HOME | COMMUNITY | CONGAVIDEOS | CONGAMP3 | CONGASCORES | CONGAGALLERY | STORE

by **Cuidado** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:28 pm

Hi all,
I've seen the website of Gon Bops. The California congas seem incredible.
What do you think about Gon Bops?
Have you ever played with these congas?
Gracias
Hasta Pronto

by **CongaCaja** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:32 pm

In case you didn't know, the new Gon Bops are from the DW Drums (of Oxnard, CA) and it seems that DW purchased Sol Percussion (of San Francisco, CA) for the purpose of producing these drums.

Thus, if the quality of these drums will likely be the same as Sol. Sol drums are/were handmade by a two former employees of Valje. You might look around on this site for discussions concerning the Sol drums if you want to gather some opinions.

Btw, I noticed that the rims of the Gon Bops looks very much like that of the Sol drums.

buena suerte,

cjk

by **onile** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:04 pm

Alafia Abures Cuidado y Congacaja!
I hope that you two of you are well and in an abundance of blessings my brothers!

As for the quality of the new "California" series of GonBops, I can attest to it. I have ordered three and have received one so far, it is a SuperTumba 13 1/4". It is built very sturdy, the drum has a big belly and has a deep bass to it. The rim is like that of "Fat Congas" (I have a set and that's what I am comparing it to), although I have seen some "Sol" congas and know now that they are made with similar, if not the same rims as well.

As I normally do however, I changed the head on the drum out of habit. Not that there was anything wrong with the one it came with (cowhide), I just have some skins which I had ordered from Moperc out of Canada, and so I mounted it on this drum. It sounds even better. I have been in contact with Nick, one of the sales persons for GonBops, and he states my other two drums are being completed and should be sent to me within the month of Feb. this year!

I'll post pics of them when I have them all, however here is a pic of the one I currently have:

Many blessings!
Onile!

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... rTumba.jpg

by **onile** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:06 pm

Aquí esta otra foto…..

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... mba__3.jpg

by **onile** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:07 pm

This is the skin (head) it came with….

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... mba__2.jpg

by **onile** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:23 pm

here is the skin I mounted which is also cowhide.....
It really sounds great!

Suave!
Onile!

Edited By onile on 1138660062

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... _Cuero.jpg

by **ABAKUA** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:31 pm

Hot looking drums T. :cool:

by **onile** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:57 pm

Oye Brothelito!
I'm hurtin' cause my other two aren't here yet......

:angry:

but I'll be happier than a faggot in boys town once they do! :p

Edited By onile on 1138661932

by **SkinDeep** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 12:53 am

THEY LOOK SWEET, PAPA.

by **pavloconga** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 1:54 am

Hey Onile,
Beautiful drums! I thought GBs stopped production back in '98. I notice you have Palladiums there also. How does the sound of the new Gon Bops compare to the LPs? Which sound do you prefer?
I have an ancient set (70's I think) of 3 Gon Bops, still a beautiful sound but nowhere near the projection, bass and volume of Palladium LPs etc. I still have not heard a better sounding quinto for rumba than my antique Gon Bop quinto though!
best regards
Pavlo

Edited By pavloconga on 1138673252

by **onile** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 3:32 am

Alafia Abures Skindeep, Abakua y Pavloconga!
Thanks mis hermanos Skindeep y Abakua, they are sweet, well at least the "one" that I have in my possession.

Abure Pavloconga, as for which I prefer, that's like asking me which of my children do I love most! :p

I actually love the sounds produced from both of the drums!

One difference though is that I changed the skin on the GonBops, actually, I placed one of the skins which I had purchased for the Palladiums, on it. The actual sound from the Palladiums (I have two 14" and two 12 1/2") drums, is a great sound. I think if I were to change the skins to cowhide the sound would be even better pana!

I'm on the verge of unloading the Palladiums, as Capn'Q has his eye on two of them, so does another friend of mine who is actually the bass player in my group "Charanga Melao!" It's just that they are a bit bulky, and as Abure Abakua says "I'm just being a little bitch about it", "I should man-up and haul my shit all over the place") There's nothing but love here!

So, to say that I like the sound of one over the other, well if I had to at this moment, I guess I would go with the GonBop for now, the skin change being the reason. The drum is actually well built and has a wide belly like I mentioned before. As soon as I get the other two, I'm changing the skins on them as well.

I bought a set of three GonBops right before they actually went out of business around '98 like you say. I had a set of "Mariano" series, they were beautiful, but actually the Quinto was a piece of crap. It split on me in two one afternoon, there was nothing I could do! So I striped the other two, refinished them and sold them on Ebay! (they were a 12" and a 14") While I still had the Quinto though, you are right, there was no better sound for rumba.

Suave!
Onile!

Edited By onile on 1138682107

by **pcastag** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 4:47 am

Akbar from Sol is making those drums. I guess the DW offer was too much to pass up!
PC

by **Cuidado** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 7:58 am

Thanks for the answers and the pics Onile.
Do you know if I can order Gon Bops if I am in Vancouver?
Hasta pronto

by **onile** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 10:40 am

Alafia Abure Cuidado!
I would imagine so, here is an email that you might inquire as to a vendor in your area:
CustomerService@dwdrums.com

Buena Suerte Papa!
Onile!

by **pavloconga** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 11:32 am

Hey abure Onile,
Thanks for the reply. If you weren't so far away I'd take those Palladiums off your hands! Anyway, yes I'm looking at buying some new congas - especially second hand Giovannis, but very hard to find here.
As for the Gons, I don't know of a reseller here in Australia. They're very tempting though.

cheers
Pavlo

HOME | COMMUNITY | CONGAVIDEOS | CONGAMP3 | CONGASCORES | CONGAGALLERY | STORE

congaplace.com

Gon Bops

Who is online