congaplace.com

This drum used to be mine, sold it to a buddy of mine ( guitar player) he still has it, it's fiberglass over wood, check out the hardware


unknown conga by pcastag, on Flickr

PC

That's a nice drum, I've have hung onto that just for it's old school funkiness !

Looks more like a King Conga to me. But who knows?

bongosnotbombs wrote:Looks more like a King Conga to me. But who knows?

I agree. I dont see any of the echo tone characteristics on that drum, looks full King to me as well.
Hey Dario, tu que tienes toda la experiencia, que piensas? ses el Juez.

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This reminds me of a drum I had about 2 years ago that I thought was a king prototype or early years king.
I sold it because I was hard for cash...I want it back....and I want this one to make a pair.
They would make a crazy funky set, eh!
I contacted the buyer of mine to see if he want to sell it back...waiting to hear from him.
Would your friend want to sell this drum to me so I can make a set..would be way cool!
Do you know how tall this drum is?
Anyhow, please let me know.
Here's a link for the one I had....
http://www.mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=3321&hilit=prototype

Was yours fiberglass over wood too? If my buddy sells that drum to anybody it's going to be me
PC

The conga that Jaquie (congablue) posted, is probably among the first Echo Tones made by Frank Mesa. I have only seen 2 like that, the one that she posted and one that belonged to Louie Goicochea, Tito Rodriguez conga player from the late 50's. Here is a photo of Louie and his early Echo Tone.
Louie lived in Broward county and he bought a conga from me in the mid 80's, he still had the conga in the photo. I wanted to buy it or trade it for the one he got from me, he would not do it, as he said that conga had too many memories. Louie died a few years ago from cancer, his son is a great Latin music bass player.

Dario

The Eco tones I had were possible the very first set that Frank had made and they had "no neck" as u can see in my photo from 1966...they were given to me by my first Conga teacher Hank Fields...Johnny Conga...ps they were the only set like them he ever made with 'no neck'..I have never seen any of his others with 'no neck'...

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The one that Jacquie posted was like Louie's conga. I had only seen Louie's until Jacquie posted hers. I tought it was an early Echoi Tone, before mine that had necks, but then I noticed the side plates from Jacuie's and Louie's were different than my Echo Tones. Echo Tones were sold at Manny's on West 48 St. Mine were bought in 1967 by a guy that was a friend of Frankie Malabe and he bought them at Manny's. I had both Echos and Kings, I always preferred the Echos. Here is another phot of mine and the one Jacquie posted. The ones JC had, I had one with no neck it was white with black lines, the opposite of JC's. Ray Barretto played a red one with no neck as well, Candito was also an Echo Tone die hard.

Dario

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