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For your viewing pleasure, I have 2 vintage Valje bongos. One from the 50's (Walnut), one from the 60's (oversized,extra long Oak). Just trying to keep up with Congalero and Faustino (Cuco), who have a bigger arsenal. Here they are, sun bathing in Little Havana.

Campanero campana!

Dario

Repica tu bongo' !

Omelenko1 Those are nice bongo's What wood is the current one's being made of?

These two that I have are vintage ones. His son Rlaph Flores, is making instruments again under Resolution Drums. I've seen some of his current bongos and he is using both walnut and oak. I also heard he has reacquired the Valje name from LP.

Dario

Here is my vintage Valje on the left and a Resolution bongo on the right.
I have a full set of Ralph's drums, every bit as good as Valjes.

What Dario says is true.

Ralph acquired the rights to the Valje name almost 6 months ago, he had to make a
product under the Valje name right away as part of that legal process and the first thing
he made was a bongo in black walnut. He's going to be continuing both lines and use a couple
of different woods for bongos, red oak, black walnut and I think he mentioned using bloodwood as well.

I think the congas are only going to be red oak, but I'm not 100% one that.

[double post]

Very nice Valje/Resolution setup, BNB. I always preferred Valje instruments over Gon Bops. When I got out of the service in 1972, I bought a set of Valje congas from Tom Flores at the Sunset Blv. shop and kept them for many yrs. until I discovered Junior Tirado back in the late 70's. I had Gon Bops as well, but always liked the sound of Valje better. I love the way Valje bongos sound and the fact that they are very light weight.

Dario

Victorius wrote:

bongosnotbombs wrote: red oak, black walnut and I think he mentioned using bloodwood as well.
quote]

bloodwood? Sounds interesting Did he mention when he's gonna started with this new stuff?

Omelenko1 wrote:Very nice Valje/Resolution setup, BNB. I always preferred Valje instruments over Gon Bops. When I got out of the service in 1972, I bought a set of Valje congas from Tom Flores at the Sunset Blv. shop and kept them for many yrs. until I discovered Junior Tirado back in the late 70's. I had Gon Bops as well, but always liked the sound of Valje better. I love the way Valje bongos sound and the fact that they are very light weight.

Dario

I agree about the Gon Bops and Valjes. I have a very nice oak Gon Bops tres dos, it is a great drum but I like the sound of Valjes a little more,
however Valjes congas are a little too tall for me at 5'6", so I've been passing them by. The Resolutions are a little shorter.

The ironic thing now is that the man making the new DW Gon Bops used to make Valjes in SF a while back.

Victorious, last time I spoke to Ralph he was still in the R&D for reintroducing the Valje line. That was about 6 months ago?

Ok my question is when Lp took over did they stick to the same formula or screw it up?

Bongobilly wrote:Ok my question is when Lp took over did they stick to the same formula or screw it up?

LP changed a lot of things when they made their version LP Valje bongos and congas. The LP Valjes I have heard and played
are good well made and nice sounding drums....................but I prefer original Valjes every time.