We not sure if you’ve heard, but D’Addario has completely revamped its manufacturing process from the bottom up. Here’s the low down: Rather than purchasing raw materials from third-party suppliers, they now using injection molds and make all cores in house. They have also developed a new method to attach cores to shafts by developing a threaded insert that dramatically increased durability With the new process, it requires over 200% more force to pull the core off of the shaft versus nailed construction. Taking D’Addario’s proprietary string winding technology, they developed and custom built a new mallet winding machine that offers a more consistent finish and increased variability in design. They can now custom tailor “wrap recipes” that are optimal for the shape and use of each mallet. Diversity of Materials: With access to a vast library of materials, as well as developing an innovative new way to achieve multi-tone sounds, we are able to create mallets that can be tailored to any playing situation. Quality Control + Consistency: By manufacturing all of the components in house, they’re able to apply their own quality control practices and ensure that every mallet core and shaft are made to the highest possible standards. This