Vater Concert Ensemble V-CEV10S Soft Vibraphone Mallets, Rattan Shaft
The V-CEV10S is a pair of soft vibraphone mallets, with an oval head wrapped in multi-ply cord on a rattan shaft. On an instrument whose aluminum bars ring for a long time, softness is not there to protect the metal — it is there to bring the note in without the start being heard.
What sets it apart
- 11/32 in rattan shaft, flexible in the hand
- Oval head wrapped in tight multi-ply cord over a hard rubber core
- Soft grade — the 1 at the start of Vater's part number
- 15 3/4 in, the length of the vibraphone mallets in the range
- Black identification tape of the concert vibraphone family
Rattan, and why the vibraphone calls for it
Vater describes rattan as an extremely durable yet very flexible material, with just the right amount of give when striking or dampening a bar. The second verb matters most.
Dampening on vibraphone means placing the mallet head on a bar that is still ringing to silence it, while the other hand keeps playing. A rigid shaft transmits that motion abruptly and produces unwanted noise; a rattan shaft absorbs it. That is why vibraphonists choose rattan and marimba players prefer birch.
An attack that melts into the sustain
An aluminum bar kept resonating by a motor rings for a long time. If the attack is hard, it leaves a spike of sound that the resonance never catches up with; you hear two events instead of one.
With a soft head, the start melts into what follows. It is the sound of ballads, sustained chords and intros where the vibraphone has to appear without anyone knowing exactly when it began.
Specifications
| Intended instrument | Vibraphone |
|---|---|
| Hardness | Soft |
| Head shape | Oval |
| Shaft | Rattan, 0.343 in (0.87 cm) |
| Length | 15 3/4 in (40.01 cm) |
| Wrap | Multi-ply cord |
What it is for
- Ballads and slow pieces on vibraphone
- Sustained four-mallet chords
- Mallet dampening work, where shaft flexibility matters
- Chamber music where the vibraphone has to stay discreet
Compare with other manufacturers
Soft vibraphone mallets from other manufacturers:
| Manufacturer | Comparable range | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Balter | Cord vibraphone mallets | Rattan or birch shaft, the buyer's choice |
| Vic Firth | M series vibraphone mallets | Hardness cannot be read from the model numbering |
| Malletech | Concert vibraphone mallets | A range built around artist signature models |
Frequently asked questions
- Why rattan rather than birch on vibraphone?
- Because rattan's flexibility serves mallet dampening, a central gesture of vibraphone technique. Birch, being stiffer, transmits that gesture too harshly.
- Can I play vibraphone with marimba mallets?
- In a pinch, yes, but the firm shaft and wool yarn suit neither dampening nor the tone of the metal.
- Does rattan break more easily?
- It bends where a rigid wood would snap. Vater also matches its rattan shafts one by one for diameter, flexibility, balance point and colour.
Avis clients
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