Drumstick Toys

November 13, 2005 6:45 PM

My son mentioned last night that he would really like a pair of drumsticks like those Meg White uses from time to time. He says they have small tambourines and shakers on the ends of them but they are otherwise regular sticks. Is there a formal name for these? I'd really like to purchase a pair for him for Christmas.

And is there an online store for these types of things that any of you find reliable? I want to make sure that I get something that will arrive in time.

posted by keli to grab bag (8 comments total)

Meg White uses Zildjian Dipsticks as drumsticks. However these don't have the little shakers built in. I can't find evidence of these online, though people have asked about them. Perhaps Meg has a little invention of her own.

Something similar that's used by Sheryl Crow's band is the RattleStick... the center of the stick is a metal tube that sounds like a shaker when playing drums.
posted by aristan at 8:27 PM on November 13, 2005

They apparently have these at Bennett Drums. I would ask them this question, as they could probably ship them out to you.
posted by insomnia_lj at 11:27 PM on November 13, 2005

Yes, this thread also recommends Bennett. It's definitely worth asking them to see if they can tell you exactly the gadget she uses; better to try to get the very thing than to guess or approximate.
posted by Songdog at 8:16 AM on November 14, 2005

I would really like to know of a reliable online store rather than speak on the phone. The Rattlestick looks pretty interesting and I'll probably get a pair for my other son, since he didn't mention anything specific.
posted by keli at 10:00 PM on November 14, 2005

I'm sorry, keli, but that's the only lead I've been able to turn up for you. If it were me I'd definitely make the phone call to Donn Bennet Drum Studio. They're the only ones we have any reason to believe might be able to identify the gadget Meg White uses. One phone call might identify and locate the thing your son has asked you for. There's an email address on the contact page if you'd rather try that.

If Bennet manages to turn up the thing you need then I'd just see if they can sell you one. I have no experience with the store but they'd earn some points by ending your quest. That said there are plenty of other good drum stores online. A lot of these used to be print catalog or retail stores only so the sites may not be very polished, but they've been selling equipment for a long time. Personally I used to order from both Lone Star Percussion and Steve Weiss Music fairly regularly.
posted by Songdog at 9:29 AM on November 15, 2005

By the way, I'm pretty sure these aren't what your son asked for, but you should be aware in case someone mentions them: Mike Balter Mallets has (for decades) been selling wooden drumsticks with a couple of tambourine jingles pinned into the shank. They're in the Louie Bellson Drumset Series and they're called "Jingle Sticks". I suspect these jingles would be drowned out by loud rock drumming. More delicate jazz would be more the thing. From your description and the other links posted earlier it sounds like White probably uses tiny tambourines (or jingles) and shakers which clip or clamp on to her drumsticks. I've never seen these before (but apparently Bennett caries such things). They would change the balance of the sticks making them less suited for delicate stuff though still fine for rock.

To add a little more confusion LP also makes a product called "Jingle Sticks" which are even less what you're looking for (though probably a lot of fun for a younger kid).

I thought you should know about these because people might default to one of these products if they don't know the one you're looking for.

One more thing: if your son is the sort of drummer who voraciously reads drum magazines and keeps track of the equipment his favorite drummers use he may know exactly what Meg White uses.
posted by Songdog at 9:42 AM on November 15, 2005

keli, if you do find what you're looking for please let us know. Good luck!
posted by Songdog at 8:11 PM on December 3, 2005

Six months later: I have been contacted by a drummer who happened to be looking into the same question. By a stroke of luck he recognized the specific product shown in a White Stripes video, and he tells me it was an item called Jinglemute, which I found at a number of online drum stores by searching for that name on Google or Froogle. Thanks for the tip, William!
posted by Songdog at 8:40 PM on June 8, 2006