Pro Mark Rods durability

[Matthew Warwick]

Since I like to keep the volume low without having to back off a ton when playing at home, I have turned to Pro-Mark hot rods. They work great for reducing volume (although cymbals or snare rim shots still retain quite a bit of volume), but I've noticed that I tend to break them rather quickly.

Do I also have to do some work with the rods to get them to quit breaking so quickly? Or better yet, is there a version of the hot rods that have great durability but still sound quiet?

[Ryan Smith]

The Vic Firth Steve Smith Tala Wand - Birch is quieter.

I wrap rods with black electrical tape around where they connect with the rim and get longer life out of them.

Ryan

[Bart Elliott]

Pro-Mark strategically fails to support the rods where they connect with the rim of the drum.

My suggestion, find that area of the stick and give it some support.

Lay the rod across the drum so that the tip is at the center of the drumhead while the remainder of the rod is laying across the drum. Make note of where the rod touches the rim; that's where you will add support. Take a piece of duct tape and wrap it around the area of the rod that touches the rim. You've just exponentially added more life to your Pro-Mark Multi Rods.

Pro-Mark uses duct tape on their rods, you just don't see it because they use a red shrink wrap tubing over the tape.

Pro-Mark does make rods using larger diameter dowels. The sound is different, but the larger the dowel, the longer the life.

[Mister Acrolite]

I use Vater Acousticks - they are extremely durable, although they're not as good as regular hot rods for ride cymbal work. But on snare, toms, hihat, and crash cymbals, they are great, and they last forever!

http://vater.com/products/product.cfm?M=58]http://vater.com/products/product.cfm?M=58

[Matthew Warwick]

Thanks everyone! I do notice some definite breakage where I do rim shots on the snare, so I'll definitely have to add some tape there.

I mostly experience breakage on the tip, though. I tend to play my hi-hat on top and with mostly the tip of the stick when it's closed, so I could go through a pair of rods fairly quickly between my closed hi-hat and the ride cymbal. Will taping the tip give the same support as well? Also, I know that this is a little off topic, but since I mentioned it, is it bad technique of me to play my closed hi-hat with just the tip of the stick on top of the cymbal? Should I switch to playing the edge on that all the time?

[Jim Martin (cavanman)]

Re: tip on top  vs shoulder on edge
It's only bad technique if it's not getting the sound you want. You should feel comfortable doing both. I use both for different textures more than volume control or stick/rod wear,

Certainly adding tape to the tip would extend the life of the rod but it also would effect the sound, especially when playing with the  tip. Playing a rim shot with rods (which I do alot) is a much beefier and less subtle timbre than playing with the tip. Tape wouldn't really be noticed that much in general when hitting the area Bart's mentioning.
Taping the tip would take away attack - which is fine if that's what your after - but I'd guess that it's not.

FWIW: I use the Steve Smith Birch Tala wands and just resign myself to the fact that they are consumables. I have taped the area toward the end of the rods but not the tip directly. I like the attack that these rods bring so that would be defeating the purpose for me.

Jim