Vic Firth M145 Large Oval Brass Bell Mallets - Extra Hard Keyboard Mallets

The Vic Firth M145 is an extra-hard keyboard mallet designed for bells and glockenspiel-style playing, featuring a large oval brass head and rattan handle. Archived retailer descriptions consistently describe it as producing a very big, bright and bold sound on bells, making it a strong choice for players who need clear projection and a more forceful front-end attack from their keyboard mallets.

Because the M145 uses a brass head and oval profile, it suits players looking for a more assertive tone than softer poly or rubber models. Vic Firth’s current M454 Articulate Series is presented as the comparison model to the former M145, and Vic Firth describes that newer model as offering a very hard, bright sound with good clarity and agility around the instrument. That gives strong support for positioning the M145 as a bright, projecting orchestral bell mallet.

Key Features

• Large oval brass head for a very big, bright and bold sound on bells.
• Extra hard response for strong articulation and projection.
• Rattan handle for flexibility and rebound.
• Approx. 14 3/16" length.
• Approx. 7/8" head size from archived retailer listings.
• Discontinued older Vic Firth orchestral model with a current comparison link to M454.

Why Choose These Mallets?
If you need a pair of bell mallets that really cut through, the Vic Firth M145 is aimed squarely at that job. The brass head gives a strong, bright attack, while the larger oval profile helps produce a fuller, more substantial tone than smaller or less dense heads. That makes them especially useful for bells, glockenspiel, crotales, and other metallic parts where definition and projection matter. The reference to crotales and related metallic use comes from Vic Firth’s current M454 comparison model, so that is a grounded comparison rather than a guess.

This is also a strong model number to keep visible in the listing because many players search for older Vic Firth mallets by the original code. Since the M145 is discontinued, including both the original model number and the current M454 comparison helps customers who are replacing an older pair or trying to match a familiar spec.

Specifications

• Brand: Vic Firth.
• Model: M145.
• Series: Orchestral Series / former model compared to Articulate M454.
• Instrument Use: Bells / keyboard percussion.
• Head Material: Brass.
• Head Shape: Large oval.
• Hardness: Extra hard.
• Handle Material: Rattan.
• Length: 14 3/16".
• Head Size: 7/8".

Who They’re For
The Vic Firth M145 suits:

• orchestral percussionists
• concert band and symphonic band players
• tuned percussion players needing a bright brass bell mallet
• schools and ensembles replacing an older Vic Firth M145 pair
• players looking for the older equivalent of the current Vic Firth M454.

What’s Included

• 1 pair of Vic Firth M145 large oval brass bell mallets.