My first confga set - Pearl Elite Mahogany Series!!!!

[Mr. Conga]

Con aceite de coco, le das buen tratamiento a los cueros, que es transparente como vaselina.
Tambien la manteca de corojo, que es aceite de palma.

Sino encuentras nada de eso vaselina, que sea para el cuerpo puedes husar en los cueros, si la vaselina la pueden usar en la cara (eso es sino encuentras aceite de coco, que parese vaselina)

A tus tambore siempre desafinalos mi pana, y no los dejes sofocar en un cuarto serrado y caliente.
Siempre habre la ventana, dejalos ventilar. Y ponle haceite deves en cuando, o antes de tocar.

[Jotape]

Now, August 10 I will have my matador conga set...

What can you say about Pearl? many of the music stores here in santiago are selling Pearl congas.

Thanks Mr. Conga fot the tips.

[OLSONGO]

I am sure Johnny Conga can tell you all you want about Pearls, he endorses their congas.

Paz
Olsongo

[umannyt]

Now, August 10 I will have my matador conga set...

What can you say about Pearl? many of the music stores here in santiago are selling Pearl congas.

Jotape,

Congratulations on your Matador conga set. Given your price constraint and the limited availability of brands of congas in your country, Chile, you have chosen well.

Believe it or not, my very 1st congas consisted of a set of Matador conga and tumba (in beautiful wine red color and chrome hardware). I bought them from Musician's Friend's store in San Jose, CA sometime in 2004. However, I returned them within 30 days 'cause I had 2nd thoughts of being a percussionist within my R&B and disco band then and didn't have the passion about percussion that I do now.

Re: Pearl congas, if I were to buy them, I'd most likely get their Folkloric series. Judging alone from pictures, they seem to be made quite well and priced reasonably.

Sincerely,

[JConga]

Well i havent tried or heard the New Folkloric models yet....I have been using Pearl Elite congas for 14 years and have been happy with them...They are making them better and better all the time.....u want to buy the Conga and tumba first....Johnny Conga

[bongosnotbombs]

I recently saw a concert of Francisco Aguabella, he was playing the Pearl Folkloric series
he sounded great.
They have them at my local store, the build quality is as good as any, the brushed hardware
is very nice. I don't like the color fade they use though.

[Jotape]

Somebody in another forum posted this talkin about LP Clasic vs Pearl Elite Series:

"Both are great brands. Want to see the differences or comparison, here we go:
LP Classic Congas vs. Pearl Elite Congas.
MATERIAL: Both made of oak. Check it out but thai and siam is actually the same "name." I don't know if you know but, Thailand or Thai used to be Siam...so I think is marketing here. Unless an expert in woods tells me otherwise, I think they are the same wood.

HEIGHT: LP is 30 inches tall and Pearl Elites are 28. For a seated player, depending your preferrable height or reach, it could make a difference. Having a lower height means it is made considering seated player. 28 inches is the "Cuban standard." With stands, the height makes no difference since you could adjust your stand. Also, with seated player but depends on your seat height, etc. (No difference in sound is attributed to the height).

HARDWARE: The quality is comparable and as good. However, LP is made of chrome and Pearls are made of polished steel. The chrome, if not taken care properly could get rust easily or chip away. The polished steel is an "elegant alternative" and rust is tougher to get. Have to admit that the polished steel is a little bit heavier. (The hardware of Pearl is "sturdier" than the "thin chrome", that altough of good quality, is more prone to bending or damage). Also, notice the bottom of the LP is a "cheap chrome" metal that in my experience, if played seated, it gets torn. Pearl is rubber bottom that is much better.

FACTORY HEADS: LP is rawhide and Pearl's are buffalo. Here is your preference in sound. Personally, I like "thicker" heads, hence, for me buffalo are much better. Thicker heads will give you a more bassy sound than thinner heads and require less break in. LP factory heads tend to need a little break in. (That is when they start turning white although they come with the "white head" they are issuing lately that is not the best...it is like paper).

QUALITY...MATERIAL IN GENERAL: Just about the same quality. The "finishes" inside the congas are good and appear they are well constructed. Also, both have "handles" for carrying....that Pearls have an innovative kind different than LP and both come with the "adapters" to put the congas in "steady" stands. (In both cases, you have to install the "adapter" or ears that are used for stand...Of course, if you get the basket type stands...no need for adapters).

As a comment in design, LP has more of a "belly" design than Pearls but in sound they are comparable. (Have tried them both). Comfort rims are great in both without any problems.
(...)

LAST BUT NOT LEAST: PRICE

A set of LP classic congas, conga and tumbadora, runs around $788 or so. Pearl Elite congas, same set, could be had between $589 or a little more. That is about a $200 savings for practically the same congas with the same qualities. (...)

Please note that LP is marketing their LP brand products up and actually putting some more marketing into their Matador brand. Matador is a good brand but the hardware and the quality is not comparable in regards to their congas and bongos with the LP brand and even Pearl's .. Please note Matadors are price the same or a little bit more than Pearl's.

As a last comment, definitively LP is a great brand and like I have mentioned 40 years of been a head, an alone practically, in a market gives you an edge in brand recognition. However, there are great products out there with quality. Among them there is Pearl."
http://www.pearldrummersforum.com/showt ... hp?t=95705

What do you say about this??
I'm thinking about Pearl Elite Series... If they are not too more expensive than Matador
Someone has played or knows about Pearl Folkloric and/or Elite Mahogany Series???

I shall make my decision this week... is so difficult.

[vinnieL]

tienes que estar seguro de que no esten hablando de Classic II ese es otro tambor que es de menos calidad que el classic regular. El Classic es mejor tambor y cuesta mas de $400 cada tambor mas o menos $439 por cada uno. El classic II sale mucho mas barato que eso. Un set entero de classic regular te sale en casi $900 por dos tambores. Pearl elite es buena conga pero el set te sale mas de $589 elite congas questan mas que eso. Estoy hablando de dolares Americanos.

[vinnieL]

En terminos de dinero el Matador sigue siendo unos de los mejores tambores por el dinero hay otros pero si quieres comprar mas mas caro hay mas variedad todavia.

[traumtyp]

Es interesante ver más latinos en este foro de instrumentos latinos Jotape

Mira, yo te puedo decir que si vas empezando puedes adquirir congas de segunda mano en buenas condiciones a mitad de precio, en mi caso obtuve un set de 4 congas, 3 meinl Marathon Series (quinto, conga y tumba) y una tumba matador por sólo 500 USD.

Sólo debes tener cuidado en revisar que no tengan maltrato y que se encuentren en buenas condiciones.

Por favor, no compres LP Aspire, son de juguete!!

Saludos.

[Jotape]

To Be or not to Be...
What do you think?

Matador Wood Quinto, Conga & Tumba : US$1300.-

Pearl Cong&Tumba Elite Mahogany Series + Quinto Richie Flores Oak Congas or Quinto Bobby Allende Fiberglass Congas or some other LP quinto : US$1130 to 1175.-

Or Maybe only Pearl Conga&quinto by now...

I can't play and test them...It's a "Blind Buy".

[vinnieL]

No me gustan los Bobby Allende de fiberglass pero cada pan tiene su queso. Los Pearl Elites son buenos tambores y Los Matadors. Si es verdad que se consigen muy buenos tambores a medio precio. Yo tenia Matadors y me gustaba el sonido nunca trate las Pearls pero se que son de buena calidad. Si no compres congas LP Aspires es verdad que esas son un jugete.

[korman]

If you say that there are Pearls in Santiago, then go and test them, I'm sure they're good drums.
Plus if the shop is in your city you get them sooner, there's less chance of damage during shipping, easier to return them if something wrong, easier to get the parts if necessary ...

[Jotape]

I finally got my brand nrew conga & tumba Pearl Elite Mahogant Series... the sound is really great. Now I'm waiting for a shipping to get the quinto.

I'm a begginer so I think this was a very good choice.
Thanks to JConga and you all for the help... this is a real Family.

I'll post some pics soon... a catalogue pic by now.

Happy me!!!

[KING CONGA]

I finally got my brand nrew conga & tumba Pearl Elite Mahogant Series... the sound is really great. Now I'm waiting for a shipping to get the quinto.

I'm a begginer so I think this was a very good choice.
Thanks to JConga and you all for the help... this is a real Family.

I'll post some pics soon... a catalogue pic by now.

Happy me!!!

Congratulations on your new drums "J” can’t wait to see actual pictures. Keep in mind that they will sound better as you break them in, usually takes about a good 3 months but it really depends on how much you play them. Since you’re a beginner let me recommend youtube, it’s got some great training videos. Good luck.