LP MATADOR vs MEINL PRO

[masterdj]

Hello everyone,

I need your opinion. I dont think i am going to be able to afford to buy LP Classic range.

I f you had to choose LP Matador or Meinl Professional, which one would you go for and why?

They will cost me the same price even Matodor is a little cheaper. Non of them coming with a stand and i think meinl has buffalo skin and matador has rawhead.

Please help me to choose my new set.

Thank to you all..

[Mike]

I´d go for the Matadors, there´s nothing wrong with it. Don´t trust the advertising slogans like "for the intermediate player" or something: Even some of the pros here play them, e.g. ABAKUA as far as I remember. Besides they are a GREAT set, be it for beginners or advanced players.
They also have buffalo skins though - "rawhide" is somehow an ideological word, simply sounds better than dead Asian waterbuff

I can´t leave you without doubt I´m afraid: The Meinl professional series is very good too, simply another sound.
To me they have more volume and a fuller rounder sound. Perhaps too round for some.
Matadors come in very handy in acoustic settings, they provide what some call "the LP sound" - whatever that means.

One final thought: Both Matadors and Meinls are Asian mass production drums. Congaplace members have argued and always will argue about that. Well, after all it´s your choice - the question is, have you got another alternative...

Hope I confused you just enough

Mike

[Congadelica]

Id go for the meinl pro series . german engineering and great quality, also those dark brown with the crome will look of da hookl mate. And meinl dont try to con the consumer by advertising as rewhide instead of the water buffalo LP are no doubt the big cheese , ther really wont be much in sound difference that you would notice . Toca also have some nice drums .

But id say the Meinl pro are higher spec than the Matadors .

[umannyt]

Id go for the meinl pro series . german engineering and great quality, also those dark brown with the crome will look of da hookl mate. And meinl dont try to con the consumer by advertising as rewhide instead of the water buffalo LP are no doubt the big cheese , ther really wont be much in sound difference that you would notice . Toca also have some nice drums .

But id say the Meinl pro are higher spec than the Matadors .

I totally agree! I'd go with the Meinl Pro, too.

In addition to disclosing that they use water buffalo heads, Meinl also has the integrity (balls) to fully disclose that the wood they use is Rubber Wood and not the word-engineered "Siam Oak" or "Asian Oak". :p

I hope this helps,



Edited By umannyt on 1198227867

[yambu321]

I'D SAVE MY MONEY FOR THE DRUMS I'D REALLY LIKE TO OWN INSTEAD OF MAKING IT NECESSARY FOR ME TO SHORT CHANGE MYSELF, FOR THE QUICK FIX. YOU CAN BUY THE BEST ONCE, OR KEEP UPGRADING. IF CONGA PLAYING IS GOING TO BE YOUR PASSION SAVE FOR THE RIGHT DRUMS. IF NOT, OR IF YOU'RE NOT SURE ABOUT HOW DEEP YOUR COMMITMENT WILL BE IN THE FUTURE, EITHER OF THE DRUMS MENTIONED ABOVE, WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT CHOICE.

MY FIRST CONGAS ARE MY "MATADORS" WHICH HAVE THE TRADITIONAL CROWNS, THEY ARE TRULY AN AWESOME VALUE. THEY ARE GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME TO COMBINE THEM, WITH MY CUSTOM ISLA-PERCUSSIONS DRUMS DURING JAMS, WITHOUT REMORSE.

MOREOVER, DURING QUITE A FEW SOCIAL RUMBA'S MY MATADORS GOT MORE COMPLIMENTS ON THEIR SOUND, THAN THE MORE EXPENSIVE LP'S, AND TOCA'S DID.

IF SAVING MONEY, AND GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY IN SOCIAL RUMBAS, AND OR DRUM CIRCLES IS SOMETHING YOU ARE LOOKING AT. I'D LOOK FOR SOME GREAT DEALS ON EBAY! AND WHEN YOUR READY, THEN BUY YOUR DREAM DRUMS

DREAM DRUMS ARE SOMETHING TO CARE FOR, AND PROTECT; AND BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT.

GOOD LUCK, EITHER WAY!
CHARLIE "EL COQUI" VERDEJO



Edited By yambu321 on 1198239628

[Mike]

Umannyt and Congadelica, maybe you´re right about the quality of the Meinls, but as I said, to me the Matadors sound just fine. As Charlie said

DURING SOCIAL RUMBA'S MY MATADORS GOT MORE COMPLIMENTS ON THEIR SOUND, THAN THE MORE EXPENSIVE LP'S, AND TOCA'S DID.

Admittedly, there´s the constant problem about the skins. But then you would have to go for a completely different price level if you wanted a superb set (!) of congas for a medium price. I would not recommend the mounting business for beginners neither. I don´t know how serious you are about learning to play congas, Masterdj. Sorry for being so blunt, but answering the question for yourself might save you a lot of money.
Watching ebay or second hand offers might be a good idea as you can save tremendously there.

Just my 0.2 €

[Congadelica]

MDJ , Ill give you an example of what I payed from e bay for a set of 3 classics , My drums were ex demo in a local mucis shop , I paid £255 including 3 stands . a futher 160 for good skins has me in a place i like . That said I have proved to myself alfter 10 months of playing , I practice typically 1 to 2 hours daily so now Im serious about the drum I will most definatly next year be buying a custom set the islas are looking a good option for me TBH.
Mario will ship 3 drums to the UK shipping free add the 37.5~% Ill be looking at payinsaround £1k for something very special . Check out the video on the Islas on you tube these mammas are the real deal for sure .

Take time to check e bay there are at times some very good deals to be had my drums were as good as new .
Mike is right about the head changing , its not easy but if you take your time and do things methodically I found it not too bad my first attemp was a bit of a mare check out earlier threads . Im now very confident in changing heads .

I made the novice mistake initally of buying a set of hoby drums Headliner 10" and 11" i soon realised after reading on this forum Id fooked up .

You doing the best thing asking lots of questions , Like I said your in very good company here bud.

Good luck with whatever you decide .

marco



Edited By Congadelica on 1198236679

[masterdj]

I want to thank to you all for responding my questions.

I want to learn how to play conga but i must say that i have other commitments in my life.

I am looking to spent 2-3 hours a week at first. I just want to have a set would make me satisfied with its sound and i shouldnt start thinking about upgrading my set 6 months after buying the first set. Instead of loosing money when i try to sell them in 6 months time i sould buy a decent set today.

Questions starts here. What is the decent set? I thought Luis Conte set would be decent for me and i would keep them forever! I sent them back after a week. I didnt feel them. I used my rights and i took my money back.

I love music and i love percussion. I would like to buy LP Classic conga and tumba and keep them forever. They would cost me 750 pounds with their stand. This is not a toy, this is a musical enstrumant we are talking about. Of course everything comes with a price.

It is difficult to fine all the brands in uk or they are too expensive compare to thomann.

My wife says you dont even know how to play, you want to spend 750 pounds!!

Come on guys please tell me.

What should i do?

Buy LP Matadors because its coming from LP family and its a good set as well.
Buy Meinl Pro because they are better then Matadors.
or
Buy LP Classic because its the best drum in its catagory, better then above 2 drums, its more expensive but i would never want to loose them when i have them.

Thank you again, i am waiting for your comments....

[umannyt]

Come on guys please tell me.

What should i do?

masterdj,

For all the recent rehash of comfort rims vs. traditional rims debate, given your current level and goals, you can't go wrong with any of these 3: LP Matador, Meinl Pro or LP Classic. I would have been extremely happy with the Meinl Luis Conte (w/ upgraded steer or mule skins) as my starter congas. But, this option is probably too late now for you.

I believe that most of us who have contributed their time and inputs have given you more than enough information for you to make an idiot-proof decision. But, we can't do the deciding for you. You'll have to decide for yourself.

Also, I suggest against over-analyzing. Have ever heard of this phrase: "Analysis paralysis"? I hope that you don't ever become a victim of this.

As the Nike commercial so aptly said it, "Just do it"!



Edited By umannyt on 1198277038

[burke]

I hesitate to mention this but for what its worth I have friend who’s about to post a set of Classics for $450 on Craigslist. The reason I hesitate is that they are in Nova Scotia [Canada] and folks usually post on Craigslist cause they want to avoid the whole shipping thing as with ebay. I have no idea what sending them to the UK would entail or cost but anyway...there it is.

[bongosnotbombs]

This is what sucks about buying drums on the internet. You can't try them first. Oh well.

Get the Matador's. They are a great drum. The price is right. I've had one and several excellent player's I know play them and they sound fine.

The price won't break the bank. You may never need another set. At their reasonable price it should be easy for you to resell if you quit.

Also they have that cool bull head shaped lugplate! Need I say more?

EL MATADOR!

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

[Mike]

Yep, get El Toro!
(This is the short version of my previous advice)

Merry Christmas
Mike

[glj]

how are the matafor fiberglass drums? how do they compare in quality to other fiberglass drums?

[congamyk]

I played a Matador fiberglass quinto the other day and it blew me away!
That thing had a slap that would knock down walls.

I'm thinking my next set will be FIBERGLASS.



Edited By congamyk on 1201030204

[PRDRconguero]

I've played, and learned on Lp classic fiberglass, which sound good. As it has been mentioned on this board, it's all preference. I prefer the fuller, warmer sound of a wood drum. Just for me, I prefer that "classic" sound.

You'll get loudness out of a fiberglass drum, but you choice will depend on your playing style/intentions. There are planty of wood drums out there that can rock a room.

Once again. there is nothing wrong with a fiberglass drum...it's what I learned on. But it's all up to you.