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I just bought a Sonoc drum (probably built in 1991) with a diameter of 10". Is it a Quinto or Requinto?



I´ll get it in january. The skin is rather thin (1,5 mm). Would it make sense to replace it with a thicker one?

p.a.dogs1

Nice! That baby should sound great!
PC

a requinto is a quinto amd vice versa. Play it with that skin and see how it sounds, only then will you know if it needs a new skin. beautiful drum!

The seller asked me if he should put a new and thicker skin on it - that´s why I asked. The drum was brought from Cuba to Berlin in 1991 and has almost not been played. So, the skin is 20 years old but unused.

p.a.dogs1

Congratulations!

Thomas

Play it with that skin and see how it sounds. Never put a thick head on it as SONOCS don't have almas in them and a thicker head might make it go out of round. What you bought is a Caoba SONOC, on which production stopped around the mid 80's because of the Caoba wood no longer being processed. SONOC Caoba are one of the best sounding congas ever. What Tata Guines and Los Munequitos used. I had 5 SONOCS, here is a photo of them. You got yourself a real treasure in that quinto.

Dario

Omelenko1 wrote:What you bought is a Caoba SONOC

[...]

I had 5 SONOCS, here is a photo of them.

I´ve read your posts. They gave me some orientation regarding the expence of 260 €.

Caoba? Are you sure? Mine seems not to be as dark as yours. Therefore I expect the fragance of cedar wood (like the Rauls I got some months ago).

I am wondering about that the quintos (mine and yours) have 6 screws. Comparatively the conga (on your photo right of the quinto) seems to have only 5 screws.

Omelenko1 wrote:You got yourself a real treasure in that quinto.

p.a.dogs1

What a beautiful drum. Congratulations. Youll have to inspect the current condition of the skin before you can really determinw whether to replace it. If it's been taken care of and played very little as youve mentioned the drum should sing.
Once again, congratulations.

Nice find!
Just to touch on the Cuban Caoba topic, Im currently still in Cuba and Caoba is widely used, you can have bongo, tumbadoras and bata made in either stave or solid shell style with no problem.

Abakua---Is it legal? Can you get a drum made with Caoba out of the country?
Local might be alright but export might be another story.
Please let us know.
KK