Rhythm Traders Congas - Anybody playing these

[dstolhand]

Hey I stumbled onto these guys page and was wondering if anybody out there is playing on their congas? They are out of Portland, OR. If so what do you think, how do they sound, pros & cons?

Thanks
Doug

[taikonoatama]

I was in Portland last summer and stopped by Rhythm Traders and checked them out while I was there.

I believe they're made to specs in Thailand for Rhythm Traders, though I'm not positive. Craftsmanship of the wood and finish seemed solid. Skins are American cow, not Asian water buffalo, and that's a big plus - nice and thick, too. I was not prepared to like the sound as much as I did, I must admit, as I have a bit of a bias against the big factory-made sorta drums. I'm more of a Skin-on-Skin, JCR, Juniors sorta guy. Oh, yeah, I'd play Volcanoes, too, if someone gave me a set.

What I couldn't get past, though, was the hardware - specifically the crown. Really bulky and cheap-looking, at least to my eyes. I'm sure it's strong and if someone has bad technique and needs the crutch of a comfort curve :p , then maybe it's not an issue. Ugh:



But that's just me.

Bottom line is that they sounded pretty good. They even have a build-your-own-conga option, which might appeal to some. I'd say if you can deal with the ugly-ass crowns, then they're a good deal.

~taiko



Edited By taikonoatama on 1137266051