Sorry that you got no response from your posts- I usually hang in another section of the forum.

Me and my colleague Ed both are big fans of BopWorks sticks. We are both drummers here on the scene in Japan. I prefer the WEST COAST model- excellent, light and balanced sticks with a barrel bead that sounds great on a ride.

We had heard that the company had closed temporarily about 2 years back because the owner was ill. I don't know for certain. I do know that Ed looked into buying the company from that owner but it didn't go through.

It's excellent to hear that the company is producing sticks again. I still have 4 pair of the West Coasts and 1 pair of the Shelley Manne's - was saving them because I thought the company had gone under.

I play matched grip. I play left-handed, so my drum teachers didn't want to bother with teaching a lefty to play like a lefty playing traditional grip. Then marching band came along and the Moeller technique came into play. I am trying to teach myself how to play traditional grip once again as I want to play big band (and matched grip isn't all that good for big band play). As much as I love Led Zeppelin and KISS, I want to play big band. I guess it's my age.

I have relaxed my grip CONSIDERABLY, as a tight grip doesn't help with repetitive motion syndromes (i.e. carpal tunnel and the like). In fact the relaxing of my grip has helped dynamics and my rudiments IMMENSELY. I am also trying to use my pinkie and ring fingers a lot more.

As a result, I now don't chew up the shoulders of my sticks, and I now have sticks that are six months old!!!! I have broken sticks (mainly really cheap ones), but not to the degree I used to. I don't break Vic Firths, Vader, or Zildjian sticks these days!!! But I do chip wood tips!!! I hit the cymbals a LOT softer now and hit the drums faster, yet more musically since I have relaxed my grip and worked on dynamics.

Oddly enough, I was a drum teacher about twenty years ago. I am going through my old material and trying to teach myself to be a student once again!!! While picked up the drums again five years ago after a 12+ year hiatus, it's taken me this long to finally get back to being a student of the drums and start playing like a musician (rather than a cave man) again. My unceremonious jettisoning from the last band made me want to get the old bunnyman magic back, and I feel it's coming long.

Thanks for the chat and advice, Purdie!!!

Hey Osaka!

Hajema mash*te! (Hope I wrote that correctly!)

You wrote:

> I prefer the WEST COAST model- excellent, light and balanced sticks with a barrel bead that sounds great on a ride.

I'll have to give those a try next! Not all of the models are currently available. What I really wanted was the Birdland model but it was out of stock, so I went with the Shelly's and 40's Krupa re-issue. I'm liking the Krupa's more than the Shelly's. The shelly is a very light stick, takes a little getting used to. I'm used to manipulating heavier sticks and the twitch muscles in my fingers exert more force than is needed for the Shelly stick. I have to relax my grip more with the Shelly's. Just takes getting used to.

> I thought the company had gone under.

Apparently not! Their stock/inventory may have been bought out because the sticks came from an online music store. I 'ordered' thru the BOPworks webpage, but the sticks came from a music store. You may be correct and they went under. If that's the case and they won't be making any more of these, I'm going to stock up.

Nice to meet you...

Bunnyman wrote:

> My unceremonious jettisoning from the last band made me want to get the > old bunnyman magic back, and I feel it's coming long.

I love it! You talk and sound like a 'real' musician Bunny. We never stop learning. Man, I learn something new everyday just hanging out here. I've been playing for 48 years and I still suck! That's what keeps me going back everyday, day after day, year after year. Artists are never happy with their own work. They know where all the bodies are buried in their technique/playing. But none of us should ever try to judge our own progress. That's where audiences and fellow musicians come into the picture.

Keep in there wailin' Bunnyman. Somewhere, miles away from you, I'm sitting at my kit sometimes cursing, sometimes smiling, but I'm working away at it - just like you. Brothers under the skin...

John

John-

You're making me blush!!!

I do consider myself a "real" musician. The funniest thing was that drums were my first instrument, and I learnt on an old Ludwig kit. Yes, it was a BOP Ringo kit!!!! Wish I still had that kit...

My second instrument was my voice. I was the 4' 8", 5 stone baritone in jr. high swing choir!!! Visually it looked abnormally strange, especially when a 5'6" 8 stone guy was the tenor!!!!

I took up guitar at the age of 30!!!! I needed to be able to play most of my own instruments so that recording my work was going to be more cost-effective.

I recorded my solo work ("Holla fo a Dolla" and "Riva") before I really got back into my drumming. I was playing at that time, but I was really just pounding stuff those days... Check out my myspace page: www.myspace.com/dougrogers

There is a decent example of my drumming (albeit with my DrumKat) on "Miss Jamie (demo)", but I have evolved CONSIDERABLY.

Sorry about hijacking your thread.

To get back, I am considering purchasing the sticks this thread because of your review.

Anyone who likes to play tradition grip on styles that lay down a back beat- finding great sticks can be a challenge. Modern sticks are often designed with very little taper- quite straight from back to front until they reach the shoulder- where they finally begin their taper. Straight sticks are designed more for matched grip IMO The Keith Carlock model by Calato/Regal Tip has a much more gradual taper like vintage sticks.

I can see how the modern sticks are made for matched grip- after all- I play matched grip with my thumb anywhere from the middle to the bottom third of the stick and it feels the same. Makes sense to make them with a straighter taper.

Speaking as a trad grip player, the only practical advantage to the tapered barrel is; it's easier to maintain the fulcrum, not so much 'drift' of the stick in your hand as you play. Straight sticks (unless I'm paying attention,) have a tendency to drift in my hand as I play. I have a very light, open grip, and unless I give it a little pinch at the fulcrum, the stick will have a tendency to drift forwards on me - towards the butt end.

I use straight shaft sticks almost exclusively, but getting power out of the trad grip (for back beats) has never been a problem. I just revert to a wrist/arm pumping motion (Moeller whip) and the snare drum pops. Grip and technique determine power, it doesn't matter whether you're holding the sticks trad or matched.

I have an interesting diagnostic test you can perform on yourself. Grab your fav sticks and any rubber practice pad. Play alternating single stroke 16ths and listen carefully... are you hearing the ticking of the rubber pad or the wood sounding note from the sticks?

If you're hearing the sound of wood singing, your grip is just right. If you're hearing more of the pad with each stroke, your grip is likely way too tight and it's your hands that are absorbing the force of each blow. It's a great little diagnostic test. Try it. If your playing allows the sticks to sing, the drums will sing! If your grip is too tight, your drums will sound choked.

Interesting stuff... there's a whole science to drumming. Stuff/info you can use to improve your sound.

John

I am probably going to try and enlist the help of a teacher as far as my grip technique goes.

While relaxing my grip has helped my sound and feel IMMENSELY, I still feel like I could benefit from an instructor. I am trying to hunt down my last trap kit instructor (he shouldn't be too old to teach me- he wasn't that old when I took lessons from him), and I think he would be the guy to help me with grip and technique.

Maybe he could teach me to play big band!!! Then I can use those great sticks you speak of!!!

> I am probably going to try and enlist the help of a teacher as far as my grip technique goes.

Always an excellent idea, but if you want a good head start and begin working on your own, please allow me to recommend the following instructional videos:

JoJo Mayer - 'Secret Weapons Of The Modern Drummer' - Excellent + video! JoJo covers off basic technique, grips, using rebound, finger control in a comprehensive and very easy to follow/understand fashion. Highly recommended for drummers at any level.

Tommy Igoe - 'Great Hands For Life' Tommy covers a lot of the same techniques that JoJo does, only Tommy demonstrates it all in much more detail and the play-along sections are the best exercises I've ever done.

Snag those two videos and spend some time with them. Then, grab your sticks and have at it. You'll quickly find your speed, accuracy and endurance developing by leaps and bounds. You'll be able to play more, with more power and control than ever before. The lessons will help you improve noticeably in a relatively short period of time. You'll see big differences even after a couple of weeks of daily practice. 15/20 minutes a day is all it takes. Try it! You'll thank me later, I promise you.

John

Thanks for the video suggestions!!!

I will try those videos.