Vater Concert Ensemble V-CEXB52RH Xylophone Mallets — Hard Rubber
The V-CEXB52RH is a pair of mallets with a 1 1/8 in black oval rubber head, hard grade, mounted on a birch shaft. It answers a specific need: a firm attack without the clack of a hard material, because rubber absorbs the contact noise a ball would produce.
What sets it apart
- 1 1/8 in rubber head, black
- Hard grade, while keeping the elasticity that is specific to rubber
- 0.313 in birch shaft, firm in the fingers
- 14 1/2 in, the length of the hard keyboard mallets in the range
- Usable well beyond keyboards, on auxiliary percussion that needs a focused sound
Firm without being dry
A plastic or resin ball produces two sounds: the bar itself, and the contact — a small click with nothing musical about it. When close-miked or in a dry room, that click becomes very audible.
Hard rubber almost entirely removes that second sound while keeping enough firmness to make thick bars speak. That is why many studio percussionists prefer rubber to a ball on xylophone.
The Swiss Army knife of the percussion table
This hardness also makes the pair an especially broad auxiliary percussion tool: tubular bells played softly, plates, blocks, cowbell, and even a tom if the part calls for a muted, defined sound.
Compared with the medium rubber in the range, it trades roundness for definition. The two complement each other well in the same bag, and many players end up owning both.
Specifications
| Head | Oval rubber, 1 1/8 in |
|---|---|
| Colour | Black |
| Hardness grade | Hard |
| Shaft wood | Birch, 0.313 in (0.80 cm) |
| Length | 14 1/2 in (36.83 cm) |
| Range | Concert Ensemble |
What it is for
- Xylophone in the studio, when ball click gets in the way
- Auxiliary percussion that needs a focused sound
- Tubular bells played softly
- Dry rooms where contact noise is too noticeable
Compare with other manufacturers
Hard rubber from other manufacturers:
| Manufacturer | Comparable model | Main difference |
|---|---|---|
| Vic Firth | Hard rubber keyboard mallets | Hardness identified by letters, not by a numbered scale |
| Mike Balter | Rubber head mallets | Shaft and length configurable at purchase |
| Innovative Percussion | Auxiliary percussion mallets | A separate range for auxiliary percussion, apart from keyboards |
Frequently asked questions
- Why choose hard rubber over a ball?
- To avoid contact noise. Rubber stays firm but does not produce the small, dry click of a plastic or resin ball.
- Can I use these mallets on tubular bells?
- For soft playing, yes. Loud strokes on tubular bells are usually played with a hammer made for that instrument.
- What is the difference from the medium rubber in the range?
- One step of hardness. The medium is rounder and more versatile, this one more defined and more cutting.
Avis clients
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