This drumstick offers a thick shoulder for added durability and a unique reverse taper for greater playing comfort. Made from American hickory. The most preferred hickory for drumsticks comes from the Southeastern United States. The specific gravity of hickory is 0.82 at 15 percent moisture content. It is considered to be a "hardwood" even though it is not as dense or heavy as oak. This does not make hickory better or worse than oak. It's just different. That difference becomes a personal preference for the drummer.