congaplace.com

Posted: **Wed Oct 24, 2007 2:20 am**

Hi. I just wanted to get some opinions on Junior Congas. Before Junior Tirado passed away you would see his congas for sale not often, but once in a while. Now I can't recall seeing any of his drums being for sale lately. Is this because everyone is holding on to them thinking they might not get a chance at another set in the future? Or? Just wanted to see what some of you think. I have a set and I don't want to get rid of them because if I do, I can't see myself getting an opportunity at another set in the future.

Posted: **Wed Oct 24, 2007 2:29 am**

i'm holding on to them because we are talking about the best drum made in the past 40 years....! Unless I had two sets...I would think about selling a couple but unfortunately thats not the case...

Edited By ralph on 1193193038

Posted: **Wed Oct 24, 2007 2:34 am**

Sounds good to me Ralph.

Posted: **Wed Oct 24, 2007 5:28 am**

hey will. you have a couple of great drums there. you know that i am holding on to mine for various reasons, but in the end 'they ain't making anymore of these'. i may not be convinced that juniors drums are 'the best in the known free world', but they are some of the best i have - and i have plenty. i am all about quality, craftsmanship, sound/tone and beauty - these pass muster.

cheers

Posted: **Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:17 pm**

el maestro en brooklyn...Junior is on the right

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

Posted: **Wed Oct 24, 2007 2:41 pm**

I guess I'm simply going to have to give up half of my genitalia to get a set. Oh well, that's why we have two!!

Posted: **Wed Oct 24, 2007 5:44 pm**

I think this sort of thing goes in cycles. I've watched stuff on eBay for years, and every so often things disappear from the auction blocks for a while. Then, later, they start showing up again. Just be patient.

Posted: **Wed Oct 24, 2007 6:52 pm**

I presently have 5 Junior Tirado congas. Junior was my personal friend. I consider his congas
the "Stradivarious" of the industry. I had a few "asopao de camarones" in his apartment on Havemeyer St. in Brooklyn, with him and his P. Rican lady,I will call him regularly and whenever I went to the Apple to visit my daughter in NYU, I will go see him. His workshop, on a tiny basement, to me was one of the prettiest sights of NYC, right there with the Chrysler and Empire State buildings. On account that I'm getting some Matthew Smith congas, I might let 2 of my Junior's go. I bought this pair in 1999, they were Julian Cabrera's and Junior was selling them because Julian, due to old age, have been placed in an assistant living facility and needed the money. Julian was a tumbador with Machito and Charlie Palmieri, had played on some Mongo albums doing rumba and in his last years was playing guiro with "Los Jovenes Del Barrio" (Johnny Almendra's group).
These are Julian congas, the macho is a special made because it has 6 lugs and 5 outter bands. They have been treated like royalty since they been with me, new skins and awesome sweet sound.
Enclosed picture.
Dario

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

Posted: **Wed Oct 24, 2007 6:57 pm**

Here is a photo Junior sent me a few months before he went into a coma. He had been making ash congas and wanted me to see them. He always made cahoba (caribbean mohogany) congas and those are the ones I have.
Saludos, Dario

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

Posted: **Thu Oct 25, 2007 3:29 am**

Wow, that is great that you knew him so personally. I didn't get into drums until about 1.5 yrs ago, which I got from my father who plays the timbal.

If it comes to you getting rid of two drums, I'm sure you will have no problem fetching top dollar for them. Be sure to let us know, so we can have a chance at those pieces of history.

I will still continue my quest through the five boroughs, hoping to get a lucky find.

Posted: **Thu Oct 25, 2007 4:53 am**

Thanks for the words everyone. I really enjoyed reading all of your input.
Dario....The set I have used to have a small cuban flag decal on the bands. Does this sound familiar? I have had them fully restored to like new. Once I figure out how to put a picture of them on here I will share them with everyone. I think I figured it out.
Congalero....nice to hear from you. It's been a long time. I have to share some bad news with you one of these days. Anyway, I really like when there is a tribute to a great master conga maker. I love to read everyones stories.

Posted: **Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:09 am**

Those Juniors were mine as well. I sold them to a guy in SF that knew John Santos, I had placed a Cuban flag sticker on them. That set was slightly taller than my other Juniors. That set was made by Junior when he shared JCR's (Cali) workshop in the Bronx. They went into partnership for a brief time. Here is a photo of both of them at Cali's shop.
Dario

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

Posted: **Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:57 pm**

Junior's was a small operation, exactly as Dario described it...very small shed in the back, stocked full of rims, hardware, and bomba drums/barriles...his humble home also contained various drums...a bongo he showed me, and an IYA, much like Dario has in his collection...he was humble, serious about his work, and able to turn around a conga in two weeks...from scratch!!! In talking w/ Junior, he would tell me that he'd been trying to get out of the game for a while, but us conga fiends would always ask for more and more drums...I think all that have owned or played a drum by Junior have that special connection...i've never met anyone that has told me one of his drums were subpar, and i doubt there is a person on earth that would say so...

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... age001.gif

Posted: **Thu Oct 25, 2007 4:01 pm**

Ralph,

What ever happened to Eddie Bobe?

Saludos,

Jorge Ginorio

Posted: **Thu Oct 25, 2007 4:19 pm**

tamboricua wrote:Ralph,

What ever happened to Eddie Bobe?

Saludos,

Jorge Ginorio

Eddie Bobe is an elusive character in NYC rumba....He's been around for a while, and has played, w/ all of the heavy NY/cuban cats...He popped up to do his Central Park Rumba recording...which was well recieved but I haven't heard anything about him after that. He along w/ Alberto Serrano and Skip Burney, are great rumberos...but really hard to keep track of....I hope we hear more about him soon...Guarachon? Anything to add Barry?

Below...Eddie on the far right...

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

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Junior Tirado Congas - None are for sale lately