Regal Tip Alex Van Halen Signature drumstick review: the 17.75-inch Performer Series stick
Review of the Regal Tip Alex Van Halen Signature drumstick (228R-AVH): hickory, 17.75 inches long, .570 inch diameter, oval wood tip, natural lacquer finish. Co-designed with Van Halen's drummer for extended reach and stadium-rock power.
Reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team ·
The Regal Tip Alex Van Halen Signature (SKU 228R-AVH) is a hickory drumstick co-designed with Van Halen's drummer: 17.75 inches long, .570 inch diameter, an oval wood tip, and a natural lacquer finish built for reach on a giant kit. A 2008 Limited Edition marked Regal Tip's 50th anniversary and Van Halen's reunion tour at the same dimensions. Some retailers list it discontinued, but the official Van Halen Store still sells it direct at $10.95.
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What it is, in one paragraph
The Regal Tip Alex Van Halen Signature (SKU 228R-AVH) is a hickory drumstick from Regal Tip's Performer Series, co-designed with Van Halen's co-founding drummer. At 17.75 inches it runs longer than most stock sticks, with a .570 inch diameter, an oval wood tip for head contact and volume, and Regal Tip's natural lacquer finish. A 2008 Limited Edition version at the same dimensions marked Regal Tip's 50th anniversary and Van Halen's reunion tour, packaged in a clear tube printed with the Van Halen logo.
Who Alex Van Halen is, briefly
Alexander Arthur Van Halen, born May 8, 1953, co-founded Van Halen with his brother Eddie in 1972 and drummed across the band's entire studio catalog, Van Halen (1978) through A Different Kind of Truth (2012). Ludwig kits through the band's commercial peak, later custom Van Halen and DW kits, Paiste cymbals throughout. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Van Halen, 2007. Full profile at /drummers/alex-van-halen.
Spec sheet
Regal Tip 228R-AVH spec
- Wood
- Hickory.
- Length
- 17.75 inches (17-3/4 inches), longer than a standard 5B or 5A.
- Diameter
- .570 inches, slightly thinner than a standard 5B (.595 inches).
- Tip
- Oval wood, for head contact and volume.
- Finish
- Natural, Regal Tip's lacquer formula for a non-slip grip.
- Family
- Regal Tip Performer Series.
Standard vs. the 2008 Limited Edition
| 228R-AVH (standard) | 228R-AVH-LE (2008 Limited Edition) | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 17.75" | 17.75" |
| Diameter | .570" | .570" |
| Tip | Oval wood | Oval wood |
| Finish | Natural lacquer | Natural lacquer |
| Packaging | Standard retail packaging | Clear storage tube printed with the Van Halen logo |
| Occasion | Ongoing catalog item, sold direct via the Van Halen Store | Regal Tip's 50th anniversary + Van Halen's 2007-2008 reunion tour |
Same stick at the core, dimensions and materials are identical. The Limited Edition is a packaging and occasion variant, not a different-playing stick, so don't pay a collector premium expecting different feel or tone.
The Regal Tip partnership
Van Halen · 1972-2020
The documented partnership
Alex Van Halen co-founded Van Halen with brother Eddie in 1972 and drummed across the band's entire studio catalog. Regal Tip built this Performer Series signature stick with him, sold through the official Van Halen Store alongside Paiste's Big Ride cymbal collaboration.
Source: Alex Van Halen profile; Paiste 2002 Big Ride "Reverend Al's".
SKU 228R-AVH · Performer Series
The stick itself
17.75 inches long, .570 inch diameter, hickory, with an oval wood tip and Regal Tip's natural lacquer finish. The extra length over a standard 5B suits a large touring kit's reach without adding much weight, since the diameter trims down slightly to compensate.
Source: Musician's Friend.
$10.95 · Sold direct
Retail status
Musician's Friend lists this SKU discontinued at that specific retailer, but the official Van Halen Store's own Drumsticks category page still sells it new for $10.95 (marked down from $16.75). Amazon marketplace listings (US, UK, Canada, same ASIN) are a second option.
Source: Van Halen Store; Musician's Friend.
What the stick is built for
- Reach across a large touring kit. The 17.75 inch length was built for exactly the kind of multi-rack-tom, double-floor-tom setup Van Halen's touring rigs were known for.
- Oval-tip volume and head contact, matching a hard-hitting arena-rock backbeat.
- Classic-rock and hard-rock players who want the documented signature spec, not a generic long stick with a name licensed onto it after the fact.
- Not for players who only check general drum retailers. Some, like Musician's Friend, list the standard version discontinued; the official Van Halen Store is the reliable direct-buy option, and the 2008 Limited Edition specifically is resale-market only.
Verdict and the affiliate hook
If you want the documented stick behind Alex Van Halen's Van Halen drumming, the Regal Tip 228R-AVH is it: an extra-long, oval-tip hickory pair built for reach across a giant touring kit. Pair it with the Paiste 2002 Big Ride "Reverend Al's", the ride cymbal Paiste co-developed with him, for the rest of his documented setup.
Performer Series - Alex Van Halen (228R-AVH)
Why this one: The documented Regal Tip signature stick built with Alex Van Halen: an extra-long, oval-tip hickory pair for reach across a giant touring kit. Sold direct by the official Van Halen Store; discontinued at some general drum retailers.
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.