Vater Concert Ensemble V-CEV31M Vibraphone Mallets — Medium, Mushroom Head
The V-CEV31M is a pair of medium vibraphone mallets with a mushroom-shaped head wrapped in multi-ply cord, on a rattan shaft. Vater credits this shape with a rich, smooth and warm fundamental across the entire range of the instrument.
What sets it apart
- Mushroom-shaped head, the roundest geometry in the range
- Medium hardness, multi-ply cord over a hard rubber core
- 11/32 in rattan shaft, flexible for dampening
- 15 3/4 in, the length of the concert vibraphone family
- Black tape, shared by the concert vibraphone mallets
Mushroom versus oval: the real difference
An oval head presents an elongated surface to the bar, with a curvature that changes with the playing angle. A mushroom head presents a broad, even cap, closer to a flattened half-sphere.
This geometry spreads the impact over more surface. The high overtones, which come from concentrated contact, drop back and the fundamental comes forward. That is the technical reason behind the manufacturer's description, and you can hear it from the first note on a well-tuned vibraphone.
Where this shape does its best work
Four-mallet chords benefit most from the mushroom. When four notes land together, each extra attack adds fizz in the upper register; a head that produces fewer overtones keeps the chord clear.
A fast melodic line, on the other hand, loses a little definition. Choosing between the two shapes is not a question of quality but of repertoire: chords and pads on one side, runs and melodies on the other.
Specifications
| Head shape | Mushroom |
|---|---|
| Hardness | Medium |
| What the manufacturer says about this shape | Rich, smooth, warm fundamental |
| Shaft | Rattan, 0.343 in (0.87 cm) |
| Length | 15 3/4 in (40.01 cm) |
| Wrap | Multi-ply cord |
What it is for
- Four-mallet chords on vibraphone
- Pads and harmonic backgrounds behind a soloist
- Intimate jazz repertoire
- Recording, where attack overtones are more noticeable
Compare with other manufacturers
Mushroom heads from other keyboard mallet makers:
| Manufacturer | Their equivalent | What changes for the player |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Balter | Yarn and cord vibraphone mallets | Head shape is sometimes chosen independently of hardness |
| Vic Firth | M series vibraphone mallets | Head shape less consistently documented |
| Innovative Percussion | Concert vibraphone mallets | Named by use, not by head shape |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between an oval head and a mushroom head?
- Vater describes the oval as full, rich and articulate, and the mushroom as rich, smooth and warm in the fundamental. One articulates, the other rounds off.
- Which head shape is best for four-mallet playing?
- Usually the mushroom: it reduces the attack overtones that muddy dense chords.
- Can I use these mallets on a marimba?
- The rattan shaft and the cord wrap are designed for metal bars. On marimba, wool yarn and birch remain the standard combination.
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