Friction Mallets

Which ollihess friction mallet or Friction Mallet should I buy online?

As a general rule: The larger the gong, the more possibilities you have to play it and create a wide range of tones. Ideally, you should have different sized mallets and friction mallets for your gong – this way you can get the full sound spectrum from your sound instrument. Note that a small friction mallet head generally produces higher sounds, and a large one produces deeper sounds.

The sound revolution: The sound that can be produced with our gong drivers is difficult to put into words. Rubbing the gong creates a spherical sound that is sometimes reminiscent of whale and dolphin songs or the famous Tibetan mantra "Om" sung by monks. In any case, it is a sound that you have never heard before.

Are you still unsure? If in doubt, we won't leave you on your own when buying the right chime driver: Olli Hess will personally take care of your needs - simply by phone or email. We will give you honest and sound advice and, above all, listen to your wishes and suggestions.

What is special about ollihess friction mallets?

We not only understand and love our craft - we live our products every day. Be it in our own sound practice or in the further development and implementation of new ideas.

Our friction mallets are all handcrafted in our family workshop from carefully selected materials. Each ball is carefully polished to the optimal size, and the handle is perfectly matched to the friction mallet head. Finally, Olli and his sons Benni and David assemble all the components. The right combination of materials, weight, shape, and length of the friction mallet creates an incomparable sound experience. 

We dare to rethink: the friction mallet Crazy Egg and the e-Gong differ significantly from other models in terms of their appearance and shape. They are a real eye-catcher and offer various surfaces for use on the gong. 

That's what makes our gong drivers so special:

• No squeaking when playing
• Leave no traces
• Hand-ground heads
• Innovative and unusual shapes 
• Long shelf life
• Sustainable and regional materials
• Made in Germany
• Fair production conditions

Always in balance: head and handle of the friction mallet

You know how important balance is from everyday life - but it also plays a major role in sound practice. The head and style of our gong mallets are perfectly matched in terms of length, shape and weight. Only then will your playing experience be comfortable and the gong can develop its full sound spectrum.

The head of our friction mallets: Play your gong without any marks or squeaks.

You may have already noticed how important the right material of the reamer head is in your own practice: not only does it have a significant influence on the sound - a poor quality reamer head can also leave marks on your gong that are often difficult to remove. 

We can promise you: with an ollihess friction mallet, that certainly won't happen to you. The heads of our friction mallets are made of natural caoutchouc, a relatively soft material. They are precisely handcrafted to the correct size and then roughened. This not only guarantees that no marks are left on your instrument, but also, through their shape and material composition, we have ensured that no annoying squeaking occurs during friction.

Sustainable and fair production of our friction mallets

Simply the feeling of holding a particularly high-quality and, above all, sustainable product in your hand influences your own sound practice. Responsible interaction with our environment is far more than a promise for us: in the production of the ollihess friction mallets or friction mallets, we exclusively use regional and sustainable materials. Even when sourcing materials, we always rely on fair conditions and a personal relationship with our partners.

What is the difference between friction mallets and gong mallets?

You've probably already noticed: friction mallets and gong mallets differ not only in appearance, but especially in sound, there are very clear distinctions. These differences mainly arise from their distinct uses. A friction mallet is rubbed on a gong, while a gong mallet is used to strike a gong. Rubbing can create intense, long-lasting vibrations and – depending on which area of the gong you use the friction mallet – can evoke a wide variety of tones.

Learn more about the characteristics of a gong mallet (also called a gong beater) and its differences from a friction mallet here.

Can ollihess friction mallets be used for singing bowls?

You can use many gong drivers just as well when playing singing bowls : For example, the Lava Edition 30 gong driver and the Crazy Egg gong driver are ideal for use with a singing bowl.

The right size and design for your singing bowl will again depend on the size of your sound instrument and your personal needs and preferences. 

As a general rule, the bigger your singing bowl, the bigger the friction mallet you should choose. You can find more tips and our recommendations for using gong friction mallet with singing bowls in the detailed descriptions of our products.

Take a look at our accessories for gongs - there you will find practical things for playing the gong.