Vic Firth is always looking for talented people to join our family. For a list of Job Opportunities available at Vic Firth, please visit our Careers Page.

The Vic Firth Company Corporate Headquarters, home of Zildjian, Vic Firth, and Balter Mallets brands, is located at:

Avedis Zildjian Company

22 Longwater Drive
Norwell, MA 02061 USA

For more about the company, click here.

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Vic Firth - Endorsement Program

If you have any questions at all about your order, please see our Contact Us page.

For questions about your online order related to status or payment, please contact our order management partner, Quivers.  Quivers Customer Service can be reached at support@quivers.com.

Online promotions on VicFirth.com are currently available in the US only.

We are working hard to continue providing you with the best Drumstick and Mallet products as we always have, though we’re doing so while navigating various challenges that many companies are still facing today. As long as a product is featured on our website, there are no plans to discontinue it.

Quivers is one of the world's leading provider of global eCommerce for consumer goods. With Quivers, orders placed on branded websites are offered to a managed network of global partners for fulfillment, which includes authorized Vic Firth dealers.  Orders on vicfirth.com are placed through the Quivers network, and orders may be fulfilled by Vic Firth or one of our authorized dealers. In using Quivers, Vic Firth is able to provide you with the convenience of shopping online for our products, while also supporting our local networks of dealers. Quivers is extremely safe and secure to use. For more information, you can go to: https://www.quivers.com/.

Unfortunately, we are unable to ship online orders to a P.O. Box address. For any other questions about your order, please see our Contact Us page.

When you receive your order, always keep the paperwork that is included with it in case you wish to return or exchange an item. Also, save any emails you receive about you order, as they may provide important information. A return merchandise authorization (RMA) is required for all returns. You can request an RMA online, or you can call the merchandise shipper or Vic Firth Customer Care and we will issue one for you. Returns can only be requested within 30 days of the product shipment date. Shipping costs will not be refunded. Returned items must be in their original packaging and in new condition, or they will be rejected and sent back to you. Specific stores may have variations to this policy. View the return policy at the online store or contact VF Customer Care if you have questions. Your order must be returned to the merchant shipper in order to receive full product credit, your shipping costs will not be refunded. Contact the merchant shipper for help or assistance in processing a return. Merchandise will be accepted for return within 30 days of receipt. The merchandise must be in new and unused condition and in its original packaging. A restocking fee may apply to returned items or items that have been cancelled from an order after it has been assigned to a fulfillment location. If a restocking fee will apply to an order, it will be noted on the final screen of checkout before you complete your order.

Vic Firth Drumsticks are the highest quality drumsticks available today with a rigorous attention to detail in every step of the manufacturing process. Beginning at our partner mills, only the highest quality logs are chosen to enter the process. Once they’re chosen, they are sawed into boards, then again into 1” x 1” squares. Once sawing is complete, the squares enter a kiln where they are dried to optimal moisture content for processing. This step is imperative to assuring the wood doesn’t warp throughout the process. Then, the squares are turned into dowels, and the dowels get shaped into your favorite drumstick. The sticks are then checked for any quality issues before they enter finishing where they get their final feel/look. The final step in the process is another round of checking for quality then they’re off to be pitch paired, weight matched, and packed out to a music store near you.

Want to learn more about how we bring the world’s most popular drumstick to the stage? How a 5A is made 

1. Tip 
The same tip shape (round for example) can sound and feel quite different depending on its size. Small tips produce brighter, more focused sounds, while large tips ""fatten up"" the projection and overtones and add volume. Tip shapes dramatically affect the type of sound sticks will produce when you use them since they are the part of the stick that makes the most contact with cymbals and drums.

2. Neck
The area just before the tip and the thinnest part of the stick. Thinner necks flex more, making the stick more responsive.

3. Shoulder
Where the stick shaft slopes into the neck. Front-heavy sticks feature shoulders that are closer to the stick tip. This produces less bounce and response, allowing you to dig in and be ""on top"" of the music.

4. Shaft
Smack a good rimshot on your snare. The shaft takes the most impact.

5. Grip (diameter)
This area of the stick should feel comfortable in your hand when you play. Thinner sticks are easier to handle and therefore more versatile.
Length
Shorter sticks are easier to control and weigh less. Longer sticks increase reach, response, flexibility and leverage.

6. Butt-End
Centerless grinding shapes a rounded butt-end that is more comfortable in the hand. It also creates fuller tones than the tip end when played on drums and cymbals.

Tear Drop: Slightly broad surface of this tip draws full, lower pitched sounds from cymbals and drums.

Barrel: A heftier versatile shape that creates a deep rounded sound.

Acorn: This angular tip produces a more articulated cymbal response, but also has the heft to make it suitable for playing Rock.

Round: Bouncy and responsive, these tips produce fuller cymbal sounds and fatter drum sounds depending on their size.

Vic Firth makes drumsticks out of many kinds of wood. The most popular type is hickory, known for its great feel and durability. The overwhelming majority of drumsticks available today are made from hickory. We source our hickory from the Tennessee valley and manufacture all our sticks in our Maine, USA factory.

A lighter weight alternative to hickory is maple, for those players who want a bit more agility around the kit. We also offer several different wood types particularly for the concert percussionist including Laminated Birch and Persimmon. Laminated Birch is often heavier given its composition, which is often desired by players in the orchestral setting. Persimmon is a lighter weight alternative that still offers exceptional durability in a variety of applications. 

It's a matter of what you prefer for a particular playing situation. Nylon beads have a different feel. They tend to have more bounce, or rebound. Nylon produces a harder or sharper attack on the drums and the cymbals, while wood produces a softer, warmer one by comparison. So, it's really not a matter of good or bad, right or wrong. It's a matter of what's appropriate to your cymbal set-up and to the type of response and attack you prefer. Experiment and find out what works best in your particular situation.

Feel is unique to each drummer and each pair of hands.  To learn about all the elements that affect a drumstick’s sound and feel, check out our Drumsticks 101 video.

If you’re ready to shop, our handy Stick Finders are here to help:

Vic Firth Drumstick Finder

The feel and specs of a mallet are important.  They contribute to your sound and how you play.  To find the best mallet for you, use our Selection Guide and see all Vic Firth and Balter Mallets.

Vic Firth and Balter Mallets Finder