Vintage corner: Fibes 3S marching sticks, 1978.

Another find in my quest to regain Sticks I Played In High School.

All you need to know is that they’re beasts. Gigantic. Impossible to hold in my smaller hands for long periods of playing. Capable of denting cheap rims and punching holes through brand new heads. 

And yet, compelling enough that I wanted to find another set. 

A tip nearly as big as my thumb.

Ridiculous.

As you can see, this stick fills my hand. 

And then some.

I’ve been on a roll with sticks lately, thanks to some influence from the guys over at the Boutique and Collectible Drumsticks FB Group. There are multiple ways in which my limited funds could be spent foolishly, were I to go all the way down the rabbit hole. So I’ve had to focus.

I’ve decided that, rather than spend a hundred dollars or m on customs sticks, I’d focus my attention on actual Pad sticks, and occasionally on sticks I once had and would like to obtain again — though most of the latter would now be considered “vintage.”

Just like me.

Vintage Corner: Fibes 2B sticks, late 1970s

I mostly played with CB700 sticks in middle school, and Fibes sticks in high school. (They’re what the local music store had in stock and they were cheaper than the other brands sometimes in stock.) I used the Fibes 2B size mostly for marching band, back when my still-growing hands preferred 5A for jazz and concert work.

Fibes was a short-lived company, founded in 1966 and owned for a time by the Martin Guitar company before being sold in 1970 to Jim Corder (of Corder drums). Fibes branded sticks remained on the market from the late 1970s through the early 1990s before the brand disappeared completely.

Just got these — a pair of “Power” 2B like I used in HS marching band, and a pair of “Band” 2B that the seller added to make a nice package deal.

The “Band” version is just slightly narrower than the “Power” version. Both have the short, stylized taper that evokes an earlier age, moving up into an equally stylized tip. I fear playing with the Power 2B’s because I can actually the slight difference in diameter in my hands and prefer the bigger size for pad work.

So they’ll hang out in my Grab Bag, for now, while the Band model sticks go on the wall.

I’m slightly embarrassed at what they cost, but glad to have them.

A talk with Brian Pettry of RCP Drum Company

I just got off the phone with Brian Pettry of RCP Drum Company, makers of purpose-driven pads for the marching percussion market. He reached out to me so that he could fill in the blanks on some of the questions I’ve had about RCP’s manufacturing and marketing, and let me say up front the guy’s a real mensch (Yiddish for Decent Human Being).

Here’s a summary of our discussion, with everything paraphrased for easier reading:



*****

DL (DrumLove): So how did you get started making practice pads?

BP: I was involved in worship music through our church, and then my son got involved in school band and WGI. During his high school days, we tried to order something from [The Notorious Pad Maker Which Shall Not Be Named]. We and other families were really frustrated by both how long it took to get any response (let alone a pad); and when we did get something from them I found that the quality control was inconsistent, especially for that price point.
I decided that I wanted to design a pad that would be of the highest quality and then back it up with terrific customer service. My son came on board with me and we began making and testing designs.

We spent a couple years in the 2010’s designing and re-designing until we had what we wanted. Along the way we spent a couple hundred grand out-of-pocket in the process from design to startup, and once we had it figured out, RCP was born.
Our goal has remained the same: To get a quality pad into the hands of as many marching drummers as possible, and to provide knowledgable, friendly customer service with every pad we sell.

DL: Tell me about your pad designs. Let’s begin with your Premium Pad.

BP: The Premium pad is made with aluminum base materials of the highest grade — we’re talking the stuff NASA uses, really — the head is an anodized aluminum laminate that is way more durable than a Kevlar overlay. You are going to have a hard time wearing it out through regular practice. Then, with each Premium pad we offer you three different rubber inserts so you can fit the pad more closely to your style of playing. There is NO snare sound in the Premium series, as we wanted to design a pad that would provide immediate feedback about the player’s technique and timing. The feel is crisp and tight, very similar to a high-tension modern marching snare head.

The Snapshot sleeve allows the customer “jazz up” an existing Premium pad by swapping in a rubber base imprinted with custom artwork or a photo and a protective, durable clear laminate. That way, you’re only replacing the playing surface, and not the entire pad. We use a local printing company nearby to do our sublimation for us, and these pads are made materials we source here in the United States.

DL: Why did you decide to add the “Active Snare” to your line? And how do you feel about something in your line that is made on contract overseas?

BP: Well, to be honest, the Active Snare pad was brought on board in direct response to customer demand. The majority of our customer base are marching drummers in the 12-to-18-y/o age range, and they were clamoring for a pad that could provide a simulated snare sound (like the previous UN-mentioned company above), with better turnaround time.
So we worked with Chinese manufacturer Hanflag [makers of the HUN M-12 and U-12 pads, previously reviewed in this blog], and they tweaked their design here and there to meet most of our specs.

[The RCP Active Snare Pad is a slightly modified version of HUN’s M-12 pad. —ed.]

We were pleased to be able to work together, to bring out a pad in a more affordable price point that met our customers’ needs. Because to be honest, just the silicon used in the playing surface of that pad here in the USA would cost more than the actual retail of the entire pad itself!
So many of our customers are students paying-out-of-pocket for a pad; and some school districts are trying to purchase affordable, quality pads in quantity for whole drum lines; there's simply no way to make the Active Snare pad affordably here in the United States.

And we are happy that we can deliver our pads in a timely manner, so that students aren’t waiting a year-plus for a pad that might not show up before they graduate.

We are constantly working to respond to customer feedback, including adding in other colors to the Active Snare pads and also using the feedback to help us improve our product over time. Quality control is a job that’s never completely finished; you’re always striving to do better. Or you should be, anyway.

One other thing: I know that some drum companies will give their pads to reviewers. We don’t do that here. We’re not going to bribe anyone for their opinion. If you want to buy a pad, let me know; or ask a friend to try his out first. But we do this to avoid any concerns about impropriety on our part.

DL: I respect that stance, especially since it goes hand-in-hand with your honesty about how and where your products are made.
I have to tell you that the silicon playing surface of the Active Snare pad is among the nicest I’ve played, very inviting and fun for the hands. And when you bring out a sweatshirt that matches the new green silicon surface, let me know.

(Laughter)

BP: Thanks for listening, and for the work you do in helping people learn more about practice pad design and development.

DL: Thank YOU for talking with me today and for being so forthcoming about your designs and your motivation.

*****

RCP Pads are available for sale through multiple online outlets, but the best place to begin is here:

https://rcpdrum.com/

Brian can help you determine which pad will meet your needs, and answer any questions you may have. So just start there.

Happy drumming!

Product Review: Offworld Percussion's Orbit -- a sustainable, American-made pad.

Offworld Percussion, known for innovative and durable practice pads made right here in the Pacific NW, have something new that I've fallen in love with.

The Orbit pads are part of Offworld's Aurora series, highly portable, and come with your choice of the following features:

-- your choice of black "Darkmatter", red rubber or yellow rubber playing surfaces;

-- your choice of to include snare puck (which attaches magnetically underneath), or not to include one for a plain pad without snare sounds.

The playing surface measures 8" across and comes firmly atached to a wood base with handles on either side. The materials for the pad come from the byproduct of making Offworld's popular Mothership Tenor pad, minimizing waste and warming my little environmentalist heart.

I got the red rubber Orbit-S (Sans snare puck). In place of a cutout for the snare puck, the underside of this pad has nonskid foam rubber that doubles as an occasional warmup surface.
Stacked on top of another pad or set on a tabletop, the pad stays in place pretty darned well.
I think it's more ideal as a travel pad than as a full-service marching practice pad. The rubber surface makes it versatile enough for marching, concert and kit drummers alike, and works well with anything from a 5B, to a 2B, to a smaller marching stick (like the Vater MV-20, my go-to rudimental stick at home). It can be used with a full-size marching stick but you won't get quite the same response or feel as on a full-size marching pad.

Next time I have to go somewhere, my Orbit-S pad will fit easily in the front pocket of my bookbag. And the sustainability factor puts it super-high on my like list.

I ordered mine through Flam7 Percussion. You can also buy it directly from Offworld. 

Just bear in mind that because it's made from manufacturing byproduct you may have to wait as much as two weeks or longer for your Orbit pad. Based on the time I've spent hanging out with it so far, I'm confident you'll find it worth the wait.

**NOTE: This is an unsolicited review. Offworld and Flam7 did not send me a free pad.
I paid the same price anyone else would.
That said, if you are connected to a drum pad manufacturer and would like me to test and review your product, I am happy to do so. Please reach out to me on Facebook Messenger and let's talk.

Refurbishing, part two: HQ RealFeel Tan pad, Re-tanned

 If you’ve followed me this far, you know that there’s a high demand for the original, first-generation RealFeel tan pad by HQ. A generation of marching drummers came of age practicing on this, and they loved the feel and the response. When the company was sold to Evans, the new owner chose not to keep making the tan gum rubber version; the Evans version now uses a gray rubber surface that feels good, but VERY different.

I go out of my way to find these pads, often taking in old, worn pads that I can repair, refurbish and send to youth drum lines. Here’s the most extreme example I’ve come across so far. 

This came in a large pile of various drum pads, part of a home-made practice kit someone was letting go of. The rubber was in such bad shape on both sides, that I couldn’t save it. It was compromised all the way through (see photos).

What’s more, this pad had no non-skid material on the bottom, only bare wood. 

So I decided to replace the top and add a non-skid surface underneath. 

I had a sheet of 1/4” thick gum rubber left over from other projects, and there was just enough to trim size.

Also, I don’t own any fancy shop tools that would allow me to measure and cut precisely with a machine, so I chose to cut the pieces by hand using shop-grade scissors. It’s not professional/perfect, but close enough to be durable and functional. I then cut a piece of non-skid material from an old cup-stacking mat (available at thrift shops) and affixed it to the underside.the pad is drying right now under a tall stack of other pads and should be dry enough to play by day-end.

I will either donate this pad to a youth org or keep it as a student pad here in the studio.

With all the used drum pads floating around out there, and the number of kids needing a decent pad who can’t afford it, there is really no reason to toss an old pad when it no longer serves you. It can often be made good as (or better than) new with a little time and effort.

Happy chopping!

DIY Drummer: Odds-n-Ends -- repurposing, refurbishing

 On my way to swapping out for a smaller bass drum for my West Craft kit, I had an idea.
I asked Kaleb if he'd be interested in taking on a small side project in addition to refurbishing my bass drum. "No rush," I said, "I just wonder what it would look like if you gave this the West Craft treatment." Kaleb was intrigued and took home one of three vintage Ludwig practice pads I had.
All I told him was, "Do it up in shades of blue, and don't worry about the rubber because I'll clean that myself when you're all done."

Less than two hours later, he sent me three photos. He was intrigued.

When I get the finished pad I'll be sure to share it here.

Also, I received in a batch of sticks a mallets an extra, unmatched pair of vintage Ludwig timpani mallets. Both had badly degraded felts, and the heads had been glued to the shafts so removing them for replacement would be risky. They weren't so far apart in size and shape that I couldn't do SOMEthing with them, though.
So today, I decided to turn them into multipurpose mallets. I wrapped the harder of the two mallets with a few turns of the soft wool yarn to help equalize the hardness and size of the heads a little more. Then wrapped both heads vertically in rotating loops, the way yarn mallets are traditionally wound. I had taught myself how to do this in college, from a little booklet on mallet repair (I also used to recover my timpani mallets with new felt, using the instructions from the same booklet).

These mallets turned out to be a little on the big side, but that's okay. I figure they can be used for soft rolls on timpani, drumkit toms and maybe even some cymbals.

The yarn I chose was very thick ply, designed for use in scarves, potholders, hats and other thick things. It turned out to be quite useful for this application, because it's thick and soft.
Finally, To keep a couple hairline cracks from growing, I decided to wrap the wooden shafts in white stick tape. I added a second layer in the handle area to help improve the balance a little.

I'm pleased at how it turned out.

I have a couple new pads coming my way soon, and I look forward to putting through their paces and reporting about them here.

A reminder: If you or someone you know is connected to a company that makes pads, or that has historical documentation about pads the company made long ago, please let me know! I am always looking for new pads to test and review here; if you work with a company that is willing to send me a sample to test, that would be great. I don't have infinite funding to spend on this so I appreciate it when companies are willing to send me a pad. I also seek historical documentation about the design and development of practice pads, especially prior to 1940. If you can help, please let me know by reaching out to me through Facebook.

Thanks and happy drumming.

More about the Remo TSS. It’s a weird thing.

 So after hanging out with this thing a couple days, I wondered if it was really all that.

I wondered if I wanted to keep it, and in fact I seriously pondered selling it.

Along the way, I heard from a longtime Remo artist, a couple members of the 2008 Glassmen drum corps (who had incorporated the TSS sound into their show for a couple seasons) and a rep from Remo that gave me some additional information:

— the original TSS was designed and released in the mid-2000’s. It caught the interest of the Marching Arts crowd, but Remo never really made a big point of marketing it. 

— the original TSS, with its metal and laminate design, was very costly to manufacture, which meant its  retail price was beyond the reach of all but the most well-funded music programs and a handful of rock artists who incorporated it into their existing drum kits. In spite of its innovative qualities, it never really took off.

— Remo only supported the product line with parts and tech support for a couple of years after it was pulled from the catalog in the late 2000’s. As of now, Remo has NO TSS drums or spare parts in its possession, and has no plans to reintroduce the product again.

And that, my friends, is how you make a unicorn. 

But then a local guy I know who’s a machinist asked me to show him the pad. He thought someone might be able to fabricate a snare module for it. It wouldn’t be stock, but it could be functional. He told me to hang onto it because it might prove to be a fun side project. 

So I’m keeping it after all. While I continue to look for the unicorn that an original Remo snare module represents, I’ll explore this other, equally intriguing possibility and see what comes of it. It might prove to be a useful alternative drum voice in my work accompanying vocalists with brushes and thin sticks. We’ll see.

Here’s a technical drawing of the snare module that Chris from Remo provided me, and a little video.

Stay tuned and happy chopping.

Vintage Corner, sort of: 2004 Remo TSS (Tuneable Sound Shape)

I’d been looking for one of these for several years, and finally tracked one down at a drum shop in the UK. 

It arrived today and I’ve had some time to hang out and explore with it. Rather than write a lot about it, I’ve made a longer video. I can’t seem to upload it here, but you should be able to find it over at Marching Percussion Marketplace (click on “Discussion”) on Facebook.

If you or someone you know has a close connection to Remo, Inc. please be in touch. I’d really like to talk with someone connected with the design and development of this product. And I’m also looking for a snare module for this item.

More pad restoration: know what to look for, and keep it out of the landfill

 So this week I scored a wonderful selection of old pads and hardware.

The seller needed to clear it out quickly, accepted my below-asking offer and was willing to ship for free.

Granted, these pads will need some cleaning up, but when I’m done, they’ll be as fun to pound on as when they were new, and the hardware will help complete a few drum kits in the neighborhood.

When you look for used pads to clean up and reuse, you have to know what to look for.

AND you have to be willing to put in the time and work to rescue them.

The rubber pads will need some cleaning, and some real elbow grease to bring them back to useful life.  The tunable Remo pads just need cleaning up and fresh replacement heads.

Soon after I take delivery on this lot, several drummers will have great pads to practice on, and I will have kept all this stuff out of the landfill.

THIS is what sustainability is about. Find old, beat-up stuff, fix it up and clean it up, and prepare it for a second life with a new owner.

What I’m saying here won’t make many manufacturers happy; for them, it’s about tying custom to buy new stuff regularly. But for kids on a budget, for nonprofit youth programs on a budget, for your friend down the street who’s preparing to audition for a corps and needs a more durable practice pad, sustainability is EXACTLY what we should promote within the drumming world.

End of sermon. Happy Drumming!

Pad Du Jour: repairing/restoring an old Aquarian Tru-Bounce

This pad is one of the more underrated -- and overpriced -- on the market. It's not bad, and has some possibilities for extended creativity.
Aquarian's 12" Tru-Bounce practice pad sells new for between $40 and $45, and comes with a pair of 5A nylon sticks and an exercise sheet. The sticks are, in my humble opinion, just this side of worthless; give them to your favorite toddler and walk away.
The pad is unassuming, a simple sheet of black rubber glued to a plank of wood that's been painted bright red. It looks like something that could be made at home.

If you find one used and cheap, snap it up and have some fun with it.

I scored this at my local thrift shop for five bucks. There was no non-skid material on bottom, and the top had been scored with some kind of knife. But it was still playable, so I bought it and took it home.

First, I restored a non-skid surface underneath by cutting a circle out of a large piece of very thin mousepad material (often found with cup-stacking games or by itself; get it used for pennies on the dollar and you'll ghave enough for several pad repair projects).

Then I glued that down to the underside of the pad (I used super-glue gel and did this outdoors to avoid breathing in off-gases), and stacked a bunch of other pads on top while it dried overnight.

The next day I had a very functional pad that's probably worth about... 8 or 9 bucks.

It plays fine. There's enough bounce for it to feel satisfying, but not so much that the sticks rebound wildly off the surface. A nice pad for a beginner.

If you want to get creative, find a laminate to attach to the top and you mught be surprised by how good it feels. A friend suggested I look for the clear plastic disc from the Movement Drum Co. pad, and he says it turns this ordinary pad into something amazing.

I actually did this with a piece of thin plastic notebook material on another pad and it was interesting, but not useful for my purposes. I gave that pad away to a kid who needed one for marching but couldn't afford anything fancy. He made do and is now marching in his college drumline. I'd like to think it was more a result of practicing than of the practice surface.

The truth is that many of today's modern drum pads are copies of each other on some level. After all, how many different ways can you mix up a rubber-nylon-neoprene compound and have it be something "new" and worthwhile? After awhile there's so much overlap between products that it can make your head spin while it's filling the world with More Stuff.

So these days I am more interested in finding and researching the historic pads that illustrate the development of the practice pad, than I am in comparing newer "modern" pads. The newer pads act like they're purpose-driven (particularly for the Marching Arts), when in reality most are simply copies of each other built around a marketing approach that's tied to getting more kids to buy practice pads.

..::ducks to avoid being pelted with rotten tomatoes::..

If you can choose between shopping and drumming, drum. You'll accomplish more and save money and time.
Happy chopping.

Sometimes things get tragic. The only thing to do is take photos and let go.

 Case in point:

Item for sale at eBay.uk is a vintage and rare practice kit.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304207498914

Several exchanges with friends connected to the UK, and with the seller, proved fruitless. He wants pickup only, and right now, or he’ll throw it out with the trash.

After exhausting all my options, I had to let it go.

But I made sure to grab the photos from the listing first, so I’d have them to use in research.

It’s insanely cool, and rare even for those who live across the pond in Europe. And in a day or three, it will likely end up in the trash

..::sigh::..

Can’t have everything.

I’ll go drown my sorrows with a nice chopping session.

Happy drumming.

Future Vintage: Vic Firth IMS10 drum sticks

 Sometime in the early to mid 2000's, Vic Firth released a stick called the IMS10. Designed in partnership with notable DCI drum instructor Brian S. Mason for the growing indoor percussion activity, it was smaller than most marching sticks used outdoors and featured an elongated acorn tip. Presumably, it was not a big seller at the time, because after several years Vic Firth stopped making them.

I wish they hadn't. It's a GREAT stick.

It is smaller, but no overly so; and it is one of the best balanced, most comfortable sticks I've ever used for marching. I also like it for some concert percussion situations where a field drum and/or slightly heavier stick is called for. And it's a great rudimental stick as well.

The first generation were made with black paint, Mason's signature and wood tips.

Later, an unpainted version was released, without a signature, in both wood and nylon tipped versions. It was a little bit lighter than the original, perhaps because it was felt they'd be a better seller in a lighter weight for a wider variety of uses.

Today, I have a couple pairs that I've held in reserve. One pair is on my wall display rack, and the other pair is in my stickbag, taped up and used in my community marching band.

It's a fantastic stick. Some folks remember playing with these back in the day and are looking for them again. I recently scored a bundle of 15 pairs of these, New Old Stock from a music store that's closing its doors. I'm keeping another pair for myself and I've sold off some of the others. (I have a few pairs left as of this writing; hit me up on FB if you want a pair.)

If there's anyone out with some kind of pull at Vic Firth, maybe give a shout out that these sticks still have a fan base and ought to be brought back into production. Because right now they're hard to find and at some point they'll be gone, Let's keep these from becoming truly vintage one day.

Happy chopping!

More pointless appropriation: Pat Petrillo's multi-level pad design -- UPDATED

In a nutshell -- in case you're new here or haven't been following along -- some very cool modern pad designs are being copied and sold for slightly less by overseas companies. It's highly possible that ALL pads of a similar design (see: RCP Active Snare pad, Salyers Stealth pad, etc) are being made in the same Chinese factory and simply branded according to the job order.  That's certainly the case with the aforementioned pads, which share the exact same design with the original made by HUN in  China.

 

 

 

 

 

But what happens when the design of a particular pad is patented by an American inventor/company and copies show up overseas?

Copyright and patent law is a tricky, weird thing, especially as technology outstrips the law's ability to protect so-called "intellectual" property.

The P4 practice pad, designed by drummer Pat Petrillo, provides another example of when and how patent protection can be unclear, or even ignored.

It's a cool idea. Make a drum pad with multiple levels, laid out like a tiny version of a drum kit, and then create exercises that allow one to transfer drum kit skills from the pad to the drums.
The pad has found an audience and is currently being licensed and sold through Drumeo, with other retail outlets (like Musician's Friend and Amazon) offering it as well.

Another version of the same pad is available through Chinese wholesale giant Alibaba. If you buy it in China it will cost less. If you want it shipped to the USA, that savings is eaten up by the shipping cost.

Here's the thing: The Petrillo pad is made in the USA. The Chinese knockoff is made in China, likely in one of the factories contracted by Alibaba (though that information is nearly impossible for the average citizen to ascertain). If the USA-made original pad costs $60 retail, and the Chinese copy costs nearly the same, why bother go to the trouble?

Simply because the copy can be sold for less in places where the USA pad would perhaps cost more by the time additional tarrifs and taxes are added on.

(Below: the original P4 pad and its copy. Note the difference in platform shape, likely to skirt any patent issues. Also consider the differences in stack height and, without being able to research thoroughly, materials used. It it nearly impossible to research the materials used in manufacturing unless you either buy the pads and test them yourself, or if you know someone directly involved with the process.)

But clearly someone is having those pads shipped overseas, or else Alibaba wouldn't offer the option at their site. In fact, European drum shops are ordering Alibaba's pad in bulk and selling it at their online shops. What you have, in the end, is multiple copies of someone's pad design flying all over the world. Who benefits? How different are the pads in construction, design and usefulness? And why does no one seem to wonder what the point is of copying the design and selling copies all over the place?

Finally, who needs all these drum pads?

While it's great to have choices, how many people are actually buying all these practice pads?
While we attempt to recover from the shakeup of the global marketplace caused in large part by the Covid pandemic, the fact is that even before the lockdown on 2020, drum pads were not a product with planet-wide appeal. So at what point do we say enough is enough? How many different kinds of practice pads does the planet need? 

It seems that at some point, a shakeout of the lesser sellers would happen.
But other than the epic flameout of Xymox, I haven't really seen that.
In fact, a lot of older drummers are sticking with pads they've used since adolescence (I still have my Remo pad from 5th grade, and I even pull it out from time to time to use it); or they are trying to find the pad they had in high school and replace it (see the crazy market for tan HQ-Real Feel pads right now).

As I test and report on various practice pads here, it becomes really expensive to buy each pad I'd like to test. Since almost no one has offered to send me models to test, I have to do as much research as I can and fill in the blanks with guesses based on my 20 years of managing inventory for a small retail business. Sometimes I simply can't get all the right answers myself. If I'm lucky, someone with connections to a given design will fill in a blank. If not, all I have left is guessing.

NOTE: When I guess wrong, please let me know by providing useful information. And please try not to scold. I can only work with the information I am able to find, and it's not all forthcoming so easily.
(I appreciate the additional info from someone connected to the original designer, which allowed me to edit portions of this post to reflect more information.)

I ponder these things mostly out of concern for the sustainability of the whole enterprise. How many drummers need how many pads? How can we stop the overproduction of cheap copies? How do we protect someone's design? It feels a lot like the lawless Wild West.

And it's filling the world with cheap copies of stuff we don't really need.

This reality touches every area of interest where things are needed to pursue an activity.

I have no real answers, other than to restrict my future collecting and explorations to used/older drum pads and to think carefully before each purchase.

As with anything we pursue and the stuff we purchase, to support the inventor it's best to buy the inventor's official design, both to support the inventor AND to discourage the manufacture and sale of cheaper knockoffs. This is as true in drum gear as it is in anything else.

Stay tuned. And happy chopping!

Practice Pad sticks: real, or just hype? A small group for comparison.

Here's a comparison I'd been wanting to do for some time.
What makes a stick a bonafide "Practice Pad" stick, or even just a "Practice" stick?

Of course, the answers vary widely. But I wanted to take a look for myself, so here's a comparison of five different sticks that have all been recommended as appropriate for use on a practice pad.

Below, top to bottom:

Dom's Pad Stick (Vater)
Shedder (Vater)
Concert One (Promark)
Connecticut Drummer (Cooperman)
Parley (Cooperman)

All sticks are made with hickory except Dom's Pad Stick, which is made of maple.

If you take a good look at the differences in tip shape and size, you'll see that there's little consensus on what makes a good pad stick. However, most of the tips have a round shape, which does rebound well on both pads and drumheads.

The tapers are different too, with some considerably longer than others. A very long taper can throw more of the weight to the rear of the stick, making for something that feels lighter in the hand. A beefier and/or shorter taper will have the opposite effect, throwing more of the weight up front depending on the size and length of taper and tip. The length of the overall stick and thickness at the grip area also make a difference.

So one should not expect a one-size-fits-all solution here.

Also, these are five of over a dozen or more sticks that have been advertised as being intended or ideal for practice situations. Depending on your playing style they may or may not work for you.

With the disclaimers out of the way, let's examine each stick more closely.

1. Dom's Pad Stick, now made by Vater, was originally made by Vic Firth over thirty years ago. The dimensions haven't really changed, nor has the wood of choice. Designed by drummer and teacher Dom Famularo, they are really meant for practice pad work and not for much else. If you're primarily a kit or concert/orchestral drummer, you may like these a lot, as they are nicely balanced front and rear. Maple makes them the lightest stick by far in our group, which may not be to everyone's liking.
Dimensions: not available at Vater's web site, but 16.25" long by roughly .660" diameter.

 

 2. Shedder by Vater, designed as a practice stick for concert and rock drummers, is a nice hickory stick for warming up on a pad or a drum. It has the same dimensions and taper as my go-to marching and practice stick, Vater's MV-20, and feels almost the same. The difference is the shape of the tip (see photo at left).
Dimensions: 16.25" long by .650" in diameter. I'd consider this as both a very nice, quick pad stick, and also as an alternate marching stick for smaller hands, or as a very useful heavy metal stick.

3. Concert One by Promark, meant as a purpose-designed stick for concert use, also makes a very nice practice stick on a pad or a drum. I was unsure of these at first blush, but after ten minutes with them on a pad I found I liked them. Tips are on the large side, as big as the tips on Dom's Pad Stick.
Dimensions: 16.88" by .650".

*4. Connecticut Drummer by Cooperman, among the most expensive sticks in this group, is also not meant to be a "practice" stick per se (it's usually a favorite of rope-tension drummers), but it wouldn't be a bad choice. The large, oval-shaped tips (the largest tips by far in this group) bring out a big sound from a drum without too much effort, and the elegant medium-long taper makes this a well-balanced stick with presence and power. Smaller hands will probably not be as comfortable with these as with some other models in the group.
Dimensions: 17" long by .688"

*5. Parley by Cooperman, again at over $30 a pair, is not going to get into everyone's hands. But for the discerning advanced drummer, this might become a favorite warmup stick. The round tips are just slightly larger than Dom's; and the very long taper makes it a very fast stick, giving lively rebound with a rather light feel.
Dimensions: 17" long by .688"

(*Note: on the Cooperman sticks: Cooperman sort their sticks by weight as well as pitch, meaning that one pair of a certain model will weigh a few grams more or less than another pair of the same model. #4 weigh 78 grams, while #5 weigh 70 grams. That's a noticable difference in the hands, and something to bear in mind should you buy a pair of either of these sticks.)

I don't know how helpful it will be, but I've made a video of each pair of sticks in action on a practice pad, so you see how they look in the hands.
(You can see it here: https://www.facebook.com/beth.hamon.9/videos/1002648790575377)

There are other makes and models of sticks that are meant to be ideal for practice, which I didn't include here because they're mostly not readily available in the USA. You can order them online, but be prepared to pay a small fortune in shipping (and VAT where applicable).
Obviously, the best thing to do is to try them out yourself.

Have fun and happy drumming!