congaplace.com

Hello Everybody from Spain.
I dont write english very well, but i will try
I want to know if somebody have or have played the Meinl Artist series Mongo Santamaria Congas, because I fall in love with them and before buying, i want to know an expert opinion.
I also want to express my solidarity to all the people affected of the horrible attack in NY. :-(

Meinl & Mongo Santamaria - they sound like a winner.

Have you played them? What size heads are they? Good skins? Nice shells? Sounds?

Meinl does not make any bad instruments, in my experience. I have one of their djembes and a friend has a requinto/quinto setup in green & red stripes. They are all excellent.

Meinl tends to be expensive in the USA. Maybe you can get a better deal en Espana. If you are getting a good price and they speak to you, they are for you. And it might be Dear Father Mongo himself speaking, eh?

Best Regards,
Eric

(Edited by limberic at 2:33 am on Sep. 20, 2001)

please help me, if somebody have or have played them tell me about it. i need an opinion because i´m thinking to buy the Meinl artist series mongo santamaria or the professional series congas. i need an expert advice.

I understand that these drums are very heavy. They also don't come with handles..They do sound very good,but there are so many today,like Timba,Inc. MoPercs,Pearl Elite..etc....that sound just as good..Hope that helps...AND AS AN AMERICAN I THANK YOU!..JC JOHNNY CONGA....

Lots of thanks

Finally I will buy the Meinl Mongo Santamaria Congas as my first set of tumbadoras in 11 and 11 3/4, and in a few years i will buy the 11 3/4 and the 12 1/2.

Rythym´n´Aché

Can you Post a Foto of them?? I'd like to see them.....ENJOY!...JC JOHNNY CONGA....

BEAUTIFUL DRUMS....100% ASH WOOD UNLIKE THE GIOVANNI'S....WHICH ARE 80% ASH AND 20% RUBBER....(INSIDE INFO FROM LP STAFF)...........A LITTLE HISTORY FOR YOU CONGUEROS OUT THERE....THE SIZES LP USES FOR THEIR CONGAS WERE THE ORIGINAL SIZES THOUGHT BY MONGO SANTAMARIA.......THINK ABOUT IT....WHY WOULDNT LP ENDORSE A GREAT PIONEER,LEGEND,MASTER LIKE MONGO SANTAMARIA......"QUE VIVE LA MUSICA!"

Finally i have my first congas in my home, and they have a good look and good sound.
Somethig curious is that the quinto is more heavy than the conga.(?) And the worst of it is that they didn´t have a candle to carry them. (looks like they are made for the profesionals that have a crew to carry the instruments
I have read in other post of the forum something about a ringing on the LP Giovanni congas, and think that is the same thing that i heard in my congas, is like a little harmonic "iiiiiiiiiiiing" after hitting the head. is this normal? could it be a wrong tuning?
Despite of all Im very happy with them.

"...Vamos rumberos que la rumba ya va a empezar..."

Agradeceria cualquier comentario en español.

Gracias-Thanks.

Hey Johnny this is the site for meinl percussion:http://www.meinl.de/percussions/perc_2_8_2.html
alex_mora_monter@hotmail.com

I know for a fact that Mongo does not like fiberglass drums and did not like M.C. Mongo has never and would never play a fiberglass drum, that is not his sound or feel. He's my mentor I know Mongo for over 30 years. That is why he never Endorsed LP. Ray Baretto was the same for awhile. He liked Gon Bops at one time had an endorsment with them. Gon Bop only gave out 2 endorsements One to Fransisco AguaBella and Ray Baretto. That I know about. Meinl are hand crafted German made congas. Mongo endorsed them, but didn't keep the drums they gave him because they were to heavy and he don't need any drums, but he put his name on them. There was a guy some years ago that had also made "Mongo Santamari's" conga drums,out of Texas. I didn't like the sound of them either. They looked good and they are on the cover of his Soca me Now Album. Mongo personally didn't really like them either and gave them away to a friend of mine here in Miami. Mongo gets a check,you better believe that for the endorsement of his name. You should get the 11. and the 12 1/4 to start with then go from there. so you Quinto(conga) and tumba......At your Service...JC JOHNNY CONGA....

REQUINTOFUNK wrote:A LITTLE HISTORY FOR YOU CONGUEROS OUT THERE....THE SIZES LP USES FOR THEIR CONGAS WERE THE ORIGINAL SIZES THOUGHT BY MONGO SANTAMARIA.......THINK ABOUT IT....WHY WOULDNT LP ENDORSE A GREAT PIONEER,LEGEND,MASTER LIKE MONGO SANTAMARIA......"QUE VIVE LA MUSICA!"

Huh? LP drum sizes are the same sizes almost all drum makers use. Are you saying Mongo invented the 11 3/4" and 12 1/2" size drums? I also don't understand the connection between that and whether Mongo chose to endorse LP or not (or was even offered an endorsement contract). But what is the story again on the drum sizes? I missed something.

Hey JC, so your saying that Mongo didn't endorse for LP because they make fiberglass congas. They do make wood congas also. You would think that he would, considering LP was the first[B][U] to make latin percussion instruments in the U.S.A. Just my theory!!

Bongo Boy, I believe the person that gave the measurements of the congas to Martin Cohen was "Patato". Check http://www.congahead.com

Alright guy's this is the last post I will do for tonight . I have the LP MATADOR 11 3/4 and 12 1/2 wood drums. I must say that they sound is fantastic. I was going to purchase the Giovanni's, but I didn't like the way they look and sound. Also, I believe they cost $300 to $400 more than the MATADOR. Fiberglass drums project more, but wood has a more earthier sound. I highly recommend MATADOR wood drums because they are inexpensive, they look great and they sound even better than they look!!

REQUINTOFUNK wrote:BEAUTIFUL DRUMS....100% ASH WOOD UNLIKE THE GIOVANNI'S....WHICH ARE 80% ASH AND 20% RUBBER....(INSIDE INFO FROM LP STAFF)

LP Customer Service (*per Federico) insists that the Giovanni's are 100% ash--I've asked on two different occassions.

I iniitially asked because the grain on the outer plies didn't look the same as the grain on the inner plies. When I got my second drum, the difference in grain between the two drums, even on the outer plies, was considerable.

Based only on the internet graphics, the 100% rubber Meinls actually look the most attractive to me. These are indeed gorgeous drums. Nice little 'fat' shape to 'em, too.