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Posted: **Fri Mar 31, 2006 10:43 pm**

hey does anyone know if theres much difference between the toca fiberglass shekere and the lp pro fiberglass shekere? im guessing the lp one's beter but it's also quite a bit more expensive.

thanks alot

steve

Posted: **Sun Apr 02, 2006 3:19 am**

TOCA:

LP:

Ive had the chance to play the TOCA product, while being of good build and great looks, the bead formation and netting does not allow for enough 'tight' movement, even with adjusting the tension of the support weaves, it still didnt allow precise and dry/tight 1/4, 8th, 16th notes etc.

I own the LP Pro shekere/chekere. I find this product to be excellent in build, and once you have adjusted the top string of weaving, the chekere plays itself. Cuts through everything, great projection and clarity, precise beats can be played with minimal effort.
I use Luis Conte's technique as he showed me many years ago while he was touring with Madonna.
Have a look into his instructional DVD's/video's if you want some good tips on chekere playing.

Here is a pic of mine, sitting next to one of the guiro's I made.
The dark spots are fibreglass repairs I carried out on some cracks/holes that were made when it was dropped down a set of concrete stairs many years ago. They are very strong!! Only cracked a little bit an the hole was very small! After some minor fibreglass surgery she was back to as good as new!!!

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... edium_.JPG

Posted: **Sun Apr 02, 2006 4:57 am**

There's also a Synthetic
Chekere made by Schalloch,
which may be a div. of Meinl.

I havn't played one buit they
look good and are a rich brown
woodlike look.

ISAAC

Posted: **Sun Apr 02, 2006 5:13 am**

Down here in Dixie where gourds grow both prodigiously and huge I still prefer to make my own shekeres. I have a bug agbe sitting on my front porch to bead when I finally get off the road. I like to pop a few tops and bead away as my cat chases the dragonflys. Oh, the sultry South!

Saludos,

Berimbau

Posted: **Mon Apr 03, 2006 4:01 pm**

i posted a reply to this topic the other day.Seems to have disappeared ? anyone have any info ...

Posted: **Mon Apr 03, 2006 6:27 pm**

Me too.
Maybe they are behind Abakua's pictures

- Nope, sorry ladies. I had no involvement.

Edited By ABAKUA on 1144114392

Posted: **Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:23 pm**

Alafia Abures!
I hope that you are all well and in an abundance of blessings!
Abure Berimbau, you have me wanting to head to Dixie my man!

I also have tried to bead a gourd or two, it does require one to have patience and just plenty of time to dedicate to it! Poppin' a few tops is a great idea

I have the LP Fiberglass Shekere, Dang! it is super loud! I still prefer the natural sound however.

Many blessings!
Onile!

Posted: **Tue Apr 04, 2006 1:35 am**

Niallgregory and Diceman,

I havent seen any post of yours prior to these in this thread and Ive been online everyday for the last week reading the boards new posts etc... Are you sure you didnt post in another thread?

Either way, I had no involvement in the alleged dissapearing act of the posts. ??? ??? ???

Posted: **Tue Apr 04, 2006 1:38 am**

Coincidentally, I just started a six-week chekere playing class at the local university. Those who have natural gourd chekeres play them. The others play LP chekeres that are provided by the school.

I have to say that I consider the LP models to be inferior to the natural models. You can't get a proper slap on the LPs and their hard fiberglass shells are not the healthiest thing to be bonking with the heel of your hand (bass tone).

I can see that the LPs would survive a hard tour on the road, but it's definitely a trade-off. If I was playing with a rather loud amplified band, where the subtleties of the instrument would not be heard anyway, I'd consider playing a fiberglass model. In a folkloric guiro (agbe) setting - no way.
-David

Edited By davidpenalosa on 1144114941

Posted: **Tue Apr 04, 2006 2:21 am**

davidpenalosa wrote:In a folkloric guiro (agbe) setting - no way.
-David

Agreed 100%. My reccomendation was made in band/amplified context.

I love natural gourd chekere. See my thred re guiro making. :;): :cool:

Here is a little project of mine, I havent had a chance to sit down and get started on it yet... soon... soon...

Some of my guiro's I grew and made/carved. Far right you can see the gourd Im using for a chekere/shekere.

Here is a slighly better view of it:

My guiro making thread: CLICK HERE TO VIEW

And also here: CLICK HERE TO VIEW

Cheers.

Posted: **Tue Apr 04, 2006 3:20 am**

Nice work Abakua. :cool:

-David

Posted: **Tue Apr 04, 2006 5:36 am**

Nice guiros abakua ! I am getting ready to make one,
before I hit the road again.
I happen to have a chekere made for LP ( pre fiber glass) by who knows who, Its gourd, nice size; with plastic beads which is the one thing I don't like, they break and go all over the place. Recently when I was In Colombia I picked up some glass beads, and am getting ready to rebead it. Glass beads are very nice, you don't need as many to give you a true cutting sound .
I will post a before and after pics.
Personally I feel that for some intruments, especially those with a strong tradition, there is no place for plastics. Nothing like the true raw material and its sound; closer to the Earth. Gourd is fragile; so get a nice case with thick foam to protect it.

Amor, Paz y Rumba OLSONGO

Posted: **Tue Apr 04, 2006 4:44 pm**

yeah i love playin natural instruments too, though am still concerned bout the durabilty thing and more importantly being heard in a live jazz band [which is generally where i play percussion]. still, i'd really like to get a natural, non mass produced shekere as well. the stuff you showed me, abakua, looks amazing! i live in the UK, near newcastle so unfortunately theres not much of a afro/latin music scene locally. does anyone here know of anywhere [preferably in the UK] where i'd be able to order a nice quality, hand made, natural shekere for a reasonable price?

thanks alot for all the help so far lads!

steve

Posted: **Tue Apr 04, 2006 6:50 pm**

davidpenalosa wrote:Coincidentally, I just started a six-week chekere playing class at the local university.

Hi David,

Hope all is well! Can you share with us what do you go over on this chekere classes?

Saludos,

Jorge Ginorio

Posted: **Tue Apr 04, 2006 7:00 pm**

tamboricua wrote:
davidpenalosa wrote:Coincidentally, I just started a six-week chekere playing class at the local university.

Hi David,

Hope all is well! Can you share with us what do you go over on this chekere classes?

Saludos,

Jorge Ginorio

Yo tamboricua, I hope you are doing fine...thats a relly nice sugestion...I´d love to be updated about that workshop...Aché del maja...

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shekere - lp or toca?