congaplace.com

Here's my story: I have 3 Fiberglass LP Patato's with Remo "tucked" Nuskyn heads from 2001....no problem here. I remember having my wife help me with clamps to get them on snug.
I just bought 3 Meinl Luis Conte congas & will have someone refinish them to a slightly darker color. I was hoping to replace the hardware on the Meinl's with their heavier gauge hardware ( SSR rims & tuning lugs )...just the rims alone are over $100 each !! So much for that idea. I also want to use "tucked" Nuskyn heads again. Here's where it gets silly: I took the comfort curve 2 rims & "tucked" Nuskyn heads off the LP's & managed to get them onto the Meinl's...not fun & not easy. Then, I took the Meinl "traditional" rims & put them on the LP's with no problem...they fit the 11 inch perfectly...and sort of OK with the 11-3/4 inch. I'm still waiting for the 12 inch Meinl to arrive & do the same stupidness.
I realized immediately that I actually had to "force" the Nuskyn head onto the Meinl shell...yeah, I know...not too cool...but, it worked for my purposes. I spoke to REMO & understood that the Nuskyns were made for all the big conga makers, but NOT for Meinl. Has anyone ever found a Nuskyn "tucked" head made for another company besides LP that actually fit the Luis Conte drum "perfectly" ??? ( or close enough without having a heart attack in the process ? ) Maybe I will have better luck with the Crimplock Symmetry, but my first choice is the "tucked" Nuskyn.

ouch

Hmmmmm.....I have a sick feeling that I will most likely be dishing out the $300.00 for the Meinl SSR rims & use the Crimplock Symmetry Nuskyns...................OUCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111

I missed the bit where you explained why you were going through all this rigmarole.

.....well, I guess I'm one of those people who has the urge to own an instrument that stands out a little from the norm.
Remove the clear finish & stain a deeper color, possibly "powder coat" the rim & side plate & of course, use the Remo Nuskyn which means I need the SSR rims for a ( hopefully) perfect fit onto the shell of the drum.
Can I actually afford the added expenses......don't ask.

yeeman have you called meinl to discuss your ideas?

MEINL USA L.C.
3300 Ambrose Ave.
TN 37207 Nashville
United States

Phone: 615-227-5090; call free: 877-886-3465

Fax 615-227-0290

E-Mail: info@meinlusa.com

I've called REMO & MEINL more times than I care to admit.
I know that the Nuskyn "tucked" heads from my LP Patato's DO NOT fit the Luis Conte traditional rims.

I know that the Crimplock Symmetry heads DO NOT fit into the LP comfort curve II's from the Patato's.

Fortunately, the MEINL traditional rims DO fit the onto the Crimplock Symmetry heads....YIPPEE !!!!

But, I really would prefer to find the MEINL SSR rims that fits these Crimplock Symmetry.

I'm still waiting for MEINL to figure out which SSR's would work for me.
The answer I'm waiting for doesn't seem to be an easy one for REMO & MEINL....I don't understand why.
I can't be the only person trying to use Remo Nuskyns & SSR rims on the LC congas ????
I will post my findings a soon as I get an answer.

FYI: Although both the LP & MEINL congas are 11", 11-3/4", & 12-1/2"...the REMO heads & rims for the MEINL
are a little larger.

*

Cool...they look like the tucked Nuskyn heads ?
You have the 3 standard size LP traditional rims ?
( Yeah, I'm still BENT on the round rims )
Didn't you have to "force" those heads onto the shell ???
When I get my 3 drums back from the guy that's staining them,
I'll just use the traditional rims that came with them & the Crimplock Symmetry....at least for now.

*

Yeeman,

Recently bailed on the Remo NuSkyn... sonically they were fine, but the tactile

impression felt "plastic". Just my opinion. I live in Arizona so humidity / rainfall

is not an issue. To get the heads on the new Gon Bops required herculean effort.

Not sure what the issue was...but "snug" is an understatement. Your mileage may

vary. Stayed with the NuSkyn on the bongos...but those to will be changed down the

road.

Good luck.

Peace, Chas

cdldrum wrote:Yeeman,

Recently bailed on the Remo NuSkyn... sonically they were fine, but the tactile

impression felt "plastic". Just my opinion.

Peace, Chas

Chas,

I use Remo Fiberskyn Crimplock Symmetry on all my 4 Gon Bops CA congas and I love them: great projection and (the best part of all) doesn't lose their tuning. My Gon Bops are 2007 models and they came with natural skins. I still like the natural skins, though, and have kept them.

My friend has Remo NuSkyns on his bongos and I didn't like them at all. You're right: They felt, as you said, "plasticky". Too smooth for my preference. Fiberskyn definitely has a rougher surface and, IMO, feel closer to natural skins. I'm glad that I chose them over NuSkyns.

Btw, very nice set up you have there on the photo. Congratulations!

Peace likewise,

Thanks Manny...

In fairness to Remo ...seems a very nice product,...I did not give

the heads enough of a trial...had tunnel vision on getting hide.

Have the Fiberskyn on a Yamaha snare and really like it...

the set-up I'm using is a work in progress...so far very pleased...

I jerry-rigged the bongo stand (angle adjustable lud snare basket on

top of a Pearl cymbal stand) solid as a rock (thin bungee cord over

the padded snare basket)... too cheap to pony up for the bongo stand.

Thanks again.

Peace, Chas

Chas,

You're more than welcome!

Btw, I forgot to mention that my Gon Bops CA bongos also now have Remo Fiberskyn Crimplock Symmetry on them. And I love it! The sound on the macho is very crisp. And again, great projection and, best of all, the tuning doesn't change which is most appreciated especially during gigs.

Best,

http://remo.com/mini/crimplocksymmetry/ ... t_FULL.pdf

Above is the current info. for the Crimplock Symmetry heads. From what REMO told me, the Symmetry is the revised version of the "original" crimplock heads...they have more"folds" in the construction, allowing the head to conform to the shell/bearing edge better. I mentioned to SalseroBoricua71 that I was reluctant to "force" the Nuskyn "tucked" onto the MEINLs because it might compromise the sound....but, I applaud him for pulling it off & I did give it a second thought after seeing his tempting photos !! I guess I could use a hair dryer & try to soften the plastic as I tighten down the head....NAHHHH. Sure, I would prefer the tucked heads, but they're really a little smaller than the actual top of the LC Meinls.....Nuskyn tucked were NEVER made for my model.
BTW, as we speak, I'm having someone sand the steamin' crap outta my LC drums to re-stain them....whatever finish/stain is on them..it's DEEP in the wood !!!!