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Wood or Fiberglass...

PostPosted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:47 pm
by Sakuntu
Happy New Year Everybody!
I was just wondering, if you could only have one set of congas and you had to choose between a wood or fiberglass set which would you choose? (Both being pro quality sets...)

Re: Wood or Fiberglass...

PostPosted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 3:43 pm
by yambu321
Sakuntu.
My Choice Is Wood.
Microphones Will Handle The Volume of Sound.

To Me, Fiberglass congas are inherently louder than their Wooden counterparts, but wood wins in the tone department.

Happy New Year To All.

Charlie. 8)

Re: Wood or Fiberglass...

PostPosted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 5:25 pm
by roberthelpus
Making this a poll would be fun.

Fiberglassed wood would be my proclivity.

Re: Wood or Fiberglass...

PostPosted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 6:07 pm
by CongaTick
Switched from LP wood Ardientes to Matador fiberglass and love them. Slightly lighter (Only slightly), less subject to gig wounds, and they project more than wood which I like in the variety of electric genres I play in. (Still using the buffalo skins they came with.. Heaven forbid...I know, a real sacrilege, but I find I can get a good snap/crackle and pop on all strokes from them with my technique. Do they ring? Yeah, a little. But not so much as to really matter within a live music situation) Wood vs glass? As personal a preference as boxer shorts vs tightey/whiteys.

Re: Wood or Fiberglass...

PostPosted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 1:28 pm
by Miguel7
I have never tried a fiberglass conga, but my wooden ones are awesome! Now from what I've read here fiberglass congas are a little lighter and more durable, but since I don't get gigs too often this to me is a non-factor (I live in an area where they don't know what a conguero is, much less ask for one lol). Also my wood quinto rings a bit as-is, so added ringing would definitely not help with recording. So I guess if I had to vote on it I'd say wood as well.

Re: Wood or Fiberglass...

PostPosted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 6:47 pm
by bongosnotbombs
Wood!

Re: Wood or Fiberglass...

PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 5:18 am
by Jerry Bembe
Wood.

The skin makes a bigger difference though. (Seperate debate but closely related)

The player makes the biggest difference. A fine player can produce fine tones with poor quality equipment but a fine player with fine equipment will be amazing.

Personally, I am currently am torn between (Cow, Bull, Steer and Mule) skin and REMO conga heads. I think the REMO heads are easier on the hands, produce warm tones, are more stabil with temerture and humidity and they are louder.

Keep it fun.

Re: Wood or Fiberglass...

PostPosted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:30 pm
by Doctor_J
CongaTick wrote:As personal a preference as boxer shorts vs tightey/whiteys.


BOXERS all the way!!! Gotta let stuff breathe down there...LOL!

Re: Wood or Fiberglass...

PostPosted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:33 pm
by Doctor_J
roberthelpus wrote:Making this a poll would be fun.

Fiberglassed wood would be my proclivity.


Who makes fiberglassed wood congas??

Re: Wood or Fiberglass...

PostPosted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:19 pm
by Mike
Doctor_J wrote:Who makes fiberglassed wood congas??


PEARL (interior): http://www.pearldrum.com/Products/Percu ... loric.aspx

and older GON BOPS used to do it too (exterior)

I reckon some time ago there were some weird AFRO Fiberglass congas that had something like
woodchips or sawdust inside - but I have not seen that personally.

Re: Wood or Fiberglass...

PostPosted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:50 pm
by roberthelpus
Boxer briefs. The very best of both worlds.

Re: Wood or Fiberglass...

PostPosted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 4:45 am
by mrhands
roberthelpus knows where it's at! Boxer-briefs mofos!

Btw. I've considered getting fiberglass congas soo much because I feel that I will get peace of mind knowing that the weather won't affect them as much as well as their overall durability, however I am yet to find some that sound good to me. So for now it's wood congas with synthetic heads. This allows for a warm wood sound but with more volume from the head. Eventually I'll get some fiberglass if I find one's I really like.

Re: Wood or Fiberglass...

PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 3:58 am
by Sammy_L_D
Both. :D

If I had no other choice, I'd take fiberglass simply because they can withstand Canadian weather better than their wooden counterparts. I am lucky enough to own a pair of fiberglass AND a pair of wood drums however. :P

Re: Wood or Fiberglass...

PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 4:17 am
by ABAKUA
Wood fo'sho!!! I cant stand fiberglass congas. Tinny, ringing, bleh. Whenever I tour or travel to a gig where gear is supplied I alwasy specify the wooden models of my choice, however there have been the odd times where fiberglass has been supplied, I make do as best I can, however there simply is no comparison to the quality and richness of sound from a professional, quality wooden set of Tumbadoras.

Re: Wood or Fiberglass...

PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 5:18 am
by pavloconga
If I could only choose one kind I would choose wood.
Having said that, I have both kinds and use the fibreglass ones for impromptu jams and other times when I don't want to lug my Palladiums or my Gon Bops.