congaplace.com

Posted: **Thu Sep 06, 2007 1:44 pm**

Hello everyone

I am about to buy a set of LP Galaxy and i got a quote of €1700 for the 3 plus bags and shipment included.

What do you think?

Any suggestion to get the same quality of congas by another maker?

I was looking around the forum for a while and i think i am going for the "best" option. Am i right? ???

Cheers for your help

Stef

Posted: **Fri Sep 07, 2007 2:40 pm**

Hi Stef,
and a hearty welcome to this forum!

I am about to buy a set of LP Galaxy and i got a quote of €1700 for the 3 plus bags and shipment included.

Well, even if it sounds like a relatively OKish price, it´s still quite a lot of money. I have bought a single new Galaxy Ash quinto at ebay for 366€, and I was only satisfied with the sound after I mounted a mule skin from Isaac/JCR which cost me another 80€. So you have to consider this too.
Bags are nice, of course and no additional shipping costs too.
Given the price you mention, I would possibly go for (possibly handmade) congas that sound good right out of the box.
Conga board members have been discussing Isla or JCR or other congas lately, but of course they might be difficult to get or expensive for us in Europe.
PJ percussion in Denmark has a very good reputation too.
You might take a look at a very good German percussion dealer´s store. THere you also find some PJ offers:
http://www.bongolei.de/content/index.html?congas.htm
The prices there are reasonable to me (except for the GIovannis!), e.g. the 3-piece PJ Session Line Conga Set.
The only thing I can´t tell you how much shipping to Eire would be.

A side remark: Maybe you can also find a decent vintage set at ebay or elsewhere?

So good luck!
Mike

Edited By Mike on 1189177348

Posted: **Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:08 pm**

Thanks Mike for your help!

If I get the Galaxy do you recommend to change the skin on them or can I keep the original one?

Cheers

Posted: **Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:16 pm**

hey just check the PJ session, they seems good but the shop doesn't deliver in Ireland!
Crap...

Posted: **Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:32 pm**

If I get the Galaxy do you recommend to change the skin on them or can I keep the original one?

Hey, perhaps I overdid it a bit, of course you CAN keep the original skins, they´re not bad, but it simply depends what sound you´re after. BTW you see many professional players on youtube playing the hell of a sound out of LP skins...

So it should be just a personal preference whether you go for another type of skin. I would do it because I wasn´t pleased with the overtones of the LP waterbuffalo skins:
http://www.congaplace.com/cgi-bin....ertones
Some congaboard geve sound advice on improving the sound of the LP heads there.
Good luck!
Where did you get this offer for the Galaxys from?
(Don´t worry, I´ve got enough congas already ;-)

Posted: **Fri Sep 07, 2007 4:23 pm**

Hey Mick,

I got the offer from artdrum.com, im in contact with Greg so if you do some business please mention my name

Im still waiting on a better deal though...will keep you informed!

Ciao

Posted: **Fri Sep 07, 2007 6:04 pm**

ze stef....Just a thought for you..I recently bought a set of lP Galaxies quinto,conga,tumba.They were used but only a few months old. And although they are built like a tank, Kevlar , thicker tuning hooks etc...Lp still used their ultra thin skins on them and as beautiful as they looked I knew I would need to put new skins on them. I ended up selling them to a good friend not because of the skins, but because he really wanted them and I got a good deal on them to begin with. I love my LP Patatos. They are not as Nuclear Bomb proof as the Galaxies but who needs all that? They are still built very tough indeed. They will cost you less, and they have the same exact design as the Galaxies, and then you can spend the leftover money on some nice thick skins and you will have a great set of Congas.
Just a thought for you.

Posted: **Fri Sep 07, 2007 8:37 pm**

I should mention that after three months of fairly constant tuning/loosening/tuning/loosening and playing, my LP ash-wood Giovanni's are sounding better, with less ringing. Perhaps they finally broke in. But I have also slightly refined my playing technique as well as my tuning technique.

I am debating springing for mules skins for them, or springing for Isla's or Ritmo's or something, and keeping my Giovanni's as my beater's.

Posted: **Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:29 pm**

Giovanni's would be a pretty high class beater, for most they are top of the line models..

give them some time is my recommendation..

Posted: **Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:05 pm**

I would look at the gon bops alex acuna models. Same wood ( ash) but probably a bit cheaper. you should be able to get them in Europe anywhere they sell DW drums, as they are now owned by DW. A conga and a quinto sells in the states for 800, the trio would probably be about 1300 ( around 1100 euro).
PC

Posted: **Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:16 pm**

:) Hi Mike, I just want to inform all the percussion enthusiasts in all of Europe and outside of the USA that upon purchasing a full set of ISLA Percussion drums which consists of a (Quinto, Conga and Tumba), the shipping cost will be waived towards the customer. However, the customer will have to pay the Customs department to receive their product.
ISLA also has Conga, Bongo and Bata skins available for purchase.

www.islapercussions.com

Edited By yusef33 on 1189207020

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 0-ISLA.jpg

Posted: **Sat Sep 08, 2007 10:43 am**

Thank everyone for your help!

I looked at the Gon Bops Alex Acuna Series and they seems OK. The cost is more attractive as well... €1300 with bags and shipment...

Now i am confused! LP or Gon Bops? What about the skins? Will I have to change them on the Gon Bops?

I am thinking about renting the set to artist on tour from time to time as well, so i want a good quality set... My heart goes to the LP but i am curious about the Gon Bops...

Any other advice....

Stef

Posted: **Sun Sep 09, 2007 6:50 pm**

I have a set of the california series ( oak) they ae very solid and well made drums. The alex acuna models are pretty much the same except they are made of ash instead of oak, and they have water bufalo instead of cowskin. I can tell you my gonbops are solid as a rock! Very heavy with wellmade hardware. Obviously the LPS are a known quality, so if you feel more comfortable you should go with them. However I think Gon Bops will be making a big impact with the Latin Percussion market because of their quality and great prices!
PC

Posted: **Mon Sep 10, 2007 7:34 am**

You can find some attractive offers here as well:

http://www.thomann.de/gb/percussion.html

Posted: **Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:54 pm**

Whobamboom said "I am debating springing for mules skins for them, or springing for Isla's or Ritmo's or something, and keeping my Giovanni's as my beater's"

Dude! You are a blessed man when you find yourself in the position to have a set of Giovanni's as "Beaters" :laugh: I'm cracking up!

congaplace.com

LP Galaxy - Advice needed