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Happy New Year to all! As Paul Kargez stated, I acquired his Kings and they are very nice and sound good with the original bleached heads. This is where I need some help; they need new heads. The original quinto has a head that is about the same thickness as my Ritmo(Matthew doesn't like thick skins). The conga has a thicker skin. I have some thick steerhide and would like to use it on both drums. Does anyone know how strong the King shells are? I put one of these skins on my 11 inch Patato and it works fine, no flex on the sides of the shell & deep, dark tone, and cracking slaps. Ideally I'd like some bleached skins but, I don't know where to find them. All suggestions are welcome. I'm sure someone will have the answer. Thanks in advance, Buck

Having had Kings for sometime (I don't have any presently), I found that a thick skin on the macho does not work well. The problem with Kings as well as Echo Tones is that the hardware, mainly the lugs, are not as sturdy or strong as say an LP lug. I found that when I used a thicker skin on the macho there came a point where I couldn't tune any further because the lug offered resistance and I was affraid the shell was going to go out of round with the tension from the tuning. Kings and Echos don't have almas and the shells are not as strong as those of fiberglass LPs. I did used good quality Venezuelan skins on the machos (somewhat thinner) on both Kings and Echos and was very pleased with the tones I got out of them. I used regular cow hide on the hembras and got excellent bottom with no overtones, as compared with LP fiberglass. Both Kings and Echos have a dried sound (sonido mas seco) than do LPs with their overtones. I would definitely recommend thinner heads on the machos and constant lubrications on the lugs. Kings and Echos have a sound of their own, very melodoc when used in an accoustic setting (traditional Cuban son, folk music, spoken word, brazilian.....) I was not satisfied when I used them in a Salsa setting, where a strong "tumbao" or "marcha" (afinque gordo) is the only avenue to take. Photos of my Kings and Echos, I do miss the beauty and sleekness of both these congas. Buck, you're a lucky man, you have both. Armando Peraza, who I speak to from time to time, has many Kings in a garage in San Fran., he was the original endorser of Kings.

Feliz Año Nuevo.

Dario.

Enclosed: My Kings and my Echo Tones.202.jpg[/attachment]

Ahh, I remember when Armando use the Kings !! thanks for the reminder Dario!!

Taiko-James,thanks for the photo !

Bucko, check with Robert Felcher in San Diego, I believe he has a few bleached skins-pristine flat skin(United?) so the price should be appropriate. I bought a bongo bleached skin from him a while ago, and passed on the congas skins for some Bill Confers steer.

T

Thanks Dario. I found on the EcoTones that in the humidity here I just ran out of adjustment on the quinto. I had put two Confer skins on that I got from Matthew. They do sound good though.
Tonio, do you have Robert Felcher's phone or email. I'd like to contact him ASAP. Thanks everybody, Buck

Buck,

Rank the Kings and Echos as far as sound. They both sound very melodic and earthy, no overtones when compared to other fiberglass congas. I loved them both, but I tend to favor the Echos. Wish I still had both of them.

Dario.

Buckoh,
Don't have Roberts' tel # on me, I will pass it on later tonight.

T

Bucko- PM'd you.

T