Drum Brush Recommendation

[lowlandtrees]

Any folk out there know about drum stuff? I’ve had several pairs of these cheap drum brushes off evilbay….unfailingly they fall to bits within a month. I’m no drummer so don’t need a pro pair but what would be a half decent make?

[Dad3353]

18 minutes ago, lowlandtrees said:

... what would be a half decent make?

 

Meinl, from Thomann..?

 

Don't go for retractables, and keep 'em (with all your sticks...) in a decent drumstick bag. I have ha the same pair from more than a couple of decades ago, with no issues (breakage, loss of bristles etc...). Disclaimer : I'm not a 'shed builder', especially with brush-work.
Hot Rods are an option, too, if more 'oomph' is required, but they are always on the 'breakables' side, whatever the marque.

If you're 'swirling' on the snare, be sure to use a textured head (Evans Genera Dry Coated are splendid...).
Hope this helps. 

[lowlandtrees]

1 hour ago, Dad3353 said:

Wire?

Meinl, from Thomann..?

 

Don't go for retractables, and keep 'em (with all your sticks...) in a decent drumstick bag. I have ha the same pair from more than a couple of decades ago, with no issues (breakage, loss of bristles etc...). Disclaimer : I'm not a 'shed builder', especially with brush-work.
Hot Rods are an option, too, if more 'oomph' is required, but they are always on the 'breakables' side, whatever the marque.

If you're 'swirling' on the snare, be sure to use a textured head (Evans Genera Dry Coated are splendid...).
Hope this helps. 

 

[Dad3353]

19 minutes ago, lowlandtrees said:

Wire?

 

Yes, wire. Is that not what you were expecting..? There are nylon-bristled brushes, too, such as ...

 

Vater Nylon brushes ...

 

...or these, for a different 'feel' and sound...

 

Vater Monster brushes...

 

None of these will break or wear out in normal drumming use. 

[meterman]

I’ve had a pair of Pro Mark wire retractable brushes for years and they’ve been great. Gigs, studio sessions, you name it, they’ve been rock solid. Recorded with them today in fact, they’re still doing the business 7 or 8 years on.

 

Otherwise, Flix do many different gauges of nylon brushes and again, they seem to last years in my experience. 
 

Vic Firth, Vater, Regal Tip etc all do quality brushes. I’d rate any of the major companies for decent brushes 👍

[Dad3353]

Just now, meterman said:

I’ve had a pair of Pro Mark wire retractable brushes for years and they’ve been great. Gigs, studio sessions, you name it, they’ve been rock solid. Recorded with them today in fact, they’re still doing the business 7 or 8 years on.

 

Otherwise, Flix do many different gauges of nylon brushes and again, they seem to last years in my experience. 
 

Vic Firth, Vater, Regal Tip etc all do quality brushes. I’d rate any of the major companies for decent brushes 👍

 

My issue with some (most..?) retractables was hitting the rim of the snare, which tended, over time, to crush, or even bend, the tube and they would no longer retract..! As I mentioned, I'm not a heavy hitter, but the cheaper brushes would end up as a metal shower at the most inconvenient times. I've not had a failure from fixed brushes, ever. Just lucky, perhaps. 

[meterman]

1 hour ago, Dad3353 said:

 

My issue with some (most..?) retractables was hitting the rim of the snare, which tended, over time, to crush, or even bend, the tube and they would no longer retract..! As I mentioned, I'm not a heavy hitter, but the cheaper brushes would end up as a metal shower at the most inconvenient times. I've not had a failure from fixed brushes, ever. Just lucky, perhaps. 

Fair point, that. Repeated rimshots will either dent the metal tube or at the very least chew up the rubber or the plastic over time. I’m not a heavy hitter either but I’ve never had a pair of wire brushes disintegrate on me. I had a cheapo plastic set of nylon brushes fall apart in rehearsal one time only, but they weren’t something I’d have gigged with anyway.

 

Buy a decent pair to start off with and they should last for years.

[Boodang]

Regaltip Clayton Cameron signature fixed brushes. Also, check out some of the youtube clips of his playing, especially the Ted-x performance. 

 

http://www.regaltip.com/artist-roster/clayton-cameron