The new Ed Smith ELS16 vibe mallet has a complex, multi-layered construction that defines the exact sweet sound spot for a medium hard vibe mallet. The usual shortcomings of vibe mallets (either too hard and clanky at high volume or lacking definition and clarity at low dynamics) were engineered out of the sound through a two-year process of research and development that combines three internal core components and a two-layered winding program. The yarn is the Malletech Proprietary Nylon -- often copied, but never duplicated. It produces a clean, slap-free attack and lasts for many, many years of creative music making.