Percussion instruments get hit by mallet after mallet, but the mallets take the beating. Promark Drumsticks, a D’Addario brand, created the SPYR series of mallets using a patented manufacturing system that ensures durability and consistency. Pronounced “Spire,” as in “inspiring musicians,” the SPYR series also simplifies purchasing decisions for band directors while simplifying mallet selection for young performers.
All of the SPYR mallet heads are now injection molded in-house, and the nail that connected the shaft to the head has been replaced with an insert threaded inside the head.
These changes add consistency from mallet to mallet and strengthen the connection between the shaft and the head. Otherwise, “those small variations are immediately noticeable,” says percussion product specialist Paul Pearl.
In addition, D’Addario developed a computer-driven machine to wind yarn around mallet heads. “We have the ability to customize a wrap recipe for each mallet,” varying tension, spacing, angles, and more, Pearl says.
On the aesthetic side, mallet heads and yarn are color-coded based on hardness, with darker colors denoting a softer mallet and lighter colors denoting a harder mallet. “We realized that purchasing mallets can be a very confusing thing,” Pearl says.
Pearl notes that many educators are not familiar with mallets and don’t know what makes a good one. The color variations make decisions easier for the educators who are purchasing mallets and for the students who are using them as they select the appropriate mallets out of their bags.
Included in the SPYR series are six wrapped marimba mallets, two unwrapped marimba mallets, four vibraphone mallets, and 12 xylophone/bell mallets.
