The IP Soloist series is one of the most popular lines of mallets we sell here at California Drums. The soft wool yarn wrapping and hard rubber core provide a warm, round tone all across the instrument, while the low cost makes them a great introduction to the world of marimba mallets for percussionists. In general, the hardness of a mallet determines its effectiveness on certain ranges of the instrument - soft mallets work well on the low end, and very hard mallets sound good on the top octave. The IP100N model sounds great on the bottom end of any marimba, providing a very resonant, warm tone.
After countless requests, IP has released models of these mallets with natural birch handles - that is to say, unlacquered. This natural finish will provide a better grip, especially when the performer's hands start getting sweaty. You can finally take that sandpaper out of your mallet bag!
