We are based in Aberdeen, Scotland - part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ( UK ).

Q  Is your felt the best quality timpani felt?

Our felt is superior to standard timpani felt.  

Standard timpani felt used in other manufacturers sticks can be problematic for both the maker and the player.  The standard timpani felt is made commercially by steaming and pressing the material into large sheets which are then cut into discs which then have to be split in two parts before being stretched into shape by being vigorously pulled around the core of the timpani stick and then sewn carefully to avoid the felt bunching and folding too much.  This process leaves many areas open to inconsistency because it is almost impossible to accurately and consistently split the felt into two equal layers, and the exact amount of stretching and folding will vary with the accuracy of the sewing and the thickness of the felt.  Another problem is that standard timpani felt cannot be split thinly enough to produce the very articulate sounds that are required from a good hard stick, so for these harder sticks some manufacturers resort to other materials which can produce ugly sounds and surface noise.

Our felt is made from the very best quality soft natural materials and it is not steamed or stretched or sewn in any way.  It is wrapped around the core in a perfectly even and consistent layer, free from folds, layers and imperfections.  Our felt can be made very thinly - down to just 1mm - which allows us to use our soft felt even on highly articulate "very hard" sticks like our 310 model.

Q  Is the sound of a cork core the same as a wood core?

Cork comes in many different specifications.  Standard natural cork used in many other makes of stick is relatively hard and can sound very similar to wood when shaped into a timpani sticks core. It can also be inconsistent in density and quality making it difficult to produce true matched pairs.

Our cork cores are made with a special cork which is soft, durable and consistent. The more articulate models have a core made from a combination of lightweight wood and the special soft cork. This method increases the power of the stick and gives a highly articulate but more rounded, sonorous sound than from a lightweight wood core, and gives the timpanist a genuine alternative sound to a wood core.  

We also make models with wood cores and special hard felt cores to further increase the choice of sound spectrum.      

Q  Why do you make your sticks round, is it just for looks?

Our sticks are made with round ball heads for one reason only:  It is the best shape for the fullest, purest sound and the most accurate pitch response.   We are able to use this round ball shape because of our unique felting process.  A ball shape is very difficult to wrap with standard timpani felt, which is why other manufacturers often use more cylindrical shapes for their cores.   Apart from superior sound, another great advantage of the ball shape core is that the sound is consistent even if the playing angle is changed.  

Q Who makes your sticks?

All sticks are made personally by David Morbey.  Each order is made to suit the individual requirements of the player.  This means that you can discuss your choice of models directly with David, by telephone, mail or email and then your choice can be further refined by you being able to choose the diameter of the shaft so that the sticks will exactly suit your playing style.   Making sticks which are exactly right for you is as important to us as the high quality of our sticks.