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Check out the new hardware on the crowns...Matt likens them as a cross between old pan con queso and the late Junior Tirado....they look sick, i'm getting them on mine...

Nice original look. Really sets the drum apart from other manufacturer's looks.

Alafia Abures!
I hope that you are all well and abundantly blessed!

Wow! Abure Ralph, that is definitely some interesting hardware that Matthew uses, here is a recent drum I received from him with yet, more interesting hardware. He also stated that the four Ritmo drums that I had ordered will have a more traditional Cuban look to them.

Suave!
Onile!

here's a pic of the Tumbadora itself!

i had a pretty long conversation w/ matthew today....after a couple of weeks of trying to reach him...he is busy...Matthew wants his drums to be distinguishable but not for the sake of just being original, but moreso, for letting his original ideas and nuances come through in his work in a natural and progressive way...i really like the new crown look...it reminds me of those old funky cuban designs, but with the sleekness and durability of today's best conga hardware....the new crown should serve as one of those features that will set his drums apart from the rest.

Onile esa tumbadora se mira heavy duty....i have a 13 inch tumba from matt, and the sound is almost too big !!!!

I like 'em, been procrastinating getting a new rim for my requinto, glad I did, now I can get this style !

Barrie

"......new hardware on the crowns...Matt likens them as a cross between old pan con queso and the late Junior Tirado...."

he said is like Pan Con Queso? and Junior Tirado?

Word spreads quick! Here are another few shots Matt sent me a few days ago... Certainly look quite strong.

Let me tell you how the whole thing started with Matthew's crown, Junior Tirado style. I bought these 2 really beatup Junior Tirado conga set from a pawnshop in Brooklyn, NY. The minute I saw them I knew they were like one of the first Juniors made (circa 1968/69), Junior had described to me his first conga sets. The pawnshop didn't know what they had and I played them down to them like Mexican made congas. So I get a good deal on both of them,by this time Junior had just gotten his heart attack and was in a coma. Matt Smith, the new keeper of the flame, is the logical alternative.
I had the pawnshop ship the congas to Matthew in Penn. The photo shows how they arrive and as you can see, the crown has unusual bigger "V"'s. In conversation with Matt, he tells me he will do a complete restoration job on both congas, but mentioned that the crown had caught his eye. Matt did such an amazing job restoring these congas, he is truly the Vincent Van Gogh of the "jicamo". Look at the before and after and look at the original Junior Tirado crown, circa 1968. This is where Matt gets the inspiration for his new crown design.

Dario

Complete Junior Tirado (1968) conga make over, the artist, Matt Smith.

Dario

Orinal Junior Tirado cown, circa 1968, rechromed as a result of Matt's complete makeover. Note the size and width of the "V"'s. This caught my eyes and those of Matt.

Junior spirit lives in Matt, but he has taken it to another level.

Saludos,

Dario

To quote Matthew:

I was sitting in my chair watching some dumb ass show on tv and sipping red wine.My mind was drifting and I wondered what a conga crown designed by Salvador Dali might look like so I took another few sips of wine and then reached for pencil.It was like I got hit by lightning,that's how fast this all occured.The new design is very avant-garde,takes a minute to get used to, but it's so out it's in.The subconscious influence of early Pan con Queso and early Jr.Tirado is undeniable but I am influenced by many other artists from other mediums as well,beleive me the river run's deep.

MATTHEW'S LATEST HARDWARE, IS JUST WHAT I NEED FOR MY CONGAS.
THIS WILL BE ONE OF MY NEXT MOVES, RIGHT AFTER MY NEW CHERRY WOOD BONGOS ARRIVE.

CHARLIE

ABAKUA wrote:To quote Matthew:

I was sitting in my chair watching some dumb ass show on tv and sipping red wine.My mind was drifting and I wondered what a conga crown designed by Salvador Dali might look like so I took another few sips of wine and then reached for pencil.It was like I got hit by lightning,that's how fast this all occured.The new design is very avant-garde,takes a minute to get used to, but it's so out it's in.The subconscious influence of early Pan con Queso and early Jr.Tirado is undeniable but I am influenced by many other artists from other mediums as well,beleive me the river run's deep.

I want to know what kind of red wine Matthew drinks.

I also want to know which pawn shops Omelenko goes to.

Once again, Matthew touches something, and it turns to gold.