congaplace.com

Posted: **Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:05 pm**

Oye ONILE,

Esas Fat congas lucen criminales ! Many years ago I played Poncho's and they didn't project like a Skin on Skin or a Junior. How do yours sound? On account that they are cherry the tone may be warm. Miguel Cruz,another friend of mine,was the first Fat congas endorser in LA back in the late 70's and again his didn't project that much,he ended up playing original fiberglass LPs. Saludos, Dario

Posted: **Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:33 pm**

Oye Papa!
I'm afraid that might be a trait inherent to the type of wood used (Cherry), very warm but not much projection. I was giving a lesson a few years ago on them, my student was playing my Patatos, I had to slap them skins much harder than he was just to be heard.

Chacho! but they are beautiful (Criminales! Right On!), and I use them in small gigs, cuartet, duos, but not with Salsa gigs as much!

Suave Papa!

Onile!

Posted: **Sun Feb 04, 2007 6:33 pm**

I've got the same problem with my cherry skin on skins, beautiful look and sound, but really too warm to use for anything but rumbas or small latin jazz and acoustic gigs. I sold my bauers to get an 11" oak drum made ( I've got 12 and 13) , but the cost was too high! I originally bought my skins on skins for 800 for the two, now almost any custom drum costs about 700 and up. I ended up going through a buddy of mine who manages guitar center and got two california series gon bops for a very good price. I've played Akbars sol drums, I can only hope his gon bops sound as good!
Pc

Posted: **Sun Feb 04, 2007 7:49 pm**

Alafia Abure pcastag!
I hope that you are well and in an abundance of blessings!

I've used my GonBops California Model drums on a jazz gig (four piece), and they sound great! Of course, you'll have to be the judge of how they sound for you, we all expect a particular sound that's pretty much why we keep buying this one and that one!

As far as Cherry Wood drums, well I just turn them up in the mix whenever I take them out, but you're right Abure pcastag, they're better for the casual gigs as I use them (duos, trios, acustic gigs). They do have a great sound though, I must add!

Suave!

Onile!

Posted: **Fri Feb 09, 2007 8:29 pm**

onile wrote:Here is another set of drums which I should be receiving in 30 days, they're going to have an "Early American Walnut finish" on them though!

BTW! these are Isla "Matanza Model" drums

Onile,

Please give us a road test report when you get them. It would be nice to hear what you think about them. There hasn't been much talk about Isla's on the east coast. They seem to be hot on the westcoast. I was in LA late last year and saw them at a music shop. They belonged to the person that was teaching a cajon class. I did not get chance to hear them but they looked good. Keep us posted once you get them.

Best regards,
Facundo

Posted: **Fri Feb 09, 2007 11:50 pm**

Alafia Abure Facundo!
I hope that you are well and in an abundance of blessings my brother!
(and keeping warm too!)

I will most certainly post some pics and my opinion on the sound of the drums once I receive them. I hope to be able to post some sound recording of them, providing some one can tell me how to here on the forum!

Many blessings my brother!

Onile!

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:01 am**

Doctorumba wrote:Speaking of legendary conga makers,Frank Mesa was the first to make a fiberglass conga.He strated making them around 1957 and stopped making them around 1970.I took Mr.Mesa about a month to make a conga.He used the best products and his harware came from the boat (ships) industry.He also made the first comfort curve rim ever and his chrome platting is by far the best ever. After LP strated mass producing fiberglass congas in the late 60's,Frank became disenchated and stopped his conga making operation.All the famous conga players in NYC played Echo Tones.Patato loved them,Candido still has his,Ray Barretto,Willie Bobo,Frankie Malabe,Willie Pastrana,Milton Cardona,Jerry Gozalez and our own JC all loved and played Ech Tones.
I consider myself a lucky guy in that present day, March 2006, I have a set of three (came from a guy that got them from F. Malabe) and they sound better than any other fiberglass conga.In great condition. Foto pa' que disfruten !
Saludos, DarioF

Hello everyone. This is my first post and love this forum so far.

With respect to these frank Mesa fiberglass drums, are those King Congas or an early version of them?

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2007 2:28 am**

Echo Tones, Frank Mesa congas, were the first fiberglass congas ever made. Production started around 1957 and went on to around 1970. King congas from S. Francisco came much after,in th early 70's. No offense, I had them both, Echo Tones are superior in every way.

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... es__2_.jpg

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2007 2:36 am**

Here is a picture of my King congas. They were trying to imitate Echo Tones. Echo Tones have the edge.
Saludos, Dario

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... C_003F.JPG

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2007 6:55 am**

nice~

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2007 4:16 pm**

I have never had the chance to see or play a set of Echo Tones but am very intrigued. I own several Kings and I absolutely love them (over my Gon Bops, Del Cielo, etc) For me the Kings have the best tones of any congas I have played, especially on stage. Would love to hear those Echos though...

Does anyone know the history behind King Congas?

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:42 pm**

Omelenko wrote:Here is a picture of my King congas. They were trying to imitate Echo Tones. Echo Tones have the edge.
Saludos, Dario

I don't know the history of King Congas (aside from them being made in San Francisco in the 70's), but how were they trying to imitate the Echo Tones (aside from being handmade with fiberglass)? The profile of the shell is completely different (the Kings have a much wider belly than the Echo's, from what I've seen), and the hardware is one of a kind.

I've never played Echo Tones, but have no doubt they are excellent drums. I can, however, vouch for the fact that my Kings are incredible - absolutely love them. I have SoS's, JCR's and GB's as well, and the Kings are right up there.

The Echo's very well might be superior (haven't played them - can't know), but the fact that a drum connoisseur like Dario has four Kings speaks for itself; these are some very good drums.

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:59 pm**

Both Kings and Echo Tones have incredible sounds.They are fiberglass drums but their tonality is like a Vergara or a Junior Tirado. You could never compare the sound of a fiberglass LP with a King or an Echo Tone.
Armando Peraza was the main endorser for Kings back in the early 70's. Presently he owns like 10 of them and he loves their sound. There is no ring to Kings or Echo Tones like you find in fiberglass LPs.
Echo Tones were played by everyone in NYC in the 60's.
Patato loves Echo Tones,so does Candido. Jimmy Hendrix percussionist playe Echo Tones so did the Young Rascals,also Ray Barretto and Frankie Malabe.
I give Echos a slight edge in sound, a bit brighter.
See Candido with his Echos.

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

Posted: **Fri Mar 16, 2007 11:02 pm**

See Willie Bobo with an Eho Tone macho very similar to my red and white.

Dario

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

Posted: **Sat Mar 17, 2007 2:34 am**

OK, I had a drum that I sold to my buddy ( he still has it) that is a wood drum covered in fiberglass with the king conga hardware on it. It's got the same lugs and rims, the kind that you attach with a pin to the tuning rods. looks like it was an old wood conga that somebody fiberglassed over. I'g going to pick up some drums from Frank's house this weekend, i'll take some pics so you guys can check it out. It's pretty trashed, out of round and all, but it's definitely very interesting. I'd love to know the history on it, maybe an early king conga, or a custom job.
PC

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Conga history and makers - Need your input on ideas