American Hickory Power House Wood Tip Drumsticks. Designed in collaboration with Virgil Donati. Large acorn tip and heavy shoulder provides big sound volume. Hickory is the most popular wood used for making drumsticks. Hickory is denser, heavier and more rigid than Maple. Hickory can also absorb a great amount of shock, which reduces hand and wrist fatigue. Dark, or "brown" hickory, is found closer to the tree's center and is slightly denser and heavier than "white" hickory.