Vic Firth American Custom Timpani Mallets - General Medium Hard - T1
Vic Firth American Custom Timpani Mallets – General Medium Hard – T1
Each of these mallets is turned from a single piece of rock maple, head core and shaft together. That matters more than it sounds: most timpani mallets use a separate core secured with a screw-on washer, and that joint is what develops a rattle over a few seasons. There’s nothing here to work loose.
The T1 is the general mallet in Vic Firth’s American Custom line, designed out of his fifty years as solo timpanist with the Boston Symphony. Medium-hard felt over a 1-1/2" round seamless head gives you a full, rich tone that still articulates rhythm clearly. If a player is only going to own one pair, this is the pair.
Key Features
Turned From One Piece of Maple
No separate core and no washer to secure the head, which removes the joint where most timpani mallets eventually start to rattle.
Round Seamless Head
No seam means no hard spot to catch on the head, and it gives you the same sound from any angle of attack.
Medium-Hard Felt
Firm enough to define rhythm cleanly, soft enough to draw a full tone — the balance a general mallet has to strike.
1-1/2" Head, 14-1/2" Length
Standard general-mallet proportions, so students learn on the same dimensions they’ll use in an ensemble.
Designed by a Symphony Timpanist
Built from Vic Firth’s fifty years playing solo timpani with the Boston Symphony rather than from a catalog spec.
The Safe First Pair
Covers band, orchestral and church repertoire, which is why it’s the pair most directors put in a student’s hands first.
Care Tip: Never let these touch a cymbal edge or a bare hand more than necessary. Felt picks up finger oil and grime, and a dirty head goes hard and loses its warmth long before it looks worn. Store them in a stick bag rather than loose in a trap table drawer, and handle them by the shaft.