Dandys Bongo first review

[caballoballo]

Bongoceros, just got the Dandy out of the box. It is a beautiful instrument very well made. The Hembra skin is very thick at least 1/8 " & the Macho has a thin skin on it. After oiling the lugs was time to cranked up to check the sound. The Hembra has a sweet deep tone & the Macho althought I have not yet tunned very high has a promising crisp sound. Just like dandy said on his video, it is a well made instrument with all the specs he wanted. As I said,this one is special.

[RitmoBoricua]

I have seen this bongos somewhere before? He He.
The skins on this bongos are mounted real high.
Big sound no doubt at a nice price. A real nice bongo.
Forget about it I know you are going to make that
bongo sing con clave y masacote gordo. Enjoy It!

[Omelenko1]

Dandy and I are friends, he called me from Vegas about a year ago and told me that LP was making a signature bongo' for him. It was about time, as Dandy has been the most influential bongocero on the scene for the last 30 yrs. and was Fania's most recorded percussionist both on bongo' and congas. Dandy had as his screen saver on his computer the picture of Mongo's Vergara resting by my pool. He took this photo to the LP research department and told them that he wanted his signature bongo' to look like Mongo's Vergara, which is 7" & 9". LP tried to immitate Mongo's Vergara shells with the black lines. Dandy as a teen had lived in LA and was a friend of Tom Flores, visiting and spending time on his shop. He wanted LP to reproduce the Valje hardware for his bongo', so LP combined the Vergara and the Flores look and came up with Dandy's signature bongos. Enclosed a photo of Mongo's Vergara, notice the similarity on Dandy's shells with the black lines and the Caoba stain.

Dario

[ABAKUA]

Nice. Congratulations on the purchase.
I had a chance to play these recently for a review I was asked to write up on them. They are everything I have come to expect from a top of the line mass produced LP product.
I enjoyed playing them, had good sound & projection, perfect for use in any salsa band.
Through my endorsement deal, I have GEN III series. I am still very happy with these and preferred to keep them rather than trading up to the Dandy series.

[Tonio]

Caballo, how are they compared to LP Valje? They are both beechwood.

Dario, thanks for sharing the design concept.

Marcelo, why did you stay with Gen III? come on bro what difference in SOUND most importantly, and other reasons?

T

[ABAKUA]

In all honesty, I preferred the traditional style hardware of the gen III,



and for some reason, (it must be the skins I hand picked for my bongo) it sounded "bigger and crispier" than the Dandy one I reviewed.
Not to take anything away from the Dandy model. It is a great bongo and I would be proud to own one.
It sounded fantastic and projected well, even with the standard LP skins it was wearing.

[Tonio]

ah , I see. Thanks bro !!

Well the hardware are both "cuban", the Dandy model crown is more of a Valje centric thing, as we can see the botom is the same.

The skin choice is a big factor(me thinks)
I have the GEN II, but have played many GEN III's, and have a LP Valje. There just seems to be a big similarity on the LP Valje/Dandy since LP gave (sold?) back the name Valje. Possibly a market decision to keep the " model" running?


But, I dig the hembra on at least the LP Valje-more open & sustain-I don't like a thuddy hembra, but dig the macho on the GEN III- more pop than crack.
I await for Caballo's more deeper thoughts on the Dandy model, Isn't the Dandy hembra 9 "?

T

[ABAKUA]

Sure is, just like the Gen III. 9" hembra.

[Tonio]

ah , ha.

Notice the lug angle is smoother on the Dandy's, same as LP Valje = much smoother on the legs Probably lighter in weigh than GEN III's due to the wood/overall.

just nitpicking....

think I'll e-bay/craiglist my GEN II's and pick up a Dandy or SOS

T

[Mike]

Congratulations, Caballoballo!
Looks like a really nice bongó a gozar, and if you say it sounds good - that sounds good!

I was surprised a bit about the red color as I had thought that was a dark reddish wood.
Anyway, enjoy!

[caballoballo]

Hola Everybody, Ok, as I have been looking at the dandy for every detail, the inside bearing edge of the shells is cut on an angle, I think that is contributing to the well defined sound & also has a tapered shape on the shells like the Valjie but not too pronounce.The lp logos on the shells are made out of metal not painted.

Mike, you right the color is really a wine to burgundy kind,the effect of the camera flash may have changed the picture color, the paint finish is just gorgeous and thick.The inside is finish in a way that you do not see the staves side by side but has a lighter coat of paint.

Ritmo Boricua, you right, the skins are mounted really high, I have to really cranked up so to get my hands on the skins. I left it tunne all night long so the skins get to a deeper lever. I have to rehearse tonight so he is out to the test, then I should have a better sound review, projection,cut thru the music, ect.

Tonio, I can said that they are a Valjie with a bigger Hembra and a few other improvement details like the angle cut on the bearing edge, it is beautiful Bongó. It is kind of heavy about 11.5 pounds & yes the Hembra is 9". The way the lugs are shape like you said, make it easier to hold between the legs. It is like Dandy said. I use to have a Valjie, the sound has improve on this one.

The skins are the see thru that Lp uses but at least the hembra is very thick in comparison with the skins that other Lp come with. You guys know I am a maniac about sound and if it not what I like, then a skin change is required. I should be writing more about it after a couple days of tunning and detunning.

[RitmoBoricua]

I think the heads sitting high is standard on them bongos.
My set of Dandy's bongos is like that too. They are a little
too high for my taste, specially the "macho". I bought my
set back in June. I paid $240.00 and free shipping at Music 123.
Not a bad deal at all.

[juancho]

Felicitations viejo Arrel,
de verdad que estan tenazzzzzz !!!! they sure make them look like they are solids....now I just have to wait for my christmas bonus if any.
"caballo cabillito caballo real"
Bendecidos
juancho

[caballoballo]

Vaya, As I have been using the Dandy almost every day the Macho skin have change from trasparent to a more of a beige color. The only complain I had was that the rim on the Hembra was mounted too high and that it would take time for the skin to stretch down. As I posted about it on the bongo group forum, I was advice by Dandy Rodriguez to soak the skin on a hot water tower for a while and then tunn it to get the rim to a lower lever. I did so which improve the rim position but still have to go down a little more. I am trying not to change the skin which have such a nice tone. Any advice ?

[Mike]

Yes, Caballoballo, the hembra rim looks very high indeed.

You will get a couple of extra millimeters or so if you take off the hembra skin, place it upside down,
pour in cold (NOT hot) water and let it soak for about 1 or 2 hours.
Then, after careful remounting without too much tightening of the lugs, just to get a tone
and even tension, let it dry, and the next day it should be fine.

Just my two cents