Tell me more about King Congas

[roberthelpus]

To keep from hijacking this thread. viewtopic.php?f=14&t=5893&p=60267#p60267

So what's the story on these drums. What were they made of. What was the idea behind their unique hardware. Etc.

I have to watch myself on the threadjacking thing. A friend and I use to do it all the time on a local music forum. We'd usually go off on some personal conversation in the middle of someones thread. Something with pictures of dogs or farm tractors that would be completely non-sequitur. To our credit, we would usually do this to some I'm winning the internets argument, that had already repeated itself three times.

[Omelenko1]

"King Conga was a Fremont, California based percussion manufacturing company founded by Cirilo "Mitch" Basas in the late 1960s. They were one of the first companies to produce fiberglass congas and although the company was only around for a few years, these drums are still considered some of the best sounding conga drums ever produced. The original endorser for King Conga was the great conguero Armando Peraza.[1]

King Conga produced four original sizes - Requinto (9.5"), Quinto (10.5"), Conga (11.5"), Tumba (12.5"). All of the hardware and fiberglass design & fabrication was done by Mitch and his partner Ray McGinnis in their shop in Fremont, CA. Ray McGinnis also painted most of the artwork on each drum. Unfortunately the company ceased operations in the early 1970's after only producing approximately 2000 drums since the company's inception.

In 2007 the company was resurrected and they are currently in the process of reproducing the four original size drums."

They sound like no fiberglass conga, no overtones. I had a few of them, sold them a few years ago. They are good for accoustic setting, son Cubano, folk music, poetry recitals. When you used them in a Salsa band with horns, or in a Latin jazz setting with electronics, the sound does not project like say a Skin on Skin, LP, Junior.......

Dario

[roberthelpus]

The hardware looks nice, but it also looks like the answer to a question that nobody has asked. I would love to see somebody find a solution to the sticky pokeyness of the lugs sticking and poking into my legs some times.

[docarroyo]

Hello Robert As far as the lugs poking you I have different drums and just postion in the least poking position, but the hardware on these is very non intrusive. The side plates are rounded and the only thing that could stink you woud be the lugs which have the rubber cap on the bottom. I had played King when they first came out in the 70's my Firend Enrique Guerrero the Alto player from Brooklyn had a set then. I picked my set up a few weeks ago from a trap drummer who brought them new in 74 but hardly used them. When I picked them up he said they had been in a closet for about 30 or so years. They were in the original bags and came with thier original stands. After polishing them they appear like new, even the original skins after all these years sound great. As others have mention the have a great and unique tone the quinto even when cranked up still retains bass tones. No ringing as in many other fiberglass drums. If you notice in the quinto there is a piece of foam which was placed there by the maker to mute the overtone. The Tumba does not need it no ringing at all. Very well made drums, the hard ware is meaty and the chrome process beautiful. I have another in my home in Puerto Rico with my Ecotone drums which is unlike any other King I have yet to have seen. When I go there on vaction I will get photos and post them. Here are a couple of photos.

[niallgregory]

I have a set of congas i bought years ago ( cant actually remember where ) .They are black fiberglass and had a red stripe going down the sides . I think there 10 " and 11 " in size .They have king conga stickers on them but dont look like the pictures in this thread . The rims are more like comfort curve hoops except really thick , ive tried unsuccessfully to reskin the quinto but cant get a skin onto it .Will post some pics when i can and see if anyone knows anything about them .Cheers .

[roberthelpus]

Looking at the top picture of the inside of the drum is very interesting. It almost looks like it's staved construction but fiberglass, or they just followed the coloration onto the bottom of the drum which show attention to detail. Meanwhile, you can see that the top is not perfectly round by a long shot.