Pro-Mark Matt Halpern Signature drumstick review: Periphery's djent stick, decoded
Pro-Mark Matt Halpern Signature drumstick (TXMHW): hickory, 16 inch length, .630in diameter, medium taper, large round wood tip. Periphery drummer Matt Halpern's namesake stick, nominally 2B but built to play like a 5B.
Reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team ·
The Pro-Mark Matt Halpern Signature drumstick (SKU TXMHW) is Periphery drummer Matt Halpern's namesake stick: hickory, 16 inches long, .630 inch diameter, medium taper, large round wood tip, lacquer finish. Nominally sized 2B, Pro-Mark's own copy says the front-weighted, forward-balanced feel plays more like a 5B, built for power and speed. Made in the USA at Pro-Mark's Texas facility, sold through Pro-Mark's D'Addario-owned catalog.
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What it is, in one paragraph
The Pro-Mark Matt Halpern Signature (SKU: TXMHW) is Periphery drummer Matt Halpern's namesake drumstick, built by Pro-Mark, the drumstick brand under the D'Addario umbrella. Hickory, 16 inches long, .630 inch diameter, medium taper, large round wood tip, lacquer finish. Pro-Mark's own product copy nominally sizes it as a 2B but says the front-weighted, forward-balanced feel plays more like a 5B, tuned for the power and speed Halpern's djent and progressive-metal playing demands.
Who Matt Halpern is, briefly
Matt Halpern joined Periphery in 2009, replacing founding drummer Travis Orbin, and has been the band's only drummer since across its full studio catalog, from Periphery (2010) through Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre (2023). Pearl kit, Meinl cymbals, Evans drumheads, and this Pro-Mark signature stick. D'Addario's own ProMark artist page quotes him directly: "I've been using EVANS drumheads and Promark drumsticks since I can remember. D'Addario products are reliable, and there are so many great options to find the best tools, no matter the musical job." Full profile at /drummers/matt-halpern.
Spec sheet
Pro-Mark Matt Halpern Signature (TXMHW) spec
- Wood
- Hickory, per Pro-Mark's own spec sheet.
- Length
- 16 inches (406.4mm).
- Diameter
- .630 inches (16.1mm).
- Balance
- Forward, weight biased toward the tip.
- Taper
- Medium.
- Tip
- Wood, large round shape, for full and robust tones on drums and cymbals.
- Finish
- Lacquer.
- Nominal size
- 2B, though Pro-Mark's own copy says it plays more like a 5B.
Where it sits next to another Pro-Mark modern-metal signature stick
| Pro-Mark Matt Halpern (TXMHW) | Pro-Mark Mike Portnoy 420X ActiveGrip | |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | Hickory | American hickory |
| Length | 16" | 16 1/4" |
| Diameter | .630" | .565" |
| Taper | Medium | Long |
| Tip | Wood, large round | Wood, oval |
| Finish | Lacquer | ActiveGrip coating |
| Best for | Shorter, front-weighted power for djent's rhythmic precision | Longer reach, sweat-resistant grip on extended technical sets |
Both are Pro-Mark signature sticks built for technical, hard-hitting modern-metal drummers, but they solve different problems. The Halpern stick is shorter and thicker with a plain lacquer finish, built for a front-weighted feel at djent tempos. The Portnoy 420X is longer and slimmer with a heat-activated ActiveGrip coating for grip security across long, sweaty sets. Pick the Halpern stick for compact power, the Portnoy 420X for reach and grip tech.
The Pro-Mark partnership
D'Addario family brand · Made in USA · Texas production
Pro-Mark
Pro-Mark's own positioning centers on the ProMatch process, which the company says ensures consistency of weight and pitch from stick to stick and pair to pair. All Pro-Mark drumsticks are designed, engineered, and manufactured in the USA at the company's Texas production facility.
Source: Pro-Mark / D'Addario product page.
SKU TXMHW · Current signature model
Matt Halpern Signature
16 inches, .630 inch diameter, medium taper, large round wood tip, lacquer finish. D'Addario's own ProMark artist page lists this stick among Halpern's favorites and quotes him directly on his loyalty to the brand's sticks and Evans drumheads.
Source: Pro-Mark / D'Addario artist page; Sweetwater spec confirmation.
What the stick is built for
- Front-weighted power at djent tempos. The forward balance and .630 inch diameter concentrate mass toward the tip, matched to the polymetric kick and ghost-note vocabulary Halpern's Periphery catalog demands.
- A 2B-labeled stick that handles like a 5B. Pro-Mark's own copy: the medium taper and forward balance keep it quick despite the thick diameter.
- Periphery and modern-djent fans who want the documented spec. A purpose-built signature pair Pro-Mark's own artist roster credits to Halpern by name, not a generic stick with a name licensed onto it.
- Not for players chasing a light, rear-weighted fusion feel. The forward balance that gives this stick its power also makes it less nimble than a rear-weighted jazz stick; players prioritizing finger control over impact should look elsewhere.
Verdict and the affiliate hook
If you want the documented stick behind Matt Halpern's Periphery drumming, the Pro-Mark TXMHW is it: a hickory, forward-balanced pair nominally sized 2B but built to play like a 5B. Priced like a standard Pro-Mark Signature Series stick, not a collector's item.
Matt Halpern Signature (TXMHW)
Why this one: The documented Pro-Mark signature stick built for Matt Halpern: hickory, forward balance, medium taper, nominally 2B but built to play like a 5B for djent's rhythmic precision.
Drummers documented using this drumstick
Each drummer profile cites this product in their stick / head / cymbal / kit frontmatter. Click through for the full editorial profile + sourcing.