Cuban Heat Up Bongos: Real instrument, or just souvenir?

[congabluedog]

I looked again inside the tackhead bongo and I noticed that one of the screws looked original and it had a square nut. I remember when I had a Requena conga in my possession for a couple of days it also had square nuts. Maybe this is another clue as to the maker or at least the age. Omar, does your bongo have a stamp inside?

[juancho]

Hey All,
Boy, you stay away for a couple days and miss a lot! Things move quickly around here in the forum!
OK, so first of all THANK YOU ALL for your amazing input, stories, advise, photos, and opinions! I could have never in a million years expected a little set of Cuban bongos to be the fuel for such a stir!

Psych1- For sure I will entertain any deals for any of your 2.5 Requenas! please hit me up when you're back stateside.

Jacqui- I have no doubt that your bongo and my bongo are definitely from the same family, the similarities are too striking. I only wish mine were full size like yours. Have ever tried tuning them, with a can of sterno ala Mangual??

Finally, I've posted a few more pics of some of my pieces, including a pic of my mini Requenas along with my solid shell Cubans with Jay Bereck hardware. Can anyone shed some light on these old guys...all I know is that the person I bought them from may have bought them from one of the Rodriguez brothers back in the early sixties, they are solid shell and at some point they were outfitted with SOS hardware...

Hey Fuzzzzzz, very welcome bro, hey did you change the cuero on the hembra??? just wish I could find the same cuero that it had when I sold it to you. Did you ever find out from Michael what kind it was and if he had any in stock? Enjoy them bro!!!!
Juancho

[OmarFuzz]

Hi Jacqui,
Unfortunately there are no markings inside of my bongo, although it too has a square nut. My set is so small that the center block only uses one bolt. Although if 73 Matadero was Requena's shop then I'm pretty sure we both have Requena made bongos! Please let me know if you's ever consider parting with them. I'd love nothing more than to reunite my little guy with his big brother!

Juncho,
How are you bro! Yeah, I did end up changing the hembra; the one it had was awesome but a little too thick. I ended up stripping a hook one time when i was tuning. All four hooks on that hembra were a little rough so I went to see Cali, got me a real nice medium thick hembra skin and four new hooks. The macho is still the one from Mike that you had on it and I hope I never have to change it! I love that set, easily my favorites!

Omar

[congabluedog]

Great photo Dario. Omar, could you post more photos of your Vergara? Do you know any more history about it?