best professional bongos - question

[drumagic]

Hi.

I would like opinoins from forum members as to who makes the best professional bongos.

Thanks

Tony

[korman]

Just now there's discussion about this question once again in the Bongo Group. Is it the bongo or the player? At what level differences between bongos become insignificant?

Well if you talk about professional bongos, I suppose you mean instrument that could be used for playing professionally.

There seems to be consensus that products from mass makers which are labelled as entry-level and for beginners (like LP Aspires) are of insufficient quality, and will have to be replaced by serious player.

Then there are left, I think, three categories:

1. Mid-priced series from mass makers like Latin Percussion (Matadors), Meinl (Headliners and 200 series), Remo, Pearl, Toca, Bauer and others. I'm not so familiar with the ranges of latter producers, so can't name the models. Mid-range series usually have good shells and hardware, only skins may have to be upgraded. These bongos may not be best looking, but otherwise will last long.

2. Top range bongos from the mass makers - like LP Generation series, Meinl's 400 and Woodcraft to name a few. These are at least twice the price of mid range, but in reality improvements are not twice as big. They may be made from slightly better wood, may have larger hembra, and the finish will always look cooler.

3. Bongos made by custom makers like JCR, Moperc, Volcano percussion, also several in Colombia have been mentioned in this forum, and there must be someone in Europe too. In reality behind those brandnames stands one master or workshop with just few people, who hand make each drum from selected woods and put on selected hides from mule, steer, kip or even cow, which will all be better than chemically processed water buffaloo that they put on in Thailand. These might be best if not for the price (US and Europe) or the difficulty of getting them (Colombia).

[Charangaman]

Greetings drumagic & Korman,

In my mind it's all subjective.. There is no best bongo.. Too much emphasis is put on the tools.. It's all about you and your hands & soul...

[Raymond]

Just to add to everybody's comments. Is a matter of choice and at the end the player will make the difference.

In regards to bongos you have two kinds out there: the ones made by specialty shops and the ones made my the mass producers or main percussion brands. The specialty shops or small companies tend to be hand made made of special woods, that sometimes are not the traditional oak, and have some additional detail in regards to the way the drum is built. Of course, these are expensive bongos and normally will run from $350 up.

I considered to be good specialty shops, JCR Percussion in New York and El Piernas in Colombia. The bongos these craftmen make are different and do not have a specific model and what they will make will depend on when do they make it and/or what the customer requested and/or their desire at the moment to try to make a good bongo. Sometimes these bongos become collectors items. There are some other craftmans and/or specialty shops that also make good bongos. These craftman tend to be concerned with the traditional sound, they equip they bongos with great heads and they provide great sound. They are an alternative for those who are willing to go for this route and pay the money.

The mass producers....LP, Pearl, Meinl, Gon Bops, Toca and others. Like someone says, they tend to make top of the lines and have mid level lines that are mid priced. Mid level prices are form $90 to $125. (The only companies that make acceptable mid level are LP and Pearl. LP has the Matador line and Pearl has the Primero line).

The top of lines of each brand could be had for around $200 and up. The wood and/or features of the bongos will determine the price. Although, they all practically make bongos out of the same type of wood which is oak. Some provide other types of woods. (Be aware that all of them, with the exception of Gon Bops, make their bongos in Thailand and use practically the same factories. One company that uses a different factory than the others is Pearl).

The problem with mass producers is that their quality sometimes suffer. They are catering more to an American audience and they are forgetting about the latin music player that puts a lot of stress in the bongos and requires better heads. (Everybody that buys from the big mass producers tend to change the factory heads and/or make adjustments to them so the bongos last...It should not be that way but that is the way they go).

I respectfully disagree that the mid level and pro bongos of the mass producers tend to sound alike. There is a big difference in their sound. The pro and top of the lines will give usually more volume and/or warmer sounds. Of course, at end, the heads and the player will make a difference but believe there is a difference. (Try LP Generation II or III and try the Matador bongo and the Generation II will provide a fuller sound in comparison to the Matador. The same is with Pearl's Elite versus their Primero Pro). Of course, specialty bongos from craftman tend to give you an outstanding traditional and warmer sound that makes in most cases their sound to be worth the money).

As a Pearl endorser, I recommend our bongos that have the traditional 7 macho and 9 hembra in most of their bongos which is the traditional Cuban sound. (Be aware that we have some 8 1/2 hembras which has become the standard created by LP).

After all this mambo jambo, we go back to the original point: there is not a precise answer in the best bongos. Trial and error here and what are you willing to go for in price...

Saludos!



Edited By Raymond on 1169569530

[korman]

Thanks Raymond for your comments! I did not mean to say that mid and top level bongos sound alike.
Unfortunately I have no LP or Pearl distributor in my country, but I've had chance to play different Meinl bongos, and the top line models do sound better! What I was saying is that, in my opinion, the sound was not twice as good (as was the price), and I think it was because of the skins. Overall, I think Meinl makes good bongos, but I'm sure other big producers can offer similar quality.

What I think is important when considering pro bongos - don't buy them over internet. As mass produced stuff will always have variable quality, it is important to test them in the music shop yourself. Sometimes one set will sound bad, but another from exactly the same model will tune perfectly the way you like it.
Another option - buy them used from another percussionist, who has tested them before buying.

[Raymond]

Korman, is OK! Agree with you, specially if you are going to play the bongos seated, you need to try those suckers out. (Most bongos today are not made for the seated player and with the comfort rims they now put on them they tend to be heavy.

Of all the manufacturer's the lighest bongos to play now are Pearl's Folkloric bongos....Natural heads that are not treated so they are ready to play out of the box, traditional rims, not comfort rims and beautiful bongos.... Those are the ones I am playing now and I love them....

Too bad to say about the other Pearl bongos and the LP's bongos that are pretty good but those heads need to be changed. if you want to get rid of that "box of crackers" sound that bongos have in the box...

Saludos!

[twinsbongo]

saludos bongoceros:
this is a good subject to talk about.different people,different ways of thinking.when we talk about best bongos in the market right now, it is like tallking about a religious topic.what we always have to keep in mind is as folllow
1. at what level you want to play?
2. how often are you going to use your instrument?
3. how durable you want the instrument you are purchasing?
4. and the most important is how much money you have to spend on your instrument?

i hope this will be helpfull for the beginners out on the forum.
REMEMBER A GOOD INSTRUMENT DOES NOT MAKE YOU A BETTER MUSICIAN.BUT IT SURE HELPS. GOOD LUCK

[drumagic]

Thank you for all the replies.

What I wanted to know was what companies made bongos with the best quality, as in materials and construction.

I am probably looking at buying bongos from a major producer like LP or Meinl as I could not afford the custom made ones.

Again, thanks to all who anwered my question.

Tony

[caballoballo]

Old used Bongos are like wine,the older,the better the sound. Julio is correct. Drumagic,check the Lp Valje,it is made close to the specs of the original one made by Tom Flores in California. That model is suppose to be already discontinue but you may find one then at THEDRUMSWORK.COM.

You said you cannot afford a expensive one so While you at the drumsworks check the gonbops California series $280. I can talk about the Lp Valje because I have one that have been with me for 20 year,not too heavy $219,good mellow sound with the right heads. The water buffalo heads must be replace immediately,the Remo fyberskin will fit on the macho without any effort,use a medium thick mule or cow hide for the Hembra,Fyberskin on the Hembra does not have the mellow tone we all want.



Edited By caballoballo on 1169727093

[congalero]

here is a little known secret. the following people own this bongo
armando, spiro, santos, santana ..... and many more

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... 100611.jpg

[Charangaman]

The plant in the background look familiar

Nice bongo..

[zwar]

ho

for me was of highest importance, that bongos cut through reliably, no matter what climatic circumstances. after trying all the topline bongos in reach, my choice was remo tuff n nuff. made of some modern plastic stuff and nuskyn heads. projecting louder than others, never problems with moist clima, too expensive (i remember something like 280 euro). i am quite content with it, they are ugly, but sound is good. second choice would have been lp gen2.
question of taste of course.

zwar

[mco]

Hi Group.
Long time no post.....
Still loving my GonBops.
Regards,
mco

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... C00108.JPG

[Bacalao]

MCO,

Question, in regards to your Gon Bops bongo heads, did you change them? The reason for this is, I went to a drum shop, and they had a good used set for sale, but the macho head looked different. I attributed this to the fact that Gon Bops uses horse skin on their macho and it has a funky look to it. Your heads look more like a traditional skin.

Thanks

[mco]

Greetings Bacalao,
My Gonbops have the original heads on them-horsehide on the macho and cowhide on the hembra.
It doesn't come through in the picture, but the two skins look different from one another. The horsehide is yellowish and slightly translucent while the cowhide is more of a milky white.