Hey all,

I'm planning on getting my own 5 octave marimba (height adjustable) within the next year or 2, I've done a lot of research on the subject (and i do mean alot) and came down to 2 choices.

1. Malletech Imperial Grand (brass)
2. Marimba One

I don't really like the Adams. don't wanna take my chances with Coe or Demorrow (have never heard them in person, and I feel safer with a bigger name) and i don't like yamahas.

People tend to say good things about their own instrument, so there's really no point in reading reviews online, since those who don't like their instrument will most likely not take the time to write a review.

The most important thing I'm after is sound quality only. looks, portability and price aren't big concerns (it'll be used at home 90% of the time anyways)

Personally speaking, i've only heard Marimba One in person once. and i have yet heard a Malletech live (without mixing or mics). The option of going around town isn't availble since we don't have too many marimbas around here in richmond/vancouver BC.

since i can't really do a comparision by ear (at least not for the time being), i was just wondering what you guys think about the marimbas from the two companies in terms of sound and features.

***In particular, i would like to hear what you think of:
1. Malletech brass resonators, Wide Bars, Round accental edges, Tunable resonator, Height adjust system, warranty.
2. Marimba one's voicing option, height adjust system, genereal instrument design.
3. some specific Pros and Cons for the 2 companies

here're some of the things i like from each company:
Malletech:
1. Turnable Resonator on individual tubes
2. Height adjustable system ( i could be wrong, but they look easier to operate than marimba one's, according to the catalogue). It seems that the general design of the instrument looks really reliable and convient for setup.
3. Round Bar edges for accedentals

Marimba One:
1. Bar exchange policy, voicing option, heard alot of good things about their services
2. a lot of players + universities use them.
3. Price (i could be wrong again, Prices I've seen for Marimba Ones are lower than Malletechs.

i liked the sound i heard from marimba one, but i might feel differently if the malletech wide bars are as good as they claim to be, but of course, they'd be more likely to break (i don't think i'll overplay bars though). I play alot of Bach and classical pieces and keiko abe pieces as well.

Anyways, i hope you can give me as much info as possible!

Your help is important to me and is much appreciated,
happy practicing!

Hey,

Check out the mallet instrument data base on this site. you can find it under marimba info. I have played on both instruments. You can e mail me if you like.

WM

Wmiller530@hotmail.com

Hi,

I would like to offer my opinions in response to your message. I attended a school where we were lucky to have a variety of brands: Malletech, Marimba One, Musser, and DeMorrow. I also spent a semester studying abroad and played on Adams and Yamaha at that school. I now work for Malletech. So, please take my opinions with a grain of salt, but realize that I have played on all sorts of instruments before concluding that Malletech is my instrument of choice.

The choice of resonator material is a matter of personal opinion. I hear people quantify the timbral differences between the two in completely contradictory ways, and I really think you just have to choose what you like. I would say that brass has a brighter tone than aluminum, but it is so impossible to describe the actual difference in sound. But you should take into consideration that brass weighs more than aluminum.

Our low end bars are wider because they have more power and response. Wider bars move more air, which means you will get more volume out of your bass notes. Plus, our wider bars are accompanied by round tunable resonators all the way to the lowest C (just like the rest of the instrument!) so that the resonator sound produces the most fundamental and only in-tune harmonics are reinforced. This creates the most focused and in tune sound.

The rounded accidental edges are great because this way when you play on the edges of the bars, you can play as far away from the node as possible, and it also saves wear and tear on your mallets. Anything that makes mallets last longer is a good thing! Plus, the shape does not negatively affect the tone produced by the bar.

Once you get a chance to tune your resonators and customize the sound of your instrument for any temperature or humidity level, it is impossible to go back to not having that control. Our resonator plugs are easy to move, and it really doesn't take that much time to learn how to use them. You just push the plug farther up into the tube, and pull down as you play the note with one hand. You will hear one point where the volume is significantly louder. Once you find this "sweet spot," just re-tighten the plug. It does take some time to tune the whole instrument (it will give you respect for harpists!) but honestly if you haven't moved your marimba and the location and general temp./humidity haven't changed, you don't need to tune your resonators EVERY time you play. You just can if you want to!

There was a height adjustable Marimba One at my school, and it was such a pain to move the height adjustment system that people just usually left it up high as a courtesy for the taller people in the studio! The ratchet system takes a lot of work, and it is slow, as well as noisy. I think Marimba One's have extremely beautiful frames when they are non-height adjustable, but with the HA system they look rather industrial. In comparison, our height adjustment is completely hidden within the frame, and the (removeable) handles are located at the top of the endboards - no bending down! Each crank only needs five turns per inch, and it rises as high as 8 extra inches. We use a counterbalanced spring design that makes turninig the crank effortless and quick. We include a level for you to make sure that your instrument is even on both sides, or you can count the number of turns on each side.

Our warranty covers the bars for one year and the frame for two years. We will swap any bars that you are not happy with for any reason within the first three months.

You mention that you probably won't move the instrument that much, but I have spent some time gigging with a friend who owns a Marimba One, and the hardest thing about moving it around was that the resonators fold in half and it literally takes two people to be able to lift them. They are heavy and awkward. Malletech's resonators are built in three sections for each bank of resonators, so it is possible to move and set up the marimba by yourself. Another structural difference is the way that our bar rails attach to the endboards: we use rubber unibrackets that reduce frame rattle and the dovetail design allows the bar rails to slide into place easily. They are also easily replaceable if necessary. On Marimba One, the bar rails fit into slots in the endboards where they rest on pegs. It can be difficult to get the rail on the peg, and once one side of the rail is down the other end can't go down; they have to both be lowered at the same time (again, this pretty much requires two people). It seems to me that the metal pegs could easily bend and be difficult to replace.

You also talk about how wider bars are more likely to crack. This is actually more related to the thickness of the bar. We use wider tuning arches than most because this makes the bar more responsive. As long as you're not whacking the bar directly in the center, you really won't have trouble with breaking bars any more than on another rosewood instrument.

In his response to your post, Ian mentions that the wider low end bars are more difficult to play. This is pretty much a matter of preference, but just so you know, we also offer a model called the Stiletto that has "normal" bar width in the lowest octave (and still combined with round, tunable aluminum resonators).

I hope that I haven't come across as too much of a salesperson, because I would have offered the same advice before I came to work at Malletech. Thanks for taking the time to read my lengthy comments, I just strongly feel that Malletech is the best choice!

I have experience on both the Malletech and the Marimba one. I have played marimba one for several years and always been happy with the sound, but my teacher has always played malletech, so when I've played on his I did notice a bigger sound in the low end. However, I've heard both marimbas side by side in a few different rooms, and in some rooms the marimba one sounded better and in others the malletech did. This past summer I was comtemplating purchasing one of these to instruments. Here's what I discovered:

Marimba One:
1. Far better customer service. Ron samuels personally answered all my emails within one day, and sometimes within a couple hours.
2. The thinner bars in the bass are great because its easier to hit large intervals.
3. The instrument does take at least two people to set up. I found this out when I took one on a recital tour last year.
4. It also does not break down into as small of pieces, so you'll need a large vehicle.

Malletech
1. Their customer service is not their strong suit. They don't always reply or return calls quickly, (maybe I'm impatient?).
2. Their low bars are wider, which does make large intervals more difficult, but it only takes a few days to adapt, assuming your technique is developed. They do create a bigger sound in the bass, especially in the recital halls I heard both in.
3. Here's the big selling point with Malletech. I played at a percussion festival in Puerto Rico this summer. Gordon Stout also played there, and I was fortunate enough to get to see him "tune" the resonaters on the Malletech there before his performance. The marimba sound went from being very dull to outstanding in just a matter of minutes. Until this moment, I was planning on buying a Marimba One, but after seeing how much of a difference the tuneable resonaters made, I decided to buy a malletech.
I ordered my instrument in August and have still not recieved it. If time is not a factor, great you'll be getting a great sounding instrument, but if it is, be prepared to wait if going with malletech. I'm hoping my marimba will be worth the wait, if its anything like the ones I've already played on, I'm sure I'll love it. Either choice will give you a fantastic instrument. Hope this helped, I know its a tough choice.

Thank you all for the help. The insightful advices i got from you are treasured, and I would gladly return the favor in the future!

I am settled now on getting a Malletech. I pretty much like everything about malletech marimbas. Tunable resonators, round bar edges, the overall design of the instrument..etc. The only thing that worried me was the wide bars; I have had a lot of people telling me how difficult it is to play those. However, I think I can adjust myself to it. So, I am very confident about the purchase now.

Actually, Jennie of Malletech was very helpful when i was contacting her over email. She managed to find me a contact in my area for me to try out the instrument. Then of course, Ron Sammuels was very informative to me as well, I just thought it'd be nice to give Malletech some props.

Lastly, for those who have a similar craze for Bach as I do: The 1st piece I will learn after I get my 5 Octave Marimba is the opening Fugue (Ricercare) from the Musical Offering. My goal so far is to be the first person to play/perform this piece on marimba! (and please do tell me if it's been done or not).

Thank You,
Michael Au.

Of course I have to pipe up.
Based on what you've said you like and don't like about the Malletech, I think you owe it to yourself to find a DeMorrow to test.Tunable brass resonators, superior height adjustment mechanism (but why not go the cheaper route and size it to suit YOU?). Bass bars are not so wide, so there aren't the same maneuverability and intonation issues. And given the number of years Doug DeMorrow has been crafting instruments, I wouldn't look at buying one as 'chancey.'

That said, you owe it to yourself to try as many different makes as you can. A big purchase, no doubt! Don't rush it- keep looking!

Best,
Patrick North

I purchased a VanCore 5 octave. I did it for 2 reasons: the price was where I wanted it to be and the qualty of the instrument.
I enjoy the height adjustment and the sound is warm, not "clanky".
All of the instruments mentioned here have a lt of positives.
I hear Gordon Stout play on a Mallet Tech last January and the sound was amazing, it was an instrument belonign to a student at an regional university.
I played on a DeMorrow during grad school and can only say it was one of the greatest musical experiences of my life.
The Coe instruments are second to none.
I am probably the only person on this board to not really care for the Marimba One instruments, the crank system was not very satisfying and to time consuming.
Good luck with your search and keep enjoying the marimba.
Tony Steve
prof. of Percussion
Jacksonville University
Jacksonville,FL

HI,

I like Yamaha,Marimba One,Malletech and Premier.

I advice everyone who love the marimba sound to bay some of this instruments!

Thank's

----------------------
Mladen Vassilev

marimba dreamer