No 2 stick of the same brand and type are the same since the natural wood grain is nature in itself therefore unpredictable so this is where quality control from each stick company comes in. Your style of playing and stick technique has a lot to do with breaking/damaging sticks..last year when I was starting to play I would break Vic Firth American Classic 5A and 5AN in a month, then switched to Zildjian 5A and 5AN and still broke them..then I was taught about hand/grip technique..after that I paid close attention on how I would handle the sticks..now I use Fernando 5AN and it would last about 3 months at an average without breaking. The one I have now has been with me for 6 months already. (Though the Fernando does feel hollow compared to the more expensive one's, great for practice though at P70/pair) Though Gospel is my usual genre I also like to fool around but do not consider myself to be a hard hitter..so it may also be another reason for maintaining my sticks
NOVA are great sticks I'm telling you, get one and try it side by side an American Classic and you will notice minimal differences. Get one of the Lazer or Fernando sticks then try a NOVA and you'll appreciate it better..
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NOVA has said to be over runs of American Classics which are priced 2-3 times the price of the NOVA. Usually cosmetic defects are the only factors involved since NOVA is still being quality controlled by Vic Firth company.
I would suggest focusing on technique and trying the different types of stick that would suit your genre and needs..once you focus on that you will notice your sticks are lasting longer than the usual
