picture thread

[vinnieL]

There are a lot of factors that come into play even wood that is cut to shape can be a problem depending on climate etc also how it's cut can have different effects like quarter sawn etc. The bottom line is mot of the time the drum can last longer than we are willing to keep it or sometimes even out live us.

[maSSivdrums]

Papa's little Conguero!!!


Keep on Poundin.....

[bongosnotbombs]

Dat's da kine keiki.

[congalero]

a few of many .... many.... these i keep for practice, the rest are stored. the ones in the foreground are 2 of 6 i have of a total of 16 made by akbar as the proto type for the cal. gon bops. dw went with alternate shape and hardware.

Four other DW/GB proto type

[KING CONGA]

a few of many .... many.... these i keep for practice, the rest are stored. the ones in the foreground are 2 of 6 i have of a total of 16 made by akbar as the proto type for the cal. gon bops. dw went with alternate shape and hardware.

congas 013.JPG

Man, sombody please hand me a tissue, Im drulling all over the Place. Que Chulada!!!!!!!

[KKonga]

Congalero---Nice collection!!! I see the difference on the crown of the Gon Bops but what is different on the shape? How would you rate the sound of the Gon Bops to the others?
Thanks,
KK

[bongosnotbombs]

Congalero---Nice collection!!!
KK

Dude, that's not even 1/2 of the great conga collection, probably not even a 1/4 of it.
I'm 100% serious.

[congalero]

"I see the difference on the crown of the Gon Bops but what is different on the shape? How would you rate the sound of the Gon Bops to the others?"

The shape of the drums Akbar made as the proto type (signed and dated 'Akbar '04 S. F.') are fatter in the belly than the final shape that DW ran with for the California Series. DW wanted to keep the more narrow look of the original Gon Bops. (Keep in mind that there were actually some Gon Bops that did have a fatter belly and also some that had the the interior series of cuts around the belly like Tom Flores Valje - SEE THE VALJE THREAD"). The proto types that I have also have the cuts around the interior belly, the final DW does not. These drums are very different than the final copy. I am not sure of the final DW shell thickness, but these are 3/4". I have never palyed the DW, but many have written that they are supurb drums. I am sure this is true, since Akbar oversees the operation and that they are made here in California, Oxnard. My drums have a loud, deep and sustained tone. They came with Gon Bop skins and side emblems, since Akbar had to run all the sales though DW; he also has to do this with any Sol shells he has - the Sols will not come with DW emblems or skins.

BTW - Good call on the crowns.

[ralph]

Friend of mine's drum once I sanded all the old paint and varnish.

Gon Bop sanded down to bare wood

The same drum at the end. I sanded it down first, took off all the hardware except the bands, because they were super tight. I sanded down some cracks that were repaired but left the grain uneven, I bought new screws for the lug plates, I bought 1 new lug from Latin Rhythm Traders and Geordie (bongosnotbombs) was gracious enough to give me 4 others. I bought two size washers, for the inside of the drums to hold the lug plates. Once it was sanded I applied 3 coats of dark wood stain and sealant. Once that was dried I took some spar varnish and applied 3 coats (fine sanding between coats). Before all this I also sanded the rust off the bands, because they were so bad you could barely distinguish the bands from the wood. I put the same skin back on the drum, and the rest is history. I am glad it came out the way it did. I play it once a week now when we get together and it has that great soft gon bop sound. I also replaced the rubber at the bottom with new rubber a la SOS or Ritmo.

Dannys drum end

[hangnailrumbero]

For Sale are the drums pictured Above. I am getting emotional thinking about the moment I recieved these drums and from whom. They were given to me by Mongo Sanatamaria Himself. Dario aka Omelenko1 can vouch for me and the drums history. I am open to offers and your questions. Thank you.

[Omelenko1]

Vaya Ricky,

I was at Mongo's condo in Kendall when he gave those Meinl ( his personal congas) to your dad, for him to give to you. Actually it was December 2002, remember Don Ramon (Mongo) died Feb. 1, 2003. Remember the tribute we had for him in my house Dec. 28, 2002? You and your dad were there and so was Miguel Cruz and we played rumba (guaguanco) for the master and he gave us "high fives" as a sign of approval. You got his congas and I got his Vergara bongos. I loved Mongo like a father,I think of him everyday and play his music constantly, his legacy lives on.

Sofrito Na' Ma'.

Dario

[Omelenko1]

Here is a photo of Mongo at his aparment in Manhattan (West End and 89th St). This was a time I spent at his place when he invited me because he and the band were playing the Blue Note opposite Tito Puente's band. I took this photo and if you look carefully you can see one of your Meinl behind him, you can also see the Santamaria's Cuban style congas made for him by Jose Garcia and also his Cuban 1950's Vergaras.

Cuidate Ricky.

Dario

Mongo En Su Apartamento.jpg (46.15 KiB) Viewed 9710 times

[No.2-1820]

Are his vergara congas still around Dario ?

Barrie

[bongosnotbombs]

Ralph,
That is, of course, a very excellent restoration of that old drum.

[Omelenko1]

Mongo's Vergaras are still around, a Japanese American conguero from California, Tommy Saito has them. They were originally his and he loaned them to Mongo in 1962/ when Mongo's Vergaras were stolen at the Black Hawk jazz club in San Francisco. Mongo had ordered the Vergaras for Saito in 1960, when he recorded "Our Man In Havana" for Fantasy records. Mongo and I shipped the Vergaras to Saito in Califa aound 2002, a few months befor he died.

Dario