best cowbells

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Postby SkinDeep » Wed Nov 22, 2006 3:34 pm

THKS FOR THE INFO TIME TO GET SOME JCR, CHEVERE.
MOFORIBALE AL TAMBO!!!
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Postby Raymond » Mon Nov 27, 2006 3:39 pm

A friend of mine had an LP Prestige Cowbell. Sounds pretty good, high pitch...only problem I found was that had some ringing to it. LP cowbells are pretty good for recording, not that much overtones, but for live situations and some recording JCR still the top cowbell used by most professional salsa players, bongo and timbale.

Saludos!
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Postby maelopr » Tue Nov 28, 2006 1:47 pm

I have a chrome hand cowbell that was given to me, and it has "BY CUNI 2" engraved on the small end. It was a gift from Angelito Hernandez's older brother who is a bass player, and he told me that Angelito had used it for his last years with la Sonora Ponceña, so the bell would have to be about 18-20 yrs. old. It's a nice medium high pitch, with a great full sound, and it kind of looks like bells I've seen from Columbia. Has anyone heard of this brand??
¡ ECUA JEY !
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Postby Omelenko » Mon Dec 04, 2006 3:18 pm

CUNI stands for (Cubiche and Nin~o).These bells were made in Hialeah, Florida in the early to mid 80's.El Cubiche was a local Miami timbalero that had cowbells (bongo and timbal)made for him and he would sell them at a record shop he owned in Hialeah.In that record shop worked a PR bass player that played with La Poncen~a before he died from drugs prematurely in the mid 80's.I think his name was Angelito,he played locally in Miami before joining La Poncen~a,which was a dream come true for him.He died shortly after. Saludos, Dario
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Postby maelopr » Tue Dec 05, 2006 1:19 pm

Thank's a lot for your response and sharing your knowledge, Dario. Just for the record, the Angeliito I was referring to is Angel Hernandez, who was the bongosero for la Ponceña from around 1976 to about 1987, and must of recorded around 15 albums. Angelito had mentioned to his brother about getting the CUNI cowbell somewhere in Florida, but since he's retired from the scene a couple of years back, I haven't had a chance to ask about it. Well, he used it on some of his last recordings and presentations with la Sonora Ponceña, so you know how "celoso" I am with this bell- i'ts like I have my own little piece of Salsa history....but don't think I have it collecting dust, as I've also taken it out for a few gigs :) .

Thnaks again Dario for the info..

Ismael
¡ ECUA JEY !
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Postby Omelenko » Wed Dec 06, 2006 3:25 pm

Ismael,

The PR bass player that worked at Cuni Record Shop in Hialeah,his name was Georgie Cuevas and not Angelito.Georgie was a very good bass player and I remember him talking about leaving to PR and playing bass in La Ponceña.I'm sure it was Georgie that took some of those CUNI cowbells to PR and that's how Angelito got it.I have a friend who has some CUNI 2 and CUNI 3.I'm going to try to get one. Saludos, Dario
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Postby twinsbongo » Sat Jan 20, 2007 1:42 am

saludos campaneros
i have try so many different cowbells lps,jcr,juggs,meinl,pearl even not too long ago i tryed elnegro hernandez cowbells.they are all ok but for $13.00 i got me a cowbell from el piernas in colombia and is the best cowbell i have ever heard in my life.try getting that one timbaleros and you wont regret it
julio tx
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Postby robert07 » Sat Jan 20, 2007 7:16 pm

I have played a lot of bells and by far the best are JCR bells.
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Postby twinsbongo » Sun Jan 21, 2007 1:26 am

when we talk about bells is like when we talk about skins.it is just a matter of personal thing. some people like some some people like other. but you are right jcr is the best cowbell on the market now.some people were saying that you can find jcr cowbells at guitar center, but only bongo bells not timbal bell.at least i have never seen one out there at the one in ft worth tx
cuidate
julio ft worth tx
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Postby Isaac » Mon Jan 22, 2007 8:50 pm

The El Piernas is indeed a nice sounding bell, but
the inferior lightweight steel they use will not hold up long for the
serious working percussionist. It's brittle. You don't see many
old one around, simply because they don't last. Too bad,
because they have a good sound.

~ ISAAC
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Postby twinsbongo » Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:06 am

I HAVE HAD MY EL PIERNAS COWBELL FOR LIKE 5 YEARS NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT.BUT I SURE STAYED AWAY FROM THE BONGO COWBELL.BUT THE TIMBAL COWBELL I WONT REPLACE IT
THANKS
JULIO FT WORTH TX
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Postby deadhead » Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:36 am

Just picked up 2 JCR bells today, a bongo bell and a cha cha bell. I'm very impressed with the sound and durability. They blow all of my old school LPs out of the water. The bongo bell is really heavy and produces a great warm tone. The cha cha bell has an amazing tone to it and rings nicely, as opposed to my LP cha cha bell which is much much dryer and sounds dead compared to this one. By far the 2 best cowbells I've played.
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Postby Raymond » Thu Mar 08, 2007 3:09 pm

The best features of the JCR bells are their volume and projection. Nobody has been able to match it.

On the other hand, some people tend to hate them at first because some of the bells have a lot of overtone. (That is the reason I recommend to try the bells before buying because this is no LP or other company that all bells sound alike out of the box. Bells from major companies have the overtone "taken away" are supposedly already "broken in"...That is the difference).

Most of JCR bells need break in to achieve their peak sound.

Saludos!




Edited By Raymond on 1173366672
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Postby Thomas » Thu Mar 08, 2007 5:12 pm

Thats right! I don't like too much overtones, when I was at JCR, I had to try a lot cowbells until I've found the "right one". But those I've chosen sound perfect to me!!
Really recommend them, but as Raymond stated, the best is to try them before buying, to find one with the desired sound!
All the best, Tom!
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Postby Isaac » Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:54 pm

JCR Handmade Bells
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Handmade bells by JCR are unique.
For those interested in getting a nicer sounding JCR bell,
and you are willing to trust my ear, I can play several
and select the "best in the batch" for you. I know this
a very subjective choice, but I try not to dissapoint.
Some like the Lower Pitch, some the Higher Pitch.
Some bells are a bit mellower, and some have that funky
edge that makes the music more urgent & exciting.
One thing they all have is a lot of power to motivate
even the people standing around the back, to get up and dance!
Most other bells sound decays about 15 feet away from the bandstand,
so you have to really sweat to be heard. This is due in part
to the quality of steel used.
We make 21 different bells which most people don't know.
I've been doing this sales/service going into my 4th year now,
working with Caly Rivera. It's been a great experience &
priveledge to be associated with JCR. On the quieter days
Caly has been coaching me in playing timbales.
He performed with Cuatro Master, Yomo Toro for several decades.
We have been shipping all
over the world and hope to keep it up.

Thanks to those of you who've made this possible.

Sincerely,

Isaac Gutwilik
Percussionist / Sales JCR Percussion
funkytradition@yahoo.com
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