Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

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Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby FidelsEyeglasses » Sun Jan 24, 2016 4:50 am

Recent Ebay acquisition previously part of a liquidated collection in MA.
Made by the legendary master maker of tumbadoras and bongóes in Havana, Gonzalo Vergara.
They are Cuban Mahogany and are in un-played mint condition they were made approximately between 1954 and 1961.

To find Vergar'a in this condition only happens once in a lifetime if that.
These are just a few quick photo's taken the day they were delivered to me, in the next few weeks I'll take some better photos of them.

Solid Cuban Mahogany shells: 6¾ Macho y 7¼ Hembra.
Attachments
DSCN3234.JPG
DSCN3235.JPG
DSCN3236.JPG
DSCN3237.JPG
DSCN3239.JPG
Vintage, classic and contemporary Cuban tumbadoras a.k.a. congas and bongoes made in Cuba:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1418352131820747/
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby FidelsEyeglasses » Sun Jan 24, 2016 5:12 am

Players with Vergara bongóes:

1. Sabu
2. Jack Costanzo
3. Vitin Gonzalez
Attachments
Sabu with Vergara's.jpg
Sabu with Vergara's
Jack Costanzo with Vergara's..jpg
Jack Costanzo with Vergara's.
Vitin Gonzalez.jpg
Vitin Gonzalez (Tito Rodriguez Orq.) with Vergara bongóes and what apprears to be a Vergara tumbadora. Photo by Martin Cohen in 1962.
Vintage, classic and contemporary Cuban tumbadoras a.k.a. congas and bongoes made in Cuba:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1418352131820747/
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby Chtimulato » Sun Jan 24, 2016 9:40 pm

Congratulations !

You can say you found the Holy Grail...

I saw them on Ebay, but couldn't really afford them, and couldn't spend time to watch my screen. This plus shipping costs...

Congratulations again.
Enjoy them.
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby FidelsEyeglasses » Sun Jan 24, 2016 10:46 pm

Chtimulato wrote:Congratulations !

You can say you found the Holy Grail...

I saw them on Ebay, but couldn't really afford them, and couldn't spend time to watch my screen. This plus shipping costs...

Congratulations again.
Enjoy them.


Merci Chtimulato !
Vintage, classic and contemporary Cuban tumbadoras a.k.a. congas and bongoes made in Cuba:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1418352131820747/
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby Psych1 » Mon Jan 25, 2016 1:33 am

WOW!!!! Just WOW!!!! Incredible find. Fabulous. Wonderful!

Now, if I had seen them on Ebay I would have outbid you. Those are priceless.

But, if I cant have them I'm glad that you have them.

Enjoy.
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby jorge » Mon Jan 25, 2016 3:18 pm

I am happy to see that they got a good home with someone who actually knows how to play them as well or better than some of the bongoceros who originally played Vergara bongos.
Let us know when and where you are going to be playing them!
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby Thomas Altmann » Sun Jan 31, 2016 1:27 am

Hi Mark,

I really had to laugh when I looked at the photos, that's just incredible, they look like they have left the manufactory just yesterday. Vergaras - I can't believe it!

Congratulations - you deserve them.

Thomas
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby FidelsEyeglasses » Sun Jan 31, 2016 2:09 am

Thomas Altmann wrote:Hi Mark,

I really had to laugh when I looked at the photos, that's just incredible, they look like they have left the manufactory just yesterday. Vergaras - I can't believe it!

Congratulations - you deserve them.

Thomas


Greetings Thomas, yes they are in un-played condition, they were originally purchased in Havana by the drummer 'Al Murcuri' who was based in Massachusetts, he had a great collection of drums, Vibraphones, Marimbas, cymbals, and Latin American percussion of which his collection is being liquidated on Ebay.
Al Murcuri was a close friend of Armand Zildjian, here is a photo of Al Murcuri with Armand Zildjian and the legenday Jazz drummer Jo Jones.
To find a pair of Vergara's in this condition comes around once in a lifetime... if at all.
I am currently cleaning up the hardware and will be replacing the skin, I'll post some photos when finished of them together with my cedar/cedro Requena's.
Hope all is well with you, always feel free to get in touch when ever you are in N.Y.C. again.
Are you on Facebook?... I looked for you recently on there but did not see you.
There are a few groups dedicated to vintage Cuban tumbadoras and bongoes you would find interesting.
Here's a link I'm sure you would be interested in if you have not already seen it:
http://www.ritmacuba.com/Histoire-des-tambours-bata-a-Cuba-C.html

Best regards,
Mark Sanders
Attachments
Al.jpg
The Vergara's came from the collection of 'Al Murcuri' on the right in this photo:
Vintage, classic and contemporary Cuban tumbadoras a.k.a. congas and bongoes made in Cuba:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1418352131820747/
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Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

Postby Thomas Altmann » Sun Jan 31, 2016 1:09 pm

Hi Mark,

I'm fine, basically. Getting older. I have been doing some pretty static, vertical stuff recently, like restoring another Slingerland drum set, getting nice bags and cases for some of my drums, and re-designing my web site at www.jazzpercussion.de . With all these different browser formats, like smartphones etc, web design has definitely reached a point of being impossible for non-professionals. Took me like 4 weeks to get it done.

No I'm not on facebook. I have never been one to immediately embrace anything new that is thrown at me. There are certain things about fb that I find disgusting. But I sense the consequences; I feel there is some exchange of information going on that escapes me. There was a workshop of Kiko Freitas that I went to see, and I was the only one there because everybody else had been informed via facebook that the location was changed. Well, I got my phone, I got e-mail, and I have my web page, and after all I have a physical mailbox at my door; so that should be enough for anyone who really wants to get in touch with me.

I would love to come to New York again, and when I come, I will definitely let you know. However, I haven't planned anything yet. The thing is, although I am a European at heart, in an artistic sense I feel more at home in America. I virtually spent my whole life with and for (Afro-)American music, northern as southern (Latin). But it's also the dedication, the artistic seriosity and responsibility of the individual that I am missing here. Some people have it, but that's a minority.

I knew the photo of Zildjian, Jo Jones and Al Mercury, but I never heard any recording of the latter. I don't know with whom he played.

It's true, I love vintage instruments, but I don't want this to become too central. It might also become an expensive affair. And in Germany, Vergaras or Requenas just don't show up. I would say, they don't exist (here). I have my 70's Gon Bops that I have been playing exclusively in the last two years, and that's as far as I can look. But I still remember the finest conga drum - to me - that I ever put my hands on, was in a Cuban set that traveled with the Conjunto Rumbavana in 1981 in Scandinavia. I will never forget the touch and the sound of that drum. It may have been a plain SONOC.

Thanks for sharing the photos -

Thomas
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