which heads?

[drumtramp65]

I've read recommendations for the Pearl Bobby Allende series congas. These are fiberglass with synthetic heads. The more I read about heads I see that synthetic heads will actually allow more overtones, especially with fiberglass. The consensus seems to be natural heads on fiberglass and synthetic on wood. Does anyone have these drums and is this the case regarding heads and overtones?

[Raymond]

No rule of thumb here as you mention. The use of synthetic heads have increased due to the fact they are gentler to your hands and/or they do not require to be detuned (or untuned) all the time.

The two types of synthetic heads out there have the difference of one having more overtones than the other. (Overtones will give more volume to the conga but it is a sound that normally you will hear the "UMMMM" of the overtones when you are close to the conga). A natural head will give you a more substained and warmer sound. (Depending of course on the thickness of the head).

The two types of synthetic heads are the original synthetic conga head, Remo Fyberskin and the Remo Nu Skyn and Evans Conga Head. Remo Fyberskins are "thicker heads" and tend to give you more bassy sounds but with overtones. The Remo NuSkyn and Evans' give you a more substained close to the natural head but not that close. (Some people that have tried NuSkyns and Evans have gone back to Fyberskins that provide you more volume).

The actual problems with overtones will be caused by the material of the conga. Wood, warmer sound, fiberglass, more overtones.

The BobbyAllende's by Pearl are great congas. I definitively recommend them and are the ones I am getting here shortly. (I am a Pearl Endorser). I've tried them and they sound great. I am a Fyberskin person in regards to conga heads and the Bobby's come with Fyberskins from the factory.

My recommendation is to go out there and try congas with the combinations of material and/or heads. (Eventually, you will get the difference..).

Saludos!

[drumtramp65]

Thanks a bunch for the lesson! I have a much better understanding on the subject now. I'll let you know how I make out.

[GuruPimpi]

Raymond!

Your words which are very simple and ''into congas'' tell more complex things than any other disertatic blah blah...

Thank you a lot!

p.

[Raymond]

GuruPimpi,

Thanks! I try to share the little I know (because I know what it is being lost).

Saludos!

[Berimbau]

Well.....the jury's still out for me on synthetics. In general, I find that the Remo heads are MUCH better. I just put Evans heads on my LP classics and they ain't all that!! I wonder if you can you take off that extra "sound spot" undernaeth the head? Has anyone experimented with that? To produce an authentic conga sound, you do need at least some overtones. Now on my Royce tubs (see my earlier post raving about these VERY FINE old drums) I have a Remo NuSkyn on the tumba and a Remo fiberskyn on the quinto. These are by far the BEST sounding drums I have ever owned!! That includes several LPs, Gon Bops, etc. Anyway, this mixed set of Remos brings out a very authentic tumba and quinto sound. Has anyone done a comparative acoustics test on these synthetic heads? Perhaps Bo Lawergren or some other ethnomusicologist working in acoustics could produce such an analysis. Now that would be interesting.


Saludos,



Berimbau

[Isaac]

Hello All, through my affiliation with JCR Percussion,
I've gotten to change many kinds of conga heads.
Although we sell mostly mule skins, I've personally used the different synthetic heads. The Evans heads cracked on me twice. I found them to be actually harder on my hands than real skin, but I did enjoy staying in tune on long hot summer
gigs. I now like the Nuskyns better and will probably have
at least one drum with that so it will remain in tune during the summer heat & humidity. I guess down south
it's a necessity. I recently saw Johnny Rivero playing
with Eddie Palmieri, and he had the Nuskyns on Galaxy
Fiberglass congas. The remos actually made those drums sound better than the stock water buffalo skins. I also
usually ask the congueros I see performing in NYC with synthetic heads what they think of them and the consensus is that although they prefer natural heads, the demands of the gig and staying in tune have to take priority, so it's
a necessary compromise.
I also get many questions about overtones and here's what I've found:
Most players with overtone concerns are not actively playing
and performing with others - so they are hearing their overtones, perhaps in a small space, and not hearing a blending of instruments in which the overtones would be absorbed into the general sound of the group. Like Berimbau stated - sometimes overtones can be a good thing.
Now, in the recording studio it's
a different matter. In every recording studio in NYC that
does a lot of Latin music, I've always seen wood drums,
(many times - Matadors with better skins) not overly "ringy" fiberglass congas.
~ ISAAC ~
funkytradition@yahoo.com