I need a little advice from you :) - Conte or Marathon or Clasic II set

[Victorius]

Hi there!
First... sorry if this topic comes again, but I have no time to read over 700 topics - my english is poor - and I didn't find answer by searching machine...

Could you help me and tell which conga set is better to choose:

1. Meinl Luis Conte series with stands ($650)
2. Meinl Marathon series with stands ($720)
3. LP Classic II no stands ($600)

*I don't know do I really need stands yet, but it the're for free I'd like it!

This is my first conga set, I need it to learn how to play. I have to buy all 3 pieces in the same time, 'cause I live in Poland and I've problems with shipping them to my country when I want to. Also I don't want to buy any toy conga, but middle class to not change them fast.
It's the higest price I can pay (I am a student)

Here in my country is a big problem to buy any good congas, 'cause it's very not popular, and even if - it's totaly expensive!

Thanks for your help guys!

Good drumming!

[Congadelica]

Hello My friend,

First of all welcome, I have the Marathon classics my self , I have been playing for 6 months now at first I had a set of toy Meinl headliners ok untill i realised id bought hobby drums before i found this web site. Now the new marathons i have compare to other are very good , my only grip now as I progress is the dam ringing it does get on your nerves after a few hours of playing /practice sessions. I intend to upgrade to some Cow hide very soon . Apart from the water buffalo skins they sound real good Im sure you wont go far wrong with them . since buying mine Ive had the chance to play other peoples drum Bauer and LP Gio`s in comparison there is a slight better sound from the other drums but at my level of conga playing Im very happy with them , my conga teacher has asured me that with the cow skin Ill have a great set of drum to progress my playing.

Hope this help . I like to play with the stand too , keep int diverse seated and standing .

marco

[zwar]

ho victorius

the quality both of meinl marathon and luis conte is the same, both are good drums and worth the money. they are different just in hardware kind and colour. if you dont mind having traditional rims and black hardware, take the cheapest set, the luis conte. will be no mistake.
price is good for the 3set.

the lp classic 2 is not the same like lp classic line. would not recommend the drums.

greetz

zwar
zwar

[109-1176549166]

Hi Victorius,

My best regards to you and my fondest regards to your country, Poland! Some of my most-admired persons are Polish: (the late) Pope John Paul II (a spiritual giant), the nationalist Lech Walesa, all the martyrs that died during the Communist era, etc.

With due respect to all LP owners and/or endorsers, I prefer to deal with Meinl if I can help it. At least they're honest enough to disclose that the wood they use for their entry-to-mid-level congas is "rubber wood" instead of the marketing word-engineered "Siam oak" or "Asian oak". To me, that's hype, in the least, and deceptive advertising, at worst.

More importantly, even if they're also made in Thailand (like LP and most mass-produced percussion instruments). you get Teutonic (German) R&D and supervised manufacturing.

The recommendations made by others are right. You'll get a dramatic improvement in sound if you change the skins from the original skins that are indigenous in Thailand, water buffalo skins. (I'm Asian myself--from the Philippines--so I know.)

Nevertheless, for starter congas, I recommend keeping the water buffalo skins for now until you get really better--and picky, as well. They can sound OK, especially if they're tuned tight. The ideal skins can get quite expensive, especially in your native Poland.

My particular recommendation, like what Zwar before me made, are the Meinl Luis Conte congas. You get traditional rims (which I much prefer)--even if they're merely powder-coat painted and not chromed or stainless steel.

Plus, you get free Meinl Steely II stands, which I also have, in addition to my Gibraltar stands. They're very simple in design (again black powder-coat painted), mount close to the congas and are very easy to assemble and disassemble. And you can also use them playing seated.

You never know if and when you're going to need them in the future. (I do 'cause my band insists of my playing standing during gigs for visual purposes, even if I much prefer to play seated.) So, it really doesn't hurt for you to have these stands.

Also, being German, Meinls might be cheaper for you over there in Poland that LPs would be, although I not absolutely sure.

Pardon my English, if I get a little verbous at times. It's just because of my paralegal background and past work experience working for the tax/legal department of some of the biggest computer companies here in Silicon Valley, Bay Area, California.

I realize that English is not your 1st language. So, with all due respect, if you have to, I humbly suggest using the help of an English translator.

I wish you all the best in your drumming!

Sincerely and God bless you,



Edited By mjtuazon on 1182100073

[Victorius]

Thanks a lot guys! Now I'm almost sure which one I get - Luis Conte set

Best regards!

[ozrivera]

Saludos Hermanos
Victorius, just to reinforce whats already been said. there is really no difference between the conte, marathon and marathon classics. except for the hardaware.
my first set of pro congas was a pair of meinl marathons with the traditional rim much like the luis conte ones. ive had them for 10 years and they are the set that i actively play on my gigs. i was in the military and stationed in germany in the mid 90's. i purchased them in Kaiserslautern, Germany for about DM 650. that was about $400. US with the exchange rate of that time.
at that time they had their own meinl skin's which was better than the True Skins that is standard on todays meinl congas. so i didnt have to replace the head until a year ago.
IMO the best bang for your buck would be to go with the Luis conte conga. they are considered professional conga that sound good and wont break you pocket. and you can purchase them in Eroupe with paying a lot of money for the shipping.

good luck

Oz



OZ