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I recently decided to make some room in the house, and I decided to do that by getting rid of a drum. I put up this vintage Gon Bop conga and the first person to reply was my friend Will, known here as theBreeze. Seems he had a match for it. So I sold it back to him for the same as I paid.

Here it is with Wil's matching drum. Looks like it found a good home


So then we started talking about drums. I knew Wil takes great care of his drums and had a pair of vintage Valjes. He also had an extra Valje conga from the 60's,
so I offered my very special vintage Valje bongo as a trade for the conga. I have a 60's Valje tumba, and since I got rid of the Gon Bop the tumba needed a match. So we traded.

Here is the bongo with Wil's Valje's. A great looking set of drums.


and here is my pair of 1960's Valje congas.


So I meant to get rid of a conga and a bongo, but instead got rid of just a bongo since I added the Valje.

.....but, some of you may remember a friend of mine passed recently, well she had a memorial where I had a chance to play her wonderful set of Gon Bops congas in the park.


her friend who was the executor of her belongings heard me play and decided that I should have the quinto. I had placed the skin on this very same quinto for my departed friend. So now I have this Gon Bops quinto.

her friend who was the executor of her belongings heard me play and decided that I should have the quinto. I had placed the skin on this very same quinto for my departed friend. So now I have this Gon Bops quinto.

So in the end I didn't get rid of any drums, I traded a Valje for the Valje and sold the Gon Bops to inherit another Gon Bops. The Gon Bops quinto will of course never leave my hands.

Geordie....I had a great time seeing you again after such a long time, although the sad news you shared about Lisa had me
thinking about life in general and how sometimes we don't see something coming like this. You were a good friend to her, and you are good man. I think our trade was good for both of us. I really like the picture you took of your Valje Tumba with the Conga from our trade. They look like a set that came together through destiny.
p.s.....I will not forget that if I ever decide to part with the Valje Bongos that you will be the very first to know. You have my word on that.
Take care, and GOD bless you.

I'm with you Geordie, to inherit something as cherished as that drum is an honor. It is a way of keeping the departed one's spirit alive. The drum will always have a special meaning to you. Buck