Vic Firth X8D American Classic Hickory

If your technique is dialed in and you want the extra length and less weight in your hands while playing, these is a must try. When it comes to fast styles of music and maybe you have a bigger kit containing a range of different cymbals, maybe an SPD-SX/pro, these sticks will reach every object and are an absolute joy to play with. That being said, different styles of music often needs different kind of sticks. That's a given. But i range from funk, metal, rock, and in general the pocket keeper, I'm satisfied and so are my colleagues.

I've long been trying to find the ultimate sticks, and after buying a load of different ones over the years these are the ones (for me). I drum in a rock band so plenty of rimshots and heavy hitting and these sticks can take it. I like the weight and balance, and the length feels exactly right. I've also used them for some fairly basic jazz gigs and could control the lower volume very well (that is, if I could temper my enthusiasm as well, but that's on me ;))