New Volcano Percussion Congas

[akdom]

Hi

I can only agree to what you just said.

I am just about to purchase a brand new set and there is no way I will put this amount of cash in instruments... Especially congas!

I love drums, I love great sound, but between the 1300€ set (for 3) and the prices mentioned here, my choice is made in a blink.

I do not want to give my money to "major" brand, so I decided to purchase Bauer for around 450€ a piece and for a quality at least as good as top of the line LP or Minel...

To conclude, I would be so affraid to play a 1200$ drum!!!!!


D

[bongosnotbombs]

I think this is why Volcano is now offering $599 drums.
Volcano has several price points in their drum line.

[RitmoBoricua]

I think this is why Volcano is now offering $599 drums.
Volcano has several price points in their drum line.

No doubt for the Regular Joe $599.00 is more like it. Let me add that I think I read somewhere that a company like LP makes more money from selling their economical and kiddies lines than from selling their professional lines of instruments. I think that is one reason they moved down the Santana theme to the Aspire line.

[yambu321]

JUST TO CLARIFY A TAD.

VOLCANO DRUMS ARE PROBABLY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DRUMS OUT THERE. THEY ARE BEAUTIFULLY CONSTRUCTED!
HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT OF A TRUE CUBAN STYLE DESIGN, AND YES, THEIR SOUND IS THAT OF A (GOOD BONGO SET UP). HOWEVER, A JAY BERECK, SKIN ON SKIN, IS A SUPERIOR SOUNDING BONGO.

A SOS BONGO WOULD CLEARLY DEFINE ITSELF AS THE TOP DOG FOR AUTHENTIC CUBAN SOUND, AND STYLING. ALSO MATTHEWS BONGOS ARE LIKE ROLLS ROYCES. THAT IS WHY I CANNOT SEE HOW THE TOP OF THE LINE VOLCANO BONGO, COULD EVER BE WORTH THE PRICE OF TWO SOS'S, OR TWO MATTHEWS. JUST WON'T EVER HAPPEN.
CHARLIE.

[pcastag]

But,,, have you played VOLCANOS?
PC

The op hasn't played the drum he's advertising so what makes playing them a qualification for having an opinion?

Uhhh, when your opinion is based on how the drums sound it sure helps to have played them!
PC

[bongosnotbombs]

To conclude, I would be so affraid to play a 1200$ drum!!!!!
D

What's the big deal about playing a $1,200 conga drum? I dropped $1,000 for repairs to my
dad's 80 year old Martin guitar, it's now valued between $3,000-$4,000 and I play it all the time. No big deal.
I don't see why congas should be any different.

[umannyt]

To conclude, I would be so affraid to play a 1200$ drum!!!!!
D

What's the big deal about playing a $1,200 conga drum? I dropped $1,000 for repairs to my
dad's 80 year old Martin guitar, it's now valued between $3,000-$4,000 and I play it all the time. No big deal.
I don't see why congas should be any different.

The perception of worth is often relative. For someone like Akdom it is a big deal; for you it isn't. It's as simple as that.

[caballoballo]

[quote="yambu321"]JUST TO CLARIFY A TAD.

THEY ARE NOT OF A TRUE CUBAN STYLE DESIGN. AND THEIR SOUND IS THAT OF AN (STANDARD GOOD BONGO SET UP), BUT, A JAY BERECK, SKIN ON SKIN, IS A SUPERIOR SOUNDING BONGO.

A SOS BONGO WOULD CLEARLY DEFINE ITSELF AS THE TOP DOG FOR AUTHENTIC CUBAN SOUND, AND STYLING. NO MATTER WHAT, I CANNOT SEE HOW THE VOLCANO BONGO, COULD EVER BE WORTH THE PRICE OF TWO SOS'S, OR TWO MATTHEWS. JUST WON'T EVER HAPPEN.

If you think SOS and Mathews are the top, it is you opinion and I have to respect it . I have played a mathews which belongs to my friend Wilson and the sound was tiny in comparison with and old Ismael he got and a new RR made by Ismael grandson that we have on hand, they are not as fancy as the mathew but way better sounding. All were 7" and 8.5". Still I would not pay $500 for a Jay or a Mathews. I can get 2 Alejandro Arce 3A for that price or have one made by a local artisan like Charlie Vega, Lito, Papo Del Valle, Ismael Ramos or Jorge Miranda for half of that price (500).

[akdom]

To conclude, I would be so affraid to play a 1200$ drum!!!!!
D

What's the big deal about playing a $1,200 conga drum? I dropped $1,000 for repairs to my
dad's 80 year old Martin guitar, it's now valued between $3,000-$4,000 and I play it all the time. No big deal.
I don't see why congas should be any different.

The perception of worth is often relative. For someone like Akdom it is a big deal; for you it isn't. It's as simple as that.

Exactly

And you do not bang your guitare or your violin... Congas have a hard life... You carry them around, toss them in car trunks, they scratch each other while playing etc etc etc... I wouldn't mind purchasing a 10 000$ violin or piano...... There is a big difference for me. And finally, I do not worship my drums, I use them, so this is why I think it's crazy to spend that much money on congas.

B

[RitmoBoricua]

This thread reminded me some years ago we were jamming at a friend house and this dude came with his big time beat-up Matadors and blew us out of the water. At the end of the jam I helped him carry his drums to his pick-up truck and he just threw them real hard on the bed of the truck got in in the truck and kept trucking no pun intended. He was not worrying about getting his drums scratched or anything. Them Matados were holding-up pretty good no cracks or splits just chips and dents and they sounded good.

[akdom]

Yep

This reminds me of my current set.....

Purchased from a friend who got them from a freiend who got them.... 250€ 3 years ago.

They went to hell many times and back, touring, gigging, banging and still here...... By the way, this set is for sale now

[umannyt]

Akdom,

Based on the beat-up looks of your present congas, now I understand even more why you won't buy Volcano congas.

And God forbid that someone gives you a set of immaculate Volcano congas! I'd hate to see their condition 3 years from now! LOL!

You seem to be to your congas what Willie Nelson is to his acoustic guitar (beat up and with a big hole). LOL!

[akdom]

LOL

I didn't buy these drums brand new of course, they were pretty old already and I kind of finished them...

It will be different with my new set.... Hopefully


B

[pdxisbest]

As a recent acquirer of new Volcanos I'd like to add my 2 cents on the "art drum" idea. Yes, you can pay extra for the artistic merits of a drum, but those are only a reflection of the overall quality you are purchasing. There's also the unseen details like steam stave bending, wood that isn't bandsawed from old plantation rubber trees, biscuits in all the joints... quality built into every step. The beautiful end result is the sum of quality worksmanship and materials at every step of the process. In addition to the visual appeal the end result is a stronger drum with superior sonic qualities.

"Hucking a drum" into the bed of a pickup or subjecting it to any major physical trauma is simply asinine. It risks destroying the tonal properties of the instrument. A crack, a dent in the bearing edge, stripped lugs, any of these can impair the sound of a drum. Why take that risk, not to mention the loss of life on your investment?

I say buy quality instruments, play them like they're intended to be played (and frequently), but treat them with the respect they deserve.

[CongaTick]