tip material is also important to consider. For the sticks themselves, hickory is the most popular and versatile option. For tips, wood is more traditional, with a warmer, darker sound on cymbals, while nylon tips offer a brighter, more cutting timbre. The shape of the tip should also be considered. The most popular shapes include:

• Ball: Bright, focused, consistent cymbal ping regardless of stick angle.
• Barrel: Broad contact for a fat, full, powerful sound with good durability.
• Acorn: Versatile. Warm, rich tone with a nice balance of attack and body.
• Teardrop (or drop): Blends bright ping and dark body depending on angle.
• Oval: Balanced, medium-broad sound that works across a wide range of styles.

For more information on choosing the correct drum sticks and mallets, consult our Drum Stick Buying Guide. It contains comprehensive information on stick size and the variations in tip shape and material.

Mallet sizing is less standardized, though many brands use similar hardness or weight codes.

Shop Drum Sticks & Mallets at Music & Arts

At Music & Arts, we offer the highest-quality mallets and drum sticks for sale. For drums, accessories and other percussion items, we stock products from trusted brands like Vic Firth, Promark and Vater. You can shop online for fast, secure delivery, or visit your local store for product guidance from our associates.

Drum Stick & Mallet Buying FAQs

What are key considerations when shopping for drum sticks?

If you browse drum sticks for sale, you’ll notice a variety of materials and sizes. It’s not just clever packaging — each element factors into overall sound and playing comfort. Young drummers or players with smaller hands may want to use thinner or shorter sticks that allow for an easier, more natural grip. Of course, it’s always best to experiment with a variety of sizes and see what feels comfortable, as there’s no substitute for trying out the sticks on actual drums. For more information, consult our Drum Stick Buying Guide, our guide to buying a drum set for your child, or visit your local Music & Arts for guidance from our expert associates.

What size drum sticks do most drummers use? What size drum sticks should I get?

For drum stick sizes, the lower the number, the thicker the stick. Letters represent the playing application, including S for street or marching band, B for band or concert band, A for orchestral applications and D for dance band. There are no hard rules here, but there are many popular sizes of drum sticks. For drums and musical styles that require a heavy punch, you’ll probably want at least a moderate-sized stick like the popular and versatile 5A. Some players, meanwhile, prefer the slimmer feel and sensitivity of 7A sticks, which are well suited for jazz. Again, the best approach is to try out a variety of sizes and see what feels right in your hands.

How long do drum sticks and mallets typically last?

Quality manufacturing plays a big role here, but it also depends on how often you’re playing, what style of music you’re performing and how hard you’re physically hitting the drums. A touring rock drummer may break multiple sticks in a single concert, but an early student or casual player may manage to keep a pair for months or even a year-plus. (No matter your situation, it’s always best to have multiple pairs on hand. No reason to risk it!) Mallet longevity also boils down to playing style and frequency of use, but they’re more resilient than sticks. With proper maintenance, mallets can last multiple years.

What are drum mallets used for?

As we’ve explored, there are many types of drum mallets, with each suited for a slightly different musical context. But broadly speaking, they create warmer, softer sounds compared to the sharp crack provided by sticks. Mallets are used for specific concert and orchestral percussion instruments like marimbas, xylophones and timpani, but they’re also useful outside of the band-and-orchestra world. Some rock and jazz drummers even use mallets to explore softer tones for tom-tom fills and cymbal swells.

Does Music & Arts offer drum lessons?

Yes! Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to sharpen your skills, Music & Arts has the perfect drum instructor ready to teach you. As the nation’s #1 lessons program with 250 locations, we make it easy to find drum lessons near you. Get started today on our Lessons page.