Homemade Mallets

[SnareMan Menich]

for those who go on funny junk, I'm sure you know insanity wolf. And he's talking about the marbles that you play pinball with. Like the huge ones that weigh 5 pounds.

[FCHSsnare2011]

for those who go on funny junk, I'm sure you know insanity wolf. And he's talking about the marbles that you play pinball with. Like the huge ones that weigh 5 pounds.

anyway. how much would homemade mallets cost to make compared to buying new ones from mike balter?

[UHSnare45]

One pair cost me about 3 bucks.

6 dollars for enough yarn to make maybe 5-6 pairs of mallets (depending on # of wraps)

60 cents for 3 feet of wooden dowel, makes 1 pair

20-50 cents per core depending on what you use.

I HIGHLY recommend making your own. you save LOADS, and you can make a mallet exactly (ish) as you want it.

i made perfect mallets for my solo, when i found my 240s were too hard for the solo. they light, produce a warm tone, but still have enough attack in the mid- low top registers. i will post pics of the mallets i wrapped over the weekend tomorrow,

[Martian]

Anyone tried staining or otherwise coating the dowels for a different feel?

[UHSnare45]

Anyone tried staining or otherwise coating the dowels for a different feel?

i tried staining them, it didn't really do much. :\

[vibraphoneian]

I finally started making some last month, and I have to say, they have gotten decent.

I even made some 36 inch long ones a la music city mystique. (The ones that marimba player had before the show started this year.)

It's really fun to do. I'll post some pictures whenever.

[pk92]

What's the point in staining? I liked it at first until my instructor convinced me otherwise. They make the grip on the mallet worse and from a distance of like, 2 meters you don't even notice the difference. Which is why I sanded down the finish on my IP240's because it was stupid.

[vibraphoneian]

I think the point in staining is for reducing rubbing on the fingers (a little bit) but I think it's mostly for looks.

[iLikezdasnurr]

First Pair, not so visually pleasing, but they sound good

[pk92]

I think the point in staining is for reducing rubbing on the fingers (a little bit) but I think it's mostly for looks.

Lame, everyone should man up and not use it. The mallet battle wounds show everyone that you play marimba.

And if it's for looks, like I said earlier, no one notices the stain from a distance of more than like, 2 yard.

[lesterroyer]

I'm in the process of using thread to wrap some, Ive wrapped it 400 times so far, Ill post pics when I'm done

[lesterroyer]

I'm in the process of using thread to wrap some, Ive wrapped it 400 times so far, Ill post pics when I'm done

Finished last night, 1059 wraps!!!!!!
They turned out ok, I'll post pics when I get home.

[vibraphoneian]

I think the point in staining is for reducing rubbing on the fingers (a little bit) but I think it's mostly for looks.

Lame, everyone should man up and not use it. The mallet battle wounds show everyone that you play marimba.

And if it's for looks, like I said earlier, no one notices the stain from a distance of more than like, 2 yard.

Right? Marimba playing just wouldn't be the same without the Jesus marks, and crazy blisters on your fingers. It's like a rite of passage.

[pk92]

I think the point in staining is for reducing rubbing on the fingers (a little bit) but I think it's mostly for looks.

Lame, everyone should man up and not use it. The mallet battle wounds show everyone that you play marimba.

And if it's for looks, like I said earlier, no one notices the stain from a distance of more than like, 2 yard.

Right? Marimba playing just wouldn't be the same without the Jesus marks, and crazy blisters on your fingers. It's like a rite of passage.

Lawl that's how clinicians recognized me as a marimba player. But now they're gone cause I haven't played in a month.

[UHSnare45]

yeah mine are gone too. when i first started i practiced so much that my skin got rubbed REALLY raw, bad enough that it was nearly impossible to play.

[vibraphoneian]

yeah mine are gone too. when i first started i practiced so much that my skin got rubbed REALLY raw, bad enough that it was nearly impossible to play.

That's the worst.

[pk92]

yeah mine are gone too. when i first started i practiced so much that my skin got rubbed REALLY raw, bad enough that it was nearly impossible to play.

That's the worst.

Be a man, it never becomes nearly impossible to play.

[UHSnare45]

yeah mine are gone too. when i first started i practiced so much that my skin got rubbed REALLY raw, bad enough that it was nearly impossible to play.

That's the worst.

Be a man, it never becomes nearly impossible to play.

when your first starting our it can. :\. but not anymore. plus my parentals wouldn't let me if i wanted to play through the pain.

[AlexSkov]

I am making a pair now. I'll post pictures when they are done.

[StankoSlavi]

So if I were to use a rubber bouncy ball for the core...what kind of size bouncy ball are we talking? Does it depend on the size of the dowel rod?

[UHSnare45]

So if I were to use a rubber bouncy ball for the core...what kind of size bouncy ball are we talking? Does it depend on the size of the dowel rod?

i just use whatever size i have. and i like to cut off the top and bottom so it's disc shaped. and as long as you drill a hole that fits the dowel, i guess it's fine. though if you have a big ball on a thinner stick, you might want to find a strong stick.

[Hertaz]

I just made a few sets of mallets. No hard cores yet, all rubber. I've been using rubber stoppers for cores... perfect shape.

[BLAKE13]

ScoJo's on any mallet instrument....perfect for practice or just to create a different sound. Try it

[wturner901]

ScoJo's on any mallet instrument....perfect for practice or just to create a different sound. Try it

Not home-made.

[drumer93]

I was bored today, so I went and got some dowels, some yarn, and some electrical tape, and made 5 pairs. These aren't the first I've done, but they're the best by FAR.

From left to right.
Soft- electrical tape(30) and rubber band core, 150 wraps.
Med Soft- Electrical tape(30) and fewer rubber band core, 135 wraps.
Med- Electrical tape(30) core 115 wraps.
Med Hard- Electrical tape with Smaller Electrical tape over it core, 100 wraps
Hard- Electrical tape with Smaller Electrical tape over it core, 85 wraps




Materials
left to right.
Small Electrical Tape
Large Electrical Tape
Thread
Rubber Bands
and last, I used






Sadly my school has no marimba to play them on.