June 2013

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Boso

Natural, Dark, and Strata Bamboo Drumsticks

by Miguel Monroy

For many drummers, finding the right kind of sticks is not a quick process but rather a journey that takes a little time before reaching its destination. Tons of factors usually go into the final choice, including species of wood, weight, length, taper, bead shape, and nylon or wood tip. A new factor has recently emerged: sustainability. This is where Boso Drumsticks steps in, offering a range of options made from eco-friendly bamboo.

Bamboo is known as an excellent alternative to wood, as it averages a growth of three to five inches per day, returns 30 percent more oxygen than trees, is naturally antibacterial, and has incredible tensile strength (resistance to breaking under tension) and compressive strength. Boso uses two types of bamboo in its stick offerings. The Natural line consists of 100 percent reformed bamboo, which creates a stick that’s much lighter than one made with commonly used hickory. The Dark series is crafted from compressed bamboo, which is heavier than hickory. Boso also offers a third line, Strata, which is a combination of Natural and Dark. Strata sticks are approximately the same weight as standard hickory models.

We received a full line of Boso sticks for review ($14.50 per pair for all sizes). What impressed me most was having such a wide range of weight options. The 7A Natural weighs about 30 grams per stick, which proved to be perfect for light and soft songs, as well as really fast ones. The 7A Dark model weighs about 53 grams per stick, which made it a better choice for louder, more aggressive playing. The same pattern was true of the 5A, 5B, and 2B options. Advertisement

Be sure to check out the complete review in the June 2013 issue of Modern Drummer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKVtQH9gfbk