Optimum Percussion Xylophone

Tuning
Much of the characteristic sound of the old xylophones is due to the tuning of the second partial to an octave and a fifth above the fundamental. The resultant tone is completely different from a marimba bar, which has that partial tuned two octaves above the fundamental. Many commercial xylophones do not receive this "quint tuning", or only in the bottom half octave. Malletech xylophones are painstakingly quint-tuned a full octave and a half higher than the industry standard.
Frame
The frame components of all three instruments are solid oak and brass, with solid brass braces. Even the bar posts are solid brass. The bar rails and resonators are attached to the frame with our exclusive rubber "uni-bracket system", so no vibration or noise is transferred to the frame. The solid brass centerpole spans the very bottom of the instrument, giving the gorgeous honey oak end pieces a unique and authentic "Deco" look.
Resonators
If you know Malletech, you know the resonators are all equipped with our patented adjustable resonator stops. Needless to say, the resonators are solid brass - just like the old vintage instruments they pay homage to.
There are no better looking or sounding xylophones on earth today, and there never were.


Malletech "New Vintage" xylophones Malletech now offers three models of rosewood xylophones that are superior in many respects to the vintage instruments of the early part of the 20th century. All three xylophones are updated versions of the famous and much-sought-after Leedy and Deagan designs of the 1920's and 1930's. These were the best instruments of their time, and major symphony orchestras and ragtime xylophone fanatics still pay a premium for the originals on the very rare occasion when one is found in good condition. We are proud to say that the Malletech versions have exactly the same bar lengths, widths and thicknesses as the originals. This bar geometry is key to the unique character of these instruments. What is new about the Malletech "clones" is a high level of tuning accuracy (that was impossible in the old days), much improved frame design (strength, functionality and looks) and fully tunable brass resonators on every note.
Orchestral Xylophones Our two Vintage "Orchestral" Xylophones were developed with the input of xylophone soloist and historian, Dana Kimble. The smaller one (Malletech MX3.5) was modeled after the 3 1/2-octave Leedy #5616 and the larger (MX4.0) was modeled after the 4-octave Leedy #5618. Although these two antique xylophones are the choice of many major symphony orchestra percussion sections, they are, for all intents and purposes, unavailable. Interestingly, these Leedy models were the instruments George H. Green performed on throughout most of his career.
Ragtime/Soloist Xylophone The third model of Malletech xylophone was developed with the input of the world's greatest xylophonist, Bob Becker. The BBX4.0 is modeled after the classic Deagan model known as the "Artist Special". These instruments were available in 3 1/2, 4 and 5 octaves. The instrument Bob has designed for Malletech is a 4-octave version. The bar geometry has been copied even down to the unique rounded ends of the bars. Its claim to xylophone fame is that it has the widest bars and biggest resonators of any xylophone ever made. As a result, it has the power to blast through four marimbas, as when Bob performs ragtime with Nexus, or 134 marimbas (!) as can be heard on the Marimba Festival Orchestra CD on which Bob performs "Nola" and his "Girlfriends Medley".
Tuning Much of the characteristic sound of the old xylophones is due to the tuning of the second partial to an octave and a fifth above the fundamental. The resultant tone is completely different from a marimba bar, which has that partial tuned two octaves above the fundamental. Many commercial xylophones do not receive this "quint tuning", or only in the bottom half octave. Malletech xylophones are painstakingly quint-tuned a full octave and a half higher than the industry standard. Frame The frame components of all three instruments are solid oak and brass, with solid brass braces. Even the bar posts are solid brass. The bar rails and resonators are attached to the frame with our exclusive rubber "uni-bracket system", so no vibration or noise is transferred to the frame. The solid brass centerpole spans the very bottom of the instrument, giving the gorgeous honey oak end pieces a unique and authentic "Deco" look. Resonators If you know Malletech, you know the resonators are all equipped with our patented adjustable resonator stops. Needless to say, the resonators are solid brass - just like the old vintage instruments they pay homage to. There are no better looking or sounding xylophones on earth today, and there never were.
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