I make fiberglass tupan sticks (switches). Perhaps you have seen them at gigs or at West Coast Balkan Camp.
My sticks feature:
- Choice of length and flexibility
- Non-slip grips
- Blunt tip, armored with a cyanoacrylate coating
- Tapered and bamboo versions
The flagship fiberglass model comes in four lengths: 16, 15, 14, and 13 inches. 16 and 15 are available in three grades of stiffness - soft, medium, stiff. 14 and 13 are soft only. The model number indicates length and stiffness. For example, the softest 15 stick is 151.
New since 2024, in addition to the standard model (top three in image above): The new types share the same handle, lacquer, and cyanoacrylate tip as the standard custom-ground model.
- 15B - 15" 4 mm bamboo stick - especially for those who prefer not to use fiberglass on natural skin heads
- 15T - 15" tapered fiberglass, 2 mm tip, blue (stiff) - no lacquer but factory painted
- 16TH -16" tapered fiberglass, 3 mm tip, white (very stiff)
Coming soon: handles with an elliptic cross-section. Prototype on right.
I use a 14-soft (141) on my 20" BG drum with mylar heads. When the drum was borrowed for performance by a Bulgarian pro, his stick preference was 15-stiff (153).
I also sell a hardwood beater - 32 cm, 80 g - sized for BG playing. I currently use blackwood acacia (image above). Also 40 cm on special request, for those who prefer a longer reach, e.g., for Balkan Brass or MK.
Currently, sticks are $12, (oval handle $15) and beaters $20 (long $22). Shipping and handling within the US is a flat $10 for small-to-moderate sized orders.
CONSTRUCTION
The fiberglass is ground by hand, using frequent micrometer checks.
BUYING MORE - checking the flex grade on your old sticks
Old-style labeling: white rings below the grip signified the amount of grinding. The most flexible had two rings and the stiffest none. If you suspect that some of the white rings are gone, here's how to tell them apart: The stiff (3) has a shaft the same diameter as the tip (apart from the cyanoacrylate coating). In the two grades with a reduced shaft, the medium (2) has a grip that is much stiffer than the shaft.
MAINTENANCE
If the glass fibers ever become exposed, please repair immediately! On the shank, use lacquer (the original finish) or shellac or clear nail polish. On the 3/4" tip use cyanoacrylate ('Crazy Glue').
MONSTER PLAYERS
The wide/blunt tip is favored by most users, but a few high-speed technical drummers may notice the minuscule additional inertia. If you are one of those special people, I can supply them with reduced tips. I am also open to other customizations - let's discuss.
WOODWORK
Beaters have a protective finish that reveals the wood grain, but they are not furniture quality. Examined closely, you may notice some scratches left over from the shaping.
Who
In North America, these tupan sticks and beaters have been used in performances of Balkan brass, Bulgarian, Greek, and Turkish music. But students and occasional players like the fiberglass sticks because of the durability and the grip.
more about stix
NEW SCHOOL (fiberglass) vs. OLD SCHOOL (дрян)
16 inch fiberglass compared with a same length natural stick made from the traditional cornelian cherry (дрян), a Eurasian dogwood often used in eastern North America as an ornamental shrub. This particular stick came from a park in Brooklyn, NY. It was a lucky find, because after removing the bark and drying it was ready to play. My fiberglass sticks require a lot more work, but they are durable and reproducible. This particular 15" natural stick has an overall flex similar to the stiffest fiberglass (153), but with the flex concentrated in the lower half.
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Ҫubuk, çubuk, çubuk - maestro Sali Shopov teaching at eefc camp, 2008
A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME
The tupan drum tradition is not American, so you are likely to encounter some of the other names listed in the table below. (Greek terms courtesy of Jerry Summers, R.I.P.)
| EN | BG | TR | EL |
| TUPAN | тъпан | davul | νταούλι |
| STICK | пръчка | çubuk | βίτσα |
| BEATER | кияк | tokmak | κοπάνοσ |
| PLAYER | тъпанджия | davulcu | νταουληιέρησ |