Drum sticks aren’t always the ideal tools to use when playing the drums. Sometimes, noise is an issue, and bashing the drums as hard as you can with wooden sticks just isn’t a possibility, unfortunately.
This is where specialty sticks come in. To get a softer sound from the drums, you could use brushes, hotrods, or mallets.
We’re going to review the iconic Hot Rods from Promark. These sticks are incredibly popular, and we’re going to explain why.
The most key thing to note is that these are not normal drum sticks. They don’t feel or sound the same, so they’re not meant to be used instead of sticks for all settings. They’re meant to be used for quieter occasions or to get different textures from the drums.
Instead of being a solid stick, the Hot Rods have multiple birch thistles that are strapped together. This makes them bring a quieter sound out of your drums.
The sticks are 16 inches in length, making them about the same size as most regular drum sticks. They have a diameter of 0.560 inches, making them a bit thicker than most regular drum sticks.
Promark was the first company to introduce rute sticks for the drum kit, and they called them the Hot Rods. That was decades ago, and the Hot Rods are still as popular as ever. So, that tells you about their quality.
They’re a high-quality quality stick that adds a unique aspect to your stick bag. You can pull them out whenever you need to play the drums softly, and the texture they bring out from the drums is incredibly pleasing to the ears.
Like all wooden drum sticks, they don’t last forever. The wooden thistles tend to chip away the more you play, leading the sticks to break after some time. Don’t expect to have just one pair forever. You’ll need to buy new pairs as they break. The only way of getting around this is to get plastic rute sticks, but those don’t sound as good.
The Hot Rods have an iconic appearance that is easily recognizable from a mile away. There are a whole bunch of birch thistles that are tied together with indistinguishable red plastic.
This plastic keeps the thistles together very tightly. There are a few similar types of sticks on the market where the thistles aren’t kept as tight together. They tend to break a lot faster.
The plastic grip at the bottom of the Hot Rods feels great to hold, and it provides a stable base that lets you play all the same rhythms that you would be able to play with regular drum sticks.
Lastly, the sticks have black pieces of plastic at the base. We found that these plastic bases make it easy to grip and pull the Hot Rods out of a stick bag. It’s a clever design.
Playing with Hot Rods doesn’t feel identical to playing with drum sticks. It’s a sensation that you need to get used to, especially when playing the cymbals. While drum sticks will rebound very easily off the surfaces of cymbals, these Hot Rod sticks tend to dig into the surface not bounce as much.
This makes it a bit harder to play quick patterns. However, most drummers get used to it after a while, and fast patterns become easier to play.
The Promark Hot Rods have a fairly standard price as most specialty drum sticks sit somewhere around the $20 mark. So, the price-to-value ratio isn’t particularly good or bad. It’s just normal.
In saying that, these sticks are highly worth the money as they’re something that every drummer should have in their stick bag. There are so many settings where you may need to use them.
The Hot Rods aren’t a widely used tool in recording studios. The reason for this is that studio sessions won’t have any noise constraints. The only time Hot Rods will be used is if the song needs the exact sound that the Hot Rods produce.
There aren’t too many styles of music that need that. However, it’s always good to have Hot Rods in your stick bag just in case you may need them. It’s very possible that a recording engineer will want you to play something with a Hot Rod as it sounds better than hitting it with a stick.
Live gigs are where Hot Rods are utilized the most. If you’re going to play drums in a restaurant or coffee shop, Hot Rods are absolutely necessary as regular drum sticks will be too loud.
You could try playing softly with drum sticks, but it will be more comfortable with Hot Rods. It will also be more fun as you won’t need to worry about controlling your dynamic levels.
You won’t need to use Hot Rods at large scale gigs, though. That’s where you’ll need to use regular drum sticks and put as much energy into playing as possible.
While Promark isn’t the only brand that makes rute drum sticks, their Hot Rods are arguably one of the most popular options. We highly suggest you get a pair of Hot Rods to have in your stick bag. As a performing drummer, you’ll undoubtedly need them at some point.
To be the most prepared drummer you can possibly be, you should ideally have a mixture of sticks, brushes, mallets, and rute sticks in your stick bag. This will equip you for every situation that you may find yourself performing in.
Remember to practice with your Hot Rods at home before playing with them at a gig as they take a bit of time to get used to!
Drum Teacher
Brett Clur has a Drum Performance Diploma from Trinity College London has been playing drums for over 20 years. He is passionate about advanced concepts and uses his years of experience to teach his students about them. While he is a full-time drum teacher, he is also working on growing a YouTube channel where shares his insights. You can see him playing there, or on Instagram where he posts daily videos.
Find useful lessons, tips and reviews for any drummer. From beginners to professionals there’s always something new to learn and improve. Join our Newsletter for exclusive advice!
11407 SW Amu St Suite #ABM436 Tualatin, OR 97062
There may be affiliate links on this website, which means we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to our readers.
© All rights reserved Copyright 2024
Subscribe to our ninja mailing list and get a Free E-book!
Subscribe to our ninja mailing list and get a Free E-book!
