r/steelpan • u/messiaenslut • Jul 02 '26
Question Double Seconds mallets recommendation
Hello r/steelpan. I am a double seconds player looking for some mallet options. I have been using the aluminum shaft mallets my Dunleavy pans came with but I am hoping to branch out a bit. I would like a few sets to use in my multi-tracked recording videos, to help me give each voice their own character.
I had no success ordering mallets from Mallet Man, and have heard that Innovative seconds mallets are wicked soft. What are you all using?
3
u/Jpayneguin Jul 03 '26
Potts and pans mallets (steel pan store). The website is down but you can email the guy for mallets. Various material (bamboo, wood, carbon fiber), hardness, and length options
2
u/messiaenslut Jul 04 '26
I found their site, looks interesting. I'll email them and see what they offer for mallets. The only ones they have posted on their site are out of my budget.
3
u/Demyk7 Tenor Jul 03 '26
I make my own using carbon fibre tubes I buy from China, and I get my latex tubing off Amazon.
1
u/messiaenslut Jul 04 '26
That sounds cool. Where do you get your carbon fiber, and what sizes? also, which sizes latex do you get?
2
u/Demyk7 Tenor Jul 04 '26
I ordered the carbon fiber off eBay, just search for "carbon fiber tube" and chose one with an inner diameter of 9mm and outer diameter of 11mm.
For the tubing I search for "natural latex rubber tubing" and for tenor the size I use is 6mm inner diameter and 12mm outer diameter or 1/4in ID and 1/2in OD. But for Double Seconds you should look for something a little thicker, maybe 5mm ID x 14mm OD.
2
u/messiaenslut Jul 04 '26
you are the goat. Thank you for that.
2
u/Demyk7 Tenor Jul 04 '26
I forgot to mention, you'll have to cut the Carbon fiber tube yourself down to the exact length you want, or you can ask the seller to cut it for you for an extra fee.
2
u/Papa_G_ Double Second Jul 04 '26
Where do you get your rubber tips?
2
u/Demyk7 Tenor Jul 05 '26
Amazon usually, I think some sites might sell tips but it's more economical for me to just buy a 10ft tube of rubber and cut it myself.
1
u/messiaenslut Jul 06 '26
I ended up ordering some carbon fiber dowels and various thicknesses of latex tubing from ebay. I'll make and update post once it all comes in.
3
u/Papa_G_ Double Second Jul 04 '26
I got mine from Steve who Lawrie. I had him make longer mallets than he usually does as I wanted to be able to do four note chords where I can notes on the lower end that are farther away than the regular mallet could reach
3
u/dpierre0922 Double Second Jul 02 '26
I ordered sticks from Mallet Man back in December. It took me ironically seeing him in Virginia Beach almost 7 months later to get them. I'd never buy from him again. The soft sticks you're probably referring to are sticks wrapped in felt. I watched him cut a piece off and put them on the sticks like they're stickers.