Isla Percussion...

[Thebreeze]

I Think that the best Isla Congas I have played are a set of a friends that are made of Cherry Wood. There is just something about Cherry Wood that makes for a very nice tone, not to mention the beauty of the wood itself. I don't think that Mario is making any out of Cherry Wood these days though. The craftsmanship might not be on par with Volcano for instance, but the sound is THE BOTTOM LINE and ISLA wins hands down in that categorie just from my own experiences since I have played both.

[Thebreeze]

Here is a beautiful full set of ISLAS....wonder if anyone knows what kind of wood this is??

[Thebreeze]

Here is another Picture and I think the wood might be the same, still not sure but it is a beautiful wood, probably a hardwood from Belize?

[RitmoBoricua]

I have own a 9" quinto for a number of years now made out of canoe wood when Mario was doing
his work in California and I am very happy with it. Great sound you can even get bass tones out of
it relatively easy. My only regret is not buying a tumba when I had the opportunity back then.

[RitmoBoricua]

Here is another Picture and I think the wood might be the same, still not sure but it is a beautiful wood, probably a hardwood from Belize?

Beautiful, beautiful wood and I think is called "ziricote".

[Thebreeze]

The perfect skins for ISLA CONGAS OR BONGOS.........Mule skins from EL GRECO!!

[ABAKUA]

HABLA...

http://youtu.be/fNBvNQ98tp4

Vaya mi gente de Yoruba Andabo, direcatemente de La Habana!

Tha man Adonis, tremendo salvaje en el Quinto, Michel, Ronald & El Buda!

[Mr.Rumba]

Yes it is Ziricote. Their webiste is still up and there are some great photos there, too:http://islapercussions.blogspot.com/2012_01_01_archive.html

[Jaisen Torres]

IM LOOKING FOWARD TO ISLA PERCUSSION COMING BACK ON THE SEEN !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pcastag]

You talk to Mario? Is he coming back? I for one would take a trip to Belize to pick me up some caboa congas!

[rhythmrhyme]

If he makes a comeback, let's hope he also does right by some of his old customers who were not treated well or who he has outstanding debts with. It is a bit of a paradox as he does first need to get on his feet. We'll see what type of character the man truly possesses.

[Jaisen Torres]

I HOPE , he comes back & starts his production line again , im looking forward to that !!!

[Mr. Conga]

I am so delighted to see this thread, with fellow congeros just putting up pictures of their treasures. Have to totally agree with Jaison, on every aspect. Him and The Breeze, have just hit the nail on the head!
Jaison just doing one of the must intelectual points i have seen on this forum in a while, by showings us the contrast of how everyone was insulting ISLA and its maker, yet none will sell their drums....and by now is too late for the to sarcasm to say i am selling isla's now!...lol

*To me it show one of the most ironic weaknesses of the forum members, that all they did is spread hate, insults, for years now..

-They use all their energy into insulting, and calling slandering names to people who are happy with their ISLA percussion drums.

*But as history tells if you aren't criticize, that means you are not doing nothing right.

* I got tired of people who have bee helpfull to the forum such as Cuco, and Thebreeze being slander, black mailed, psychologicly attacked by the hat of other members, and been made like their is something wrong with them Old School gentleman on this forum. And then been pressure to apologize, to the HATERS, instead of it been made the other way around.

*Unfortunately productive forum members have been pressure to abandon this blog at times.

*I remember when this forum was stress free, in the year 2007, amonngs other important years when Dario (omelenko), Cuco, Caballoballo Jaison, and Thebreeze would log on daily!! to salute their fellow Rumberos(forum members), and be constructive, and always helpful.

*It was times like this when you felt the Cuban, and Puerto Rican love been passed around as brotherly love. (And no undermining to all other nationalities, but the fact is that The fact is that the percussive music we ALL seem to LOVE comes from those two beautifull ISLA'S ) Not writing nor discriminating at all any other countries or races, so don't write and say i am excluding other races . The love of my music comes from Puerto Rico, and Cuba, my love for the TAMBORES ,Congas, Bongo,Barriles, also. Comes from ISLA's. Because were did the Conga and Bongo first get crafted hystoricly!? in Cuba, and then fallowed by the caribbean tradicion in Puerto Rico.

[rhythmrhyme]

I am so delighted to see this thread, with fellow congeros just putting up pictures of their treasures. Have to totally agree with Jaison, on every aspect. Him and The Breeze, have just hit the nail on the head!
Jaison just doing one of the must intelectual points i have seen on this forum in a while, by showings us the contrast of how everyone was insulting ISLA and its maker, yet none will sell their drums....and by now is too late for the to sarcasm to say i am selling isla's now!...lol

*To me it show one of the most ironic weaknesses of the forum members, that all they did is spread hate, insults, for years now..

-They use all their energy into insulting, and calling slandering names to people who are happy with their ISLA percussion drums.

*But as history tells if you aren't criticize, that means you are not doing nothing right.

* I got tired of people who have bee helpfull to the forum such as Cuco, and Thebreeze being slander, black mailed, psychologicly attacked by the hat of other members, and been made like their is something wrong with them Old School gentleman on this forum. And then been pressure to apologize, to the HATERS, instead of it been made the other way around.

*Unfortunately productive forum members have been pressure to abandon this blog at times.

*I remember when this forum was stress free, in the year 2007, amonngs other important years when Dario (omelenko), Cuco, Caballoballo Jaison, and Thebreeze would log on daily!! to salute their fellow Rumberos(forum members), and be constructive, and always helpful.

*It was times like this when you felt the Cuban, and Puerto Rican love been passed around as brotherly love. (And no undermining to all other nationalities, but the fact is that The fact is that the percussive music we ALL seem to LOVE comes from those two beautifull ISLA'S ) Not writing nor discriminating at all any other countries or races, so don't write and say i am excluding other races . The love of my music comes from Puerto Rico, and Cuba, my love for the TAMBORES ,Congas, Bongo,Barriles, also. Comes from ISLA's. Because were did the Conga and Bongo first get crafted hystoricly!? in Cuba, and then fallowed by the caribbean tradicion in Puerto Rico.

The intensity and anger of this thread comes from the reality that Mario/Isla was very inconsistent in his manufacturing abilities. Some drums came out OK, others had real issues. The folks that got good drums can't understand what the problem is, those who got a crap product get shot down as haters on the threads.

When you add to that the way he handled his customers, that he made many false promises, sometimes took years to deliver products to people who had put deposits down, and that when their drums finally arrived they had significant construction and quality issues, it is recipe for disaster. Further, there is no way to get replacement hardware or to send drums in for repair. There was another post recently from a guy in japan who claims he paid full price for his drums from Mario and that they never came, that he can't afford to pay twice from drums and that he's screwed. In my case, Mario immediately took responsibility for the construction and quality issues in the drums he sent me (after 1.5 years of waiting) and swore up and down he would replace them. Months turn in to years, every time I would talk to him it was the same thing: you deserve to have your drums replaced, I'm going to do this, you will get your drums. Then nothing... If you have another suggestion for how someone should handle this type of situation, please pass along your words of wisdom. Perhaps my words have been too harsh to be heard, but I tell ya, the guy really played me for a fool. Going forward I'll be sure to maintain this type of tone.

Mario has friends on this board, and I respect those relationships. However, it clouds the objectivity of these posts as well. The way Mario treated people was real, he has outstanding debts that need to be resolved and he should be held accountable.

Rhyme that rhythm

RR

[RitmoBoricua]

I am so delighted to see this thread, with fellow congeros just putting up pictures of their treasures. Have to totally agree with Jaison, on every aspect. Him and The Breeze, have just hit the nail on the head!
Jaison just doing one of the must intelectual points i have seen on this forum in a while, by showings us the contrast of how everyone was insulting ISLA and its maker, yet none will sell their drums....and by now is too late for the to sarcasm to say i am selling isla's now!...lol

*To me it show one of the most ironic weaknesses of the forum members, that all they did is spread hate, insults, for years now..

-They use all their energy into insulting, and calling slandering names to people who are happy with their ISLA percussion drums.

*But as history tells if you aren't criticize, that means you are not doing nothing right.

* I got tired of people who have bee helpfull to the forum such as Cuco, and Thebreeze being slander, black mailed, psychologicly attacked by the hat of other members, and been made like their is something wrong with them Old School gentleman on this forum. And then been pressure to apologize, to the HATERS, instead of it been made the other way around.

*Unfortunately productive forum members have been pressure to abandon this blog at times.

*I remember when this forum was stress free, in the year 2007, amonngs other important years when Dario (omelenko), Cuco, Caballoballo Jaison, and Thebreeze would log on daily!! to salute their fellow Rumberos(forum members), and be constructive, and always helpful.

*It was times like this when you felt the Cuban, and Puerto Rican love been passed around as brotherly love. (And no undermining to all other nationalities, but the fact is that The fact is that the percussive music we ALL seem to LOVE comes from those two beautifull ISLA'S ) Not writing nor discriminating at all any other countries or races, so don't write and say i am excluding other races . The love of my music comes from Puerto Rico, and Cuba, my love for the TAMBORES ,Congas, Bongo,Barriles, also. Comes from ISLA's. Because were did the Conga and Bongo first get crafted hystoricly!? in Cuba, and then fallowed by the caribbean tradicion in Puerto Rico.

What a condescending pack of manure. Stop spreading misinformation ""Because were did the Conga and Bongo first get crafted historically!? in Cuba, and then fallowed by the Caribbean tradition in Puerto Rico." I guess what you are trying to say is that the African slaves did not have drums, rhythms and traditions in Africa before arriving in the Americas and they learned it on the fly in a vacuum in Cuba and Puerto Rico. Talk about revising history.

About the forum been peaceful in 2007 only two words for you "Jerry Zaragemca". Do you remember how peaceful it was in 2003 or before then? Are you sure Cuco was a member in 2007? I did not know Cuco and the Breeze were slander, blackmailed psychologically attacked and pressured into apologizing. Cuco apologizing to the forum, that's news to me when? A couple a weeks ago Cuco had some choice words for some members of this forum on his Facebook page that was hardly an apology as matter of fact he had to delete what he wrote from Facebook because it was real low and embarrasing. As far as Isla goes Rhythmrhyme can tell you a story or two after operations were moved to Belize and if I remember correctly Cuco advised on Isla was not to buy from them since they were out of the country. I bought my Isla quinto when Mario was working out of California and the whole transaction went wonderful but it seems things went down hill quickly one time he moved to Belize. I hope Mario can comeback and keep making drums and take care of business and some upset customers. Come on Mr. Conga do not piss on us and tell us is raining.