Moperc Cubano Tumba

[ABAKUA]

Sad to hear bro.
This is one of my major concerns when shipping time comes for me from Matt.

[Tonio]

Tonio,
I am sorry for you to read about and also watch this nasty crack.
My guess would be that the wood split to an extreme temperature shock
on the way from Michel to you, all the way from Quebec to San Diego.
But the good news is that it can be fixed. Sending the drum back is a hassle
and a potential second danger to your drum though.
All the best
-Mike

Hola Mike, Thanks for comiserating

Temperature ? Well tracked the temp in Quebec on June 8-11, and the average high was about 63.1Degrees F or 17.3C. An from there -usually at night UPS flies to Louisville, KY, and the temp was high 82F low of 64F but night time around midnight it flies was maybe mid 70's? And in San diego it was high 68 low 64F. So the biggest temperature change is maybe 10-14degrees(F)? thats not too extreme.
I know you're just trying to help, and I really appreciate it, but I don't think it could be a temperature issue.

Them UPS bozo's had to of dropped it hard.

T

[Omelenko1]

Mopercs have no "almas", yet they charge and arm and a leg for their congas. I'll never spend top dollar for a conga with no alma. Volcanos are the same way, no "alma" and they are the priciest of congas. Matt's Ritmos don't crack, unless they are dropped from a second floor, same with Skin on Skin.

Dario

[Tonio]

Sad to hear bro.
This is one of my major concerns when shipping time comes for me from Matt.

I thought Matt use Fed ex? One thing about these couriers, is that they go through so many terminals. down the conveyers, up the conveyors, in/out of ULD containers. The containers are literally banged into trucks with the roll ball floors-crash bam into the side plates. throw em in the truck, throw em out the truck .

[Tonio]

Mopercs have no "almas", yet they charge and arm and a leg for their congas. I'll never spend top dollar for a conga with no alma. Volcanos are the same way, no "alma" and they are the priciest of congas. Matt's Ritmos don't crack, unless they are dropped from a second floor, same with Skin on Skin.

Dario

Well gee Dario, thanks for your support

Any wood drum will crack dropped from the 2nd floor, alma or not.

T

[deadhead]

Which makers use almas?

[SalseroBoricua71]

*

[OLSONGO]

Tonio, looking at the video and the place where the drum suffered the crack...I suggest that instead of Titebond wood glue use Gorilla Glue, the reason being there are already glue deposits which would prevent the wood glue from penetrating into the grain of the wood, and eventually will open up again. And don't think of sanding in between , that will make the crack wider. I have found out from experience that Gorilla glue sticks well to most surfaces and lasts. For example I have glued Lp classics with that thick poly finish and without any bands to eliminate wood expansion, and they have stuck ...and so far no returns on my repairs.

After applying the glue, put back the skin on and tighten till you see the crack totally closed. The skin will act the same as a strap or belt...remove the extra glue with mineral spirits...wait 24 hrs, then release, If there is still some glue residuals, wet sand with ultra fine sand paper..then apply some wax and buff. I don't recommend the clear spray , because I don't know what type of clear Moperc uses, lacquer , enamel or acrylic base. The wrong clear may cause catastrophic reactions.
I know how you must be feeling..you want to be playing the drum not repairing it .
The other is have the shipping co. pay for the drum if insured and get another one, and have Moperc send it packed with thick styrofoam block packaging...as how it should of had been done in the first place.

Paz
Olsongo

[bongosnotbombs]

I had an Isla that cracked in a similar way, I sent it to Mario and he made me a new drum.
It happened after one week. The crack was at the bearing edge like yours and went diagonally
through the stave, from one corner to the next, from the bearing edge about down to the lugs.
I suspect damage from shipping which worstened after I tightened the drum high as a requinto should be.

A friend of mine received a new drum from Matt Smith, it also sustained damage from shipping and
cracked, THE DRUM HAD AN ALMA. He sent the drum back to Matt and it was fixed, in a very timely manner.

My advice, is to give Michel a chance to do right by you and to fix it according to his standards.
Pack the hell out of it, ship it in a double box and a drum bag, whatever, and then ask him to
do the same.

[traumtyp]

Siento mucho que haya pasado... te comprendo y me sumo a tu dolor

[taikonoatama]

A friend of mine received a new drum from Matt Smith, it also sustained damage from shipping and
cracked, THE DRUM HAD AN ALMA. He sent the drum back to Matt and it was fixed, in a very timely manner.

Yeah, sadly my African Mahogany Matt Smith tumba arrived (last December) with a similar (though not as wide) crack as yours - in spite of having an alma. It went up over the bearing edge and down the outside about 2 inches. Mind you, it likely would have been worse had it not had an alma. As it was at the top under the skin I didn't catch it for a couple of weeks but when I did and contacted Matt, he was pretty shocked - he packs his drums really well and had never had this happen to a drum before. Obviously no way a guy like Matt would ship a drum in this condition, so clearly it was dropped in shipping.

Matt was terrific about the whole thing and he took the drum back, repaired it quickly, and shipped it back free of charge. Great guy (and awesome drums).

I went through much worse than this once with a Junior Tirado (used) which arrived with a full top to bottom see-through split, and the subsequent nightmare of dealing with the fallout (responsibility, repair, finances, shipping, etc.), for both me and the seller, was hell (FedEx refused the insurance claim).

Matt Smith tumba - cracked during shipping

Junior Tirado tumba - split during shipping

[Tonio]

Thanks all for sharing your shipping damage experiences. These couriers need to get a grip. Sad part is, the drums are rather awkward for handling, but they get no excuses. Thats what they get paid for.

Well, my Moperc Tumba is on the way back for repair. Hope for a good and quick repair.

I spent about $20 for packaging material. The box- 18x18x32" single wall was $6!! I used some of the inner packaging that MIchel had for reinforcement"double wall". Actually the box I bought was a higher weight rating box . Then I also got some high density polyurathane - dense foam and put it under the drum, and some regular foam on the top. I did insure it, so if it gets damaged worse I am covered for the cost of the drum. Just $5 for $1000 covergae- why not.
Since the original shipping to me was not insured, looks like the liability will only cover $100. Though UPS will take probably up to 6 months, if persued regularly.
What sux is that UPS wanted to inpsect the drum and packaging. The broker Michel uses said they would have to send it somewhere in the US at their(broker's) cost. WTF? Why should the shipper have top pay for transportation that the courier needs to make an imspection. i was advised that they would call me to inspect the packaging-yeah sure they will. They probalby have some bozo that doens't know anything about shipping or packaging at all.

James, man your Junior got killed !! That must have been a nighmare.

T

[KING CONGA]

Tonio I feel for you but am sure it will all turn out all right. That drum is beautiful, my favourites in MOPERC series, you will no doubt enjoy it for many years to come. To be honest with you all of this talk about "Cracked leading edges" is really making me curious. I received my S.O.S's last November and did what I thought was an extensive visual Inspection of the drums, well maybe not as thorough as I thought being that I never did take the heads off to inspect the leading edge for cracks, I think that I will do that now, If I was to find a crack I would want it repaired as soon as possible.

[guarachon63]

For what it's worth, I have a friend who just started working for UPS and he said don't waste your time writing "Fragile" on any box, they treat them all the same.

So, caveat packagor!

[bongosnotbombs]

Good luck with the drum T!