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Fellas,

Last night my tumba split from top to bottom. I am not sure when it happened but when I finished the gig and began to de-tune, I noticed a big ass split between two staves all the way down the belly of the drum. As much as I want to fix it, it is also apparent to me that the drum has come to the end of a very fruitful life with me. I recently fixed another crack (which has held up pretty well).
Regardless, I've had that drum for close to 13 years and back then was bought for $100 from an old friend!! Unbelievable deal for sure...
I am now looking for a similar deal. I don't want a new drum because I just can't spend the dough. Right now I need an everyday tumba that will accompany me on many rough gigs. I have a Volcano super tumba that frankly doesn't see the light of day since it was $1,000 and doesn't have ears to put on a stand (I play standing up with the band).
So, I am now on the search for a drum that will replace the old one. Again, I don't care about scratches and dents as long as it doesn't have splits and severe cracks. Does anyone have an old tumba laying around that is willing to sell it for $100 or $150??

Thanks.

Here are some pics of my old buddy:

wow 6/8 that one really bit the dust eh? Do you gig with it non finished like that , or was it after the knowledge of the split then sanding it down?

T

Why do you not try to fix your matador tumba?
It looks like a clean crack.
Plus you would save money.

Mike wrote:Why do you not try to fix your matador tumba?
It looks like a clean crack.
Plus you would save money.

I think that's a pic from a previous repair guys.

6X8, Here's a thought....

Sell the Volcanic "which doesn't see the light of day". Even though the thought of that may tighten your sphincter, having a great drum that doesn't get shlepped to gigs? I guess if you're a "collector" then it's worth it.

hey guys! thanks for the feedback.

The pic I posted is the drum with the NEW crack. I had fixed another crack (much smaller than that) a few months back.

The drum looks sanded because I was recently thinking of having a local artist paint it. It's been sanded like that for a while and I just kept playing with it in that condition because I could never find the time to give it up without losing a drum for an upcoming gig.

In retrospect, I guess that would be the reason the drum cracked the way it did...no coating and the unforgiving Miami heat...

Since this was the second crack this year, I just thought it was a perfect excuse to get a "new" drum. I've been thinking of a Bauer tumba (even though I've never played one), I just love that belly or something else.

Deep inside I knew I was going to try to fix it. I just hope that after I fix this crack, more don't show up !!! In that case, I will bury the puppy in my backyard!!

Regardless, if anyone has a tumba you have laying around and don't see yourself using it, let me know! Yeah, I know, that's not the case for most members in this forum! BUT maybe there's someone out there that has 78 drums and has a rut laying around!!!

Congatick: selling the Volcano is thought...a hard decision to make regardless! I always thought that IF I ever sold it, it would be to get a Matthew Smith....actually, that sounds better the more I think about it!! Thanks for the encouragement, I will give it some serious thought. The Volcano never convinced me sound wise anyway.

E-mail sent

Thanks
Mike

Keep the Volcano, get the Bauer, that's my advice.
The Bauers are a great drum, and inexpensive they are readily available
all over the net.

If you sell the Volcano for a Matt Smith you'll be waiting
at least 9 months if not a lot longer for a replacement. You might
miss the Volcano during the wait. You can always tinker with the Volcano
to make it sound more to your taste.

Bnb, best advise so far.
Just so happens I contacted L&H for a mule about a month ago. I put the order on hold until I had the $ to buy it. Figured I would keep trying more skins. It's such a well built drum, I just can't believe it's the drum's fault.
So far I've tried 2 Confers (steer) and 1 Herman Oak (cow). I think a mule might do the trick but who knows!
You're right about Matthew Smiths. It's a long wait. Not only that, I would only be guessing it's going to be better than the Volcano since I've never played one myself. Only heard they're so good...
Anybody have a used Bauer tumba they wanna get rid of??

Well, I don't want to rile up the Matt Smith guys, I know those drums are truly great,
but I also like Volcanoes.

I have several L&H skins, including two mule skins on my bongos.
Their stuff is high quality for sure, hopefully you get the sound you want from the L&H mule skin.

seisporocho1 wrote:Bnb, best advise so far.
Just so happens I contacted L&H for a mule about a month ago. I put the order on hold until I had the $ to buy it. Figured I would keep trying more skins. It's such a well built drum, I just can't believe it's the drum's fault.
So far I've tried 2 Confers (steer) and 1 Herman Oak (cow). I think a mule might do the trick but who knows!
You're right about Matthew Smiths. It's a long wait.
??

Thats the key right there, how far is the skin/crown from the shell? I am assuming by pictures its farther away than say an LP(just for comparison). Farther away as in a bigger gap between the shell and skin/crown . An old school style drum will probably satisfy you more by your decription. With a mule skin, it may it should be dryer than a steer/cow, but the skin/crown gap is a bigger issue than the skin itself. I am starting to think the skin/crown configuration is THE biggest part to consider to the overall sound, and the shell IS ALMOST SECONDARY.

t

Tonio wrote:Thats the key right there, how far is the skin/crown from the shell? I am starting to think the skin/crown configuration is THE biggest part to consider to the overall sound, and the shell IS ALMOST SECONDARY.

Pretty much so I guess, that´s what I have been experiencing in the last years too, plus of course the sheer quality of a skin - but almost everyone here on this forum knows about that.

Interesting info. I honestly did not think the space btw the shell and the crown would affect the sound at all as long as the skin is being stratched over the mouth of the drum.... Anyone know how that works ?

It has more to do with the amount of sustain of open tones and ringing. Sure the skin is a big factor too, but the gap is what makes the difference in overall choke of the whole assembly.

PLayed old GB's? The older the skin, (all streched out), less sustain. Even Lp's with streched out skin touching the shell will have less sustain beause its choked.

For an example, when my cherry Islas were new, they had a long open sustain, now that the skin is stretched alittle and closer to the shell, the sustained has gone down to a nice amount of sustain to be more articulate.

Sometimes I like a thuddy tumba, sometimes I like a long sustained tone. Depends on the gig/genre etc.


T

6x8, check the gap on the Volcanos. I personally would like to know, as I think it has a big gap.

T