Page 1 of 1

Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 5:46 am
by FidelsEyeglasses
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.

Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 5:48 am
by FidelsEyeglasses
Players with Vergara bongóes:

1. Sabu
2. Jack Costanzo
3. Vitin Gonzalez

Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 3:58 pm
by blavonski
Beautiful drums!!!
You a lucky man! Are those original skins from almost sixty years ago?
By the way, on the topic of skins. What would you say the average shelf life is for Cow skins, (Bongó),
in the dried, round state before mounting. I have a pair that I purchased 2 years ago, but havn't gotten around to making another pair of Bongos for them yet.

Muchos Gracias,
Blavonski

Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 5:41 pm
by FidelsEyeglasses
blavonski wrote:Beautiful drums!!!
You a lucky man! Are those original skins from almost sixty years ago?
By the way, on the topic of skins. What would you say the average shelf life is for Cow skins, (Bongó),
in the dried, round state before mounting. I have a pair that I purchased 2 years ago, but havn't gotten around to making another pair of Bongos for them yet.

Muchos Gracias,
Blavonski


I have dry round's (both for tumbadoras and bongoés) that I've had for 10-15-20 years, they remain in perfect condition if stored in normal conditions, in other words not stored in a damp basement or outdoor shed/garage.
I also have a Cuban drum I inherited from my Father that has had the same skin on it for 50 -56 years.
The drums on the Vergara bongoes are the ones that the owner of them put on in the late 50's or early 60's they are calf skin and are from the well known drum skin company 'AMRAWCO' that made and supplied skins to drummers in the 50's.
I will be replacing the skin with mule and or cow.

Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 11:21 am
by blavonski
Ok, thanks Mark!

I asked, because I've read here, where you at various times have commented on not purchasing skins that have been stored long, dried out skins etc...
FidelsEyeglasses wrote:I personally don't use anything.
The skins I buy retain their own natural oils that are in the skins and what comes off my hands.
The skins I buy have all been cut within 12 months, nothing old and dry that has been laying in storage somewhere.
No Water Buffalo, no horse skin, no deer skin, no bull skin.
I only use Kip, Calf, Mule, Cow.


So, thought maybe that by storing the skins for long periods, the oils, like in all natural products, would eventually evaporate.
And maybe that's true, but not to any detrimental degree. That's good to know!

Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 1:46 pm
by Chtimulato
Hi everybody.

My question may seem stupid and off-topic to many of you, but I can't find any translation for the word "kip", neither in "physical" dictionnaries nor on line, so I can't even figure out what it is. The only occurence I know so far is the dutch translation for "chicken", so I guess it must wrong in this case ?

Could someone make me feel less stupid and ignorant ?

Thanks in advance.

Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 4:34 pm
by FidelsEyeglasses
Chtimulato wrote:Hi everybody.

My question may seem stupid and off-topic to many of you, but I can't find any translation for the word "kip", neither in "physical" dictionnaries nor on line, so I can't even figure out what it is. The only occurence I know so far is the dutch translation for "chicken", so I guess it must wrong in this case ?

Could someone make me feel less stupid and ignorant ?

Thanks in advance.


Kip:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Kipskin

Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 4:37 pm
by FidelsEyeglasses
blavonski wrote:Ok, thanks Mark!

I asked, because I've read here, where you at various times have commented on not purchasing skins that have been stored long, dried out skins etc...
FidelsEyeglasses wrote:I personally don't use anything.
The skins I buy retain their own natural oils that are in the skins and what comes off my hands.
The skins I buy have all been cut within 12 months, nothing old and dry that has been laying in storage somewhere.
No Water Buffalo, no horse skin, no deer skin, no bull skin.
I only use Kip, Calf, Mule, Cow.


So, thought maybe that by storing the skins for long periods, the oils, like in all natural products, would eventually evaporate.
And maybe that's true, but not to any detrimental degree. That's good to know!


Store inside your house or apartment, not in a damp or moldy basement, cellar, outside shed.

Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 5:10 pm
by Chtimulato
Kip:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Kipskin : Leather prepared from the skin of young or small cattle, intermediate in grade between calfskin and cowhide.


Thank you. I got it. I'm now searching for the equivalent term in french. I guess this is not what you call "vellum" in english (thinner calf skin, used in the past to make book covers). But I'll find it out.

Thanks again.

Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 9:23 am
by goldy
FidelsEyeglasses wrote:
Chtimulato wrote:Hi everybody.

My question may seem stupid and off-topic to many of you, but I can't find any translation for the word "kip", neither in "physical" dictionnaries nor on line, so I can't even figure out what it is. The only occurence I know so far is the dutch translation for "chicken", so I guess it must wrong in this case ?

Could someone make me feel less stupid and ignorant ?

Thanks in advance.


Kip:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Kipskin

Better say, Kipskin coming from an unborn Calf or a Calf no more than few weeks old.

Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:03 pm
by Chtimulato
goldy wrote:Better say, Kipskin coming from an unborn Calf or a Calf no more than few weeks old.


Hi and thank you for the answer. It must be vellum indeed (which is in fact not used for book covers, but as parchment, my mistake). Must be very thin and soft then. Didn't know it could be used for drums too.

Thanks again.

Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

PostPosted: Tue Jun 21, 2016 1:08 am
by FidelsEyeglasses
Chtimulato wrote:
goldy wrote:Better say, Kipskin coming from an unborn Calf or a Calf no more than few weeks old.


Hi and thank you for the answer. It must be vellum indeed (which is in fact not used for book covers, but as parchment, my mistake). Must be very thin and soft then. Didn't know it could be used for drums too.

Thanks again.


kip3.jpg
Kip skin.

Re: Original mint Gonzalo Vergara Cuban mahogany Bongoes

PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2016 8:32 pm
by Chtimulato
Thank you for the pictures. I've got a better idea now.
Since those skins don't appear on the LP catalogue, I suppose you have been owning this one for a long time.
I just checked the pictures once again and saw "Maywood" on the LP stamp, which confirms what I just stated.