Start with versatile wooden singing bowl sticks and cushions that match the bowl sizes you already stock. Add felted gong mallets if gongs form part of your range; there is little benefit in carrying every accessory size before you have the corresponding instruments.

Not completely. A felted gong mallet is designed primarily for striking, while a singing bowl stick may also be used around the rim to create a sustained tone. Using an accessory designed for the type and size of instrument generally gives customers better control and more predictable results.

It often comes down to technique rather than a faulty stick. The striker needs steady circular movement with light, consistent pressure, and some bowl-and-striker combinations respond more easily than others; customers may need a little practice before achieving a continuous tone.

It does not normally turn the bowl into a different fundamental note, but it can noticeably change the sound the customer hears. Different hardnesses, weights and materials excite the bowl differently, bringing out more of the fundamental tone or particular overtones.

Keep them dry and store them indoors away from excessive humidity and direct heat. Dust wooden handles with a soft cloth and avoid soaking felt, leather or wood; if a soft mallet head becomes damp, allow it to dry fully before storing it.