MARLON BRANDO INVENTOR OF TUNING SYSTEM FOR CONGAS

[JohnnyConga]

http://www.npr.org/2011/07/03/137558144 ... innovation unbelievable, but true!....and he wasn't a bad player either IMHO...chek him out with Jack Costanzo back in the late 50's....

[ABAKUA]

A 'form' of tuning rods, not the inventor of tuning rod systems.
Cmooooooon maing! I know you know better!

[JohnnyConga]

Abakua I know Vergara was the one to create the first way of tuning a drum..Brando just created one way of his own...that's all it's sayin ..NOT THEE Inventor...and it's interesting in the photo because Frank Mason used a similar system just designed differently...on the conga drum...

[Anonimo]

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[OLSONGO]

What the article makes reference is to a different tuning system that Brandon invented. compared to the original idea of tuning with 6 rods . Brandon's tuning system implies the use of only one rod, and the article says it may work but it's not cost effective to manufacture. That is what happens with many inventions ...they may work perfectly but to make is a beitch making the product very expensive .
Peace
Olsongo

[Omelenko1]

Patato was a great cook, I can attest to that, also a very melodic conguero. But he didn't invent the tuninig mechanism for congas. It was Vergara's idea and was done at a welding shop in the Chinese neighborhood of La Habana (Calle Sanja). This is according to Mongo who took his Vergaras there for the mechanism and to Alfredo Farach, a Cuban artisan who made trap drum sets and timbales in La Habana. May Mongo, Farach, Patato (el Rey del Arroz con Picadillo) and Vergara rest in peace!

Dario

[Anonimo]

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[ABAKUA]

Dario Put Mongo to rest already we know Mongo was a great conga player but he never invented any thing

Dario never claimed Mongo invented anything. You have misread the post. Relax man! Please tone down the attitude.

Patato was a great cook, I can attest to that, also a very melodic conguero. But he didn't invent the tuninig mechanism for congas. It was Vergara's idea and was done at a welding shop in the Chinese neighborhood of La Habana (Calle Sanja). This is according to Mongo who took his Vergaras there for the mechanism and to Alfredo Farach, a Cuban artisan who made trap drum sets and timbales in La Habana. May Mongo, Farach, Patato (el Rey del Arroz con Picadillo) and Vergara rest in peace!

Dario

Patato did not invent the rods tuning system used today, he may have helped Cohen in the early days to develop some of the instruments including the ridiculously unporportional sized LP Fiberglass bata (especially the Iya, seriously, WTF!!!), pero he didnt invent the rod/tensor tuning system.
The lies or half truths many have gotten away with in the US & outside of Cuba are well known to many people, others (not being directed at anyone in particular btw) still carry on with their heads in the sand believing NYC created everything.

*flame suit on*

[Anonimo]

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[ABAKUA]

I wont go into detail as to who, but several high profile percussionists (some old school) have all said it was Patato who gave Cohen the sizes for the LP Fibreglass bata designs etc...

Isla de la Juventud is a small island to the south west off/below Cuba, aint much there in the way of city infrastructure... Beautiful place to visit though, natural beauty.

Back to Patato re the tensioning system, from your link:

Patato had his invention patented, the company Latin Percussion Inc. manufactured the instrument.

He did not invent the tuning rod/tensores system. Belief in this is simply ridiculous. That LP Patended his recommendations to Cohen, fact. That he invented it, no way.

Its a well known fact Vergara was the one who invented the tuning rod system through all his dealings with the many rumberos of the time which surrounded him, including Im certain of (however speculating) Mr Patato Valdez (RIP), which then took the idea & life experiences, exposures etc with him to the States and used them for his benefit, and subsequently the benefit of the masses via LP.

[Omelenko1]

Patato was my good friend, he lived here in Miami for a number of years. He, like many Cubans here, took advantage of the US embargo to tell stories and create things to their benefit. Armando and Candito are still alive, why don't you rum that story by them that Patato invented the conga tuning system, they will tell you' "yes Patato also invented rice with black beans". Armando and Candi were there when the Vergara brothers invented the tuning hardware. Patato being the colorful character that he was, and with the US embargo going on, came up with this story. Candito is in NYC, why don't you ask him.

Dario

PS. I only stated that Mongo, after buying the shells at Vergara's shop, took them to Calle Sanja to have the hardware made at the welding shop. Cuco you can not relay on what books written here have to say. You have to get first hand facts from the people that were there at the time, Armando, Candito, Farach, Mongo and Patato (el Cocinero Mayor). Remeber Cuba, my country of birth, has been a closed society for over 50 years and lots of things have not been given the proper credit they deserve.

[Anonimo]

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[JohnnyConga]

Sorry Leedy but I dont agree with you ..Vergara is the one credited with creating the "hoop" and tuning hooks, with the idea coming from 'tunable' bongos...2nd whether anyone knows it or not there are 59 patents on the Conga drum...I know this as I am a registered Inventor with the United States patent office...Patato is not credited with any invention on the drum here in the United States, or credited with any patent on a Conga drum.... The basic story as I have known it was that Patato and Vergara were 'hanging out' and Patato may have shared an idea or two with him...but Vergara was the 'drum maker' not Patato...

[Anonimo]

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[Omelenko1]

Anything can be written and when it relates to Cuba no one is going to go the extra mile to verify it, Cuba is a closed society as far as information goes. The Sandpipers were credited with Guantanamera in 1966, yet everyone knows Joseito Fernandez is the composer from the 30's. Patato being the story teller colorful character he was, went to Cohen and then the patent was created. When I confronted Armando, Candito and Mongo (all 3 older than Patato) they just laughed and said "sure Patato also invented Bacardi rum and Cafe Bustelo". History books from America are not the source, because when it comes to Cuba information is not verifiable. Get in touch with Candido Camero, still alive and well in NYC and run that by him, you are going to get a laugh. Candido knew the Vergara brothers personally just like Peraza did. They are the true source that are still around.

Dario