Vater Concert Ensemble V-CEM11S Soft Marimba Mallets, Rounded Oval Head
The V-CEM11S is a pair of soft marimba mallets with a rounded oval head wrapped in wool yarn and a birch shaft. Its soft head serves the low register of the keyboard; its rounded shape decides how that head meets the bar.
What sets it apart
- Rounded oval head, a shape the manufacturer does not assign to the V-CEM10S
- Soft grade, wrapped in 100% wool yarn
- 16 5/8 in, an eighth of an inch shorter than the soft model with an unspecified head
- 5/16 in birch shaft, firm and straight
- Dark blue identification, shared by the whole concert marimba range
What the rounded oval shape changes on contact
Vater describes oval heads as giving a “full, rich and articulate” sound across the whole instrument. The rounded oval takes that design one step further: the surface that touches the bar is a little more consistent, whatever angle the mallet comes in at.
In practice, the attack varies less whether you strike flat or slightly off-angle. For four-mallet players, whose two mallets in one hand never meet the bar at the same angle, that consistency is noticeable from the first chords.
An eighth of an inch, and why it matters
16 5/8 in instead of 16 3/4: the gap is tiny on a ruler and real in the hand. A shorter shaft brings the head closer to the wrist, which shortens the lever and makes interval changes a little quicker.
It is the kind of detail you do not choose on paper but notice after an hour of four-mallet work. Between two soft models, it becomes the deciding argument.
Specifications
| Head shape | Rounded oval |
|---|---|
| Hardness | Soft |
| Overall length | 16 5/8 in (42.23 cm) |
| Shaft wood | Birch, 0.313 in (0.80 cm) |
| Wrap | Wool yarn, hard rubber core |
| Colour code | Dark blue |
What it is for
- Four-mallet playing, where the striking angle changes constantly
- Solo marimba repertoire in the low and middle registers
- Soft passages that call for an even attack from one hand to the other
- Chamber music with strings or woodwinds
Compare with other manufacturers
Soft models with a shaped head from other manufacturers:
| Manufacturer | Comparable model | Main difference |
|---|---|---|
| Vic Firth | Oval-head marimba mallets | The head shape is not always identified in the model number |
| Malletech | Concert marimba mallets | Designed with solo repertoire in mind, often with longer shafts |
| Encore Mallets | Yarn marimba mallets | A range built around the keyboard section rather than the concert hall |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference from the V-CEM10S?
- The hardness is the same. Vater gives the V-CEM11S a rounded oval head and a length of 16 5/8 in, compared with 16 3/4 in for the other soft model, whose head shape is not specified.
- How many pairs do I need to cover the repertoire?
- Two are enough in most cases: a medium pair for everyday work, and a second one suited to the register you play most — soft, if that is the low end.
- Can I use this pair on vibraphone?
- It is designed for marimba: a firm birch shaft. On vibraphone, mallet dampening calls for a flexible rattan shaft instead.
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